Successful Off-Leash Training is the Key To A Happy Dog: Puppy Training, Northern Virginia

One of the questions we are most often asked is “how can I control my dog off the leash?”. When you first get a new dog or puppy, you will probably be dreaming of taking long, enjoyable walks with your dog and taking it everywhere without fear that it will get you and itself into trouble. Well, we believe that any dog, regardless of breed, can be trained to be a pleasurable companion, or trained to be a nightmare companion. Either way, it is what you and the dog learns that determines its behaviour. The earlier you start to off-leash training, the better the results. This is why we believe strongly in our puppy training courses in Northern Virginia which gives you a the your puppy a very strong foundation to start with.

That said, successful off-leash training is the most difficult aspect of training to achieve, which is what makes our dog training in Northern Virginia so popular. Before you start it is essential to realize that it will take patience and persistence, otherwise you will quickly lose hope and give up. It is, of course, best to start with one of our puppy training courses in Northern Virginia, since the dog has no established behaviour patterns which have to be corrected before training can begin. However, we believe that any dog can be taught correct off-leash behaviour, no matter what its age or breed.

Always start with on leash obedience training

Before starting off-leash training it is essential that you have control while on the leash and in the confines of your home. Ideally our puppy training courses in Northern Virginia is the best place to begin. Once you have the basic groundwork done and your dog is attentive most of the time when on the leash, only then can successful off-leash training begin. Even then it is wrong to try to jump straight into off-leash training. We always start with long leash training, so that the dog gets used to paying attention when it is some distance away from you. This gradual process will ensure that the dog gets to understand that you are still pack leader even when it is not physically tied to you in any way. Only then can full off-leash training begin.

Naturally you need a safe place to train your dog, which is exactly what our venues in Northern Virginia and throughout the US provide. You should remember that allowing your dog to run free in an open space before training is complete can undo a lot of patient work. While training is under-way it is best to always keep your dog on a long leash when at the local park or other open places. It is tempting to see your dog enjoy running free, but if it encounters situations which it does not know how to handle then it will become stressed and maybe even aggressive, making both you and the dog unhappy.

Nick White

www.offleashk9training.com

www.facebook.com/offleashk9