Puppy leash training doesn't need to be difficult. It should represent some fun-time for your puppy and an excellent opportunity for you to build a life-long bond with your dog. The key is positive reinforcement and reward, so that your puppy will learn quickly that taking a walk with you and behaving himself along the way is what he's supposed to do.

When you first begin, remember that he won't understand what the leash is for. Your puppy may initially be a little frightened of having a collar around his neck with something attached to it that he's never seen before. It's important you buy a puppy leash that is light-weight and suitable for the size of your dog as he is now. Don't buy a great big collar and a heavy leash if your puppy is going to grow up to be a large dog.

To make training easier on you and on your puppy then you should buy a small, well-fitted collar that can be adjusted as he grows. If you know your puppy will grow quite large, then you may need to buy a collar and light leash that suit a much smaller dog and then upgrade as he grows.

The first time you introduce your dog to his training sessions, you will need to remember to keep your sessions short and very positive. You want your puppy to associate the leash with enjoyment, so perhaps limit your training sessions to the back yard to begin. When you've attached the leash to your puppy's collar, encourage him to walk with you or follow where you go.

The positive reinforcement part is simple. When your puppy walks alongside you, praise him and make sure you keep your voice happy and high-pitched. All puppies associate tones of voice and not the actual words, so keep it light. When your puppy gets distracted and pulls away or wanders off, don't yell at him or try to pull the leash to correct him. This won't work.

Puppy leash training is about teaching your dog to modify his own behavior, so you should never use the leash as a brake or a control mechanism. If your puppy pulls away and you pull back, he will see that as either a signal to pull harder to get where he wants to go or he'll assume you're playing. The best way to reinforce that your puppy should walk with you to get rewards is to immediately turn around and walk the other way if he shows signs of becoming distracted.

Give a simple command in a happy voice to get his attention back, such as 'turning' or 'watch me', and continue walking in the other direction. Your puppy will learn very quickly that he'd better watch where you're going and his attention span will increase with time and practice over subsequent training sessions.

As you progress with your training, venture out into unfamiliar territory, such as the park or around the block, so your puppy can begin to learn to deal with other strange distractions, like people and other dogs. Remember not to pull the leash or yell at your puppy when he does wrong. Instead, offer him a command and turn to walk the other way and then praise him for doing well. When you can master this positive form of puppy leash training, you'll have a well behaved dog who walks beside you and modifies his own behavior happily.

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