A leash is going to be an integral part of almost every dog and dog owner’s life. A dog will spend countless hours on the end of a leash and this time should be a happy, positive time for both the dog and the walker to be together. The goal of this article is to teach every dog owner how to make leash walking a pleasure.

Dog leash training is also one of the most basic parts of dog training. What is the best time to start dog leash training? The training of a puppy should start when your puppy is about 6-7 weeks old. The best and the fastest way to get good results is tousle the positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement in dog leash training means every time your puppy performs well, you should praise lavishly and you can give your dog a small treat. The positive reinforcement method works much better than any other method available for training dogs. You will need to take your dog for a walk on a leash once or twice a day so it gets the required exercise and it can relieve itself outside, unless you live on a ranch of course, and your dog can walk by himself whenever he wants.

The first command you may want to teach your dog is “Heeling”. Before you start, you are going to need your leash and some treats or some other kind of reward. Your dog should know how to “sit”, “stay”, “look” and the “come in” command before you begin training “heel”.

Heeling is a more formal technique of walking a dog on a leash. The dog is expected to sit quietly on the left side of the handler. The moment that the walker moves the dog should respond. The dog should be right at the owner’s side at all times. If the dog is large enough the owner should be able to touch the dog’s head at any moment. The owner should be able to change direction or speed and the dog is expected to keep pace and remain right with the handler. The moment the handler stops moving the dog is expected to sit. The command is not complete until the dog has done the “sit” and the walker gives a release command.

You can use a nylon lead for the first time which is light and yet strong enough, or a choker collar would be good to keep the dog from pulling on the lead, though the best would be gentle tugging with a stern command. As mentioned before, the best way for your dog leash training is the positive reinforcement method. You walk in front of the dog and call it to you. When it comes, you give it a treat and praise it. Keep repeating this process while gradually increasing the distance you have the dog walk with you, along with you. Every time it does it without pulling or staying behind you reward it. It will surely take time and patience, but it will be fun for you and the dog.

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The best time to begin training your puppy is at the very beginning. It is easier to learn the right way to do things the first time than to have to unlearn bad habits first.

The first thing you will need to do after buying your puppy is to take it home. The safest way to carry your puppy is by using either a harness that attaches to the seatbelt or to use a dog carrier. A puppy who is unused to those devices might feel uncomfortable at first, and cry, or express a desire to sit on your lap. This is a dangerous practice and should not be encouraged. Use the doggy seatbelt or car seat in the beginning and your pup will soon get used to it.

When you reach home, the all-important puppy house training should begin. Fortunately, in most breeds there is an inborn instinct to eliminate away from where they live. Even the youngest of pups will often take some steps away from its mother before doing its business. Dogs are creatures of habit so as soon as you get home, begin taking the puppy to a spot where you want it to eliminate. Give it some time to walk around and explore its new environment. When it does its business, praise it for doing the right thing. Eliminating outside can be frightening at first, because that is when a dog is at his most vulnerable. To a puppy who is used to being inside, the great outdoors can be overwhelming at first, so don’t be surprised if it runs for cover. Gently take your puppy back to the right place, and reassure it that you are there for it. Take it back to the same place frequently, and give it time to sniff around. When it smells the odor of its last elimination, it will feel inspired to repeat its earlier performance. Again, supply plenty of praise.

Do not punish you pup for making mistakes. That will only make it afraid of you. Pushing the dog’s face into its feces is a dangerous practice. It can make it impossible for the animal to breath or cause an infection. When it has an accident, clean up the urine, or pick up the feces and take it outside, showing the dog where to put it. (After your demonstration, of course, you will want to throw the waste away). The use of dog repellants is not recommended because they can cause nausea and vomiting.

When walking your dog you will want to use a leash to keep it safe. This puppy training should begin with a six feet long leash attached to a collar or harness. The use of a choke collar is discouraged, because it causes discomfort. You should be able to get two fingers between your puppy’s neck and the collar. The width of the leash depends upon the size of the dog. A small breed such as a shih-tzu or Chihuahua can probably use the narrowest leash your neighborhood pet supply store has to offer. A German shepherd or a Great Dane would obviously need a much thicker one. First attach the leash to the puppy’s collar (choke collars are not necessary) and have the puppy stand to your left.

