Learning how to leash train your dog can be a daunting task. When you first get your dog, you may or not have to immediately put it on a leash. When I first got my first dog, every time I put him on a leash, he would jump around and pull and acted overall pretty crazy. I was unsure of what to do or what steps I could take to leash train my dog properly.
Many dogs will naturally pull and jump ahead as they do not want to be held at your pace. If you give your dog proper training with the right leash and collar, your pet should get along with you on walks just fine in the future.
Leash Training
When you first start, leash training is going to test your patience. There are also many different techniques that you can use to leash train your dog.
The approach that I like to take is called the penalty yards leash training method. Basically what this means is that if your dog pulls the leash tight, you are going to back up two or three feet and just stop. This will not let your dog move any further and will teach them that you will not be going further until the leash is loose again.
This can be a very effective method to leash training your dog. Another thing you can do that benefits training is to reward your dog with treats when the leash is not being pulled. Your pet will learn to not pull and that sometimes they are rewarded for such actions, a double win!
If you are going to be giving out treats to your dog for good behavior, make sure it is randomly. You do not want the dog being accustomed to when they are going to receive treats.
Always remember praise for being good. You can eventually stop giving treats, but continually praising them for not pulling or jumping forward will help the dog remember their training.
Remember, a dog wants to make you happy. Wondering how to leash train your dog should only be a thought when you first get your pet. After a month or so, they should have it down and there should be no more issues. It is hard work up front, but well worth it in the end when they are well behaved.
