Train your dog on a leash properly. How to Train Your Puppy or Adult Dog to a Leash and Collar Get to Know the Leash Indoors

With the advent of the puppy at home, the owner should take care of teaching the pet to walk nearby. Of course, a small puppy will not calmly and sedately walk near the owner. This needs to be taught and put in a lot of effort. But an adult well-trained dog can be let off the leash and be sure that it will not run away anywhere.

How to teach a puppy to a leash? This is a rather painstaking business, and should begin with accustoming to the collar. The selection of comfortable equipment and its correct use is the key to quick pet training. How to teach a puppy to a collar and leash, at what age should one start doing this, and is it possible to teach this wisdom to an adult dog? To find out all this, you can use the basic tips of experienced trainers or watch a special video.

How to train a dog for a collar

Step one is to teach your dog to walk with a collar. She needs to get used to it. Sometimes experienced breeders tie ribbons around the neck of puppies so that they learn to wear a collar from a young age.

Pick up a light, unobtrusive collar, without extraneous odors. The puppy should be comfortable in it, and he should not draw attention to himself. Put it on your dog when he is playing, eating or relaxing.

Pay attention to the size: it should not be tight, but not too loose so that the puppy cannot slip out of it. The pup needs to get used to it. It is normal if at first the collar will irritate the pet. But after a few days of wearing it, he will no longer notice it.

How to train a dog to a leash

Having accustomed the dog to the collar, you should proceed to the second step - to teach you to walk on a leash. In order not to frighten the baby, you can first attach a small piece of tape to the collar, gradually increasing its length, and at the end replace it with full-fledged ammunition.

Leaving a dog unattended with a leash attached to the collar is highly discouraged. Firstly, because, left unattended, the animal can gnaw on it. Secondly, it can get entangled in it and get injured.

If the animal shows anxiety, irritability or anxiety due to the presence of a belt or tape on the collar, it should be distracted - with a game, entertainment or even a treat.

Teaching technique

Before you teach your dog to walk on a leash, you should teach him the “Come to me” command, as well as move with the owner. On the video you can see how experienced trainers teach this four-legged.

Be sure to use the reward in such cases. Such for a puppy is a delicacy. Before it's time to feed, you can take a dog bowl and hold it in your hands, teach your dog to come to you and move around.

At the same time, one should not be afraid that in the future the puppy will walk nearby only for a reward. Later, the treat can be replaced with praise. And that will be enough.

Main problems: how not to go on about

Thinking about how to teach a dog to walk nearby on a leash, the owner must be prepared for the problems that will arise during this. So, for example, a puppy can become stubborn and not go next to the owner. In such cases, do not drag the dog behind you or pull - the animal may be injured. In addition, pulling for a quadruped is a natural reaction. You should ease the pressure as much as possible, you can use a treat as bait or beckon the puppy with your favorite toy - after that the pet should follow the owner.

You should also establish contact with the pet using your voice. Don't be afraid to use treats to get your dog to walk beside you.

On the net you can find videos that show the basic rules for teaching four-legged walks with the owner on the street.

The opposite problem is that the puppy will pull. Such behavior must be nipped in the bud and never succumbed. As soon as the pet makes such an attempt, you must calmly stop moving. The animal must understand that its actions are meaningless. Thus, sooner or later the pet will stop doing this, and walking with him will be much easier. Remember: you are the one leading the dog, not being led by it.

In such cases, to distract the pet from trying to pull again, you can use a treat with which to captivate him with you.

Common Mistakes

To accustom a pet to a collar and walk on a leash should be calm, stocking up on patience. It is necessary to take into account and prevent the most common mistakes:

You can not first make a breakthrough, and only then give the command. Just the opposite: a command, and in case of its failure - a tension on the leash. Keep track of your actions.
Frequent repetition of the command. Use it only when necessary, and not when the dog is slightly deviated.
Threats and aggression towards the pet. The animal should be calm and happy about walking on a leash, and not think that this is a punishment.
Before learning to walk, it is necessary to accustom the puppy to the collar.

