Leash Training: What Equipment Not to Use When Leash Training Your Puppy
By: Kelly Marshall
Submitted: 2008-10-10 09:43:09 | Word Count: 606
There’s nothing cuter than a tiny 9 week old German Retriever walking around the park with its owner, pulling at the leash as it happily greets people who walk by. Puppies put so much effort into watching what s going on and are almost always greeted with a rub on the head and a smile from strangers who passes by.
It’s cute and adoring, that is until the dog develops a bodyweight of 50 to 60 pounds and is dragging its owner down the street on the leash. The once happily smiling puppy owner is now gritting his teeth and doing everything he possibly can to keep the dog from dragging him down the sidewalk.
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When people pass by it takes all of the owner s muscle and might just to hold the dog back from getting its dirty paws all over everyone. in due course, these types of dogs who have no leash control end up spending the rest of their dog years in the backyard without ever being walked.
Leash Training Should Begin Instantly
Several dog owners who buy a new puppy totally misjudge just how important it is to invest time into leash training, and from as early an age as quickly as possible especially when they have a puppy that will grow 6 to 10 times its puppy size. People do not realize that training begins as soon as their new dog comes home.
All behaviors a puppy practices will become a learned unintentional activity. In due course, the dog will not think twice about what it is doing, even though it may be a wrong action that you disapprove of. In all fairness to the puppy, what do you expect if you disregard sound training principles early in his life? What choice does a puppy have?
The Importance Of Having The Proper Leash
So, having the right type of tools can make or break dog training. Using the proper equipment can either make your training experience nice and productive, or a complete waste of your time.
So, what is the best leash for dog training purposes?
Luckily, when it comes to leash equipment, you can t go wrong with the majority of them. On the other hand, there is one type of leash that is not recommended for training purposes and that is known as the retractable kind.
Retractable leashes are come in all sizes and extend at a variety lengths. These leash devices are just a plastic casing that fits into the palm of your hand which has a control trigger that either releases the leash to extend up to a certain length. It can then be locked at the specific distance you select.
So, these types of leashes can really be a benefit for a variety of situations. However, for training purposes a new puppy or even an adult dog you need to buy a leash that can provide constant tension on your puppy s neck.
Additionally, you should keep a very short distance between you and your dog, which is very difficult to do when using a retractable leash. When you have too much distance, your puppy will have no idea that you are even walking with him.
Last but not least, you should have steady leash pressure and release moments in order for the dog to understand the commands you are training him, for example, heeling. When you have a retractable leash, it can extend at different distances and be locked at a variety of levels. Your dog can become very frustrated as he perceives unfair and inconsistent corrections every time you change the length and lock it in place.
