How to Leash Train a Mastiff Puppy
Jump to section
Introduction
Mastiffs are incredible dogs. However, as incredible as they are they also come in an incredible size. If you have a Mastiff puppy and would like to walk him as he grows, you will absolutely need to leash train him. Some adult Mastiffs weigh well over 200 pounds and can overtake most of their owners quite easily. The way to avoid this from happening is to train your Mastiff how to walk on a leash properly. Leash training your Mastiff puppy will give him leash manners while he’s little, train him to stay with you with a loose leash rather than pulling you along, and teach him that you are in control even when a bunny crosses your path. He wants to play with you. He wants to spend time with you. You are his person, and he can't wait to follow your lead. Your Mastiff on a leash will draw attention and affection from others. Be prepared when you're out on walks, so he knows how to behave without becoming overly excited jumping up on people or knocking you over.
Top
Defining Tasks
Leash train your Mastiff puppy as soon as possible. The younger and smaller your Mastiff is, the easier this will be. When you train your Mastiff puppy to properly walk on a leash, you should expect him to walk beside you in a 'heel' position, not pull on the leash, and even walk with a loose leash between you. If your adult Mastiff were to get away from you, oftentimes, the only thing you can do is let go and let him go. Proper leash training from an early age will stop this and keep him calm and by your side.
Top
Getting Started
Mastiffs are large dogs. If you have a Mastiff puppy, be prepared for him to grow quickly. A Mastiff with a harness that connects the leash to the chest rather than the back is easier to control than a Mastiff with a leash and a collar. Your Mastiff is going to need to be entertained on these walks and encouraged to continue with training sessions. High-value treats are important to bring every single time you walk your Mastiff on a leash. Schedule your training sessions with few distractions. Over time, you can increase distractions.
Top
The No Pulling Method
Most Recommended
1 Vote
Most Recommended
1 Vote
Introduce the leash
Put a leash on your Mastiff and stand next to him. You may need to consider using a harness as well. A harness on a large breed dog will give you better control as you are walking him on a leash. Once the leash and harness are on, just stand relaxed next to your Mastiff.
One step
Take one giant step away from your Mastiff puppy. This should leave some slack between you and your Mastiff on the leash.
Treat
If your Mastiff does not move when you take a giant step away from him, offer him a treat.
Step forward
Take a few steps forward, encouraging your Mastiff puppy to come with you. You can use the command 'come,' call him by his name, or pat your leg, letting him know you are going to walk forward and you expect him to follow. Try to keep the slack you created on the leash loose.
Leash tightened
If he tightens this leash, stop in your tracks because you are no longer loose leash walking and he is pulling you. Once you have stopped in your tracks your Mastiff puppy should stop with you. When he does, take a step away from him again, creating a loose leash between you and start over.
Walk forward
Continue practice walking that with the leash loose between you and your Mastiff. He should stay near you without tightening the leash. Remember to redirect him anytime he tightens the least between you by stopping, forcing him to stop, and then moving again.
Treating
As you and your Mastiff puppy are successful walking side-by-side together with a loose leash between you, every so often offer him a treat. This will be his encouragement to move forward without pulling on that leash. Pay close attention to the slack between you. If this tightens, stop and start over.
Practice
When you are first training your Mastiff to loose leash walk with you without pulling on the leash, keep your walk simple and short. This might mean walking from one end of a room in your home to another. As he gets used to loose leash walking and not pulling on that slack between you, take him outside and strive for longer walks.
Consistency
Remember your rules and anytime the slack between you and your Mastiff is tightened, stop and start over. Always start with that giant step away from your Mastiff to create the slack between you two on his leash. Be sure your rewards are consistent and he understands he is being rewarded for walking without pulling on his leash.
The Click and Treat Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Prepare your Mastiff
Prepare your Mastiff puppy with a harness and a leash appropriate for his size. Also, prepare a small bag of high-value treats to take on your walk with you. If you are clicker training your Mastiff, be sure to bring the clicker with you so he is rewarded with that click and treat he's used to.
Create slack
Let your Mastiff puppy's leash out a bit,creating some slack on the leash. You don't want your Mastiff to pull on the leash and tighten this slack. Pay attention to the slack in the leash as you train so your Mastiff is never allowed to tighten that slack.
Stand still
Before walking with your Mastiff puppy always stand still until he calms down. You can ask him to sit to calm down or you can wait patiently until he calms down. Eventually, most dogs just settle down out of boredom and curiosity. Once he is calm, click and treat and begin your walk.
Walk
Start your walk, taking a few steps forward. Wait for your Mastiff puppy to catch up with you but don't let him go too far. Be sure you are watching the slack in the leash so it's never tighter than it is when you started.
Click and treat
Every few yards, click and treat. Your Mastiff puppy should be walking with you with a loose leash and earning clicks and treats as you walk along together. As long as he is not pulling on the slack of his leash, click and treat every few yards to reward him for a loose leash walking.