Each age has its own characteristics

The main question that worries novice owners is at what age to teach a puppy to a leash. And also - is it possible to teach an adult dog to walk nearby.

1.5 months or even earlier - from this age it is necessary to start accustoming the pet to the collar, and later to the leash. You should start teaching to walk next to three months.

You can also teach the “Near” command to an older dog that has not been trained before. The steps are the same. First we teach to the collar, then to the leash. It is even better to use a long rope first, which will allow the animal to walk calmly at a decent distance from the owner. Walking in this way is necessary in familiar territory for the animal so that it does not have reasons for excitement or stress. From time to time the owner can take the rope in hand. But if the dog is afraid of the tension, the rope should be lowered.

The next step is to attach a real leash. But with a dog of a more mature age, you should do a little differently than when training a puppy. Give her the opportunity to "walk" you: you should follow her everywhere, do not let the leash be in tension, the pet should feel calm and free.

After the animal of mature age begins to treat the leash and collar normally, seeing which it should show joy (after all, these are the harbingers of a walk), you can start teaching it to walk nearby without pulling on the leash. This training can take a month. Remember: an adult dog, like a puppy, must be praised if he does everything right. First, these are goodies, then you can move on to verbal approvals. At first, to teach to walk on a leash, you can even beckon the animal with a treat. Training should not be delayed. At first, 20-30 minutes will be enough, after which you should switch to games.

The "Nearby" command and the habit of walking near the owner are, first of all, the safety of the animal on the street. The owner must teach the pet these tricks. You can use videos or advice from experienced trainers as instructions. During training, be patient. Everything can take several months. But, in the end, with the right approach, the animal will master everything. The main thing - no aggression. The owner must become an authority for the pet - those who are not afraid, but obey.

When to do training

Puppy on a leash for the first time

If puppy training should be started at the age of three months, see the article “How to teach a puppy to commands? ” describes how to do this, then it is necessary to accustom him to a leash and a collar as early as possible. The kid is accustomed to ammunition from a month and a half. It will be much more difficult to do this with an already matured pet. The period of adaptation to unusual objects in a puppy is 3-5 days.

Stage one. We train to the collar

What should be the collar

The first collar should be soft and comfortable, preferably made of cloth (easy to wash). Many owners make the first ammunition for their little pets on their own, using a silk ribbon. So puppies from the first days get used to wearing a collar. You should not tighten it strongly, but the dog should not slip out of it either. Between the collar and the neck is a distance of two fingers.

Each dog is a personality, has its own temperament, character. Therefore, they make different ammunition for them. However, a fixing collar can be suitable for any young pet. A high-quality collar and costs accordingly, but it is better not to save on the health of your pet.

For some dogs, a collar replaces a harness.. Among European dog breeders, she is popular. This device is necessary for pets with breathing problems (for example, pugs and some breeds of bulldogs). It is also used to train sled dogs. A properly selected harness makes the life of your beloved pet comfortable and healthy, saves him from back and neck injuries.

Getting to know the collar

Puppy on a leash for the first time

The dog should not feel fear and anxiety. At the initial stage, she will try to remove the collar. In no case should you free the puppy from a strange and unusual object at this moment. Thus, the owner seems to encourage the pet's attempts to get out of the collar. It is best to treat the puppy with something tasty or distract him with a game.

Perhaps the pet will bite at the moment the collar is put on, these attempts should be patiently stopped with the “fu” command. Acquaintance with an unusual subject should be no more than a minute. And immediately the owner offers a treat. With each passing day, the time spent in the collar is gradually increased. Do not leave your puppy in the collar unattended to avoid injury.

All dogs love walks. Therefore, you can fasten the collar before going out into the street. Then the puppy will associate the new item with his favorite pastime.

Stage two. Leash training

The question is much more serious. If the collar could cause unusual sensations and discomfort, then the puppy may be completely afraid of the leash, because it limits his freedom. First you need to choose the right option.

