I must warn you about the “shark phase.” At some point, your dog will decide the leash is a chew toy. They will bite it, thrash their head, and look at you with the wild eyes of a creature that has just discovered fire. Do not engage. If you pull the leash, you are playing tug-of-war with a shark, and you will lose. Instead, stop walking and ignore them. The moment they let go, reward them with a tiny treat. This teaches them that not eating the leash is delicious.
How to train a puppy to walk on a leash without pulling - Tromplo
What about your arms? You will get tired. Your shoulder will ache. You will consider just letting them drag you down the street like a husky pulling a sled in a cartoon. Do not give in. Instead, switch sides. Hold the leash in your left hand, then your right. Use a treat in your other hand to lure them into a heel position. I once spent an entire walk holding a hot dog in my fist just to keep my terrier’s nose pointed forward. He looked like a furry missile locked onto a meat target. It worked.
The Final Verdict
Leash training takes patience, treats, and a sense of humor about the fact that you are being bossed around by a creature who eats their own vomit. If you mess up, if you trip, if you yell “No!” for the thousandth time—it’s fine. Every dog learns at their own pace. Some dogs get it in a week; others need months of gentle correction before they stop trying to sprint after a leaf.
And remember this: on the day your dog finally walks beside you without pulling, without lunging, without eating the leash—on that day, you will feel like you have tamed a wild god. You will walk down your street with your head held high, and you will realize that the two of you are no longer a circus act. You are a team. Then your dog will spot a puddle and roll in it, and you’ll be back to square one. But that’s the joy of it. You’ll get there. Bring more treats.
