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Dog Leash Training - Article on Dog Leash TrainingLeash Training 101xxLeash Problems
Exercise is a major part of our dogs’ lives. Cesar Millan, the “Dog
Whisperer”, tells us that to maintain a healthy relationship with our
beloved pooches, that relationship should consist of 50% physical
exercise, 25% discipline, and 25% affection. That’s a lot of exercise!
In order for us to be able to enjoy exercising our dogs as much as they
need, it’s important for them to behave well both on the lead.
Unfortunately, there are many dogs out there who are afraid of the
leash itself – resulting in neurotic, fearful, submissive behavior
whenever the lead comes out.
In this newsletter, we’ll take a look at the most effective way to deal with fear of the leash and Dog Leash Training.
Fear of the Leash
The majority of the time, the sight of the leash is enough to bring on
a fit of joy – the dog knows that leash = walk, and reacts accordingly.
For some dogs, though, the leash connotes fear and submissiveness more
than anything else. Perhaps the leash was used in a negative way with a
previous owner – as a tool for dragging the dog around. Perhaps it was
used to confine the dog for long hours at a time. In some extreme
cases, dogs have even been whipped with the leash as punishment. Or
perhaps your dog is just very highly strung, and is prone to developing
phobias seemingly arbitrarily. Although fear of the leash can
have a severely negative impact on your walks with your dog, the good
news is that it’s easy to cure. You just need some patience and some
basic equipment.Dog Leash Training
What you’ll need
- A leash, made of webbing or leather. Approximately 5 feet (1.25
meters) is a good length, as it enables control without risk of the dog
getting tangled in the leash when out walking. Chain-link leashes
aren’t recommended, as they’re hard on the hands – and also can flick
the dog in the face, which isn’t something you’d want to inflict on any
dog, let alone one that’s suffering from fear of the leash!
- A good-quality collar, again made of leather or nylon webbing. If
you’re using one with a snap-lock, make sure it’s safety-approved and
won’t come undone under pressure. Slip-chain collars (also known as
‘choke-chains’ or ‘check-chains’) should never be used on an unattended
dog, as they’re a training tool, not a real collar.
- A little bit of time, and a little bit of patience.
What to Do
- Your aim here is to accustom your dog to the lead a little bit at a
time, keeping him well within his comfort zone at each step of the way.
Because he’s already got a fear of the leash, some discomfort in its
presence is to be expected, but watch out for signs of extreme fear:
hyperventilating, drooling, submissive urination, rolling eyes (often
showing the whites).
So step one: remember to take baby steps at all times!
- If he’s really afraid of the leash, you’ll need to accustom him to it
very slowly indeed. Practice leaving it out in full view, preferably in
‘fun’ places: next to his food bowl, in preferred play areas, near his
bed.
- Once he’s stopped reacting to the sight of it, introduce the leash to
him in a more active manner. You can do this by wrapping it around your
hand as you pet and groom him. Hold the leash in your hand as you
prepare his food; sit by him and stroke him, with the leash wrapped
around your hand, as he eats. Keep this up until he’s stopped showing
any signs of discomfort – it may take some time, but remember that
you’re aiming to accustom him comfortably to the leash. Any rushing is
counterproductive.
- When he’s not showing any signs of nervousness with this level of
progress, you can start attaching the leash to his collar. Put him in a
sit-stay, using a firm, calm voice, and clip the leash on. Don’t make a
big deal out of it: your dog will take his emotional and psychological
cues from your behavior. If you act as though it’s not a big deal,
he’ll follow your lead.
- Once the leash is on, give him some time to get used to the sensation
of something hanging off his neck. He may get a little panicky at this
stage, and start pawing at his neck and trying to rub the leash off
along the ground. If he’s showing signs of nervousness, distract him
with a game: a short game of tug-o’-war (providing he knows to drop the
toy when you’ve had enough) is a good idea; if he can run without
getting tangled in the leash, play a short game of fetch; or, if the
two of you are outside in a safely enclosed area, you can go for a
short walk. Don’t attempt to touch the leash at this stage, just let
him walk around freely.
- Take the leash off after five minutes or so, and praise him lavishly
for being such a good boy. Give him a couple of small, tasty treats,
and lots of petting.
- Repeat these last three steps several more times before progressing
to the next level: you want to give him plenty of opportunities to get
used to the sensation of the leash itself before you start using it to
control his walking. The more positive associations he forms with the
leash (which he will do through the games, walks, and treats while
wearing it), the better for his progress.
- Next, it’s time for a short Dog Leash Training - obedience session while he’s
wearing the leash. Five minutes is plenty: practice a sit-stay and the
recall command (“come”) while he’s wearing the leash. This will
reinforce your authority and leadership, and remind him that he’s still
expected to obey you while wearing the leash.
- When he’s readily obeying your commands with the leash on, you can
take him for a short walk while he’s wearing it. If he’s jumpy, do not
reinforce his nervousness by rewarding him with attention. Simply
ignore him and carry on walking. Remember, he takes his cues from you,
so keep calm and wait for it to pass.
- If, at any point, you feel that he’s simply too nervous to proceed
(for example, if he’s still panicking after three or four minutes of
walking on the leash), go back to the level at which he was last 100%
comfortable. Wait a few days at this stage before attempting to
proceed.
Things to Remember
- Remember to be patient! Don’t attempt to rush your dog’s progress:
using force is counterproductive to your end goal. You’re teaching him
to relax and be calm around the leash – if you get stressed or
frustrated with his lack of progress, he’ll be able to tell, and his
anxiety levels will increase, not decrease.
- Remember not to indulge his nervousness or coddle him if he plays up
or gets nervous. If you react to his crying and trembling with petting
and cooing, you are telling him that it’s OK to feel like that. If he’s
nervous, either ignore it and carry on, or distract him with a game or
short walk. If he’s still panic-stricken after three or four minutes,
revert to the previous step and give it more time.
- This should go without saying, but never correct or punish him for
skittishness or nervous behavior – again, it’s counterproductive in the
extreme.
For Further Information
For more information on a variety of Dog Leash Training-related problems, as well as
a detailed look at the whole spectrum of common canine behavioral
problems, you may want to check out SitStayFetch. It’s a comprehensive
training compendium for the responsible owner, and covers just about
every topic you could ever need for building and maintaining a happy,
healthy relationship with your dog.
You can check out the SitStayFetch site by clicking on the link below:CLICK HERE for more on Dog Leash Training
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