A new puppy is an exciting time for both dog and owner! There’s so much excitement surrounding a new puppy. Not only are they adorable, but they bring such joy and excitement to your life. However, training a puppy takes a lot of work. From learning not to destroy furniture to installing doggie doors for easy access outdoors, there are lots of tasks you’ll have to do as a new puppy owner. One of those many tasks includes training your dog not to pull on their leash whenever you take them for a walk! Soon after getting your new puppy (or even before — it’s always best to be prepared!), you should invest in a quality dog collar and leash set. It’s important your dog has both a collar and a leash to wear while out on walks. A collar is a necessity for both walks and everyday lounging (we’ll talk about that in a bit). A leash is what keeps your pup from wandering away from you while out on walks, at the vet or even on car rides. Order a Dog Collar and Leash Set Today WHY YOUR DOG NEEDS A LEASH Dogs need leashes to keep them safe. Without a leash, it’s easy for them to run away at the sight of a bird, squirrel or other distraction they come across while outside. And, even the most avid of runners can’t always catch up to a pup on a mission. Plus, leashes are great training tools. They teach your pup how far from you they can wander without getting pulled back. WHY YOUR DOG NEEDS A COLLAR Leashes attach to your dog’s collar. But, if you live in a rural area, you might be under the impression you don’t need to put a collar on your pup. Unfortunately, there are a variety of reasons you really need a collar on your dog to keep them safe: Microchips aren’t enough: A lot of people ask “Can you track your dog with a microchip?" and the short answer is no. The longer answer is microchips just hold information, not serve as GPS tracking devices. The microchip is a useful tool that, combined with a dog collar, can go a long way in returning your pup to you safely should they get lost or run away. Microchips store contact information and vaccination records which can only be accessed by scanning the chip with the proper equipment. Likely, only a vet or shelter staff member has the scanning equipment. Collars can break off your pup from a branch, hook or even a metal corner. If you rely only on one method or the other, then you might run into hiccups recovering your pup. Together, an updated microchip and a durable collar with current information is your best shot at recovering a lost pup. They’re usually reflective: A reflective collar is important for your dog to have, especially for when they go out at night. Even if you’re walking them and keeping them out of the road, there’s always a chance a driver might not see them. A reflective collar will ensure headlights or street lights will make your dog visible to others. For some, this can be the difference between life and death. It’s important you do everything you can to keep your pup safe, and having a collar with a reflective feature is one of the best ways to do that. They provide vital information: Without needing to scan for a microchip, a collar can hold your dog’s ID tag which contains vital information on keeping them entirely safe. You can place your dog’s medical information, medicines, your contact information and their name all on your dog’s collar. This will help in the event your dog gets lost or runs away. Without a collar and tag combination, your dog will be at a huge disadvantage and is less likely to be found. Plus, if your dog has medication they need to take regularly at different intervals throughout the day, having that information on their tag will ensure the people who find your pup will take him or her to a local vet who can administer the medicine or get the dog treated. WHY DOGS PULL ON LEASHES There are lots of reasons your pupper might pull on their leash. Here are some of the most common ones: A distraction: Some dogs get distracted easily. Whether it’s a person walking by, a butterfly or even a squirrel darting from the center of the hiking trail to the forest, your pup might get easily distracted by something you can’t control. This is the most common reason for a dog pulling because you can’t pinpoint what the distraction is. And, for many pups, they’re overwhelmed by the amount of distractions in one area as you start to introduce them to walks and hikes with you. The sensory overload could cause your dog to pull on the leash because he or she is trying to go after all the things they see or hear. A smell: Dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans do, and this can be very overwhelming to a pup new to outdoor walks and jogs. By the time you, as a human, notice a scent or odor, your dog has already picked up on it. If your dog is pulling you in a particular direction and you don’t know why, there’s a pretty good chance your dog has picked up on a particular smell he or she feels the need to investigate. Even if you pull hard enough on their leash to get them back on track, many dogs will continue to try and pull towards the scent that intrigues them. A noise: Along with a strong sense of smell, dogs also hear things at higher frequencies than humans. This means they can pick up on sounds from farther away than we do. That also means they can focus their attention on noises rather than