Dog Training Tips

Start your dog leash training indoors. Most of us think of dog leash training and walking as an outdoor behavior. But for most dogs, the best place to start leash training a dog is inside. That’s because indoors is a relatively low-distraction environment. You won’t be competing with as many things for your dog’s attention. He’ll be more likely to notice the rewards you’re offering for nice leash behaviors.

When you do go outside, pick a boring spot

As you progress in your loose dog leash training indoors, you’ll eventually be ready to move outside. Outside is a higher-distraction environment – but you can find ways to make the transition from low- to high-distraction a little more gradual. Try to find the most boring places you can. For example, your next step, after indoor practice, might be walking in your driveway, or in the backyard. The sidewalk closest to your home or apartment is probably more boring than the park, and is more appropriate certainly when starting leash training dogs.

If you have a fenced-in yard, you might try letting your dog out loose first, so she has a chance to check all the new smells or sights that weren’t there the last time she was out. Then snap on the leash for some walking practice.

Progress slowly

Dog leash training whilst walking, like any outdoor behavior, is challenging because outside is distracting. Outside, a dog’s senses are being tickled by myriad sounds, sights, and smells. We sometimes forget that when leash training dogs (or any other dog training routines for that matter) we’re asking a lot when we expect our dogs to notice what we want when there is so much other, interesting stuff going on!

Of course, every dog is different. Some dogs will naturally be calmer, and some will be more excitable. The trick is to match your training program to your dog. If you are consistently “failing” in your attempts to get your dog to walk nicely on leash, you’ve been trying to progress too quickly. Go back to the beginning and start over – and this time, make sure your dog has mastered the baby steps before moving on.

Use the walk as a reward

One of the best rewards you have when leash training a dog is the walk itself. Your dog wants to go. So make moving forward a reward for a loose leash.

Conversely, if your dog ever puts pressure on the leash – if he ever makes the leash taut – then stop. Wait for him to look at you. Wait for him to take a step back toward you so that the leash goes slack again. When he does that, start walking again.

If you do this consistently, your dog will learn that he makes you go by keeping the leash loose.

Avoid bad habits

If you let your dog practice pulling, guess what? You’re dog leash training routine is teaching your dog to pull. If your dog hasn’t mastered loose leash walking, find alternative ways to give her exercise, such as romps in a fenced-in yard. When leash training a dog, don’t rely on leash walks for her daily exercise until she’s had plenty of practice keeping that lead loose.

Tips For Using A Dog Training Leash