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Dog Training: Learn The Strategies To Train Your Puppy To Accept The Collar And Lead
Walking on a collar and lead is an important skill that every
dog must learn. Even the best trained dog should never be taken
outside the home or yard without a sturdy collar and leash. Even
if your dog is trained perfectly to go off lead, accidents and
distractions do happen, and a collar, with proper identification
attached, is the best way to be sure you will get your beloved
companion back.
Of course before you can teach your new puppy to accept a
leash, he or she must first learn to accept wearing a collar.
The first step is to choose a collar that fits the dog properly.
It is important to measure the puppy's neck, and to choose a
collar size accordingly.
After the collar has been put on the puppy, simply let him or
her get used to it. It is not unusual for a puppy to try to pull
on the collar, whine, roll or squirm when first introduced to a
collar.
The best strategy is to simply ignore the puppy and let him or
her get used to the collar. It is a mistake to either punish the
dog for playing with the collar or to encourage the behavior.
Distracting the puppy often helps, and playing with a favorite
toy, or eating some favorite treats, can help the puppy quickly
forget that he or she is wearing this strange piece of equipment.
After the dog has learned to accept the collar, try adding the
leash. Hook the leash to the collar and simply sit and watch the
puppy. Obviously, this should only be done either in the house
or in a confined outdoor area. The puppy should be allowed to
drag the leash around on its own, but of course the owner should
keep a close eye on the puppy to ensure that the leash does not
become snagged or hung up on anything.
At first, the leash should only be left on for a few minutes at
a time. It is a good idea to attach the leash at mealtimes,
playtime and other positive times in the life of the puppy.
That way the puppy will begin to associate the leash with good
things and look forward to it. If the puppy shows a high degree
of fear of the leash, it is a good idea to place it next to the
food bowl for awhile to let him get used to it slowly.
Eventually, he will come to understand that the leash is nothing
to be afraid of.
After the puppy is comfortable with walking around the house
wearing the leash, it is time for you to pick up the end of the
leash for a few minutes. You should not try to walk the puppy on
the leash; simply hold the end of the leash and follow the puppy
around as he or she walks around. You should try to avoid
situations where the leash becomes taut, and any pulling or
straining on the leash should be avoided. It is fine for the
puppy to sit down. Try a few games with the collar and lead.
For instance, back up and encourage the puppy to walk toward
you. Don't drag the puppy forward, simply encourage him to come
to you. If he does, praise him profusely and reward him with a
food treat or toy. You should always strive to make all the time
spent on the leash as pleasant as possible.
It is important to give the puppy plenty of practice in getting
used to walking on the leash in the home. It is best to do
plenty of work in the home, since it is a safe environment with
few distractions. After the puppy is comfortable walking indoors
on a leash, it is time to start going outside, beginning of
course in a small, enclosed area like a fenced yard.
After the puppy has mastered walking calmly outdoors on a leash,
it is time to visit some places where there are more
distractions. You may want to start with a place like a
neighbor's yard. Walking your new puppy around the neighborhood
is a good way to introduce your neighbors to the new puppy,
while giving the puppy valuable experience in avoiding
distractions and focusing on his leash training.
Puppies sometimes develop bad habits with their leashes, such
as biting or chewing on the leash. To discourage this type of
behavior, try applying a little bit of bitter apple, Tabasco
sauce or similar substance (just make sure the substance you use
is not toxic to dogs). This strategy usually convinces puppies
that chewing the leash is a bad idea.
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