• Dog Gifts
• Dog Beds
• Dog Collars
• Dog Crates
• Dog Strollers
• Dog Harnesses
• Unique Dog Gifts
• Personalized Dog Bowls
• Swarovski Dog Collars
• Pet Cremation Urns

Having a dog as a companion can be one of the most rewarding things life has to offer. The unconditional love a dog may offer is comparable to nothing else in the world. As a dog owner, however, you have many responsibilities beyond feeding and sheltering your dog. A responsible dog owner trains his or her dog to be a well behaved member of the canine community. One behavior that dogs must learn is how to walk on a leash. Dogs are not born knowing how to do this, so it is your responsibility to teach your dog proper leash walking etiquette. If you have a hyper puppy on your hands, this may sound like a monumental task. But follow the steps below and you will find walking a well trained dog to be one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Step One – As soon as you welcome a new puppy into your home, get the puppy used to wearing a collar. You want your puppy to be comfortable wearing a collar so when it is time to begin leash training, the whole procedure of collar wearing and leash attachment won’t be a foreign process. Make sure the collar you choose is appropriate for the size of your puppy. Many puppies will try to scratch at a new collar or roll around in attempt to get the collar off. This is normal and the behavior will go away once your puppy is used to wearing a collar.

Step Two – After your puppy is accustomed to his or her collar, you can attach a leash to it so he or she may get used to that as well. Again, when you are trying to leash train your dog, you do not want the novelty of a leash to be a distraction. So let your puppy get used to the leash by letting him or her wear it around, even dragging it around the house a bit. Just be sure to supervise the puppy at all times while the leash is being worn because you would not want the leash to get hung up on something and the puppy to get trapped or injured.

Step Three – Now it is time to pick up the leash and take a few short walks. Praise the puppy and offer treats when he or she walks with you. If the puppy pulls on the leash, do not yank or pull the leash back towards yourself. Simply stop walking and, while still holding onto the leash, summons the puppy back to your side. It is also important to remember not to keep walking if the puppy pulls on the leash. By continuing to walk while the puppy is pulling on the leash, you will train the puppy to pull on the leash when he or she wants to go somewhere or in a specific direction. This is the exact behavior you want to avoid and extinguish immediately. Remember, your goal is to have a puppy walking next to you with a loose hanging leash.