How to train your dog to walk correctly on a leash

 Today we are going to talk about how to train your dog to walk on a leash. It's all about stopping, standing still, and holding the leash firm.  Dogs tend to want to pull their owners down the street like they are going to an all you can eat doggy treat buffet.But think about a dog on a leash for a moment. Your dog doesn't know how to walk on a leash. Your dog learns everything from you.

We all want that dog that stays by your side and doesn't pull on the leash. You never want a dog to be walking you. You always want your dog to know and understand you are the leader. Your guidance is going to train your dog how to walk on a leash. It's not a natural reaction for a dog to walk on a leash. They need to learn the correct way that you want them to walk. It's like when you first start school and you have to learn spelling, math, etc. I have to say the best part of kindergarten was the milk and cookies. But lets think of the dogs excitement level for the first time.  Dogs go out the door they are smelling all these new scents. They are excited to be with their owner. They are excited about seeing new things and they are wondering where they are going. They are on this new exciting adventure. It's that same feeling when your a child in a car on a road trip and your family surprises you with ice cream and a trip to the playground. 

Your dog of course is always reading your body language. If your excited your dog is excited. Lets start at the cookies and milk that i mentioned. That is considered a reward. All that learning and it's time to be rewarded for all the hard work. A dog remembers rewards with actions. They are thinking if I do this I get a treat. If we don't want a dog to pull we stop, hold leash firm, and stand still. You want your dog to look at you and regain focus. Once your dog looks at you trying to understand why you stopped, say a praise word that you often use. Good dog, good job, are some examples. This is telling the dog they did the right thing by stopping and looking back. You now want the dog to come back and sit right beside you. Once the dog sits you give a reward like a dog treat. Repeat until the dog learns to sit beside you when you stop. This takes time. Just like when you first start school you don't just learn math and spelling in an hour. It's taught over time. We learn by repeating math problems and spelling words, until we memorize them. Dogs are learning the action by repeating what you want them to do. If anyone is thinking my dog is 5 years old and has been pulling for 5 years. You can still teach a dog. Everything in life changes and the dog will adapt to the new lifestyle. You can always teach a dog because they are always willing to learn. All dogs want is to spend time with their owners.

Training a dog takes patience and repeating exercises over and over again. Your dog might not get it right away but don't be discourage. It just might take longer for your dog to learn that particular task. Your dog will begin to understand your leadership and the task. Remember the dog is learning for the first time.