Getting out into the fresh air and the outdoors is a great way to build your relationship with your new puppy. Every new puppy owner imagine walks as a fun way to enjoy some quality time with their new pet. Training puppy to walk on lead is not the hardest thing to do but it does take work. I am about to show you why.
You pull out the leash for their first walk, and your puppy starts screaming blue murder because they assume you’re hurting them. It’s a shock, but they eventually allow you to put on their harness.
So, when you get out onto the street and Fido thinks its time to pull you along like your’e dead weight, it’s a bit of a surprise, and not the good time you expected. The idea of walking your dog is that you walk them, they don’t walk you.
Let’s look into a few strategies to help you train your puppy to walk on a lead.
Introducing the Lead: Fun Begins at Home
The journey to fun walks starts at home. Pull out the harness and lead and leave it in their bed. Your puppy won’t know what it is, but they’ll assume it’s for them. They sniff around it and investigate it, wondering what it is.
How Training Puppy To Walk On Lead Can Be Done Right
They should associate the leash and harness with happy times. Dress them in the harness and attach the leash. Let the pup wander around your home wearing the kit to get used to it. This approach gets them accustomed to how the lead feels. Make it a positive experience for them by giving your puppy a treat and plenty of praise.
How to Make the Lead a Positive Experience
Once your pup is comfortable with wearing the lead indoors, it’s time to pump up the fun. Pick up the lead and encourage your puppy to follow you around the house. Use a happy, upbeat voice and offer treats and praise for walking alongside you.
Do as many short sessions as possible to keep it light and fun. The principal here is to show your puppy that walking on a lead is a good time. If they pull, stop and stand still. Wait until the lead slackens, then start walking again. This shows your puppy that pulling doesn’t get him anywhere, and they’ll stop this behavior.
Venturing Outside: Small Steps First
Now, your pup is a walking expert in the house; it’s time you advanced to moving outdoors. But bear in mind, the environment outside introduces new sights, sounds, and smells, so take it slowly and give your dog time to adjust to the experience.
For your first walk, take your pup somewhere quiet where there’s no pedestrian traffic or other dogs. You want their attention to be solely on you and nothing else. Start with a short walk of around 10 minutes and increase the time gradually every other day until you’re walking for 15 to 20 minutes. Dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell to interpret their surroundings. So, you can expect them to stop and sniff regularly during the walk.
If your puppy becomes fixated on a scent, they won’t want to move. Break their focus by saying “leave it,” and tug on the leash lightly to pull them away. If your puppy is distracted or seems anxious, return home and try again in a little while or the following day.
Teaching Commands: Consistency is Key
Commands like “heel,” “sit,” and “leave it” are essential in lead training. Training your pup with these commands helps them realize what you expect of them.
- Teach “heel” by holding a treat at your hip and encourage your puppy to walk beside you. Say “heel”; if they remain in the heel position, say “good dog” and give them a treat.
- Practice “sit” by having your puppy sit when you come to a stop in your walk. This will come in handy in setups such as at crosswalks, where you would want them to be obedient and keep their cool.
Reward your puppy when they ignore the distractions in their environment and focus on you and your commands.
Practice Patience and Perseverance
Training your puppy to walk with you properly isn’t always smooth sailing. It’s common for puppies to get distracted on walks and overly excited, or to become stubborn at times. Here’s how to handle these common challenges.
If your dog is “reactive” around other dogs, you’ll need to take them for professional training to stop them from this behavior. Reactive dogs will bark and charge at other dogs they see on the street. It’s challenging to train this behavior out of them and requires plenty of patience and perseverance.
High-value treats make it easier to hold the puppy’s attention during training, like during a “watch me” exercise, where you get the puppy to make and hold eye contact with you.
If your puppy seems nervous, take baby steps. Do a short walk and come back home for a treat and praise. Gradually increase the time and distance of the walk as they gain confidence.
Fun Training Games
Make it fun. Working games into your training makes it more fun for you and your puppy. Try the “follow the leader” game where you change directions during the walk and get your puppy to keep up with your sudden movements.
This exercise is especially good for training the “heel” command. Or try the wonderful game of “find It” where you drop a treat on the ground and let your puppy sniff it out. This stimulus and activity helps to distract nervous puppy’s and makes the walk more engaging.
Professional Training – Do You Need It?
If you don’t have any experience training dogs, that’s no problem. There are plenty of ways to teach your dog how to walk. Many first-time dog owners rely on trainers to help them get their pet under control during walks.
Training is vital if your dog develops bad walking habits like pulling, reactivity to other dogs, and for teaching commands. However, it’s expensive, and you’ll need to work the training sessions into your schedule, which might not be very convenient.
Fortunately, we live in the digital age of the internet. Now, you can get professional dog training, right at home. Online training platforms give you access to real trainers and proven training methods for your dog.
It’s an on-demand service, and you can work through the training modules on your own time and at your own pace. It’s way more affordable than conventional training methods, and just as effective.
I Hope You Learned Training Puppy To Walk On Lead Can Be Done
Embrace the Journey
Taking a puppy through the learning process to walk on a lead is a journey of bumps and jolts, and twists and turns. But, when your puppy eventually develops good walking behavior, it’s worth every second of the training you invested in them.
With patience, consistency, and a good attitude, you’ll have a well-behaved pup who enjoys getting out for a walk as much as you do. Enjoy your walks, and may you experience many happy trails together!