The Problem Begins Before expecting your dog to calmly walk beside you on leash, she must be calm when
you are putting her collar and leash on! Ask her to sit-stay while you are putting on her
leash. If she does not stay, the walk is delayed until she does. Don't give in or she will
learn that it's OK to be out of control. If your dog doesn't have a reliable sit-stay, then
practice that without the distraction of the prospect of a walk. If you do not know how to
teach a reliable sit-stay, enroll in an obedience class.
The Warm-Up Period The Great Outdoors Check here for tips on training a young puppy leash manners.
Most leash pulling begins as soon as the dog sees the leash and knows she's about to go
for a walk. If the walk begins out of control, the precedent is set for the entire walk.
Most dogs learn very quickly that they must sit while the leash is being attached to the
collar. They usually tremble with excitement, ready to explode into a frenzy as soon as this
phase is accomplished. If your dog bolts toward the door, dragging you behind, then the
situation is still out of control. Simply hold onto the leash, stand still and let your dog
dance, ricochete and bounce around at the end of the leash. It may take 5 minutes or
more, but she will soon realize that you are not going anywhere and will begin to calm
down. When this happens, praise her for being good. After another minute or so, take
your first step, but NOT towards the door. Instead, walk your dog around your house,
garage or yard to give her a chance to practice her 'not-pulling' skills. Everytime she
lunges or strains on the leash, simply stand still again. When she calms down, talk to her,
praise her calmly and quietly. Try to keep her attention on yourself instead of the door that
leads to outside.When you feel that your dog is in control and she is walking nicely
without pulling in your house or yard, then it is time to procede to the great outdoors.
Everytime your dog pulls on leash and you continue the walk, you are rewarding her
behavior. Everytime your dog gets out of control it is essential that you instantly stop the
walk, stand still and wait for her to calm down before continuing. It is a tremendous effort
in patience at first but it will pay off if you persevere. You may only get to the end of the
block or even your driveway on your first outing, but if you give in to your dog's
demands, then she will continue to pull. You can speed up the process by asking her to sit-
stay for about 5 to 10 seconds everytime she begins to pull. Of course this will only work
if your dog already has a reliable sit-stay.
Check here for more tips on training a young puppy.