One of the great joys of owning a dog is being able to go for a walk. A dog that is appropriately leash trained makes a walk relaxing and enjoyable but if your dog is not leash trained that same walk becomes an exercise in frustration and it can even be dangerous.

In order to effectively leash train your puppy, you need to start when he is very young. It will be easier the younger he is. Begin by getting him used to the collar. At first he is likely to fight it but just keep it on him. If he starts whining and crying about the collar and you take it off you will have just taught him how he can have his way and you will always have problems. Make him wear the collar; just make sure that you remove it before you crate him to avoid any accidents.

Soon your puppy will be used to wearing the collar and it will be time to do the same thing with the leash. Attach the leash and let him get used to it by letting him drag it around. Be sure that someone is supervising him though as he could cause some chaos if he gets tangled up. Soon you should pick up the leash and start walking around the house. It is easier to start where he feels safe so even though it seems odd to walk your puppy in the house it is still best to start there.

When he gets comfortable with the leash in the house you can take him out in your yard. He should still be comfortable but there will be a few more distractions. When you are walking him make sure that you dissuade any bad behavior and encourage the better behaviors.

If you puppy is pulling on the leash, just stop walking. Stand still. He may still pull for a bit but if you stop every time he pulls he will soon learn not to do that. Make sure that you are talking to him and issuing him commands, this is a great time for communication.

If he continues to pull you can also try turning around and walking quickly the other way. This will confound him but he will soon learn that if he wants to go anywhere that he cannot be pulling on the leash. Repeat these behaviors until he learns that pulling on the leash is unacceptable.

Sometimes a puppy will stop himself and not walk with you. In this case you can entice him with treats as an encouragement. Don’t call him to you to give him the treat but rather put the treat by your feet and make him come to you. Soon he will learn not to stop.

As soon as your dog is walking next to you with the leash slack make sure that he knows that this is what you want. Words of praise and an occasional treat will go a long way towards reinforcing this behavior. Practice with him often and never let him get away with unacceptable behavior and your puppy will be properly leash trained before you know it.

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