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This article was co-authored by Melissa Muñoz. Melissa Munoz is an Animal Trainer and the Owner of Pawsitive Perspective Animal Training. She has more than 16 years of experience in reward-based animal training, exotic animal management, and wildlife education. Melissa holds degrees in Animal Behavior and Ethology, Wildlife Education, and Animal Management from the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College.
This article has been viewed 17,868 times.
You try walking your dog in the garden, but he tugs and pulls and tries to chew on the leash. He refuses to walk calmly along and just plops down. This article should provide smooth sailing in transitioning your puppy to a leash.
You should practice all of these steps inside your home in a place where there are no distractions. Once your puppy is confidently walking with a collar and leash in your home then you can start practicing in the backyard and then out and about.
Steps
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Introduce the collar to your pup by placing it on the ground. Encourage your puppy to interact with the unfamiliar item - reward them for looking at and sniffing the collar. This will help your puppy create a positive association between the collar and getting rewards. Practice this over a couple of short sessions throughout your day.[1] -
When your puppy is confidently interacting with the collar, place it as loosely as you can around your puppy's neck - reward your puppy then take the collar off (you don't want to overdo it otherwise your puppy may begin to see the collar as a negative thing). Repeat this several times throughout your day. Remember, the more you do this, the more your puppy will become comfortable with wearing their collar.Advertisement -
Once your pup is comfortable wearing their collar, try clipping the leash onto their collar and rewarding them with some tasty treats. Take a step and encourage your dog to take a step or two forward - you can do this with an encouraging tone and/or lightly clapping your hands together. Reward your puppy with praise and a tasty treat when they take a step forwards. Keep repeating this step until your puppy is confidently taking a step or two forwards. -
When your puppy is confident, encourage them to move with you as you take a step, rewarding them when they follow you. If your puppy doesn't seem to want to move, go back a step for a few repetitions and then try again. -
Gradually increase the number of steps you and your puppy take before giving them a treat. Ensure your puppy is confidently walking on the leash before moving on. -
When your puppy is comfortable walking on the leash, practice steps 4-5 in your backyard where the distraction level is slightly higher. Remember to keep up the rewards. -
When your puppy is confidently walking on the leash in your backyard, practice walking on your driveway and then in your street. Slowly build up the level of distractions around your puppy.[2] If you increase the number of distractions too quickly, your puppy may get overwhelmed.Advertisement
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you lead a puppy for the first time?
Melissa MuñozMelissa Munoz is an Animal Trainer and the Owner of Pawsitive Perspective Animal Training. She has more than 16 years of experience in reward-based animal training, exotic animal management, and wildlife education. Melissa holds degrees in Animal Behavior and Ethology, Wildlife Education, and Animal Management from the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College.
Animal TrainerFirst you gotta understand that it's a cooperative experience and teach the dog that when they pull the lead tight, that doesn't make the walk continue. -
QuestionHow do you train a dog to walk on a leash beside you?Melissa MuñozMelissa Munoz is an Animal Trainer and the Owner of Pawsitive Perspective Animal Training. She has more than 16 years of experience in reward-based animal training, exotic animal management, and wildlife education. Melissa holds degrees in Animal Behavior and Ethology, Wildlife Education, and Animal Management from the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College.
Animal TrainerIf you pull your dog, it's just gonna play tug of war back, so give it a little tug to call the dog and start going backwards, rewinding as if you were a car in reverse. That will get the dog to "reset". Once they get back to your sight, continue walking. Soon, the dog will learn to walk beside you. -
QuestionHow to get a dog listen to its owner?
StandardPoodler49Community AnswerTeach a "look at me" cue. This could be "Look at me" or the puppy's name. Also, put in the time and be persistent and consistent.
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Tips
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Remember not to overwhelm your puppy with too many distractions - slowly increase the amount of distractions for the best results.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- A puppy-safe collar
- A puppy leash (puppy-specific leashes are light weight, a standard leash are often too heavy for puppies).
- Tasty treats
Reference
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About this article
Melissa Muñoz
Animal Trainer
This article was co-authored by Melissa Muñoz. Melissa Munoz is an Animal Trainer and the Owner of Pawsitive Perspective Animal Training. She has more than 16 years of experience in reward-based animal training, exotic animal management, and wildlife education. Melissa holds degrees in Animal Behavior and Ethology, Wildlife Education, and Animal Management from the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College. This article has been viewed 17,868 times.
Co-authors: 31
Updated: December 24, 2021
Views: 17,868
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 17,868 times.
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