When it comes to owning a dog, one of the primary goals set by many owners is to instill polite leash manners. In fact, 68 percent of the owners state they won’t have a dog unless it knows how to act appropriately on a leash. And while leash manners are a big deal, teaching them and getting a dog to abide by them is a whole different story.
Fortunately, though, there are several tips that can be followed to teach your dog the proper way to act when on a leash. Let’s take a quick look at some of the top tips you need to know about.
Know what you’re working with
Although teaching your dog good leash manners isn’t all about the leash he or she is being walked on, the least itself is of importance. For starters, it’s usually best to walk your dog on a leather leash. If you don’t and your dog tries to pull away from you, nylon leashes can cut your hands.
Keep a treat bag on you at all times
You’ll want to keep a bag of treats on you at all times. In doing this, when you notice progress in your dog and his or her leash manners, an immediate reward can be given from the treat bag.
Practice in a comfortable environment
If your dog is an inside pet, there’s a good chance that when outdoors, he or she becomes easily distracted. Because of this, you may want to start your leash training indoors. Also, don’t take your pet to an environment where he or she is uncomfortable.
The less distractions and the more comfortable your dog is, such as in your backyard, the better the training will go.
Wear your dog down
If your dog tends to have high amounts of energy, you’ll want to do your leash training during times of the day when his or her energy is relatively low. Too much energy will likely mean that your dog can’t adequately concentrate enough to take in what you are trying to teach.
Great ways to reduce energy in your dog before training is by letting him or her run around in a fenced area or playing fetch.
Walk fast and start early
And best of all, the faster that the two of you walk, the better the exercise the two of you will get.
The sooner you start leash training, the more successful it will go.
In fact, leash training, if possible, should start when your dog is only a few months old.
If you don’t become the owner of a dog until he or she is several months to several years old, then your training will likely have to be more extensive because bad habits will have to be broken.
Keep your training sessions short
No one likes to train for extended periods of time on doing something that they have no idea how to do. Keep this in mind in relation to your dog’s leash training sessions. When you first start out, do them for about 10 minutes at a time, preferably two times a day. As your dog starts learning proper leash manners, you can increase the training time.
Before you know it, the training will be over and you’ll simply be walking your dog on a leash.
If you find it absolutely impossible to teach your dog proper leash manners, or if you don’t have time to do the teaching, you may want to acquire services from a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. From private lessons to group training sessions, there are many ways for your dog to be taught how to act appropriately on a leash.