Information – Leash Walking

You’re probably familiar with much of this, but hopefully you’ll find at least some of it useful. If these notes seem overwhelming simply start with the more important items that you can handle today (and what you can do will probably be enough!) and in time you’ll add more and more as you grow in the skills of dog ownership!

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Callie is so smart! She already knows sit, come, follow and her name. Is this just how German Shepherds are? Maybe I’ve just had difficult dog breeds in the past. Haha. Even the face that she had really never been outside on the ground before, much less in snow, and not much leash experience surprises me, because she took to those things like she had been doing them all along. She doesn’t mind the leash at all. She is doing great with the kids.

- Ashleigh, Indiana

Vet gave Cheyenne 2 thumbs up for health and the entire office gushed over her temperament. She slept right through getting her shots and even just laid there while they checked her teeth, eyes, etc.

- Brent R. from Illinois
Leash Walking

There are many training methods for introducing leash walking. This is one we like, which we found in Puppy Culture

— Below, “counterclockwise” and “left side” train the puppy to walk on your left. If you want to train the puppy to walk on your right, change to “clockwise” and “right”.

— Start in a safe place with your puppy or dog off-leash. Is it best for you and your dog to do this in a fenced in area?

— Walk counterclockwise. Your left side will be toward the inside of the circle. Have the puppy off-leash.

— When the puppy follows and is anywhere near your left side and is moving toward you, click & treat. From time to time the puppy will stop or go away to sniff & play, that’s ok, but reward again when he starts returning to your left side. Baby steps.

— Start to treat only after the pup has walked a full step with you, then 2 steps, then 3, etc.

— After the puppy walks with you for a few steps add a collar and continue.

— After the pup walks 10 steps with you, start using a leash, held very loosely. Older dogs might have to master more steps. Ideally, the leash is for safety rather than making the dog stay by your side.

— Avoid triggering the dog’s opposition reflex – pulling on a leash will cause a dog to pull back.

— When you think the dog is ready, start walking with a leash in a less controlled environment, such as a sidewalk with no distractions – other dogs, people, loud traffic, cats, squirrels, etc. Introduce distractions very slowly. Nothing succeeds like racking up successes daily. Failures are setbacks.

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