Who doesn’t love puppies? They’re full of fun and laughter — but they definitely do not come pre-trained. Walking on a leash is a top skill that many pet owners want their canine companions to have, but it can be tricky to teach an energetic ball of fur to stay near your side (or avoid unwanted behaviors like turning the leash into a tug toy).
Here are some tips and tricks to start your puppy off on the right paw as you lay the foundation for loose leash walking!
Taking your dog for a walk can be an incredibly relaxing experience, and a great way to unwind after a stressful day at work or a long day running errands. However, a dog walk can also be stressful when your dog doesn’t know how to walk without pulling. Being yanked from side to side as you hold on to the leash for dear life isn’t what most people would consider fun! It can even be dangerous for both you and your dog — not to mention the people around you — depending on the environment.
A leash-trained dog will be able to navigate more situations by your side!
There are a few things you should prepare ahead of time before you start doing any real training work with your puppy.
Here are some steps you can take to help your puppy become comfortable with their collar or harness and leash. Dogs aren’t born knowing that these are normal things to wear! It might take some getting used to.
Remember when we said your puppy’s brain isn’t fully developed until a couple years of age? While young dogs can learn so much, it’s important to understand their impulse control and attention span limitations to meet them where they’re at. In order to be a good dog guardian, you need to be fair to your puppy!
It’s a good idea to mix in play and other activities like mental exercise — plus short breaks to just hang out and watch the world go by — on your walks.
Your canine companion is too little to go on long, focused hikes just yet. Aim for about five minutes of exercise for each month of age, and stick to low impact exercise to protect your pup's joints. (More on your dog's physical exercise needs with a link to a calculator guide at the end of this article.)
It’s easy for a young dog to get discouraged (or simply become bored) if you aren’t providing them with frequent feedback. Don’t be afraid to reward them often for doing things you like, such as making eye contact with you or staying near your side. You can “build value” in the position of walking next to you by providing lots of praise, treats, or favorite toys when your puppy chooses to walk there!
The more you reward what you want to see, the less you'll have to deal with undesirable behaviors.
Your puppy has very sensitive noses and ears. Plus they’re still learning about the world around them, so novelty is everywhere! What that means for your loose-leash training? The busy park is not the place to start teaching a brand-new behavior. Your quiet living room, on the other hand? Perfect!
Keep distractions at a minimum until your dog shows you they understand what you’re asking and can handle the mental exercise of paying attention. At that point you can slowly increase the difficulty and work up to more challenging environments.
This will prevent your puppy from losing focus or getting bored and is important for your young dog’s socialization. Socialization involves exposing your new puppy to a range of stimuli — and supporting them as you do, so they’re able to learn normal everyday things that could come across as scary (like the vacuum cleaner or restaurant banners blowing in the wind) really aren’t a big deal.
While it’s important not to push your puppy too far or expect perfection when there are distractions around, it’s easy to combine socialization outings and short leash training sessions into a single successful outing.
A note when taking your puppy somewhere new: You'll want to avoid uncomfortable environments, like asking your dog to walk on hot or sharp surfaces. You'll also want to consult with your veterinarian about core vaccinations and preventative measures to keep your dog healthy as they grow.
Dogs often struggle to generalize behaviors. This means they might be able to follow basic cues in a familiar environment but still struggle to perform out and about. Don’t worry: This is completely normal, and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with your training! It just means your dog needs more practice to understand that the picture of loose leash walking is the same in your neighborhood as it is in a public park.
This is important to note because it’s easy to feel frustrated when we feel like our dogs should know something but aren’t acting on it. In most cases, it’s not that our pets are purposely disobeying — they just haven’t fully generalized our cues yet!
Your dog will need the most exercise when they’re between about two and eight years old. This is the “prime” of their adult life! Your dog is fully developed and still young enough to maintain their stamina — and it's more important than ever that they stay at a healthy weight.
While young puppies need to use their bodies to develop muscle strength and coordination (not to mention get important socialization to the world around them) you should err on the side of caution with any intense or high impact activities before their growth plates close. This can prevent long-term joint damage and reduce the risk of problems like hip dysplasia.
When do your puppy’s growth plates close? That depends on their breed. In general, smaller dogs reach physical maturity more quickly than larger breeds. Most canine companions are ready for increased exercise between one to two years of age. This doesn't mean you can't start leash training earlier! It just means you need to be cautious about not overdoing it.
There’s nothing like personalized guidance when working on something new with your dog. A trainer will be able to give you in-the-moment advice and help you see things — like tiny handling mistakes or subconscious body language cues — it might be easy to miss otherwise.
Every year we put together a list of some of the United States’ best dog trainers to make it easier to find reputable, force-free professionals you can trust!
The above article is specifically about tips for walking your young puppy. You can learn more about loose-leash walking in general in this guide! We also have an entire Dog Training section on our blog compiling various tips and tricks for a range of behaviors — our Puppy Training 101 guide is a great place to start.
There is so much misinformation out there, we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have all of our articles reviewed by qualified, positive-only trainers.
Does your dog ever growl when you walk by their food dish? Maybe they get possessive of treats, carrying them far away and giving you side-eye when you start to approach — or snarling at your other pets or children if they get too close.
As almost every dog owner is aware, the nose of a dog is an amazing thing. Just as they can pick up sounds we can’t hear, their sense of smell and ability to pick up scents is well beyond ours. In fact, dogs have 40 times the number of olfactory receptors as humans.
All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Ah, poop. We humans think it’s disgusting… but many of our dogs seem to love the stuff. If you’re wondering why your canine companion tries to eat feces (either his own or that of other animals) you’re not alone!
