How I Trained My Dog: Walking On Leash

Let me tell you about my journey training Bella. It wasn't easy, and I made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I learned a lot.

I wish I had known this sooner.

forging ahead is the biggest problem when walking dogs on a leash.

Once the leash is tightened, your dog no longer has to pay attention to you since they have a taut telegraph wire through which they may sense your every move and even your very intentions, thus freeing their nose, ears, and eyes to explore around them.

Also, it would appear that pulling on the leash is intrinsically enjoyable and self-reinforcing for many dogs.

It’s considerably easier and smarter to first practice all of your walk training exercises with a young puppy on a leash indoors.

It’s good to keep practicing indoors until your puppy can walk without pulling.

By starting early, you can avoid issues once your puppy is older, stronger, and more likely to be punished for their bad behavior.

Remember, the dog weight-pulling record is in the region of 10,000 pounds.

Using a leash to walk is necessary as a safety precaution, and leashing your dog is mandatory when leash laws are in effect.

I wish I had known this sooner.

once a pet parent and a dog are connected with a leash, the dog may pull.

This is a great way to work on impulse control while walking.

Start with your pup on leash.

When they do so, immediately say “Good dog,” and offer a treat.

Then, say “Let’s Go,” take one step forward, and then stand still again.

I wish I had known this sooner.

with successive trials, have your dog sit for progressively longer periods before praising them and taking another step.

Once the sequences have expanded to six or seven steps, you are now walking your pup on a leash without them pulling, and they will sit automatically by your side whenever you stop.

If your puppy ever tightens the leash when you are walking, immediately stand still and wait for them to sit again before moving on..

Now you’re ready for several laps around the block.

Dogs will tend to forge when leaving home but lag when coming back.

I felt so guilty when I realized what was happening.

while it’s great to have your dog always heeling at your side, it’s also important to give your dog time to stop and sniff around and relieve themselves.

While walking on a leash can be a challenge, a bit of patience and hard work can go a long way.

Need some more leash training tips.

This was definitely a learning experience for me. Bella depends on me to keep him safe, and I'm trying to do better every day.