Tips to train my puppy to walk on a leash and harness properly?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 8 months and 6 days old | 3.96 lbs
Today I just purchased a harness and leash for Molly and I was wondering how could I train Molly to get used to the leash and walk on it properly? Any tips or tricks? (Molly's a Yorkshire who's 8 months old)
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on May 16th, 2017
Patience. To get her used to it, when you can keep an eye on her, hook it to her collar and let her drag it around the house. Every time you out it on her, give her a treat, lots of praise and show her lots of enthusiasm. Practice off leash in a puppy-safe, potty safe area and reward your pup for sitting. Give one treat for sitting and additional treats for remaining seated. Once you have her undivided attention, run the other way to incite a chase. Stop after 5-7 steps, before she catches up. When she gets to you, she sits and gets a reward. Now she has the idea that it’s fun to follow you. Next, repeat the same process with a lightweight leash attached to her flat collar so she gets used to the feel of the leash. Of course, make sure that she can’t get it snagged on anything or you’ll be adding an extra day or two to your training! After you’ve practiced that a couple of times you’re ready to hold the leash. In fact, you can often skip that leash dragging stage. Your pup is already used to following you when you sprint or head the other way. So, you can walk but with quick little steps so it looks like you are sprinting to get her to follow after you. Make sure that you keep the leash in a loose arc the entire time. Alternatively you can go for variation two. Walk to the end of the leash, but without letting the leash tighten. We want to avoid any pressure at first since pressure might scare her. When you get to the end, remain with your body facing forward while looking back at your puppy or face your body slightly sideways so you can see her more easily. Then lure her to you with a treat. Do this 3-6 times in a row or more until you can rapidly walk away and when you stop and lure she readily catches up to you when she sees the treat. Next, repeat the process but don’t show her the treat until after she catches up to you. Once she follows you 3-6 times, she will most likely start to walk with you as you begin to walk away.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 5th, 2017
The easiest way to teach this for most dogs is by carrying treats with you on your walk. Reward Ireliq frequently with treats for staying beside you and paying attention. If she gets distracted and starts to pull on the leash, simply stop walking and wait until she looks back at you - then praise and reward, and start walking again. Eventually, if you are consistent about this, she will learn that staying beside you means that she gets lots of treats and the walk continues, while pulling causes the walk to stop. It takes most dogs quite a while to really get the hang of this, as it's a complicated behavior and there are lots of distractions outside that make things harder - so be patient with her while she learns :)
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on April 6th, 2018
You are obviously doing everything right. From your description she is walking well on the leash and concentrates on you and does not get distracted by outside influences. There is no need to reward her immediately, however, when she behaved well on her walk you can praise her well after getting back from the walk. As for commands: She should learn the commands "sit", "down", "come here", and "no!". If you want to expand this after she has learned these commands, you can teach her "let go" (release a toy or item), "heel" (walk closely next to your knee) and whatever you want her to learn. She sounds like the perfect dog with the perfect master! Congratulations!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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