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Dog Leash Training Tip: Use A Diversion To Keep Your Dog's Attention

A leash does not come as natural as one would like it to be.  This might be the hardest thing you will have to teach your puppy. Trying to convince your puppy that you are to be the center of attention and not everything else that's going on around her. And because puppies can be easily distracted by the many other very exciting things that move and make noise this is going to be a challenge.

There are many things to distract them such other dogs and cats that are roaming the streets, interesting looking fire hydrants and other vertical objects such as trees and bushes, and of course other people walking back and forth. 

For a new puppy the distractions can be overwhelming so carrying around a squeaky toy to focus their attention on would be the best solution at first. Doing this helps you compete with the other noises and movements going on outside. As soon as your dog is not paying attention to your commands or your leash, you simply squeeze the toy and it brings him right back to you.

Of course this does not mean that you should prevent your dog from sniffing around a bit or exploring interesting areas. In fact, allowing your dog to sniff the outdoors is an important part of his social conditioning. Have you ever noticed when walking your dog that they absolutely enjoy sniffing were the last dog urinated? Well what is going on inside your dog's mind is that he is taking notes of what type of dog it was, how big or small the dog was, and whether it was male or female. You should allow your dog to do this now and again as it helps him familiarize with other animals.