How to Teach a Dog to Stay in the Yard Without a Leash

Welcoming a new pet to the family, whether it's a young puppy or an older dog, is always filled with challenges. Properly training a dog can be time consuming, but if done correctly it can really make taking care of your new family member an enjoyable experience. Training your dog to stay in your yard without a leash should only be done after teaching the dog simple commands, such as "sit" and "stay."

Things You'll Need

  • Dog collar
  • Leash
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 1

      Train your dog to respond to four simple commands -- "sit," "stay," "stop," and "come" -- before training your dog to stay in the yard without a leash.

    • 2

      Force the dog to perform each command from Step 1 and then give it a treat when it responds correctly. This will positively reinforce the dog to listen to your commands.

    • 3

      Perform the commands until you are sure your dog is trained very well to respond to them before teaching it to stay in the yard without a leash.

    Training the dog to stay in the yard

    • 4

      Attach your leash to your dog's collar.

    • 5

      Open the door slightly and tell your dog to stay. Make the dog stay in front of the open door until you are already outside.

    • 6

      Tell your dog to come outside. Keep it close to your side by keeping the leash short. Walk it around the perimeter of the yard. If the dog tries to step outside the yard, tug on the leash to force it back inside the boundary. Make several laps with the dog on a short leash. Be sure to praise the dog and give it treats when it acts the way you want it to.

    • 7

      Loosen the leash a bit and walk around the property again. If the dog strays, tug on the leash to make sure it is paying attention to you. Keep walking until the leash is as loose as it can be, always correcting the dog if it strays. Again, make sure to praise the dog when it behaves correctly.

    • 8

      Walk the dog around the perimeter of the yard again, this time without holding the leash. Leave it on the dog though, so in case it runs it is easier for you to catch up. Praise the dog for staying the yard.