Practice
Keep your walks together small at first, practicing rewarding every few yards until your Mastiff puppy understands he is being rewarded for walking with you without pulling you along.
Redirect
Anytime your Mastiff puppy pulls on the slack of the leash and tightens the leash, pulling you along, stop in your tracks and begin redirection. Redirection will start with you stopping and then end once your Mastiff has stopped with you and the two of you can walk forward again together. Do not click and treat if your puppy needs to be redirected. Just carry on clicking and treating every few yards as long as he's not pulling on the leash.
The Challenge Manners Method
Effective
0 Votes
Effective
0 Votes
Leash and harness
Place your Mastiff and a leash and harness and get ready for a walk. Be prepared with lots of high value treats because you're going to use them to reward your Mastiff for doing well, as well as challenge him and entice him to make poor choices.
Stand still
Stand with your Mastiff on a tight leash with some distance between you two.
Drop a treat
Drop a treat at your feet. Your Mastiff puppy should be able to close the distance between him and you by creating slack in his leash to get to the treat. Allow him to do this.
Tight leash again
Once he has the treat, tighten the leash again by taking a few steps away from him, pulling the slack out of the leash.
Repeat
Repeat this several times with your Mastiff puppy, encouraging him to come and get the treat because all he has to do is put slack in the leash and come towards you.
Treat challenge
Challenge your Mastiff puppy to step away from you on your tight leash. Toss a treat away from your Mastiff instead of dropping it between you two or at your feet. If he pulls the leash to get it, stand firm and do not let him pull you.
Slack
Once your Mastiff gives up and the leash slackens, give him a different treat. The two of you can walk to the first treat together before trying again.
Practice
Keep practicing challenging your Mastiff by dropping a treat where he can get to it without pulling and having to make the choice between pulling on his leash to get it or waiting until you let him go. Be sure to reward him for making those good choices.
Walk
Take your challenge on the trail by doing this while on a walk. Your Mastiff puppy should know by this time not to pull on the leash and should be rewarded when the leash is not tight.
Written by Stephanie Plummer
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 02/06/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Stephanie Plummer
Training Questions and Answers
Mr Heckles
Mastino Napoletano
11 Months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
Mr Heckles is very easy to train and he loves new challenges, however, I have difficulty in keeping his focus when we’re out walking, he’s a strong boy and when he sees people and other dogs he just gets so excited and I struggle to hold him back, we’ve worked out his comfort zone, which is around 80yrds, any nearer and it’s mayhem, can I just add that there is not one ounce of aggression in him, it’s just pure excitement and he wants to play and be fussed, however the petrified look on other dog owners faces is actually getting a little uncomfortable, I walk him very early and as late as possible at the moment so as to minimise other people, any advice would be appreciated
Aug. 15, 2020
Mr Heckles's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hi! I love his name! I am not sure if you have tried to engage him in training commands while he is in this state of excitement, but that is my suggestion. The first step is to reframe what an oncoming dog (or people) means to your dog. From a safe distance — your dog determines the distance, not you — have your leashed dog view another dog. As the new dog comes into view, drop a lot of enticing meat treats just in front of your dog’s nose. Ignore any hysterics for now, but back up and create more space if your dog is unwilling to eat. The training reinforcer MUST be a great one, such as real meat. It is critical that the appearance of the new dog causes meat to fall from the sky. When the other dog is out of your dog’s view, all treats stop. We want your dog to predict that other dogs near him means that YUMMY FOOD will appear! And this leads us to our next step which is putting a command to this. Consider not walking your dog for 30 days as you reprogram his opinions of other dogs. Instead, sit on your front porch or in your garage with your dog on leash, and practice treating every time another dog comes into your dog’s line of sight. During this time, engage your dog’s mind with mind puzzles, obedience work, and fun stuff like games in the house or yard. You know you have made great progress when your dog sees another dog, and he turns his head away from the exciting dog and looks into your eyes, expecting a treat. Once your dog is looking at his (former) trigger and then looking expectantly up at you for a treat, you can begin to put this skill on cue. Tell the dog, "sit" or "watch me" or whatever command you want to use for this setting. After he starts automatically sitting or watching you when he sees another dog, you know you have success! Remember to go slowly! It could take up to a month or longer of consistent practice before you see an improvement with his behavior.