Choosing a dog leash

By type of leashes are divided into:

Walkers. Designed for short walks. It is convenient to use in crowded places and transport. These leashes are designed for large breed dogs.
Roulettes. Suitable for walking around the city. The main advantage of such a leash is the free movement of the pet. For active dogs, a belt roulette is suitable, and for calm ones, from a cable.
Chains. A very elegant and beautiful option, in addition, these leashes are very durable. But in the cold season, it is inconvenient to use them, they are heavy, and such leashes are not suitable at all for long-haired dogs (wool can fall between the links).
Ringovka. Remaining almost invisible, the leash allows you to show all the advantages of the pet. Designed for exhibitions.

Regular leashes come in different lengths. The material is also different: leather, tarpaulin, metal, nylon. Some owners prefer the roulette option, but this depends on the activity and breed of the puppy. For the first walks with a leash, a soft nylon version that does not make sounds unusual for a dog is suitable. Plus, it's the cheapest. After buying new ammunition, you should “ventilate” a little, that is, it should lie down until the artificial smells go away.

Once the puppy is accustomed to the collar and does not notice its presence, you can take the second step and begin to accustom to the leash. The first device for walking can be an ordinary rope. First, the puppy is introduced to a new object for him, given a sniff. Then you need to attach a leash and try to walk a little. If the pet does not want to follow the owner, you need to call him and beckon him with a treat. Every time the baby walks next to the owner, he should be encouraged for this.

In no case should you pull the puppy along, especially at the age of less than 2 months. If you can't practice outdoors, you can try walking with him on a leash around the house. A pet older than 3 months of age can be pulled along only when he categorically refuses to go with the owner. But first it is better to try to lure him with a toy.

How to develop the right attitude to the leash.

Here are a few rules for a puppy to treat his ammunition correctly.

The collar and leash are not toys, do not let your pet play with them.
You can't punish a puppy with these things.
It is necessary to choose the right ammunition. The puppy must not slip out of the collar or harness.

Many dog owners do not consider it a problem to introduce their pet to a leash and collar. Most of the question, they answer quite simply: it must be worn only for a walk. During a walk, the puppy enters an unknown world, where everything is new and interesting for him. A curious kid may not pay attention to the leash and collar, his attention will be absorbed by the study of an unusual place.

And the most important advice is to be kind, patient and persistent, and then everything will work out.

The dog must walk daily, and the rules for its walking are regulated by law. So, with a leash, you need to enter and leave the premises, a muzzle is additionally put on for representatives of large breeds. The length of the leash should allow the owner to control the actions of the pet. Be sure to keep the dog on a leash and when crossing a pedestrian crossing, sidewalk, in crowded places.

The leash will allow you to control the puppy, will not let him run away, get lost or get hit by a car, help the owner protect the dog from other animals, inadequate people and children. It is necessary to show the pet who is in charge in the house, and to accustom it to ammunition from the first days, so as not to get an uncontrollable dog later. If the collar, as a rule, does not arise, then accustoming the puppy to the leash turns out to be a more difficult task. Detailed instructions will help you adapt your pet to the leash, and joint walks will be safe and fun!

Choice of leash and collar

As soon as a puppy appears in the house, he needs at least a minimum set of his own things: a bowl, food, hygiene items, a bed and, of course, a collar and a leash.

Depending on the breed, age and character of the dog, leashes are used from various materials (leather, silk, tarpaulin, nylon, nylon, metal) and different types (harness, tape measure, walker, fold, chain). However, for all puppies, experts have developed general recommendations for the selection of ammunition:

the very first collar for a puppy should be light, soft, comfortable, non-rubbing;
a harness is preferred as the first leash;
the length of the leash for the puppy should not exceed 1.5 m;
at the beginning of training, avoid retractable leashes, heavy chains, sliding cords that could scare the baby;
do not take status collars made of leather for outgrowth. The accessory must be the right size for the dog, not tightly fastened around the neck, but not removed with a paw over the head;
Do not put newly purchased accessories on your puppy. Purchases must first lie down in a ventilated area so that extraneous odors go away;
before trying on new ammunition, the puppy must get to know it - examine it, smell it.

