How To Train A Dog To Walk On A Leash

Introduction

Teaching your puppy to walk on a leash is easy—if you know what you’re doing. Puppies may be adorable, but they are also notorious for being unruly and getting into mischief. Leash training can help curb some of these behaviors and make walking with your dog more pleasant and safe for all involved. Ready to learn how? Here are the tips and tricks I wish someone had told me when I first started leash training my dog:

Don’t give your dog a lot of exercise before trying to leash train it.

If you’re going to be leashing training your dog, it’s important that you don’t allow it too much exercise beforehand. If a dog is tired or wound up from too much exercise and excitement, they’ll have a harder time focusing on what you’re trying to teach them.

However, don’t feel bad if your dog does get overly excited before leash training—this is just normal for some breeds of dogs! If this happens, try not to give them more than 20 minutes of playtime before beginning the lesson.

Don’t make your puppy wear a leash around the house.

Your puppy should associate the leash with positive experiences, not negative ones. He shouldn’t think of it as something that makes him uncomfortable or causes physical pain (like being hit by an angry owner).

Put the leash on and praise your puppy, but don’t start walking yet.

Now that your puppy is calm, it’s time to put on the leash. Make sure the collar is snug and not too tight (it should be loose enough for two fingers to fit between the collar and your dog).

Next, take a step back and hold up one end of the leash like this:

Make sure you have an appropriate length of leash for your pup; if it’s too long or short, you will have trouble controlling him or her. You can either buy a longer leash at a pet store or cut off some of one that you already own with sharp scissors. Now that you’re ready to go out into this big world with your new four-legged friend by your side!

Don’t punish your dog for pulling on its leash.

Don’t pull back on the leash. Using a leash to guide your dog can be effective, but pulling it taut or jerking it up short are counterproductive and may actually hurt your dog’s neck. You’ll probably only succeed in getting your pup to yank back even harder; remember that dogs don’t understand language as well as humans do, so it’s not like you can explain to him that he shouldn’t pull.
Don’t go in the opposite direction of where you want your dog to go. If he’s pulling towards an open window or door that he wants to get through, this method could cause both of you harm if you move directly toward it without thinking about what would happen if either one of you ran into something stationary at top speed because this is also a very bad idea! Your dog will be too busy chasing after his own tail (literally) while trying not fall over himself while still trying obey orders from his master/mistress (whoever they may be).
Don’t yell at him when he pulls on his leash—this only confuses him further and often results in more misbehavior down the road when training sessions resume again later that evening after dinner has cooled off completely between mouthfuls.”

Avoid choke chains and harnesses that put pressure on your puppy’s trachea or work against its natural healthy gait.

A choke chain, also known as a slip collar, is designed to give you control over your dog from behind by pulling the collar tight around its neck. This type of training has been found to be ineffective in teaching dogs how to walk nicely on a leash, which is why it’s not recommended for puppies or adult dogs.

If you choose to use one, you should only do so under supervision and with proper instruction from a trainer — never leave it on your puppy unattended! Choke chains can cause serious damage to your dog’s trachea if you’re not careful when using them. Your pup may also develop bad habits such as walking with his head down while wearing this type of equipment because he doesn’t understand why he feels pain every time he pulls against it (although some say that this model isn’t intended for use with young pups).

Don’t expect too much at once, or try to train your puppy for too long at one sitting.

Dogs can be trained over time, but don’t expect to have a dog that will walk on a leash perfectly after just a few days of practice. The same goes for any other training you do with your dog: don’t push it too far in one session, or else they might get tired and frustrated with you (and themselves).

It may take some time, but you can teach your puppy how to walk on a leash appropriately.

For most people, it can take weeks to months to train a dog to walk on a leash. It’s important to be patient and not expect too much at once. Being too hard on yourself will only make you frustrated, and your puppy will pick up on that frustration. Keep in mind that your puppy needs time to adjust and develop habits for walking on a leash properly, so don’t push him too hard or try to train him for more than 20 minutes at one sitting.

Conclusion

As with any training, leash-walking requires patience and consistency. You must always remember that your puppy is only a baby, and even the most well-behaved adult dog once had to learn how to walk on a leash. Many owners find themselves at their wits’ end after a few weeks of leash training their puppy; it’s really difficult for some people to be consistent in the face of such adorable disobedience! Just remember: your puppy will get it eventually, as long as you don’t give up.