Leash Training Puppies

A leash is a chain, rope or a strap which is tied or attached to the collar or harness of an animal to lead or control it. A leash is generally used for dogs and puppies and by domestic pet owners.

Once you have purchased or adopted a puppy, the first thing you do is train him/her. Get your puppy familiar with the surroundings of your family and home. Training your puppy for a variety of things is a demanding task but the results are worth it. You start with food training, potty training and leash training. Many cities in the United States have passed a rule that dogs or puppies should be on leash in public places.

Leash Training Puppies
We all have seen a frustrated dog owner being dragged by a dog on the sidewalk. Sometimes, we find the dogs or pups meaninglessly chew the leash, while their owners look embarrassed. To avoid these embarrassing situations follow these simple steps:

• First buy a training collar that suits your pup. Try to get the pup used to the collar. You can expect the pup to scratch it off. Try to put the collar back on when the pup is eating or playing with you. Try to distract your pet from thinking about the collar. Remove the collar once a day when your puppy is not trying to get freedom from it. Do not remove the collar when the pup is trying to remove it. Wearing a collar for the first time may feel odd to the pup; just like we feel strange for some days when we wear a new watch or a new pair of glasses. Buy a collar that fits your puppy, but it should not be stiff. A light weight collar is a good choice.
• Attach the leash to the collar. Some puppies might be very excited to see a colored rope tied to their neck. Let your pup get comfortable to the leash. Allow you pup to roam in the house with the attached leash but under supervision. Pups would try to chew the new leash; this is the time where you distract and play with the pup. You can apply bitter apple on the leash to refrain the dog from chewing it; but remember this wouldn't last long and you would have to apply it every hour. Applying bitter apple is one of the easy ways to stop your pup from biting the leash off. At all times don't remove the collar. Dog lovers believe that chewed leashes are very useful. If your dog has chewed off many leashes; do save them. You can use chewed leashes as playful toys for young pups. Don't leave a leashed puppy unattended. It can get tied down and get the pup in life-threatening situations. Leashes are safe only when pups are under supervision.
• If you see that the puppy is comfortable with the collar and the leash it is time to begin the leash training. Make the leash sessions short and lively. Pups love to follow their owners, use this as an advantage. Start with a short walk around your house or yard and the puppy walking beside you. When your pup is walking around a loose leash give him/her some treats and words of praise. When your pup strains on the leash stop immediately. Don't jerk the pup back over to you, call him/her back and praise him/her with words. Never walk with the pup when he/she is pulling on the leash.
• The pup will gradually learn that pulling on the leash takes him/her nowhere. If the pup wants to continue to walk, the best option is walk with you on a loose leash.

Some Useful Tips

• Remove the collar from the neck when your pup goes into the kennel or crate.
• Consult your vet about your dog's breed and which collar to use.
• Never leave your pup unsupervised with a collar. Weigh the options before you commit this offense. The collar could catch on to something and strangle your pup.
• Leaving the collar on an unsupervised pups has a plus point too. If your pup is lost then the collar identification tag can help save it's life.

This article on leash training puppies is best suited for puppies who are young. Try to follow the above given steps with some patience and persistence and you get a loose leash hanging down between you and your dog.