Your puppy mill dog has probably never been on a leash, but with a little patience you can teach it to enjoy a daily walk.
Animal welfare groups are on a crusade to put an end to puppy mills, which often emphasize profits rather than the well-being of their dogs. The Humane Society of the United States has reported that animals used for breeding at puppy mills are often kept confined in cramped outdoor kennels with little or no human interaction. Due to poor conditions and even inbreeding, puppies living in these conditions are often prone to health problems. If you rescued a puppy mill dog, then you may face challenges trying to train it. These dogs are not lost causes, however. Help enrich your new dog's life with exercise by teaching it to walk on a leash.
Instructions
Before the Walk
1. Show your dog a collar and leash and then place them both on the floor. Give it a chance to investigate them before putting them on. A puppy mill dog may not have worn either of these before. Don't force your dog to investigate the leash and collar, but keep treats on hand to reward it each time it sniffs at them curiously.
2. Buckle the collar around your dog's neck so that you can fit two fingers between it and the dog's neck. Reward your dog with treats and praise as you do this. Allow your dog to wear the collar around the house to get used to it. Start by leaving it on only a few minutes at a time if your dog is upset by it, and gradually leave it on for longer periods until your dog wears it without complaint.
3. Attach the leash to your dog's collar and let it drag it freely around the house. Reward your puppy and praise it, teaching that the leash is a positive experience.
4. Take hold of the leash, while holding treats in your other hand. Show your dog the treats and walk across the room with a treat held just in front of your dog's nose. This will coax it to follow you. Avoid tugging on the leash if your dog is nervous. Pulling only makes a puppy mill dog think that the experience is frightening. Incorporate treats and gradual recognition exercises if your dog isn't cooperating.
5. Walk around your house with your dog on the leash, rewarding it periodically for following you nicely (not pulling or resisting). Talk to it in a friendly voice to help it understand that the leash is a positive thing.
Take It Outside
6. Put your dog on its leash and walk it into the backyard. Walk around the yard, coaxing your dog to follow you with treats. Reward it for staying at your side rather than pulling or resisting. Don't yank on the leash if it gets distracted by a smell. This only causes more fear and more resistance. Call the puppy to your side, coaxing it with a treat, and continue walking around the yard.
7. Take your dog on a practice walk around the block. Let it know that you still have the treats. Coax it to follow you. A puppy mill dog if often fearful of this wide-open space. Be patient if it is startled or distracted by noises and smells. Stop walking, call it to your side (use a command like "heel" if you want) and reward it when it returns to you.
8. Reverse direction if your dog starts to pull toward a person, dog or object. Take a few steps in the opposite direction. Reward your dog instantly when it tries to catch up to you and the leash loosens. Turn around again and resume your walk.
9. Gradually require your dog to walk on a loose leash for longer and longer periods before giving it a reward. Continue on your walk only when the leash is loose. The treats, plus the forward momentum, teaches your dog that good things only happen on a loose leash.
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