Be Sure to Use Your Leash

Sure, we are all about unleashing our dogs and letting them run free, I mean have you really ever seen a dog having fun on-leash??  Although off-leash playtime, socialization, hiking, and other dog activities are the cornerstones of our business, everything starts on-leash first.

Utilizing your leash in some aspect during the training process is going to be a huge advantage to you and your dog.  Even as puppies we suggest letting your puppy drag along a leash to begin to learn a little about leash pressure, and it acts as a “handle” to get them off of your furniture, away from the cat, and out of that room that they always seem to sneak into.  The leash will also help us effectively tether them and it’s a huge help during potty training.

Even as our dogs get older and we get them into some serious obedience training, the leash is very much a part of the training.  Teaching them to recall, walk politely next to you, lay down, and other skills can be directly related to leash pressure and a physical guide.  In these cases the leash can act as a guarantee that the dog will be successful because we have a direct way to help the dog if need be.  Just like when they were puppies, letting a dog’s leash drag (in appropriate situations) is a very important intermediate step the dog has to go through before being able to be trusted off-leash.

I know we’re all in a hurry sometimes, but don’t be afraid to put that leash back on and make sure your dog ‘gets it’ before moving on.  If you live in the area and are looking for dog training in Austin, let Unleashed Unlimited help out!

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