What Is Leash Correction for Housetraining?

Leash training is an excellent way to introduce your dog to acceptable indoor behavior while curbing unwanted behavior gently and effectively. Constant wearing of a collar and leash or harness and leash will help your dog become comfortable with the feel of the contraption, and it will allow you to correct inappropriate behaviors quickly before they become unwanted habits.

  1. Choose the Correct Leash

    • A dog should be introduced to a leash and collar system as soon as you bring him home. The collar should fit snugly but not be too tight, leaving enough slack for you to fit two fingers comfortably between the collar and the dog̵7;s neck. Puppies and rescue dogs may be more comfortable with a body harness than a collar because they may feel threatened by the feel of something around their neck. Choose a leather or nylon leash that is at least five feet long, but no longer. Your dog will drag the leash around the house as part of training. While you want it to be long enough for you to tether it to you or to grab it quickly for correction, you don̵7;t want the leash to become caught on or wrapped around furniture. In addition, you should always have your dog with you at all times during house training. He should not be allowed to roam the house unsupervised while wearing his leash.

    Establish a Routine

    • A dog should have a regular routine for eating, sleeping, playing and outdoor elimination. A routine will help you gauge when your dog is hungry and when he needs to go outside. This approach makes the housetraining process easier because you and the dog know what to expect and when to expect it. Don̵7;t confuse the dog with elimination time paired with outside play time. Puppies in particular will be so excited to go outside that they forget to eliminate.

    Always Pair Leash With Elimination

    • Always lead the dog on his leash to the outdoor area where you want him to eliminate, and offer praise and attention when he performs. Make it a fun event, grabbing the leash and saying ̶0;outside!̶1; in an excited voice. You may consider hanging bells on doors in your home and showing your leashed dog how to ring them when it̵7;s time to go outside to eliminate. In this way, the dog will associate the leash, the door bells and your excited voice with going outside. If the dog does not eliminate, take him back inside, keep him on his leash and try again every 10 minutes.

    Interrupt Inside Accidents

    • If you catch your dog eliminating inside, say ̶0;outside̶1; in a firm tone, take him by the leash and immediately go outside. Praise and reward your dog when he eliminates outside, even if the accident started inside. Clean accident areas with a non-ammonia odor elimination spray to avoid repeat performances.

    Use Leash Training in Other Ways

    • Indoor leash training is effective not only for housebreaking but for curbing other unwanted behaviors. For example, a puppy that chews on shoes or furniture can be redirected via his leash to an appropriate chew toy of his own. A dog that barks when strangers come to the door can be held in a heel position on his leash and instructed to sit. A dog that jumps on people or furniture can be placed gently but firmly into a sitting position while you say, ̶0;no.̶1; Never hit your dog with his leash or jerk him by his leash, which will invalidate all appropriate leash training and make your dog fearful of you.