If you’ve got a puppy, then training him or her now to walk on a leash is one of the most important things you can do to save yourself the frustration of having to do it later. Like they say, you can’t teach old dog new tricks, and this is particularly true about dog walking. Therefore, you need to find a way to train your puppy quickly so that eventually you can walk him or her down the sidewalk without having to worry about barking, fighting, or running too far ahead. One of my favorite methods of effectively leash training a dog is by using a dog harness, which makes it easier on me by providing more control while at the same time training the dogs entire body to walk properly.

The reason that a dog harness works so well is that it gives you much more control over the dog and allows you to pull back in the event that it tries to take off without you. A traditional dog collar offers much more control for the dog, while giving the owner or dog walker very little. They also allow you to pull back without harming or damaging the dogs neck and throat. Many people opt for pinch collars or choker chains, but those are poor options because they inflict pain on the dog, which does not reinforce discipline at all. Providing your dog firm instruction free of pain is simply the most effective way to leash train.

Walking your dog with a harness takes time to learn properly, but once done it will remain with your dog for its lifetime. This is one of the greatest ways to train a dog with discipline, and will reinforce the chain of command, so to speak, for your pet. When walking a dog with a harness, make sure that you walk firmly and do not accelerate your pace until necessary. Start slow with a firm grip on the leash and make sure that your dog walks so as not to push or pull you. Once you have identified the proper pace and distance, gradually increase your speed to see how the dog reacts. When trained properly, your dog should adjust with you and will not revert to running ahead and trying to pull you. Like I said before, the key is to maintain a consistent grip on the leash, keeping a very short leash at first and slowly releasing more slack as the dog learns how to walk. Eventually, you will have a perfect dog walking routine down that will have your dog patient and disciplined.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to leash train your puppy early in its life so that it does not learn other bad habits beforehand. Leash training instills discipline in your dog that will remain with him or her for years. If done properly, your dog should be able to be walked without a leash eventually, although many towns and cities have leash laws to prevent it. Still, just knowing that your dog would not leave your sight is a comforting feeling. I have spent far too much time chasing dogs and breaking bad habits to attempt anything other than walking my dog with a harness in order to leash train him at a young age.