How to Leash Train a Dog

Before you learn how to leash train a dog you should ask yourself, are you walking your dog or is your dog walking you. If your answer is the latter than read this article and you will learn how to train a dog to walk on a leash. Leash training a dog will make you begin to enjoy your walks with your dog and form a stronger relationship between the both of you.

Before I get started I just want to point out that learning how to train a dog to walk on a leash not only allows you to walk your dog comfortably, it also keeps your dog safe from traffic and other harms that can occur when you have an uncontrolled dog.

If your dog hasn’t been leash trained yet, you maybe be frustrated to the point of not wanting to take your dog outside anymore. Believe me, I know. I once adopted a Beagle who would begin to pull as soon as I would go outside. Before I knew how to leash train a dog I spent the first 10 – 15 minutes of our “walk” running as fast as I could so I can tire my Beagle out and then he wouldn’t pull so hard! I got a six pack that summer just from running but my dog was still not able to walk on a leash.

If you were or are in a similar situation you have probably tried a few things such as choke collars, negative reinforcement and body leashes. Choke collars are often used by people who have larger dogs who aren’t well trained to walk on a leash. However, it’s often misused and should only be used by experienced individuals to avoid injuring your dog. If you are really adamant about using a control method, I recommend using something like the Gentle Leader. In a nut shell it pulls your dog’s head down and toward you and makes it difficult for your dog to pull on the leash. If I were you I would seriously start to train a dog to walk on a leash instead using positive reinforcement than turning to other leash training methods.

A note about how to leash train a dog

While it’s important for you to learn how to train a dog to walk on a leash no matter what breed, you should know that leash training is absolutely necessary for larger dogs such as the Boxer, German Shepherd, Mastiff, Doberman Pincher, Labrador Retriever etc. Even medium sized dogs such as the Basset Hound, Shiba Inu and Bulldogs may become impossible to walk if they haven’t been properly leash trained.

How to Leash Train a Dog using Positive Reinforcement

When you are learning how to train a dog to do anything, you should be using positive reinforcement. It has been used by dog training experts and is often one of the most recommended techniques because it helps built trust between you and your dog and make them look forward to training sessions where they can be rewarded for doing the right thing such as learning how to walk on a leash.

In the beginning, your dog leash training sessions should be very short. This goes for all dog training but is especially true for young puppies who tend to have a short attention span. When learning how to train a dog to walk on a leash I usually recommend 5 – 10 minute session or you may find that your dog may begin to dislike the training.

You should schedule your leash training sessions at the same time daily. This way your dog will be expecting the lessons and will be looking forward to them. I like to schedule them before meal time. This way my dog will respond more effectively to food and treat rewards and will motivated to do what I want him to do (in this case learning how to walk on a leash).

Before you even begin to learn how to leash train a dog I suggest you learn how to train a dog to sit and stay. When your dog to start to pull on the leash you can give the sit and stay command and hold for a few seconds before continuing your walk again. If you haven’t already done so you can read training a dog to sit and training a dog to stay by clicking on the links.

How to Leash Train a Dog – Choosing the Right Leash

Not all dog leashes are created equal. For training purposes, the best one to train a dog to walk on a leash are the traditional six foot leash usually works best. Don’t get me wrong, long leashes are good but for different training commands such as training a dog to stay and come. Also retractable leashes are usually too weak especially for larger dog’s that haven’t been leash trained yet. Before my Boxer dog was leash trained, he actually pulled so hard when he saw a dog at the park and completely ripped the leash. Stick to the standard leash when you just starting.

Well I’ve just introduced you to learning how to leash train a dog and stay tuned for step by step methods on how to train a dog to walk on a leash.

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