Stay Calm + Leash Train Your Puppy

Helpful tips for introducing your pup to the leash and going for that first walk! You CAN stay calm and leash train your puppy! Plus, links to shop Monroe and my outfits, and a few puppy products we love! 🙂

Leash training can be incredibly frustrating. Every puppy parent’s been there: a few deep breaths and a reminder to keep it chill amid constant pulling, leash biting, and sitting like a statue refusing to walk forward!

We just started leash training our five-month-old baby Black Lab puppy, Monroe. In hindsight, we probably should’ve started this a little earlier. Nonetheless, she’s catching on, and I know we’re that much closer to taking her on family walks instead of just solo leash training.

We first connected with dog training and behaviour therapists Carol and Grey Guy of Bark Busters when our now-seven-year-old Boxer Moses was demonstrating a few quirks. We were so amazed at how quickly his behaviour turned around after implementing the Bark Busters technique.

We’re continuing to work with Carol and Greg, who have kindly provided a few tips on how to stay calm and leash train your puppy!

Roe’s Collar + Leash (Pastel Purple with Rose Gold Buckle)

Bark Busters Puppy Leash Training Tips

#1: Always be patient and take it slow. First, get the puppy used to the collar or harness without the leash. Walking around the house or yard, lots of praise and encouragement when they walk. Attach the leash, keep it loose, no tension, can let it just drag to start and let them get used to walking around with the leash on.

#2: Next, start walking with the puppy while holding the leash and encouraging the puppy to walk with you. Keep your body crouched down low, use a high voice tone and lots of praise so they stay focused on you and walking towards you. If the puppy pulls back and panics at all, always let the leash slack off loose and continue walking with no tension on the leash and praise your puppy while he/she is walking.

My Blouse | Hair Clip (similar)

#3: Once the puppy is comfortable with walking on the leash it’s ok to start teaching your puppy to walk at your side.

We’re starting with two short walks each day, which I find has really helped to keep things chill. I also find it helps to treat this as training (at this point), and drop the expectation that the walk is going to be a time where you hope to get exercise or personal enjoyment. I also make sure to end each training session with playtime as a reward.

I hope this helps! Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

More Puppy Products We Love

Momentum Harness: We love this harness for so many reasons! It has three spots to click the leash on, it’s breathable, and it has a back handle to grab your pup when you need to.

Light Up Collar: I pop this on Roe, in addition to her regular collar, when she goes out for a pee at night so I know where she is. Otherwise, I can’t see her! Shop it here too.

Oslo Orth Bed: Moses (our seven-year-old Boxer) has this bed in grey. Monroe will get one when she stops chewing everything. 🙂

Durable Toy: We LOVE this ball because it’s so durable. Mo and Roe will tug away and there’s no way it’s coming apart. We got our first one when Moses was three and it’s still in one piece!