Dog Training...Collar and Leash training the puppy.
Tips to start collar training your puppy ...Make training easier
Pick a quiet time of day to start your collar training, meal time is good because he may associate the lesson with something good.
Choose a small soft buckle dog collar that fits, place it on him and just sit quietly. This is a new distraction, it feels strange and the pup will probably scratch at it. The collar does not hurt so allow him to wear his new clothes for a while. When you put him away and remove the collar. Get into this habit as wearing one may be a safety factor if he is not supervised.
It will only take a couple of days for the collar to become part of the pup. The next lesson will be learning about the leash. When you are in an area of safety either an enclosed yard or in the house, snap an appropriately sized leash to the collar. The pup can get used to dragging this around while he is playing or following you. It is wise to start the leash and collar training early while the pup is still very young and dependent. At that stage he is usually following you rather than you chasing him.
After the puppy becomes used to his collar and leash it is time to start picking up the end and coaching him to you. If he is wandering you can gently stop him and encourage him come to you with a little pressure and a good treat. Food at this stage works well, and a good bribe is much better that a test of wills.
Keep this up until the pup decides the restriction is not something to be fought or feared. You are well on your way to having taught the puppy to work on his leash. There may be occasions that the puppy literally throws a fit because he decides he doesn't’ like the restriction. Stay calm and allow him to tire himself and continue on with his lesson. Make it short but do not stop until you have lead him a short way without incident. Never allow the pup to succeed in having his way because if you do you may be fighting him throughout his life.
You have to be the boss, a benevolent one but never the less - the boss.
In the past few years there has been a lot of discussion on training and how to make it fun and painless.
That is where the harness lead came from. I too believe that training should be as fun as possible and done in a sensible and as gently as possible. ...but, and this is a big but, life in general is not always fun and some times it will cause discomfort. Nature and life is just that way. There are repercussions to not minding and a sharp word and a quick leash correction is much better than many other possibilities. Even the most well trained dog will at times need a quick strong reminder of who is the decision-making member of the team. Pick the leash that you feel comfortable with and learn to control your pet.
Types of Dog collars and leashes:
There are several types of collars and leashes on the market.
Flat leash and buckle type collar. Leash lengths of 4 to 6 feet is good.
Head collar, this device is like a horse’s halter. Where the head goes the body follows.
Retractable leashes. This is a good choice when going to the park but it is not my choice for training.
Then there is the choke chain and the prong collar. Both these collars look like a device of torture but when used properly they are really quite painless and serve specific purposes. These are very effective tools in the hands of someone that is experienced, but the novice may not have the ability to use these effectively or humanely. These may be used later in more advanced obedience training
You will also need to be replacing that collar quite often as the puppy outgrows them. Buy them to fit comfortably with a little adjustment to a larger size.
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