Teaching your dog to walk on a leash is an important part of dog training. There will be many times when you'll need to take your pet outside and around others. Letting him run lose is not a good idea nor is it safe. He could run out in front of a car or engage in a fight with someone else's pet. This is especially true if you're unsure of how your dog will respond when put in a social environment. Therefore, leash training is a must.
Teaching your dog to walk on a leash will be easier if you teach him the basic commands first such as sit and stay. Most dogs will get very excited when they see the leash. This makes it hard to get it hooked to the collar and to control your pet while you're on the walk. If he sits and stays while you hook the leash you can rub him, tell him he's a good boy and calm his nerves before you head out. This will get the adventure off to a great start.
The main problem that most dog owners have (especially with big dogs) is the dog tends to walk them instead of the other way around. How many times have you seen someone being dragged down the sidewalk or across the park by a dog? You have to stay in control and not allow your pet to pull you around. This is where the basic commands can make training a dog to walk on a leash much easier.
When he takes off, hold firmly to the leash so he won't jerk it out of your hand but don't move. Next, tell him to heel, come or sit. When he obeys your command, show him affection, provide a treat and slowly start off for your walk.
Your goal is to have your dog walk beside you, not stretched out as far as he can go in front of you or lagging behind when you're trying to move on. You can start out by keeping the leash short so he has to be next to you at first and then slowly add more length to the line. However, you do want to give him time to stop and enjoy himself a little but don't let him control the walk.
You need to be patient at all times because if you get upset or aggravated at your pet, this will only make things worse. Stay calm and relaxed but stern in your commands and he will eventually learn what you want him to do.
You dog will need to be on a leash when you take him for walks, when you visit the veterinarian and when you take him to the park or lake. It will be much more enjoyable and a lot easier for the both of you when your pet is properly trained to walk on a leash.
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