Leash Training: Your Leash Training Questions Answered

By: Jane Saeman

Leash training is hugely underestimated by new dog owners. The process of getting your puppy or adult dog used to being on leash is fairly simple and just takes a little bit of your time. Trust me; this small investment of properly training your dog to walk politely on his leash will pay high dividends in the near future, especially if your puppy will grow up weighing 50 or more pounds.

Leash Training Questions: I get at least a dozen or more questions each week from new dog owners that ask me about leash training. They want to know what type of leash is best, what type to avoid, how long they should walk their dog, how to get the dog to stop pulling, etc.

Below I have listed a few of these common leash training questions for your benefit. Remember, there is no one best way to do anything so when it comes to dog training, whether it involves leash training or other lesson, it is okay to mix in your own training ideas so long as you keep it 100% positive. Negative dog training is not recommended and highly discouraged.

Having said that, here are a few basic leash training questions:

1. How much room should I allow the leash to extend when walking my dog? According to most dog trainers, your puppy or adult dog does not need anymore than 5 to 6 feet of distance to roam when you are walking him. This is plenty of room for you to keep control of the situation, while at the same time giving your dog a chance to sniff out small areas along the way.

2. What type of material should my leash be made of? If you walk into any pet-specific store you’ll find that the majority of leashes for sale are made of nylon. Nylon is easy to wash and comes in all kinds of pretty colors. However, they will burn your hand if the dog suddenly pulls and the leash moves through your fingers.

My recommendation is to use a leather leash. In fact, a 6 foot leash made of leather is the perfect size and material. It will last a long time and you will not experience any type of burning sensation if it is pulled. The grip is firm and your control is increased.

3. What about using chain leashes? Chain leashes are practically indestructible and will last a very long time, but just like nylon material, a chain leash can hurt your hands if the dog yanks hard and your grip slips. In fact, the injury could be much more severe than a nylon burn.

4. How wide should the leash be? This answer is very simple. A leash that is approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inches is ideal. Try to avoid heavy, bulky leashes.

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Jane Saeman loves dogs and strives to keep other dog lovers informed. A whole world awaits other dog lovers. Find out how cute the dog in your life is at my website which is at www.PicturesOfMyDogs.com

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Controlling Dog Aggression

Just like human beings, certain dogs can be aggressive by nature. This aggressive behavior could lead to severe conflicts between the dogs and their masters. Such behavior is instinctive among many animals, but can be controlled. It is in fact necessary to control it for the well being of your dog. Dog to dog aggression is quiet normal and a dog aggressive to other dogs is more frequent within breeds than between them.

But where is the line between playful antics and aggression? Let us take a look at a few things that determine that.

Growling is the most common sign of aggression which needs immediate attention. You can take steps by trying to get your pet together with other dogs in your neighborhood, including ones of its own breed. Some pets reveal territorial aggression, which often results in chasing cars or people passing by. This could create problems, not only for you, but also for your immediate neighbors. This type of territorial aggression may require certain additional measures like citronella or electronic collars. Even aggression training can prove helpful. Since these issues can make both you and your dog unhappy, you’ll need to find some effective ways to control it.

Another kind of problem is fear aggression. This can be caused due to the fear of a particular person, another animal or even from a particular situation. Your dog may simply not understand how to handle such a situation and instinctively become aggressive.

Even pain can be responsible for aggression in dogs. A dog under any physical pain is likely to be short tempered and will charge at anyone who annoys it or even gets close to it. Under such situations, the best thing you can do is to leave him alone and give him time to recover from his injuries.

Your dog may become irritable or even angry, which can also have negative impacts. Your already irritated dog will hardly show any patience and may turn aggressive when approached. At such times, you should give him some time to rest and should be left alone until he calms down. You should also avoid bringing another pet into your house, as it may not be able to control his anger and could attack. Specialty training collars may prove helpful in situations like these.

Some trainers intentionally teach dog aggression, which is a big mistake. Most of these trainers are inexperienced and are not sure of what is the correct way to train the aggressive dogs. Similarly, it would be foolish of the pet owners to expect the dogs to be tender and gentle after having given them vigorous training. It is very important to understand that it is difficult for dogs to unlearn what they have learned in the past. Like humans, habits die hard in dogs too! Ridding them of aggressive behavior may be very difficult. So it is best to avoid training them to behave aggressively.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

Dog leash training is one of the most important things a responsible owner can do for puppies. It will keep them safe outdoors, and a leash can also allow you to retain control during other training methods.

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