Equipment!

Having a puppy who loves their collar & leash will make your life 10 times easier, especially if they know not to chew on it! Once they get familiar with their equipment, holding it out like you’re about to go for a walk will immediately get their attention if done right. Their equipment represents fun!

This is a great opportunity to positively reinforce their equipment while also teaching your puppy what’s okay and what’s not to chew on. This goes for shoes, couches, or anything else that’s precious in your household. Chewing through anything is a big no no, but chewing through the equipment you need to take them outside is probably the biggest no no. We’ll touch on this part later.

 

The Training

• First things first, you’ll want to make sure you have the right sized collar & leash (or harness). If you have them, you’re good to go but if need help just take a look here. We have a whole sizing chart & guide in case you’re in need.
• Our first goal is to get them comfortable with their collar/leash. Remember to make new things fun and engaging - stop if at any point you get frustrated. Start by bringing some treats and try holding the collar near their neck or placing it on them. If they respond positively (i.e. not chewing on the collar), say “yes” and reward them. Otherwise try to avoid letting them chew on their collar, refocusing them with treats and saying “no” if needed. Once they’re comfortable, we can move forward.
• Our second goal is to get them comfortable with the weight of the leash. Try placing the collar & the leash on and seeing how they respond. If they’re having trouble, try going back to just the collar, but if they start responding positively, praise and reward them - they deserve it.
• Check out this video below to follow along if you’re having trouble!

Note: Remember to make it fun! We want them to associate their collar with treats!

The Tips

Reinforcing anything you don’t want them to do or chew on with a “no” is all you need and you don’t have to yell or scream. Remember tone is vital here - you can try practicing in the mirror until you feel like you have mastered it.

Everything is taught behavior - teach your puppy while they’re young and it’ll prevent potential accidents in the future.

• If your pup gets this right away, you’re probably pretty lucky and can start applying the yes and no rule to other items in your household like "yes” you can chew your toy but “no” you can’t chew on my shoes.”
• If your puppy is still learning, don’t worry about it. Remember that everything is new to your little one so don’t get frustrated if they keep trying to chew on their leash. You can always take a break and come back later - trust the process.
• Nothing is better than keeping your puppy safe, so we also want to make sure they don’t get into any hazards like choking on ripped fabric or biting into electrical wires.

 

Disclaimer

The video and/or my content cannot guarantee that this learning method is right for your dog. The information I give is based on my knowledge and opinion of different learning types and is not directly endorsed by professionals. The methods shown within the video are meant to be demonstration purposes and does not guarantee success with all dogs. If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding the given information, please reach out to us through our Contact Page and we can get in touch.