Notice the string “collars” in purple and green
Long before puppies are sent to their forever homes, you can give them a great start by laying the foundations of leash breaking. As babies, make sure puppies have collars on to identify them. This ensures that they are comfortable wearing a collar, and helps prepare them for “real life.” At a week or two old, start running your fingers under the collar and move it around on the baby’s neck. This gets the pups used to the sensation. Soon enough, their littermates will take over, and the trouble will be keeping the collars ON them.
When you start putting puppies on lead, around 4-6 weeks old, make sure that the leash is slack. Even if that means chasing the puppy around, you do not want pressure on the collar. Make sure to grab a lightweight, thinner lead, and for the first few lessons, simply clip on the lead and follow the puppy around. The idea here is to teach the pup that the extra weight of the lead is not scary, and that the lead means that a person is close. This association will be beneficial in later training, and gives the puppies a great start on being mannered young dogs.
Simple enough!
July 12, 2012
Puppies, Training