How to train a puppy to a collar

Before you teach a puppy to a leash, you need to teach him to wear a collar. This is usually not a problem, since newborn puppies are marked with colored threads, which contain information about their time of birth and weight. When the baby grows up a little, the thread is replaced with a ribbon. Thanks to this scheme, the puppy begins to get used to wearing a collar from childhood, the accessory does not seem uncomfortable to him.

If you got a baby who is not familiar with ammunition, follow the same system - tie a ribbon, and then, after 14 days, add a collar on top. The collar is smooth, lightweight, with the ability to adjust the length.

Pay special attention to how you tighten the collar - two fingers should pass between the puppy's neck and this accessory. If it is too tight, it can make breathing difficult or interfere, and the pet will simply remove too loose ammunition.

Important: for a puppy, you can not use a harness as a replacement for a collar. Due to improper pressure, fragile bones of the chest and joints of the spine can be deformed. The exception is a special puppy harness vest.

How to teach a puppy to walk on a leash

It is better not to delay the solution of the problem, how to teach a puppy to a leash. At 1.5-2 months, it will be much easier for a dog to learn to walk on a leash than in adulthood.

Remember: during training, not only the dog is training, but also the owner. Every day cultivate goodwill, patience, be attentive to your pet. The new owner must get used to handling the leash: shorten it to protect the puppy from danger, or let go so that the baby runs.

Homeschooling

Give your new family member a couple of days to get comfortable in the house and start exercising. First, attach a light leash that the puppy will wear at home. 30 minutes a day is enough. It is desirable that the baby does not pay attention to the accessory and just runs around the house with it. You can distract your pet with a game or a treat, but make sure that the puppy does not play with the leash - this is not a toy, and such an association should not be fixed.

Note: It is not recommended to leave your pet with a fastened leash unattended. He can get tangled in the cord, chew on it or be afraid of rustling. If the puppy is worried and angry, you need to remove the leash after he calms down in order to avoid whims in the future.

The leash should hang freely, it needs to be pulled lightly from time to time. It will be useful to involve another family member in teaching the baby, who would call the baby to him and encourage him when he comes up.

We go out into the street

At 3 months, the dog undergoes the first vaccination, and from that moment a new stage begins - walking on the street. It is necessary to accustom a puppy to a leash from the first walks. If before that the baby followed you on your heels, then a lot of discoveries await him on the street - other people and animals, unusual smells and sounds, cars. Something can frighten the baby, and he will run in an unknown direction, so the leash is, first of all, a matter of dog safety.

The very first "outings" on the street should be frequent (5-6 times a day) and short (10-15 minutes, but no more than 30 minutes). Add 5 minutes every 4 weeks. Walk behind the puppy "on the heels" and make sure that the leash does not stretch.

If the pet wants to go to the trash or to another "doubtful" place - take it in your arms, or distract it with a game. Never pull on the leash. The puppy should have the following associative array: “leash - cheers! - festivities.

Teaching your dog not to pull on the leash

Now you need to teach your puppy not to pull on the leash while walking. Usually, experts distinguish loyal and hard methods.

The gentle technique is to stop every time the puppy pulls on the leash. Wait for the pet to look at you, calmly and kindly say: “Okay.” Now beckon the baby with a treat and at the same time slightly change the trajectory of movement. After about a month, the puppy will realize that due to the tension on the leash, you are not going faster, but rather stop, so there is no point in pulling him.
The "snatch method" is suitable for 4-5 month old puppies of large, hunting and fighting dog breeds. For this, a children's parfors (a prickly collar with spikes) and a kapron walking leash are used. Release the animal 2-3 meters away from you, and as soon as the leash is taut, make a jerk. After a week, the pet will understand that pulling on the leash brings discomfort.

Puppy Training Rewards

The experience of cynologists and dog owners shows that it is possible to teach a puppy something only with the help of patience and affection. This wisdom should be remembered by everyone who is going to teach a puppy to a leash. Snacks, toys and just stroking during training can work wonders.

