Tips on How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Leash - Part 2

Training your dog to walk on a leash is an essential part of dog ownership. I want to do just a brief review of part one to just go over the points.

• Put your puppy or dog on the leash before you open the door for the walk.
• Walk out of your home in front of your dog and never let your dog exit before you
• If your dog is pulling on the leash just pull straight up to stop the forward motion and get his attention
• Make sure your dog walks behind you; keep your dog on a short leash if necessary
• Make sure that you are relaxed and in control during the walk as your dog will know if you are not.

Once you have mastered these techniques you can start addressing other aspects of the walk. Most dogs, especially puppies, will have a tendency to try and go after other animals during the walk. If your dog tries to chase after other dogs, squirrels, etc., give him a nudge with you foot to get his attention while still walking in a forward motion. It is important to keep moving as you do not want your dog to get fixed on any one thing. This must be done quickly and at the very start of the chase.

My dog Boo Boo is two years old now and can walk off leash with me anywhere. There are tons of squirrels, other dogs and lizards that were getting her attention during our walks. She does not go after anything anymore as she knows what I expect of her and she knows that is not what I want her to do. During the training she would pull and try and go after her target. I would make the correction with her and would give her a little tap with my foot to get her attention. I would then tell her NO at the same time of the correction all done while continuing our forward motion. I would also pull her head forward during this whole process. It is important to keep moving.
Once you have accomplished walking with distractions, you can start to introduce other commands such as "Heal". During the walk stop and say "Heal" and stop your dog's forward motion. Use a short leash for this training. Take a couple of steps and repeat the word "Heal", and stop again. It is important to get your dog's attention during this activity as you want your dog to look at you so he knows that you are giving him a command. If you keep repeating this every ten steps or so, your dog will start to understand what you want him to do.

I suggest that you walk your dog every day and repeat these functions. Your dog will be healthy and happy and it is a great stress reliever for you. It is also a wonderful way for you to bond with your dog. I will be adding some video's of Boo Boo to my website in the very near future. Boo Boo has been trained since she was 8 weeks old and can do amazing tricks. She is truly a wonder dog and I would love to share her accomplishments with everyone.

All of the above techniques were done with the use of a regular collar and leash. There were no choker or pincher collars used.

If you have found this article helpful and would like additional Free tips and information please visit my website at http://basicsofdogownership.com/