Dog training -

Teaching a puppy to

accept his collar

and leash

Learning to walk on a collar and leash is the basis of

all further training

for every puppy. Until the puppy has learned to

accept the collar and

leash, it will be impossible to perform any additional

training

The first step toward getting the puppy to accept the

collar and leash

is to find a collar that fits the dog properly. It

is important that the

collar be neither too light or too heavy, neither too

thin nor too thick.

A collar that is too light for the dog can be easily

broken, while a collar

that is too heavy may be uncomfortable for the

puppy to wear. It is

also important that the width of the color be

appropriate for the size of

the dog.

Determining the proper length of the collar is

relatively easy. Simply

wrap a tape measure or a string lightly around

the dog’s neck to get

an accurate measurement. It is important that the

tape measure not

be tight, just slightly snug.

Most collars are sized in two inch increments, so

you may have to

round up to get a properly sized collar. For instance,

if the dog has a

13” neck, you would buy a 14” collar, and so on.

After you have purchased the perfect collar, the

next step is to put it

on the dog and allow him to wear it around the

house. Do not be

dismayed if the dog whines, paws at the collar

or otherwise tries to

remove it. This is normal, and the dog should not be

punished for it.

It is best to simply ignore the dog and allow him to

work out his own

issues with the collar.

The dog should be allowed to wear the collar 24 hours a day for a

number of days to get used to the feel of the collar on his neck. After

the dog is accepting the collar well, it is time to start introducing the

leash. A lightweight leash works best for this process. Simply attach

the leash to the dog’s collar and allow him to walk around the house

with it. The dog should of course be supervised during this process in

order to make sure he does not get the leash caught on anything.

Getting the leash caught or snagged could frighten the dog and create

a leash phobia that will be hard to overcome.

In the beginning, the leash should only be attached

for a few minutes

at a time. It is important to attach the leash at happy

times, such as

playtime, meal time, etc. It is important for the dog

to associate the

leash with happy things. When the leash is not

attached to the dog, it

is a good idea to keep it near the dog’s food and

water bowls. The dog

should be encouraged to investigate the leash, and

to discover that it

is not something to fear.

After the dog is used to walking around with the

leash attached, take

the end of the leash in your hand and just hold

it. Allow the dog to

walk around. If the dog bumps into the end of

the leash, just allow

the dog to react and move as he desires. The goal of

this exercise is

to simply allow the dog to get used to the feel

of the collar and the

leash.

It is important to allow the puppy plenty of time to get used to

wearing the collar and leash before ever attempting to lead the puppy.

It is best to perform this exercise in the home or other environment

where the puppy feels safe and secure. After the puppy is comfortable

and content walking on the leash in the home, it can slowly be taken

outside. It is best to make these outside trips very short at the

beginning, and to lengthen them slowly over time. Some puppies take

to the collar and leash immediately, while others may require some

additional time.

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