Get Comfortable Leashing Training An Older Dog

Get Comfortable Leashing Training An Older Dog
Get Comfortable Leashing Training An Older Dog

You might feel frustrated or embarrassed because of your inability to leash train your dog, but with perseverance, your dog will soon come around. Senior dogs who tug or pull their leash may be difficult to train. But after four to five weeks of steady training, they should be able to get rid of this habit. At most, leash training an older dog takes six weeks.

The first step is for the senior dog to get used to the leash, which means having to wear it often. You can also make your dog wear a leash while eating or doing fun activities—this way, your beloved pet will associate it with fun things.

On the second or third day of doing this, you can start by walking your dog in familiar places. One great place to start is your home: around five to ten minutes should be enough.

The third and fourth steps are the most crucial, and you will have to be careful:

Get Comfortable Leashing Training An Older Dog

Step #3

When you are confident enough after leash training within the house, you may take your dog outdoors. You need to allow you dog to drag the leash around. You should occasionally pick up the leash and follow him. Make sure you offer him a dog treat while walking with the leash in your hand.

Step #4

Now, comes the important part of leash training an older dog. This is where you teach him you are the master and he has to follow you. You need to hold the leash in your right hand and then coax the dog to walk on your left side. This can be done by holding the leash in your right hand and a treat in your left hand. Continue to walk and say, ‘Let’s go’ or ‘Come on’ to make him understand that it is time to walk. When he follows your orders correctly, praise him a lot. (More here)

Lastly, if you have difficulty with your dog that keeps tugging and pulling, the trick is to take a counter-wise turn, and then start walking in the opposite direction while holding the leash. You can also stop firmly, hold onto the leash, and be firm. Both will establish your authority and will get an otherwise stubborn dog to follow you.  Keep doing this, and you’ll soon realize that your senior dog is already perfectly leash-trained!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.