Leash Training - Stage Two

Having got to the point that the puppy enjoys being out for a walk (which usually happens very quickly but sometimes may take as long as a week or so with more timid puppies) you need to start getting it used to the idea of walking calmly beside you. If you indefinitely allow it to continue wandering this way and that, pulling forward one minute then hanging back the next, all you’re doing is reinforcing that behavior. It will come to associate being put on the leash with being allowed to walk pretty much as it pleases.

If you don’t mind the idea of being tripped up by a dog that wraps the leash around your legs well that’s fine - just carry on regardless! But personally I want walking the dog to be a pleasurable experience (for us both). For me that means the dog walking calmly to my side and staying in that position until I say it can do otherwise. I don’t want it wrapping the leash round my legs neither do I want a dislocated shoulder as the dog surges forward tugging for all it’s worth.

So start educating the puppy while it’s still small and easily handled. Make a decision about which side you want it to walk on. It doesn’t matter at all and is purely a matter of personal preference. I choose to walk mine on my left but if the right would suit you better then go with that. Once you’ve made the decision you must be consistent about it and stick with it. From now on whenever you’re out with the dog on the leash always keep it on your chosen side. If it starts to veer across to the other side immediately encourage it back to the correct side and give it plenty of praise and fuss, telling it what a good dog it is.

You can also use treats here - they make very effective incentives. So as soon as the dog tries to cross to the wrong side of you attract its attention with a treat and use the treat to guide the dog back into the correct position. As soon as it’s back where you want it immediately give it the treat as a reward.

In the early stages of teaching the idea of walking on the ‘correct’ side it can be a help if you have a solid obstacle like a wall, hedge or fence on the same side as the dog. So the dog is like the filling of a sandwich - on one side it has your leg and on the other is the wall. Having an obstacle like this to one side will prevent the dog veering off away from you and will also give it an easy directional pointer to follow. However if there aren’t any suitable walls etc near where you live don’t worry about it as it’s only a minor refinement and you’ll do just fine without it so long as you remember to be consistent.