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Puppies On Leash
Taking puppies out to explore the world has many benefits as well as many downfalls. Understanding when, how and if your puppy is up for the challenge is extremely important in ensuring their success.
What is your goal?
Before you decide to head out for a walk, you should ask yourself what the goal of the walk is for your puppy. Is your goal for; exercise, socialization or training? In a perfect world, your walking goals should always consist of creating positive experiences. Walking on leash should never be about physically socializing your puppy with every dog or person they meet. On leash walks are about desensitizing your puppy to the world around them, at a distance at which they remain emotionally neutral. Technically every walk with your puppy should be a training walk. Which means you should always have food on you, in order to be prepared to reward good behaviour.
Once you have defined your goals, you should ask yourself what is the best way to achieve them successfully. Understand that your goals will more easily be achieved if you maintain at a close distance to your home and are prepared to reward good behaviours.
Pulling on Leash
Bringing puppies for walks they aren't prepared for means they will most likely be pulling, sniffing and exploring in ways that will create tension on the leash. It is best to get them a well fitted harness in order to make sure the behaviour is only being encouraged while in that specific training tool.
Teaching your puppy to walk nicely on leash without pulling, should not take place on a walk. Puppies are not emotionally capable of learning new skills in new, overstimulating environments.
Teach your puppy walking skills indoors first in order for you to have the advantage of controlling the learning environment.
"Staying close to home will allow you the opportunity to bring your puppy back inside if they become overwhelmed "