5 Tips for Training Your Dog to Walk on a Leash

Training your dog to walk on a leash takes the right approach and enough patience. It is something you can do on your own. Training your dog to walk on a leash is not that much difficult as you think earlier. Here are a few tips to make leash training for your dog as effortless and effective as possible. You can look for dog training services near you to help you out.

1. Consider Leash Training Cues.

Do you use a cue word to allow your dog to know the time for a leash? You might be using a cue word for other commands like sit, paw, and heel. You also need one to prompt your dog to obey on the leash.

More importantly, the word should be used only when teaching him how to walk on the conjunction. Avoid using the word as a part of your normal vocabulary or an expression of emotion.

2. Make The Training Short.

It’s always good to keep the dog training sessions short, fun, and engaging. Only 10-15 minutes will do well than training a dog for an hour long. You can take two to four short walks per day around your house or down the street. You can check for signs when your dog may need a break from training. Some of them are:

• Losing interest in getting rewards
• An increasing number of mistakes
• Slower to respond to cues

3. Reward The Appropriate Behavior.

Do you want to train your dog to do anything? The first thing you should do is reward appropriate behavior. It should be done right away, immediately after the occurrence of good behavior. You can give treats and praise as rewards or you can give petting and playtime with favorite toys or games of fetch.

The most significant reason behind rewarding your dog is to let him encourage you to practice consistency. If you give him a treat for doing something good on Monday and you don’t do it again until Thursday, it will confuse him and he will be unable to learn acceptable behaviors.

Hence, every time he does something right – even if he is sitting peacefully for a minute, you should reward him. That way, he will learn and after that, you can increase the time between rewards.

4. Add Distractions.

While training your dog to walk on a leash, you should start adding distractions. Remember that, walking on a leash won’t be quiet and uneventful; hence you should make sure that your dog gets used to new places, new people, and passing vehicles.

You can try a few things like:

You can take your dog to the park or beach where many people are around. It will help them get accustomed to different types of smells and noises.

If you find dogs at the beach or park, you can take your dog over and introduce them to each other. That way, they can able to learn how they should act around other animals especially if they don’t know each other.

5. Make The Sessions Full Of Fun.

The most important thing you should remember while walking your dog is to make it full of fun. If you are not finding it fun, the same goes for your dog. Always use your tone of positive and happy voice while speaking to him or her. You must be excited about the walk and enthusiastic about the leash and know how your dog is doing. Always make sure that your dog sees the excitement. The more your dog starts connecting walks with good things like toys treats, and affection, the more their behavior will improve.

Bottom Line –

Do you want professional help with dog training in South Jersey? If yes, you should rely on Happy Tails. For more information about our dog training packages, please call us at (609) 636-6984.

How To Tell If Your Dog Needs Obedience Training

Obedience training is a must for all dogs, but it is especially important for dogs that are aggressive, hyperactive, or otherwise out of control. Here are 5 signs that your dog needs obedience training:

Your dog has a hard time understanding basic commands:

If your dog obeys certain commands at home, he should be able to obey the same commands at the park. Dogs sometimes have different definitions for words or commands, so if your dog does not understand what you want him to do, consider working with a qualified trainer who specializes in dog training in NJ. A good trainer can help you and your dog communicate more clearly about what each of you wants and needs.

Your dog pulls on their leash:

Owning a dog can be a lot of fun, but it takes time and effort to train your dog to behave. If your dog pulls on its leash or runs in all different directions when you're walking it, or if you have to wrap your leash around your hand to keep it from running away from you, then your dog definitely needs some basic obedience training.

Aggression towards other dogs or people:

If your dog is aggressive towards other dogs or people, it's time to get obedience training. If a dog is aggressive, that means they're not listening. If they're not listening, then they can't be controlled and they're going to hurt someone!

They're jumping up on people at the door:

When dogs jump up on people at the door, it can be a sign that they want to greet whoever is coming in—or it could just mean they're excited and want to play! But if it's happening all the time and you'd prefer your dog not do this, obedience training may help curb those impulses.

Excessive barking:

Dogs bark when they're excited—but if you notice your dog barks excessively even when there isn't anything exciting going on, this could be a sign that they need more exercise or mental stimulation to keep them occupied.

If you’re worried about your dog’s behavior, speak to the experts at Happy Tails of South Jersey about how obedience dog training in South Jersey can help. Our instructors are dedicated to helping you build a strong relationship with your pet that will last a lifetime. Feel free to reach us at (609) 636-6984!