The most important aspect about controlling your dog on the leash is for your dog to understand that you are the one who leads and not the other way around. When your dog pulls you in a direction that you do not wish to go, or even in a direction that you wish to go but not at that pace then you are submitting to the dog's will and degrading your image of being the pack leader in the dog's eyes.
Dog's being pack animals feel reassured when they clearly know who the pack leader is. It may seem strange that your dog would be less stressed being lorded over but this is dog psychology.
The Walk starts with putting the leash on
Setting the precedent off right from the beginning can help set the tone for the rest of the walk. When you pick up the leash I imagine your daschund gets extremely excited and can't wait to exit the door. When you reward the dog in this excited state of mind then you set the tone for the rest of the walk to be excited.
This may take a while, but be patient. Wait for the dog to be calm while you hold the leash. Only once calm can you attempt to put the leash on the dog. The first several times you try the dog will probably become excited again meaning you will pull back and wait for the dog to become calm again. Once you are able to leash the dog in a calm state of mind then you can move to the next step!
Exiting the Front Door
This little tip I learned from reading Cesar Milan's books on dog training. Before you leave the front door make sure the dog is completely calm. When opening the door if the dog becomes excited again then close and wait for calm.
Do not let the dog leave the door first. This sets the tone that the dog is alpha for the walk and will lead. Alpha dogs are the first to enter and the first to leave always. Make sure that you exit the door first then your dog can follow you.
Tension on the Leash
Your body language and natural tension is picked up by your dog. If you are nervous, anxious, frustrated or angry then your dog will pick up your tension. This tension will make your dog more excitable and actually encourage more bad behaviour.
Keep your shoulders relaxed and keep tension on the leash to a minimum. Only the gentlest confident nudges should communicate to your dog where you want them to go.
Following on the side or behind
Try not to allow your dog to walk in front of you. If they try to walk in front then hold them back with the leash until they are at your side and stop moving forward completely. The dog will learn that in no way do they ever get closer to where they want to be by pulling and leading. This can be frustrating but patience will pay off.
Meeting People and other Pets
When we walk we occasionally run into other people or pets that would like to meet our precious little pooch. The challenge here is to let others know that you are training your dog to be calm when approaching people. If the dog gets super excited to meet somebody and pulls towards them, then hold them back until they calm down. Only then allow them to approach. You should be able to identify calm energy from your dog as opposed to excited energy.
Too Much Energy?
When all else fails sometimes dogs do not get nearly enough exercise and they can be physically and mentally frustrated because of it. Puppies and high energy breeds have this problem especially. Try taking your dog for a run or a swim in the pool if you have access to one. This will help them expel excess energy and allow them to be more receptive to your cues and get into that calm state a bit easier.