Aug. 15, 2020
Jocca
English Mastiff
10 Months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
Hi, we are from Portugal. Here we don't have much information about the breed. I read as much as I can about in order to have more information as possible. Our dog is a wonderfull boy, but I wish he could walk next to us with a loose leash. When we started to walk with him we use a collar, but then he start to pull harder as the time go by, and we bought a 'no-pull' harness. I must confess it was great, because that way he doesn't pull so hard. However I read that kind of harness injures his bones in the future. can you advice the right type of harness, or the right type of training? The other thing - when we arrive, he is so happy that he jump on us. we would like to avoid that. He is with us all the time, at the weekend when we go out, he always go with us, except when we go to work, but we go home at midle of the day, to lunch and walk with him. Could you please help us? Sorry for my english.. Best Regards Carla
Aug. 8, 2020
Jocca's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hello! Thank you for all of the information. I am not a fan of the no pull harnesses that go around the chest area. I do like the no pull harness that goes over the nose. They are called a Gentle Leader here. I am sure you can find them online, if not in stores. That is an option to consider. I am also going to give you information on how to train loose leash walking, as well as some tips to help with jumping! Give the Command Choose a word or phrase that lets your dog know what is expected of it. Since this is not a formal "heel," something like "with me" or "let's go" works well. Start out on your walk with your dog at your side, give the cue word or phrase, and begin walking. Stop and Go When your dog pulls at the end of the leash, stop immediately and do not budge. Never allow your dog to move forward when it is pulling or lunging. This way, you are teaching your dog that the only way to get where it wants to go is by leaving some slack in the leash. As soon as there is some slack in the leash, you can begin again. Give your dog the command "with me" and start moving forward. If your dog seems relentless about pulling on the leash even when you stop, try changing directions instead. You may find yourself turning in circles at first, but soon your dog will learn that it's not going anywhere if it pulls. It will learn to pay attention to you to figure out which way to go. Make It Rewarding Once you step out of your house, you have a lot of competition for your dog's attention. You have to make staying close to you more rewarding and fun than running off to explore all the sights and smells of your neighborhood. For this, you can use treats, praise, and a happy tone of voice. To start, any time your dog turns and looks at you, praise it and offer a treat. This is also a good time to use a clicker if you have decided to try clicker training. When your dog's attention turns to you, click and treat. In this way, you are teaching your dog that it is rewarding to pay attention to you. You can also speak to your dog in a high, happy tone to keep its attention on you. You may need to use a lot of treats in the beginning to get your dog's attention. Keep your hand by your side and give it treats continuously, as long as it is walking near you with some slack in the leash. As your dog gets the idea of what you expect, you can slowly phase out the treats by waiting longer between treats. Problems and Proofing Behavior Leash training can take time; you will probably not have your dog walking on a loose leash the first time. There may be times when you simply cannot get your dog's attention. It might find what's going on elsewhere more interesting than your treats or happy talk, and stopping and starting may not be enough to distract it from whatever is holding its attention. In this case, it's best to move away from the distraction. Walk in the opposite direction, saying "let's go." There's no need to pull your dog; simply walk away while holding the leash. Your dog will have no choice but to follow. Once it is walking with you, offer a treat and plenty of praise. To "proof" your dog's ability to walk on a loose leash, take frequent short walks, varying your routine and direction. Once your dog is comfortable with your local neighborhood, practice loose-leash walking in locations where distractions are likely. Be consistent and positive. In time, your dog will learn how to walk properly on the leash. Jumping: Teach your dog that they receive no attention for jumping on you or anyone else. Teach your dog to do something that is incompatible with jumping up, such as sitting. They can't sit and jump up at the same time. If they are not sitting, they get no attention. It is important to be consistent. Everyone in your family must follow the training program all the time. You can't let your dog jump on people in some circumstances, but not others. Training techniques: When your dog… Jumps on other people: Ask a family member or friend to assist with training. Your assistant must be someone your dog likes and wants to greet. Your dog should never be forced to greet someone who scares them. Give your dog the "sit" command. (This exercise assumes your dog already knows how to "sit.") The greeter approaches you and your dog. If your dog stands up, the greeter immediately turns and walks away. Ask your dog to "sit," and have the greeter approach again. Keep repeating until your dog remains seated as the greeter approaches. If your dog does remain seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a reward. When you encounter someone while out walking your dog, you must manage the situation and train your dog at the same time. Stop the person from approaching by telling them you don't want your dog to jump. Hand the person a treat. Ask your dog to "sit." Tell the person they can pet your dog and give them the treat as long as your dog remains seated. Some people will tell you they don't mind if your dog jumps on them, especially if your dog is small and fluffy or a puppy. But you should mind. Remember you need to be consistent in training. If you don't want your dog to jump on people, stick to your training and don't make exceptions. Jumps on you when you come in the door: Keep greetings quiet and low-key. If your dog jumps on you, ignore them. Turn and go out the door. Try again. You may have to come in and go out dozens of times before your dog learns they only gets your attention when they keep all four feet on the floor. Jumps on you when you're sitting: If you are sitting and your dog jumps up on you, stand up. Don't talk to your dog or push them away. Just ignore them until all four feet are on the ground. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thank you for writing in!
Aug. 8, 2020