on sticking by your side. Most dogs will stop suddenly while walking, shift their ears towards the direction of the noise and then start pulling towards it. If this has ever happened with your dog while on a walk, then they’ve been enticed by a noise! It’s important to know the reasons why dogs pull on leashes before training your pup to not pull on the leash. You might think there’s no reason your pup is pulling on their leash, when in reality, they probably have been distracted, caught a smell or heard a noise that’s pulling them away from you. Knowing the reasons your pup might pull from you will help you target your training so you can ensure they receive the right cues for staying by you. WHAT YOUR DOG NEEDS BEFORE TRAINING There’s a couple of things you’ll want to get your pup before you start training with them. This way, if your pup gets away by accident while you’re training, you won’t have to worry too much about them! A dog tag that tracks your pup: Using bluetooth technology, our dog tag tracker is perfect for any dog owner looking to track their pup in a simple yet effective way. With our dog tag tracker, you can keep tabs on your dog if you’re within 200 feet or view their most recent location. This will go a long way in keeping your pup safe in the event they get away from you while you’re doing your leash training. Ensure Their Dog ID Tags Are Updated with All Your Information A harness: Harnesses are good for dogs because of how they fit on your pup. Instead of attaching directly to the collar, your dog’s leash will now attach to the harness. This way, when you train your dog to stay with you or go with you, the tug you give on their leash won’t potentially hurt their neck muscles! Instead, it’ll be safely on their harness. Plus, some harnesses even come with muzzles for those with pups that tend to bite or snarl when pulled away. TREATS FOR TRAINING One of the best ways you can train your pup is to invest in some good treats! There are lots of treats good for your pup, whether you make them yourself or you get them from your local pet store. Some pet owners even use their dog’s kibble as a treat. You already know they like it, and any food given outside of their normal feeding time is definitely considered a treat! The reason treats work so well for pets is because of the concept of positive reinforcement. When you provide a reward following a command, it gives your pet the idea that they’re doing the right thing or, in some cases, listening to you will earn them a tasty treat. For some pets, this is great. However, some pet owners have found that rewarding with treats is a “once you start, you can’t stop” scenario. Your pet will be upset if it adheres to your commands and no longer receives a treat after. Regardless, treats are still one of the best tools a pet owner has at their disposal in order to get their pup to learn new commands and behaviors. WAYS TO TRAIN YOUR PUP There are lots of tricks you can use to train your dog not to pull on the leash. Here are some of the most common. Walk and feed: This is one of the most common — and simplest — ways to train your pup to walk beside you and not pull on the leash. As you walk with your leashed pup around your backyard or other familiar area, feed them a treat whenever you notice them sticking beside you instead of pulling away. Your dog will get the idea that every time they stay near you, a treat will appear! As you practice, the more your pup stays beside you, the less treats you need to give out. Stop and go: As your pup progresses through walking and staying beside you, advance to brisk walking, running and suddenly stopping to see if your pup can keep up with you. Each time they do, give them a treat. As they continue to get better, you can give out less treats. It’s important your pup knows to stay beside you even when you’re moving quickly — sometimes it’ll start to rain while you’re out for a walk, or you might need to stop suddenly for a car speeding down the street. Your dog being able to keep up with you during this exercise will help to keep them safe! Talking to your pup: You’ll need to be able to give commands! Your pup doesn’t just magically know when to follow you or when to leisurely wander away. That’s why you give commands. When training your pup, use the phrase “Let’s go!” if they don’t keep up with you. When your dog stops or pulls on their leash, saying “Let’s go!” in an upbeat, bright voice will encourage them to follow you. Of course, when they listen to your command and catch up with you, make sure to give them a treat as a reward! Your pup needs to have audible commands, especially at the beginning of their training. Give authorized sniff breaks: You should allow your dog some time to sniff things that interest them — especially growing puppies! However, you should be giving those sniff breaks on your terms rather than your pup’s. As you practice around your yard, you can periodically stop walking, point towards a bush or set of florals and tell your dog “Go sniff.” If your dog goes and sniffs and then comes back to you when you say “Let’s go!” be sure to give them a treat! Training a puppy can seem like a daunting task, but with some simple tricks and tools, you’ll be on your way to training your pup into a well-behaved dog in no time! Image Credits Rvector/Shutterstock.com