It's tempting to just let a puppy follow along by your side with no leash, since that is a pup's natural inclination. But their inclinations change and as your puppy grows, he won't be as content to follow by your side and will want to wander further afield.
Get Him Used To The Leash
A dog isn't born automatically accustomed to a leash and collar. For some, it's a real shock to find something suddenly hanging off his neck, and an even bigger shock when that thing is pulled up short, stopping him in his tracks. Give him a few days to get used the idea first.
Start by attaching a string about two feet in length to his collar. For a small pup, this should be long enough to trail behind him, and for him to play with, but not heavy enough to be really noticeable. Let him play and drag it around until he ignores it completely. At this point, exchange it for a heavier rope, and repeat.
Once he's ignoring the rope too, put the actual leash on, and let him get used to that too. Once he's ignoring the leash too, start to step on it once in a while, to stop him from moving forward, and then pull on it to compel him in a different direction than he wants to go. He might fight it, or he might go out of curiosity.
He Fights The Leash
Some dogs just don't appreciate being led around. If he starts to fight the leash, and I mean full body twisting, yanking, biting at the leash, not just resisting the pull. Once he starts fighting, don't let go of the leash, and don't continue to pull on it, yet.Call your puppy, and make whatever goofy noises you need to bring him to your side.
Take up the slack in the leash.
As your puppy comes toward you; keep reeling in the leash, but only to bring up the slack, not to pull.
Reward him heavily for coming to you.
Repeat. And repeat often.
Teach Him Not To Pull On The Leash
My favorite method for teaching a puppy not to pull on the leash is the "tree" method. Become an immovable object until your pup ceases to balk at the leash and allows a slack to develop. A standard nylon buckle collar and a six-foot leash is all you will need for this simple training exercise. Stand in place, allow the puppy to sniff around.
When the pup decides to go in one direction
The human stands immobile allowing the dog to pull, but neither correcting this pulling, nor enforcing it (allowing dog to pull you in that direction).
As soon as a 'slack' is evident in the leash, move in the direction your puppy wants to go (enforcing the slackness of the leash), and praise loudly.
Stop dead as soon as your puppy starts to pull on the leash again.
Continue this daily, becoming a tree as soon as he starts to pull.
Remember to keep training sessions both short and positive, so training stays fun for you and your puppy. Puppies have notoriously short attention spans, so five minutes at a time, several times a day will help cement things firmly in your puppy's mind without him growing to resent the time take away from play.
More Dogs Quick Tips
Get Him Used To The Leash
A dog isn't born automatically accustomed to a leash and collar. For some, it's a real shock to find something suddenly hanging off his neck, and an even bigger shock when that thing is pulled up short, stopping him in his tracks. Give him a few days to get used the idea first.
Start by attaching a string about two feet in length to his collar. For a small pup, this should be long enough to trail behind him, and for him to play with, but not heavy enough to be really noticeable. Let him play and drag it around until he ignores it completely. At this point, exchange it for a heavier rope, and repeat.
Once he's ignoring the rope too, put the actual leash on, and let him get used to that too. Once he's ignoring the leash too, start to step on it once in a while, to stop him from moving forward, and then pull on it to compel him in a different direction than he wants to go. He might fight it, or he might go out of curiosity.
He Fights The Leash
Some dogs just don't appreciate being led around. If he starts to fight the leash, and I mean full body twisting, yanking, biting at the leash, not just resisting the pull. Once he starts fighting, don't let go of the leash, and don't continue to pull on it, yet.
Teach Him Not To Pull On The Leash
My favorite method for teaching a puppy not to pull on the leash is the "tree" method. Become an immovable object until your pup ceases to balk at the leash and allows a slack to develop. A standard nylon buckle collar and a six-foot leash is all you will need for this simple training exercise.
Remember to keep training sessions both short and positive, so training stays fun for you and your puppy. Puppies have notoriously short attention spans, so five minutes at a time, several times a day will help cement things firmly in your puppy's mind without him growing to resent the time take away from play.