How To Leash Train Your Puppy
Teaching your new puppy how to walk on a leash is a very exciting time. After all, it is so fun taking your furry best friends out for walks. Although leash training a puppy can seem like a difficult process, it is actually much simpler than many people originally believe it to be.
When leash training your new puppy it is important to remember that the process should be fun to both you and your puppy. Doing this will keep the experience positive and allow you to progress more smoothly.
Here we will be breaking down the process of leash training your new puppy into a few simple steps. You can even start leash training as soon as you bring your puppy home.
Step 1: Get Your Puppy Used To Their Leash
The first step to leash training your new puppy is to introduce them to their leash and collar. This also applies to harnesses if you would rather your puppy wear that when out on walks.
You can get your puppy used to their collar and leash by having them wear them in the house. If your puppy seems to be a little apprehensive about wearing these things, pairing the process with yummy treats can help to make the experience more positive for them.
Step 2: Turn Walking Into A Fun Game And Reward Good Behavior
Once your dog has gotten used to their leash, collar, and harness you can start walking. Many people choose to begin this process inside of their home or backyard. This is because these areas are very familiar to your puppy, and you are not likely to run into as many distractions as you would in new places.
When starting to teach your puppy to walk on the leash it is a good idea to make the experience fun and treat it like a game. During this process doing things like calling your puppy’s name and rewarding them for looking at you is a great idea. Similarly, rewarding good behavior and loose leash walking is also an important part of this process.
Step 3: Take Your Dog Outside!
Once your dog seems to be getting the hang of walking in the house or in your backyard then it is time to take them outside! Take this time to practice loose leash walking and name recognition in new and fun places. Take this opportunity to explore new environments and bond with your new best friend.
Step 4: Introduce Other Commands And Skills
Once your dog is reliably walking next to you and responding to their name when on the leash, you can also introduce some other helpful commands and skills. Things like leave it, sit, come, and heel can be very useful commands for your dog to know when out on walks. The good news is that you can teach your dog whatever you want!
Step 5: Practice
You know the saying practice makes perfect? Well, this is true even with dog walking and dog training. The more you practice these skills with your dog the more of a pro the two of you will be!