Dog Crate Bedding, Crate Training A Dog

Spring is here and that means nicer weather and more opportunities for taking your dog for walks. If your dog walks are anything but leisurely strolls, the following tips are just for you!

Change Your Direction

Abruptly changing the direction you’re heading in may be enough distraction to make your dog understand that he needs to follow you. Each time your dog begins to yank on the lead or run in front of you, quickly change direction and start walking in a different direction. When he does the right thing and returns to your side, immediately reward your dog with praise and a small dog treat. Its pointless to scold your dog, catching him off guard and redirecting his attention is far more effective.

You may have to repeat this many times , even if it means your “walk” is only a few steps at a time, back and forth. The idea is that you want your dog to be paying attention to you and your movements. Repeating this process and giving praise and treats when he responds positively, quite often fixes the tug of war game some dogs like to play.

If you already own a remote dog trainer that has both positive and negative reinforcement with tones, now would be a good opportunity to put it to use.

Consistency is Important

Now that you’ve made up your mind to leash train your dog, always be consistent. Dogs can be easily confused when the rules aren’t consistent. Treat your leash walking exercises as you would any other obedience training session.

The best way to practice your new walking skills is in a familiar place like your driveway or backyard. After your dog has mastered his new leash walking skills, you can experiment with longer walks in unfamiliar places.

Perfection Comes With Practice

As with all dog training, teaching your dog to walk properly on a leash is an ongoing process. Your dog may need several of these training sessions to fully grasp what you’re teaching him. You’ll want to continue to use this technique occasionally to keep your dog on his toes and reinforce his new behavior.

Be generous with your praise - act as though your dog just did the smartest thing ever! Dogs instinctively want to please their owner and love being rewarded and praised for obeying. Be generous with your praise and offer rewards when your dog is doing the right thing; he will be encouraged to continue payinging attention to you.

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