Lead training a puppy is a very important part of any new puppy owners’ responsibilities, but it can quickly develop into a battle of wills if you don’t approach it the right and correct way.
Your new puppy may grow up to be a big, strong dog before you know it, and lead training is best done
while he’s still ‘puppy-sized’!
Although it’s perfectly possible to lead train an adult dog,
it takes a lot more strength, energy and patience….
so save yourself the aching arm and start now.
Puppy Lead Training Basics
Before you even begin lead training a puppy, you need to get the little pup used to wearing a
…….Collar
………then a collar and leash.
A nylon collar is the best choice for very young puppies.
Start out by having your pup wear the collar for 15 – 30 minute stretches. If the breeder didn’t acclimate the puppy to the feel of a wearing a collar, it may well act as though you just wrapped a python around its little neck!
Scratching at it, pawing at it, trying to ‘rub it off’ by rolling around on the carpet – they’re all perfectly normal reactions. The puppy may even try to run away from the collar (difficult as it’s actually attached to it), or sit perfectly still hoping it will magically disappear.
Your best reaction to puppies behaviour is no reaction! You can try to distract it with a toy or a game, but don’t touch or bring attention to the collar in any way. Ignore its complaints, and don’t take the collar off until the puppy has forgotten about it and isn’t fussing about it anymore.
After a few days, you’ll be ready for the next step in lead training a puppy – that’s actually using the lead! But, don’t get too excited….. you still need to take it slowly, and for now all you want to do is attach a light lead to your puppy’s collar and let it get used to feeling the weight of it.
In fact, you’re not even going to hold the lead just yet. Simply clip it onto the puppy’s collar and let it drag it around the house for 10 mins or so at a time. Of course, you need to follow and supervise it the WHOLE time it’s doing this.
For this part of the ‘lead training a puppy’ process, a light lead is best. A leather one is more likely to be chewed and played with, and a chain is just too heavy and could be dangerous. A lightweight (and cheap) nylon collar would be your best bet for now.
After a few days of running around with the leash dragging behind it, your puppy is now ready for you to join in the game. So, at your next lead training session, pick up the end of the lead and start to follow puppy. Your dog will probably really enjoy this part!
This is also a good time to take a step up and you, puppy and lead can venture out into the back garden.
Puppy needs to feel totally comfortable with all of this before you move on.