Say “Sit,” and gently push down the puppy’s rear end until it is sitting. Reward the puppy with praise or a treat when it is sitting. The next command to teach is “down”, and it is taught in the same way.

Say the command and pull the puppy’s front paws until it is in a “Sphinx” position. Reward with a treat or praise. This is puppy training is especially good for large breeds, since it can be used when smaller dogs are around to reassure them that your large dog will not harm them.

To teach the pup to walk with a leash, say “Come on.” Then gently pull the dog along, on your left side. Reward the puppy with praise or a treat when he does walks along beside you without pulling. This kind of leash walking can be used where there is a good amount of room around.

When you are walking your dog in a crowded place, such as an outdoor fair, you will want your pet to know “heel.” Say the command and gently pull the puppy next to your heel. Reward the dog when it obeys.

The last command on our agenda is “stay,” which is useful when you have guests over who are afraid of dogs, or if you want to open the door to bring in the groceries and don’t want your dog to run off. Give the command and then walk off a few feet. If the dog tries to follow you, put the puppy back to the same place, give the command again, and walk off a few feet. Start by staying away only a few seconds, return, and give the dog a reward. Gradually increase the time as the dog learns.

Remember, puppy training should be a good experience for both of you, because you will be this puppy’s caregiver for the rest of its life and it will be your companion and friend. When you are both comfortable with the basics, you might want to teach your new friend some tricks. That puppy training will be the subject of future articles. Have fun.

Learn more dog training tips at Dog Training MD

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Friendly, energetic, playful, loving, eager to please, and highly intelligent. These are just a few of the adjectives that apply to Golden Retrievers. What these adjectives mean is that these dogs not only bond with their owners but, also makes them easy to train. However, Golden Retriever puppy training should begin early, before your dog has a chance to train you. Don’t think it can’t happen, it can and it does. These dogs like routine and knowing where they stand within a family and if you don’t set the boundaries for them, then they more than likely will establish their own.

There are three things these dogs need to be completely happy and well behaved. Routine, basic obedience training and early socialization.

Establishing a routine should begin the moment you bring your new pet home. He needs to know where his food dish is, where and when to sleep, and where to relieve himself. Because of this dog’s intelligence he will quickly learn the routine you expect him to follow as long as you are patient and consistent in your Golden Retriever puppy training.

Included in his routine should actually be times for obedience training and socialization. By incorporating everything into his routine your puppy will be better able to know what to expect and to follow any program you lay out for him. Obedience training should take place two or three times of the day and be of short duration usually 10 to 15 minutes at tops. The best time to practice obedience is right after your puppy has had play time and is calmer and is able to pay attention. An excited puppy who wants to play will find it difficult to concentrate and obey commands.

Golden’s learn best through repetition and rewards. Affection and treats are both great rewards for successful Golden Retriever puppy training. Always try to end your training sessions on a positive note so that your puppy will look forward to the next training session.

Early socialization is also a must for this breed of dogs. While they are naturally friendly, socialization will help to bring out this trait and will avoid any anxiety issues that might develop later. Always remember that the more new situations your puppy is introduced to in the Golden Retriever puppy training, the better able he will be to deal with the new situations with calmness and acceptance.

It is essential that you start as you mean to go. If you are not going to let a full grown Golden Retriever on your sofa or bed than do not allow your puppy access to those areas. Always keep in mind that it is much easier training a puppy than it is to retrain a dog.

Potty breaking this breed of dog is relatively easy if you keep in mind that he needs to go out 15 or 20 minutes after eating, immediately after taking a nap and both before and after active play. Keep alert for signs that your puppy needs to relieve himself such as sniffing or walking in circles.

If you are unsure how to go about Golden Retriever puppy training then get a good book on training this specific breed. While a good training book for dogs in general will work, one dedicated to this specific breed can make the entire process easier.

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