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How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Leash

February 20, 2017 by Mary Telesz

Train Your Dog to Walk on a LeashWalking a dog is great exercise for both human and canine alike. In most cities and towns, dogs must be leashed in public, whether they are in a neighborhood, on a trail or at a park. Even if your local government doesn’t require a leash, it can be a necessary safety measure to protect your dogs from cars, other animals or running away. So, how do you train your dog to walk on a leash?

How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Leash

While it may seem easy, training your dog to walk on a leash can actually be quite challenging depending on your pup’s temperament. The key is to take it step by step, slowly introducing each new phase to help your dog fully master one skill before moving onto the next. Read on to learn how you can train your puppy or dog to walk on a leash.

Acclimate Him to the Gear

One of the first hurdles in training a dog to walk on a leash is that he or she may not enjoy having a leash, collar or harness on his body. To help your dog get past this discomfort, start by putting on the leash or harness for short periods of time while at home. Let your dog play and give her treats while wearing the gear. Over time, the leash or harness will not feel so uncomfortable, and will come to represent having fun and getting treats.

While your dog is wearing the harness or leash, you can start getting him to come to you and to pay attention to your commands. Use a cue, such as clicking your tongue or saying a short word (such as come). Reward your dog with a treat for each time he comes to you, building up to being able to come to you without the need for a treat. Practice this inside before moving outdoors, where there will be more distractions.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Once your dog is able to come on command and wear a leash, collar or harness comfortably, then you can start practicing going on walks. Start by going on short walks around your neighborhood, keeping your attention focused on your dog. Stop your dog with your cue or command word, getting him to come to you to keep him on task.

If your dog pulls on the leash, eager to explore, you can stop walking to force your dog to come back to you. This will hopefully train your dog to not pull on the leash, as he will learn that doing so will lead to you standing still and waiting for him to come back. If your dog does not respond to this technique, you can purchase different types of harnesses and collars designed to stop your dog from pulling on the leash.

Some dogs may bark while on a walk, particularly if they see other dogs or people. Making sure that your dog has sufficient exercise can help to control this problem, as it may result from lack of exercise. However, if your dog continues to bark despite getting plenty of time to run and walk, you can cut off the behavior by moving away from things that tend to cause him to bark and by offering treats before he starts to bark. In this manner, you can reinforce positive behavior — treats for not barking — and hopefully break this habit.

Similarly, if your dog tries to go after other animals, people or objects while on a walk, you can try the same technique. Be alert for things that may cause your dog to lunge, such as a squirrel on the grass in a park. Walk your dog away from the squirrel, and offer him a treat for walking obediently beside you instead of going after the animal.

The key to effective leash training often lies with rewarding the behavior that you want and distracting your dog from things that may cause bad behavior. Praise your dog for walking nicely, without pulling, lunging or dancing around, or offer him a treat. You can also keep the leash short to encourage your dog to walk alongside of you, rather than dashing ahead or running around you. With consistency and time, you can train your dog to walk on a leash.

Dog Walking Services

Once you have trained your dog to walk on a leash, a pet care professional can help make sure that your dog keeps those good habits and gets plenty of exercise every day. A dog walking service can provide regular walking services for your dog throughout the year. Contact Paw Pals today to learn more about our pet care services!

Filed Under: Dog Walking

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Centreville – 20120, 20121
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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
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Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
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