Be sure to praise the puppy when he comes to your call. Just don't overdo the treats so your dog doesn't overeat.

If the pet refuses to comply with the requirements, breaks out or rests, then he should be left without a treat, but you can distract him with toys. During the sabotage, talk to the puppy in a calm, firm, stern voice.

What to do if the dog does not like the leash

When teaching a puppy to walk on a leash, inexperienced owners make mistakes. They can be overly strict, and negative emotions are fixed in the mind of the dog, or, conversely, they feel sorry for the baby, which is why they do not show perseverance and perseverance. Discomfort due to improperly selected ammunition can also discourage the puppy from any desire to walk on a leash.

Is your dog being naughty and refusing a leash? Check if one of the following is the cause:

the collar is too tightly fastened, and, as a result, every step of the dog is accompanied by pain and suffocation;
the puppy was allowed to play with a leash, and now he perceives it as a toy and refuses to walk in it - buy a new one;
they could not restrain themselves and slapped the pet with a leash, and after that he refuses to walk on it - the use of force is unacceptable. Now slap the accessory on your knee and watch your pet's reaction. If the puppy flattens his ears, he is afraid of the leash. A special harness for puppies or a lighter leash will help;
the puppy's natural desire to play was completely ignored, he was only forced to walk alongside - do not forget about positive emotions! The dog can not wait to run and frolic. If you are going to combine a walk with a puppy and your business, then first - the interests of the dog.

If you did everything right, but you still couldn’t teach the dog to the leash, contact the cynologist for help! Your future peace of mind and the safety of your pet depend on this.

The most important task facing the owner of a pet is training the dog to the collar and leash. Training should be carried out gradually, starting from the first days of acquiring a puppy. The leash performs several functions at once - it allows you to control the dog, brings up obedience, affection, protects from other animals, vehicles.

Ammunition for a puppy is selected in advance. It is preferable to take a collar made of soft, lightweight material. For a medium-sized breed, a harness will be a suitable option. The puppy's first leash should not be longer than one and a half meters. Not suitable for this purpose is a long silk cord, a self-pulling tape measure. Before starting training, it is advisable to hold the collar and leash in the house for some time. You can rub them with pet hair combed out, which will help eliminate odors.

Acquaintance with new ammunition begins carefully so as not to scare the puppy. It is allowed to sniff carefully. Then gradually, unobtrusively, they teach the dog to stick his head into the collar, rewarding him with a treat. As soon as the accessory is on the pet's neck, you need to start a distracting game.

At the slightest manifestation of anxiety by the puppy, attempts to pull off the collar, without emotions and noise, they remove the ammunition. Gradually, the time spent by the dog in the collar increases. You can try wearing the accessory while your pet is sleeping. When he stops responding to the collar, attach the leash. The end of it should hang freely, but the puppy should not be allowed to play with it.

Basic principles of leash training

Dog training will go faster if you adhere to the following principles:

The whole process of training is based on affection, delicacy, play. The application of penalties is excluded.
Begin puppy training. As soon as he turns 1.5 months old.
The collar and leash are put on when the pet is already used to them.
At first, the ammunition on the baby is a matter of minutes.

First, training walks with a puppy on a leash are performed around the apartment. It is important to try not to pull it, not to pull it. You can walk on the street if the process is fully worked out at home.

On the street, the puppy is taught to move nearby. To do this, use a treat, gently pushing the pet in the right direction. Training is best started at the age of 3 months. The puppy must obey and follow the owner, feeling the tension on the leash. This is especially true for large breed dogs.

Consistency is the most important condition for dog training. Animals with the right training are happy to do everything that is required. Understanding that good behavior is rewarded, and bad behavior is stopped, forms the right habits in the dog.

What not to do

Novice owners make many mistakes when raising and training their pet. In the process of raising a dog, it is unacceptable:

Let the pet play with the leash, chew it.
At first, putting a collar on the puppy, leave him unattended.
Use ammunition for punishment.
Allow the puppy to bite, resist when putting on the collar. You need to calm him down, and then repeat the process.
Pull a stubborn puppy on a leash. It is better to use a treat or a toy as bait, distracting the baby.
Punish the puppy, scream, swing your arms.

