It is wonderful to have the option to take your dog out of the yard and have him or her trot along beside you. For many dog owners this is exactly what does happen, but this only occurs because the owner, as well as the dog, understands the correct way to behave when out on a walk. Many owners actually reward their dog for poor behavior on the leash, further confusing the dog as to what he or she is supposed to do. Understanding how to teach your dog good leash manners is a big part of training and does take consistency and practice.
One of the biggest mistakes that many dog owners make is to allow the leash to be a play toy for the dogs. This often starts when puppies are allowed to bite, mouth and play with the leash and collar when they are very young. While cute to see, a puppy the grabs his or her own leash and attempts to lead the owner is going to develop into a dog that does the same types of behavior. A small ten to twenty pound puppy isn't much of a problem for an owner but a dog that will mature much over that weight is going to be an incredible strain on the owner's arm to take for a walk.
In order to prevent this from happening it is important to never reward a puppy for mouthing or biting at the leash. There are several options for owners to stop this habit from starting. The first option is to allow the puppy to carry a chew toy with him or her one the walk. This may be particularly important for breeds that naturally enjoy fetching and carrying toys and items in their mouths. A small toy can provide the puppy with the option to chew while keeping them away from the leash. Typically when puppies mature this desire to chew or mouth decreases, meaning you won't have to bring the toy along with you after the puppy has matured. Older dogs are also more likely to be interested in what is going on around them more than puppies, providing a natural distraction from wanting to chew on the leash.
Another option that is very effective for older dogs is to use a deterrent that makes the leash very unappealing for the dog. There are some dogs that won't touch anything that has been coated with a thin layer of Vaseline, sprinkled with cayenne pepper or sprayed with Bitter Apple. Not all dogs find these products unpalatable so you may have to do a bit of experimenting.
Changing the lead from a leather leash to a nylon leash can also help since some dogs may actually enjoy the taste of leather, which is really not a lot different than the rawhide toys many owners provide. Switching from rawhide chew toys to Nylabones, Kongs or natural bones may help the dog in associating the leather of the leash with a toy. Switching from a leash on a collar to a leash and harness which clips on at the top of the shoulders may also move the leash out of the dog's mouth area, preventing the chewing or biting issue.
Another part of leash etiquette is to have the dog learn that he or she needs to sit or stand beside you when you stop moving. Dogs that constantly circle around the owner, whine or pull away in an attempt to get the owner to get moving again can pose real hazards with tripping or getting tangled up in the leash. Teaching your dog to sit when your legs stop moving is not difficult, but it certainly makes going for a walk and stopping to chat or look at something much less stressful.
To start this training your dog has to sit on command. Bring some treats with you and start on your walk as normal. Before you are going to stop shorten up the leash and then stop moving and give the sit command. Reward the dog for sitting when he or she does sit. The first few times the dog may be somewhat confused about this request, but with practice they will soon learn that they should sit when you stop moving. Shortening up the leash is the cue for your dog that you are soon going to stop, which is their signal to sit. Make a big fuss of the dog the first few times and don't ask them to sit for too long initially. If your dog stands up, don't start moving forward until he or she sits again since they will learn to control when you walk or stop if you follow their lead.
Teaching your dog to sit on command and when you stop is an important safety feature for crossing roads. If your dog steps off the curb in advance of you they are always in danger of being hit since a driver may not be looking for animals, rather they are looking for people. If your dog is safely sitting on the curb beside you they are much less likely to be in a potentially dangerous position.
Dogs should also be socialized so that they don't go mad with trying to get to another dog while they are on the leash. Early socialization is the key, but obedience classes and lots of work in a dog park can help even older dogs stay calm and with their owner rather than running towards other dogs when they are on the leash. Dogs that have already established the habit of lunging towards other dogs or people will need intensive training and socialization to change this behavior.
Practicing good leash manners is something that does require constant and ongoing effort on the part of both the owner and the dog. Keep in mind that the more interactions on the leash that the dog has the more likely he or she will be to remember and use the skills you have taught. Starting with good training habits from puppyhood is important, but any dog at any age can improve their manners and become excellent on-leash dogs.
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