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As a loving and caring Pit Bull
owner, you will undoubtedly spend a lot of your time in training your dog. You
will probably do some crate training, obedience training, maybe even agility
training. But, one of the most enjoyable things you can do for your Pit Bull is
leash training. He may not think very highly of it at first, but once he has the
hang of it, your outside time with him will be much more enjoyable for you both.
Leash training is also an important step in training your Pit Bull for shows, if
that is your ultimate goal.
Most experts recommend that you begin leash
training your Pit Bull when he is around six or seven weeks old. Usually at this
age, he will have a better attention span, and will be up for walks with
you.
When you first start walking with your Pit Bull puppy, you may want
to allow the puppy some freedom at first, so that he can explore his area and
play. The training at this time will be teaching your Pit Bull puppy to stay
with you during your walk, and come when you call him. By letting the puppy
explore, and then calling his name, he will learn that you want him to come back
to you. It is important to praise and reward your Pit Bull puppy when he does
come when you call him. Some trainers will use treats to get the puppy to follow
them at first. Due to his short attention span, you shouldn?t expect this to
work for long. You should give the puppy a treat, and let him go play, then try
again a little later. By using treats and rewards, and being patient, your Pit
Bull puppy will catch on fairly quickly.
When your Pit Bull puppy has
mastered the walk without a leash, and coming to you when you call him, you can
probably begin training him on a lead. Most veterinarians will recommend
starting with a nylon collar before trying a choker collar. Most of the time,
the choker collar isn?t needed, unless you have a very strong willed Pit
Bull.
Usually the best place to start leash training is your own
backyard. The Pit Bull puppy is probably already very familiar with this area
now, so he will be less focused on exploring, and more on training. You also
don?t have to worry about other animals on the scene, as you would at a park or
local walking track.
Again, when you have the collar on and are ready to
begin, bend down and offer a treat to get your Pit Bull puppy to come to you.
After successfully doing this a few times, start to walk a little with the puppy
on the leash. If your Pit Bull puppy follows you, praise him and give him a
treat. In the event he doesn?t follow, which often is the case the first time
around, start all over again. Once he starts to follow you without resistance,
try walking a little bit further each time. Your Pit Bull puppy will soon learn
to be lead, without him even noticing he is doing something he may not want to
do.
Continue working with your Pit Bull often, as any training should be
ongoing. The more training and practice your Pit Bull gets, the more accustomed
to the leash he will
become.
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