How To Train A Dog To Walk On A Leash
Make Your Puppy Follow You
When you see your puppy is making his way to you while wearing the collar and the leash to get the treat, back up a few steps. After that, when he gets to you, reward him.
Continue this way for a while before you make the cue sound Your puppy will not only stand in front of you but also start walking with you for a few more steps.
Puppies usually don’t have a good attention span, so your sessions should be in short bursts. End the session when your puppy still has the energy and eagerness to please instead of when they appear exhausted and bored with the repetitive nature of the situation.
Home Practice
Once your puppy understands the process that they should come up to you on cue, it’s time to take these short sessions to a place with some distractions.
Your dog will face more of a challenge when it is in a place where other sounds or visual mediums are available and yet has to follow the cue sound to come to you without getting distracted.
The more your puppy gets used to coming up to you, despite the distraction the more you should shower him with treats and praises. Of course, this should happen when he has the leash on.
Outside Sessions
Think you have trained your puppy enough inside the safety of your house? Now, it’s time to test whether your puppy is ready to tackle the great outdoors. This step will bring with it a fresh round of challenges.
Your puppy will be greeted with sound and smell it has never encountered before and will see things it has never seen before. These things are bound to intrigue him and make him curious enough to try to run off on its own to inspect the subject of its attention.
You have to be patient with your puppy. It’s also best that for the first few walks outside, you keep it limited to a short period of time. Once you are out on the walk, you have to keep a close eye on your pet.
Then, when you notice that it seems like your puppy is on the verge of reaching for something afar or is about to get distracted, it’s time for you to make your cue sound. Then, step back a little. When your puppy comes to you, reward it with a treat.
