Puppy Leash Training – Important Tips For Success

The best way to have a well behaved dog, is to start when he’s just a puppy. Step one is to teach him to accept his collar and leash. You can start this puppy leash training pretty much as soon as you bring him home.

By training your pup to become used to a collar and leash, you are establishing yourself as the one in charge. You’ll quickly find out that dogs thrive when they know what is expected of them.

Once your pet learns to accept that collar and lead it’s easier to move into other areas of training with a much greater likelihood of success. Here’s what you should do.

Be sure to buy a collar that is the right size. Don’t buy a collar that you think he’ll grow into. If a collar is too loose it won’t stay on. But it should be big enough that you are able to make some adjustments. The rule of thumb is that you should be able to fit two fingers easily between collar and neck.

At first when you put his collar on you should give him lots and lots of affection and attention to stop him from constantly being aware of that strange thing that’s around his neck. It will take time for him to get used to it. Once he becomes used to how the collar feels, you’ll be able to get right into a real training program for your puppy. Leash training is a whole lot easier to accomplish if you give him lots of time to simply getting used to wearing a collar before you attempt other training.

The next step would be to attach a short lightweight leash onto his collar. This leash shouldn’t be more than around three feet in length. Allow him to pull it around for very short periods of time, especially when you first start this. The idea is to get him used to how it feels to have something connected to his collar.

Keep a close eye on your pup when he is walking around with the lead connected. If he does get stuck when you’re not around, he might get agitated and frightened. You do want him to see what it feels like to be restricted for a short time, but you do not want him to get upset when it occurs. So quickly free the lead when it’s stuck.

Within several days or so, he’ll have probably become accustomed to the feel of the lead. At this point, attach one end to the collar and then the other end to your belt rather than letting him drag it freely. He should still be able to explore freely just like before and still get stuck. But, this time though, you won’t be going to free up his leash.

Instead help him get rid of his anxiety by crouching down and softly calling his name. Encourage him to get himself unstuck as well as to come to you by offering him some toy or treat. Reward him with his treat and give him lots of praise when he does come to you. It’s important to practice this every day for short periods. When he’s had a few successes each time, then remove the leash from the collar, but be sure to leave the collar on at all times.

You’ll know that your puppy leash training has been successful when he routinely comes when he is called after he reaches the end of the leash. With this success, you’ll find that the rest of your puppy’s training will go so much more smoothly.

A hard training session can be stressful for both you and your dog. To ease the stress for your dog, a warm cozy bed is a must. A cozy cave dog bed is the ultimate in luxury for your hard working pet. To keep his bed fresh and clean washable dog beds are ideal.

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Training Your Dog 101: Ten Tips On Dog Training

If you have ever owned a dog, you know how frustrating it can be when your dog has a mind of his own. A well behaved dog on the other hand is a joy to have around. The way to get a well behaved dog is through training. It’s not hard to train a dog but there are some basics that you need to know about in order to succeed. Keep reading to find out what the top 10 no fail tips on dog training are.

1. Start as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Establishing routines right away avoids problems later. For instance, if you don’t want your dog to climb on the couch, sit on the floor with him. Don’t bring him up on the couch with you. If you do, you are teaching him that he is allowed on the couch. This is a difficult habit to break.

2. Show your dog that you are the alpha male or female in the family so he listens to you. But be consistent and fair. Don’t change the rules on him. Decide on a few things at a time that are not negotiable and stick to them. If he is not allowed to beg at the table, don’t sneak him bits of food.

3. One of the very first things you should do is to get your new puppy used to a collar and lead as soon as you bring him home. You have so much more control when a dog is trained to accept a collar and lead.

4. Training your dog should be fun for both of you. Celebrate his accomplishments by rewarding him. Rewards can be everything from a scratch behind the ear to praise or even a small treat. He will work harder if he knows a reward is waiting for him, so you will be able to accomplish lots in a short time.

5. Patience is a quality that every single good dog trainer needs to have, and lots of it. Progress should be measured in very small steps. Your dog will not learn and remember overnight. It takes lots and lots of practice before the desired behavior will come naturally. Be sure to reinforce the targeted behavior by repeated practice and rewards.

6. If you need to discipline your dog, do not use the command “come”. This word needs to only be associated with positives. Go to the dog to deliver any discipline. Discipline does not mean hitting. Never hit your dog. This only instills fear in him and damages your relationship.

7. When starting a new session with your dog, start by reviewing behaviors your dog has already mastered. Reward him and then move on to new training exercises.

8. Keep lessons short. You never want to drag things out to where the training becomes a chore. So if your dog begins to lose focus, end the lesson with a simple-to-follow command. Then give him a reward and then spend a few minutes playing with him.

9. Always teach basic commands first. Things like sit, stay, down, and come are integral for success with more involved dog training. So be sure he has mastered these commands before you try to teach him more complex commands.

10. You have probably noticed that rewards are used liberally when training your dog. It can’t be emphasized enough how important it is to only reward when a command is executed properly. If you give him a treat whether or not he sits at your command, there is no real reason for him to do as you ask.

By following these tips on dog training, you can be sure of having success in your quest to have a well behaved dog. And really wouldn’t you rather have a dog that listens to you than one who doesn’t?

After a hard training session, reward your dog with the ultimate dog bed for him to relax on. A heated dog bed is a warm, cozy spot for your favorite pet. Another great option is a bolster dog bed with its soft padded cushion and bolster which doubles as a pillow.