Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Teach an older dog to quietly accept a dog leash
• Part 2 of 2: Teach an older dog to follow you
• Necessities

Having a good relationship with your dog means, among other things, that you can take him for a walk and that he obediently follows you during the walk. Unfortunately, many dogs have learned to pull on a leash, which is very tiring for you, unpleasant for him, and can even be dangerous if the dog is too big and strong. However, if you have an older dog who has picked up some bad habits, don't despair, as it is never too late to teach a dog to walk quietly on a leash next to you without being leashed. Training your dog takes time, patience and insight into your dog's motivation to learn and follow commands.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Teach an older dog to quietly accept a dog leash

1. Choose the right dog leash. A dog that needs to be trained to walk on a leash can benefit from a training leash. This is a short dog leash that keeps the dog walking next to you. Such a leash allows you to quickly and effectively correct unwanted behavior, thus preventing the dog from being constantly distracted.
2. Do not use training techniques that focus on punishing the dog. A shock collar, choke chain, or choke chain with pins should not be used if you want to teach your dog anything. While it may be tempting to use a choke or chain with pins, be aware that these collars will hurt the dog and he will associate pulling on the leash with pain. These collars will not only hurt your dog, they will instill fear in your dog instead of positively teaching him something.
   • In addition, such collars are often used by dog ​​trainers who have no idea how to stop a dog from teaching such behavior in a different way. Avoid falling into the category of dog trainers who have no idea what they are doing, and try to train your dog in an animal-friendly way using dog psychology.
3. Try to counteract the enthusiasm associated with being on a leash. Chances are the dog will be over the moon as soon as he sees the dog leash. This is because the dog associates the dog leash with going outside for a walk.You want your dog to be calm when you go out, so that the chances of successful training are increased.
   • To take away the enthusiasm, you should leash and release your dog in the house without actually taking him for a walk. The purpose of this is for your dog to no longer automatically associate the dog leash with going outside for a walk.
   • For example, when you come home, you could leash your dog and continue with your normal routine around the house. After five to ten minutes, you should be able to loosen the dog leash and then continue with what you were doing. You could repeat this every half hour so that the dog becomes insensitive to being on a leash.

Part 2 of 2: Teach an older dog to follow you

1. Be aware of why dogs pull on a leash. The main reason for dogs to pull on a leash is because of their eagerness to go somewhere, this is usually a place full of interesting smells like a park. Dogs will repeat certain behaviors if they have previously been rewarded for that behavior. In this case, pulling on the leash is a reward in itself, as the dog believes that pulling on the leash will speed up its arrival at the destination.
2. Try to counteract the enthusiasm to go outside. Once your dog is calm when you leash him, you should be able to go outside with him. This will likely get the dog all excited again, as he will now assume that you are actually going out with him. You need to take enough time to combat this. Walk your dog outside, close the door, wait a moment, then go back in.
   • Repeat these steps until both you and the dog are faint of it, and the dog is no longer pulling on the leash knowing it is more likely to have to go back in instead of being let out.
3. Teach the dog to stop pulling on the leash. This works best if you take plenty of time for this and are willing to do a shorter lap than you previously had in mind. Put the dog on a leash and calmly leave the house. Stop as soon as the dog starts pulling on the leash. Hold the dog leash firmly, but try not to pull the dog back.
   • If your dog needs a lot of exercise, you could play with a ball in the backyard to tire the animal out so that it gets plenty of exercise.
   • Letting your dog pull you to the park during the training period will undo all the work you did before.
4. Reward positive behavior. When your dog turns his head and looks at you, say, "Good" or "Good!" and then walk on. Every three or four times this happens, you should reward your dog with a treat.
5. If you don't seem to get results, try an alternative training method. When the dog pulls on the leash, stop and walk in the opposite direction. If the dog then leads the way and pulls you in a different direction, you should stop again and change the direction. The signal you send with this is that when the dog pulls on the leash you will not walk any further, making pulling on the leash seem pointless.
   • However, using this method when the dog wants to make you move faster will cause you to stop and stop moving at all. Soon the dog will realize that you and only you are the boss during the walk. You determine the time, place and pace. Once the dog realizes this, he will no longer pull on the leash.
6. Take enough time for this workout. It takes time to unlearn certain behaviors. Try to train the dog daily, but don't automatically assume that your dog has already unlearned certain behaviors after a week. It may take a lot longer for your dog to understand what you want and what changes you envision.
   • Hopefully, after about a month of taking these walks, your dog will no longer be walking with you!
   • You should also not use this method for a longer period of time. This method takes time and repetition rather than long training sessions. For example, try not to take long walks while applying this method. Your dog will quickly tire or become bored because of this training.

Necessities

• A dog leash
• Dog snacks