Tips in making your dogs comfortable with his leash
A trained dog is taken everywhere, is always welcome, and can enjoy the freedom of being off-leash. You wouldn’t believe how many dog owners have problems when it comes to teaching their dogs not to pull on the leash.
Leash
* Let your dog look, and smell the leash so he’s comfortable with it. Then attach the leash to your dog’s collar. * With your dog on your left side, hold the leash and a food reward in your right hand. Your left hand should also be holding the slack of the leash. Now, various problems can occur when you’re training your dog to walk without a leash. Sometimes people don’t realize that it’s easier to train a dog to walk to heel off the leash at first, rather than on it. With the leash in your left hand and a food treat in your right, walk away from him while giving the verbal command “Stay”.
* Turn to face your dog (while holding him on the leash), and show him that you have a food reward.
* Once your dog has learned to return to you on a standard leash, progress to an extending leash. If you are worried that he might not come back at all, then keep him on an extending leash while you’re training him outdoors for now. Keep your dog on the extending leash for now, to make sure you still have control over him if he doesn’t respond to your “Come” command just yet. A quick jerk on the leash is usually enough to attract his attention. If your dog is strong willed or stubborn at this moment in time, always carry out any training exercise with him on a leash at all times.
* With your dog on your left side, hold the leash at waist level in your left hand, and a food reward in your right.
* While you maintain tension on the leash, step forwards with your right foot.
*Exert light pressure on the leash and hold it over your dog’s head, then turn to face your dog. Slowly walk around your dog, holding the leash above his head. * After several sessions of this your dog should sit and stay while on the leash. * When your dog will sit and stay with the leash dropped, give him a food reward. * With your dog on his leash to your left side, give him the “Sit” command. Then kneel down and tuck his leash under your knees.
If your dog’s shoulders rise from the down position before you want them to, run your hand firmly down the leash to the collar. Allow the dog to run to the end of the leash, then call your dog by its name immediately followed by the command “Come” and pull in the lead. You can make him sit while you put the leash before taking your dog out for a walk, or make him lie down and stay still until you fill his bowl and put it down before him.
Article type: xarchive
