Have you ever watched someone be dragged down the street behind their willful dog? It's often comical to watch, but unfortunately it means that dog owner has no control over that dog at all.
Dog leash training is about a lot more than teaching your dog to walk nicely at your side.
It's also about teaching your dog his order in the family 'pack'.
Dogs are pack animals.
They have a hierarchy and an order.
The alpha dog is always the pack leader, while all other dogs are below this master.
However, all dogs will attempt to test the leader's strength from time to time to see if they're able to take over as alpha dog.
Dog leash training can help your dog understand his place in the family 'pack' more easily and stops a lot of the frustration of taking an unruly dog out for a walk.
Dog leash training should begin from the moment puppy comes home with you.
It's important to remember that a puppy will not understand what the leash is, so you need to be sure you have a light-weight leash and a correctly-fitted collar to suit your puppy's size.
If your puppy is going to grow into a large dog, don't buy a heavy leash and a big collar, thinking he'll grow into them.
Upgrade them as the puppy grows.
Early stages of leash training with a puppy should include finding ways to show your pup that it's good to walk with you and not get distracted.
Put the leash onto your dog's collar and find a spot in the back yard.
When he walks nicely beside you, offer him plenty of praise and if you have some treats in your pocket, give him one when he's doing well.
If he won't walk beside you, hold a treat above his nose, close to your body and take a few steps.
Say the word 'heel' as you move.
Then stop and tell your dog to 'sit'.
When he sits, give him the treat and plenty of praise.
At this stage of your training, your dog won't understand why you're praising him yet.
The behavior takes a little time to sink in, so it's important to repeat it.
Make sure he understands that you will be very happy if he walks with his nose at your left knee.
Whenever he does this, praise him for it.
One important step is to realize that your leash is not the same thing as a set of brakes for your dog.
If your dog is pulling on the leash and determined to pull ahead of you, trying to stop him by yanking on the leash will not teach him to stop.
Dogs get distracted easily.
Things smell good, other people are interesting, there are even exciting things to pee on when dogs are out on a walk.
All these things make it very easy for your dog to forget his training and focus on the exciting things instead.
If your dog lunges forward to greet another dog or simply to smell something more interesting, then turn around sharply and walk the other way.
Don't jerk on the leash or pull your dog.
Just turn around and walk the other way.
You might include a command of 'turning' or 'watch' so he knows you're moving in a different direction.
Your dog leash training is most effective when your dog realizes that you - and his source of treats - become more important to follow than the distractions.
Dog leash training takes time and practice.
The easiest way to teach your dog to remember his dog leash training is regular practice.
This means taking your dog out for a walk every day is more than just a source of exercise for you both.
It's also a source of training-refreshing for your dog each time you go out.