The calm and persistent behavior of the owner will help to quickly and successfully accustom the dog to walking accessories.

Adult dog training

Ways to teach an adult dog to a leash are not much different from training a puppy. The same principles apply. A pet learns to walk on a leash very quickly when it realizes that this item is completely harmless. For training an adult dog, it is best to use a so-called training leash. It is a long thin cord, one end of which is fastened to the collar, and the other is dragged along the ground. During a walk, you can periodically take it in your hand. At the slightest pull, throw the end of the rope back to the ground.

When you need to restrict the movement of your pet, just step on the cord. However, if possible, you should avoid pulling it, so that the dog feels free. When going for a walk, the pet is shown the leash every time. As a result, it causes positive emotions, a conditioned reflex is developed - an incomprehensible rope in the hands of the owner means that now it will be possible to run and play.

The next step is to teach your dog not to pull while walking. Feeling even a slight stretch, stop moving, distract your pet. When a dog is walking correctly, it should be rewarded with praise and treats. Gradually, she begins to understand that you need to walk so that the leash does not stretch. The patience shown in the process of learning will be rewarded later with the pleasure of walking with a dog, peace of mind for her life and health.

The main enemy of learning is monotony. The workout should not last too long. After walking about 30 meters, you need to make a stop to play with your pet. If there are difficulties in training an adult dog, you can use the help of a cynologist.

19.06.2018

Getting used to the leash is one of the most important steps in raising a dog, because even the smallest and pets occasionally go for a walk, where they have to be restrained in an attempt to escape or meet other people.

If this question is also very relevant for you, take a couple of minutes to our material, from which you will learn how to teach a dog to walk on a leash.

In general, before starting, it is worth noting that there are two situations in life:

puppy must be taught to leash
an adult (over 1 year old) dog is required to be trained.

All of the following is approximately equally true for both cases, so we strongly recommend that you read the following rules for both owners of puppies and adult dogs.

We train to the collar

In the first case, the only sure way to teach a puppy to walk alongside will be simple stops. As soon as the pet starts rushing forward and pulling on the leash, stop. Don't twitch or pull back, just stand up and show that you're not going anywhere with this behavior. As soon as he stops, realizing the futility of his attempts, call the pet and treat him, and then continue the walk together. Practice shows that this way dogs quickly understand what is required of them.

In case of reverse behavior, act in the same way - do not drag the animal along with you. Just stand up and calmly call the lying pet to you, if necessary, luring with a treat. When he comes, take a few steps together and only then give the sausage or cheese.

Do these steps every time your ward gets out of control, so that it is easier for him to learn the sequence of further actions and, in the end, understand what exactly the owner wants from him.

An important clarification for owners of adult dogs

If you need to teach an adult dog to walk on a leash, then you should be prepared for difficulties. As we have already said, the general "outline" of behavior is completely similar to training puppies, but in this case it is recommended to pay special attention to regularity and relationships on a walk.

First, try to walk your dog on a leash as often as possible, up to several times a day. This will allow you to develop a habit much faster, which is much more difficult for adult animals than for puppies.

Secondly, show that you are the main one during the walk: don't let the dog pull you along, try to walk a little ahead, as if showing that it is you who choose the road. The same applies to "controversial situations". If your pet reacts aggressively to other dogs or wants to play with them, stand up and sternly, but without shouting, call him to continue the walk. As a result, the pet will appreciate your dominance and calmness and will take an example from you.

And in conclusion, we will give one more important advice: the first walks on a leash will be the same stress for both a puppy and an adult animal, so try to give your pet maximum attention. Instead of staring at your phone and nervously dragging your dog along, yanking it away from every obstacle, pet, praise, and treat it. Only in this way a walk on a leash and the leash itself will be a reason for joy for your dog, and not a reason to hide in the farthest corner.