Do you have a water-loving dog looking to burn some energy? There are countless dog parks to visit throughout our country — but some of them become far too hot in the midday sun to be safe for your pets to play. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best dog water parks throughout the United States! At these locations, your pup can frolic, splash, and swim to their heart’s content.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Does your dog destroy every toy you give them? Is your house littered with remnants of fabric and stuffing of all different sizes? Are you tired of investing in “indestructible” toys only for your pup to still dismantle (or worse, get bored of) them in just a few days?
You’ve been told that your dog needs regular exercise. There’s a reason “walking the dog” is a classic daily activity: Frequent excursions give your pup a chance to stretch their legs, experience the world, maintain a healthy weight, and spend time with you! Consistent physical activity will also improve their strength, muscle tone, coordination, and mental ability over time.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Many dog breeds have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being dangerous. Rottweilers are among them — as a large working breed, they’re often thought of as aggressive.
Your dog is reactive. They’ll see another dog, person, or other stimulus in the environment (like a car or bike) while out on a walk and suddenly go crazy at the end of their leash. The barking, lunging, and growling feels embarrassing for you — and it’s clear that your pup isn’t having a great time either.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!
Does your dog ever growl when you walk by their food dish? Maybe they get possessive of treats, carrying them far away and giving you side-eye when you start to approach — or snarling at your other pets or children if they get too close.
From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
Thousand Oaks, California has been a safe haven for Sniffspot host, Jen, since childhood. Having grown up in busy Santa Barbara, Jen, an introvert from an early age, would seek out solitude and serenity away from tourists attractions and droves of people visiting from elsewhere. “My grandparents own 60 acres about a 30 minute drive from here, and I grew up spending every summer and every holiday visiting them on the ranch,” Jen explained. “In Santa Barbara, we wouldn't go to the beach on the weekend because that's where everybody was, so you'd find places off the beaten path where the tourists weren't. For me, the ranch was just my happy place.”
Ellen is the host of Country Pasture Getaway, one of Sniffspot's most popular sniff spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great sniff spot host.
Just 20 minutes outside of the busy city of Portland, Oregon, and settled right on the banks of the Columbia River, you’ll find what countless visitors have flocked to the area in search of – mountain views, crisp, clean air, and running water for miles. What you might not expect to find, however, is a hidden oasis designed just for dogs and their people, owned and operated by a farming couple and enjoyed by visitors on two legs, and four.
Fran is the host of Ranch Setting, one of Sniffspot's most popular spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great Sniffspot host.
Welcome to the United States Sniffspot top dog trainer list for 2023. This is a list of the top dog trainers in the United States based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public. Over 55,000 votes were used in compiling this list. We have only included the top trainers with sufficient votes and the trainers are ordered in terms of the number of votes received. Trainers that tied are ranked in reverse alphabetical order based on first name. All dog trainers on this list are positive reinforcement only, as defined by no force, fear, intimidation, or aversive methods used.
Welcome to the New Jersey Sniffspot top dog trainer list for 2023. This is a list of the top dog trainers in New Jersey based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public. Over 55,000 votes were used in compiling this list. We have only included the top trainers with sufficient votes and the trainers are ordered in terms of the number of votes received. Trainers that tied are ranked in reverse alphabetical order based on first name. All dog trainers on this list are positive reinforcement only, as defined by no force, fear, intimidation, or aversive methods used. To learn more about our dog trainer contest, feel free to view the dog trainer contest post.
Welcome to the Michigan Sniffspot top dog trainer list for 2023. This is a list of the top dog trainers in Michigan based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public. Over 55,000 votes were used in compiling this list. We have only included the top trainers with sufficient votes and the trainers are ordered in terms of the number of votes received. Trainers that tied are ranked in reverse alphabetical order based on first name. All dog trainers on this list are positive reinforcement only, as defined by no force, fear, intimidation, or aversive methods used. To learn more about our dog trainer contest, feel free to view the dog trainer contest post.
Welcome to the Washington Sniffspot top dog trainer list for 2023. This is a list of the top dog trainers in Washington based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public. Over 55,000 votes were used in compiling this list. We have only included the top trainers with sufficient votes and the trainers are ordered in terms of the number of votes received. Trainers that tied are ranked in reverse alphabetical order based on first name. All dog trainers on this list are positive reinforcement only, as defined by no force, fear, intimidation, or aversive methods used. To learn more about our dog trainer contest, feel free to view the dog trainer contest post.
Welcome to the Florida Sniffspot top dog trainer list for 2023. This is a list of the top dog trainers in Florida based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public. Over 55,000 votes were used in compiling this list. We have only included the top trainers with sufficient votes and the trainers are ordered in terms of the number of votes received. Trainers that tied are ranked in reverse alphabetical order based on first name. All dog trainers on this list are positive reinforcement only, as defined by no force, fear, intimidation, or aversive methods used. To learn more about our dog trainer contest, feel free to view the dog trainer contest post.
Looking for a space to play with your dog no matter what the weather’s like outside? Look no further than our list of the best indoor dog parks in the United States! These climate-controlled spaces are growing in popularity as pet ownership increases throughout the country. As a bonus, many of them also offer dog training, boarding, grooming, or daycare services on the premises.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered! It’s hard to narrow down, but we’ve put together some of the best off-leash dog parks throughout the country so you can plan your next adventure — along with a checklist of what to bring, what to know beforehand, and some frequently asked questions.
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Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered! It’s hard to narrow down, but we’ve put together some of the best dog parks throughout the country so you can plan your next adventure. Here’s what the United States has to offer to its more than 90 million canine companions.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Portland? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks and plan for your next adventure in the City of Roses.