I was yakking with a new puppy owner and the usual question regarding leash training came up.  They wanted to know the best way to get started.

My advice was to Introduce leash training to the puppy by simply attaching a small, light leash to the puppy’s slip collar, drop the leash on the floor and allow the puppy to drag the leash around the house behind them.  Correct them should they grab the trailing leash thinking it is a chew toy.

If consistant with corrections it is amazing how fast the puppy will learn to ignore the dragging leash.

From there it is an easy step to actually introduce gently controlling the puppy with the leash. 

Here is a photo of a young German Shorthaired Pointer I was training.  Not a great picture but shows the puppy dragging the light leash.

The trailing leash is also a HUGH help with so much of the puppy training.  You can find all the steps of leash training and further tips using the trailing leash to teach your puppy in Puppy Training Secrets.

Louise Baldock