In addition to a basic leash and a long leash, houselines and yardlines are essential puppy training tools. They allow an owner to easily gain control of their puppy without having to chase the puppy around. They are also useful for discouraging unwanted behavior, such as stopping a puppy from jumping up or from running out the door.
When a puppy is wearing a houseline or yardline, he should never be left unsupervised, especially outside. Also puppies should not wear houselines or yardlines around young children. When a puppy is wearing it around older children, he should be closely supervised. You should also instruct children never to touch the houseline or yardline.
- A houseline is a six- to ten-foot long training leash that is designed to loosely drag behind a puppy that is being trained when he is inside the home. Unlike a leash, a houseline has no loop at the end. You can step on or pick up the houseline when you need to stop your puppy from running off or guide him away from something inappropriate, such as trying to jump up on the furniture.
- A yardline is a 16-to 20-foot long training leash that is designed to loosely drag behind a puppy that is being trained when he is outside in a fenced area. Unlike a leash, a yardline has no loop at the end. You can step on or pick up the yardline when you need to stop your puppy from running off or guide him away from something inappropriate, such as digging in the garden.
How to make your own houseline or yardline
An easy way to make your own houseline or yardline involves altering a store-bought leash. First, purchase a long, lightweight nylon leash of the appropriate length for a houseline or yardline. Pet supply stores sell leashes that are up to 25 or 30 feet in length. Next, cut off the looped end of the leash to make a houseline or yardline.
- Tie one end of the nylon line securely to the clip.
- Attach the clip to your puppy’s collar and allow the houseline or yardline to drag behind the puppy. Your puppy may chew the houseline or yardline. If it breaks, simply tie a knot to reconnect the two pieces. After you have tied 3 knots in the houseline or yardline, replace it with a new one.
When can you remove it from your puppy?
The best way to decide whether you should shorten or remove your puppy’s houseline or yardline is to pay attention to his behavior. As your puppy matures and his training progresses, you can gradually shorten both the houseline and yardline until they are only short tabs hanging from your puppy’s collar. Once you no longer need it to redirect your puppy’s behavior, you can completely remove it.
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