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Walking on a Leash and Staying: Two Great Commands

You are walking down the street and the next thing you know, your normally loving dog becomes aggressive towards other dogs and people he sees. It’s enough to make you want to keep him inside all the time!

However, there are some ways to deal with leash aggression so you can both get some good quality time and exercise outdoors

Dogs are like children in many ways. Often you can avoid bad behavior if you redirect their attention. If you see something that usually causes your dog to become aggressive, immediately distract him. Tell him to sit or lie down to keep him busy until the dog or person passes.

Dogs are masters at reading our body language. If you tense whenever you pass a person or another dog, your pet will pick up on it. He may think that you are scared and want to protect you. It is best to stay calm and act as if nothing is wrong if you can so your dog does too.

Try using a muzzle or a gentle leader when walking your dog. This should only be a temporary measure but if you are concerned your dog may lunge or bite, these can be very helpful.

Some dogs will persist at lunging despite your best efforts. If this is the case with your dog, consult with a professional trainer. You don’t want to let the behavior go unchecked; your dog will become a danger to your neighborhood. as well as to himself.

Leash aggression isn’t uncommon, but it is a potentially big problem. Start taking measures to cure your dog of this bad habit before bigger fixes are needed.

People are always impressed with well-trained dogs. Beyond impressing your friends and neighbors, teaching your dog the stay command can be extremely useful. Treats and lots of praise will make the learning process much easier, faster, and fun. For most complete results consider dog training collars.

To learn to stay, your dog first needs to know how to sit and/or lie down. When he masters this, staying is the next step. Begin by telling him to sit or lie down. As he does this, put your hand out and say, “Stay.” Make sure you use a firm yet calm voice.

As soon as your dog obeys, say, “Good.” Even if the dog only stays for a brief second, it is a great start. Praising can only help him learn more.

Also teach him the release command so he learns when it is time to get up. “Ok” or “Come” are often used. Again, praise and treats make training easier. Praise and treats help alot when it comes to puppy potty training.

As you work on the stay command, demand that your dog stay for longer periods of time. Don’t give him his treat until he performs to your satisfcation. Have him do a little more each time.

Optimal training should last about five to ten minutes at a time. Any more than that will strain your dog’s attention span and counteract your efforts.

Another way that dogs are like children is that they have short attention spans! If you require him to train for longer than ten minutes, he is likely to become obstinate and disobedient. Also keep in mind that he’ll have to have a lot of practice in order to perfect the command. Repeat “Stay” several times and be prepared to reteach him the command a few times.

If you keep working, your dog will be able to stay for longer periods. You’ll be impressed when he stays even when you leave the room. Treats will become unnecessary after training, but praise is never obsolete. Let your dog know when he is doing a good job.

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