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Training a puppy not to pull on a leash?

1K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Leslie B 
#1 ·
My puppy is 14 weeks old. For the first 3 weeks of having him home he wouldn't walk on a leash outdoors. I did loose leash training indoors with treats and it worked well. Outdoors he would sit down and not budge an inch, or he would bolt back to the house.

Suddenly he decided the leash was okay and it meant walking! Being as happy as I was to finally go on a walk with him, I made the horrendous mistake of not following up with the leash training. And now he pulls 50-75% of the time outdoors. But... Leash training indoors is still fine. How do I progress to the outdoors if the second he steps outside he pulls?

Oh and bonus, I live in Alaska where the roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and parks are a giant sheet of ice. Fun!


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#2 ·
Leash training is easy. Once the dog pulls on the leash - you change directions and go the other way. You might only go 10 or 15 feet before he is pulling in this new direction and then you turn and go back the other way. The neighbors might think you are a little nutty but your pup will quickly get the association. "When I pull, I don't get to go there".

One thing, when you change directions, don't stop or worry about the leash pulling on your pup. After all, he does not seem to care if he drags you down the street.

Don't make a fuss if he sits down or refuses to go - keep on walking, in fact, speed up. I guarantee that he will decide to get on his feet and go in the new direction.

One thing, you do need to get a handle on this before he gets too much bigger. Once they reach 6 months or so they are much harder to drag in the new direction.
 
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