Leash Training a Puppy

Some people are surprised to see that when they first get their puppy it doesn’t respond well to walking on a leash, but it is important to remember that it isn’t a natural situation for a dog! The good news is that training your pup how to walk on a leash is fairly easy, and the earlier that you can start training sessions with your puppy, the quicker you will see results. Being able to walk your dog is not only an enjoyable way for you to spend time with your companion; it’s also a far safer experience for your dog.

Training Puppies to Walk on a Leash

The first step to training your puppy to walk on a leash is to get them used to wearing a collar. When you first put the collar on your dog, do it in a comfortable environment and be sure to take time to feed or play with them so that they have a positive experience and associate the collar with something enjoyable. Many puppies will try to rub and scratch against the collar, but you should leave it on until they have forgotten about it and the behaviors cease. Once your dog is used to the collar, the next step is to introduce them to the lead / retractable leash. The best type of lead for a young puppy is one that is lightweight and made of nylon or fabric, rather than chain or leather. Let your dog sniff the lead, clip it to their collar, and let them walk around with it dragging behind them. Make sure to supervise your dog’s behavior during this process so that they don’t get caught on anything. When your puppy is used to the feel of the leash and the collar, it’s time for you to pick up the handle. Once you pick up the handle, get their attention and try to lure them to you with a treat or piece of food. Once they get to you, give them the treat/food and provide positive reinforcement by saying “good”. Then walk another way and do the same thing. Get their attention, show them the treat/food, and say “lets go”. When they come to you, feed them the treat or food again. Only do this a couple times at first, then just set the leash back down. Slowly make your sessions longer and longer until you can start walking around. That’s it! Now your furry friend should stop trying to fight the leash and walk with you.

If you would like to solve other handling issues like pulling, handling distractions, lunging at people, and jumping, or just want basic command training for your dog, contact our professional dog trainers in Phoenix AZ. Feel free to check out our training section, watch the videos of our pet parents working with their dogs after spending time with our trainers, and check our 90+ 5 star combined reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook! Just search Rob’s Dogs LLC.

I hope this little section helps solve your puppy leash training issues!