How to Train Your Dog or Puppy to Walk on a Leash: Vet-Approved Tips
Learning to walk on a leash is one of the most crucial training steps for any dog or puppy. Leash behavior can be the difference between a relaxed, enjoyable walk with your dog and a stressful, potentially dangerous one.
In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps for how to teach your dog or puppy to walk nicely on the leash and share some extra tips for making leash training a success.
The 5 Tips on How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Leash
Puppyhood is the best time to train a dog as they're still in the developmental stage, and this can help curb unwanted ingrained behaviors later on. If your dog is a rescued adult, don't worry; adult dogs are still perfectly capable of learning new things, and it just takes more time and patience.
Here are the steps for teaching your dog to walk like a true lady or gentleman on the leash!
What You'll Need:
1. Getting Used to the Leash
Let your dog wear their harness and/or collar around the house for short spells to help them get used to how it feels. Make the time they wear it exciting by playing with them and offering treats, so they form positive associations.
2. Teaching Your Dog to Pay Attention
Put your dog's leash on and simply stand there quietly. Your dog will likely sniff about or get excited because something's happening. Don't react—continue to stand still, and don't speak to your dog.
Wait for them to look at you, then praise them abundantly and reward them with a treat. This teaches the dog to pay attention to you when the leash is on. Avoid starting the walk before your dog has paid attention to you.
3. Walking on a Loose Leash
Now that your dog has paid attention to you and has been rewarded for doing so, it's time to start practicing walking on a loose leash. As you go, use a verbal cue like "with me" as well as treats and praise to get your dog to walk close to your side. The leash should be loose rather than taut.
4. Discouraging Pulling
If your dog starts to pull on the leash or you feel it getting taut, stop and stand still. Only move forward again when your dog has turned to look at you and the leash loosens. It's essential to do this each time any pulling occurs.
5. Practicing
You need to be consistent when it comes to training your dog to walk nicely on a leash. That means consistently stopping when they pull and dedicating time to practicing every single day. Inconsistency can unravel the work you've put in, so keep practicing as normal, even if your dog is getting good at walking nicely, to reinforce what they've learned.
Training a Dog to Walk on a Leash: Extra Tips
Final Thoughts
The main goal of teaching your dog to walk nicely on a leash is to instill that good behavior means you move forward, whereas unwanted behavior, like pulling, means you stop. Dogs love walks and want to keep moving forward to explore, so it will soon start to sink in that positive behavior reaps the rewards as long as you're consistent.
Featured Image Credit: SasaStock, Shutterstock
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Kit Copson is a freelance writer and lifelong animal lover with a strong interest in animal welfare. She has parented many furry beings over the years and is currently a proud cat mom of two—one very chilled (unless hungry) Siamese and a skittish but adorable Domestic Shorthair—and dog mom of one—an adopted Bichon Poodle cross. When not writing about or spending time with pets, Kit can be found drawing in her sketchpad, reading, or more often than not, drinking tea.
