Walking on a Leash

[HokieGirl]

Rocki used to walk really well on her leash...USED TO. She would only pull she she saw people or another dog. Now she pulls a good bit - for most of our walk. I had been using leash correction with a choker chain but that is no longer working. Any ideas on what to do. I don't want to buy her an anti-pull harness just yet (she still has a lot of growing to do). She is young (5 months)...do you think she is just testing her limits?

 

[Althea]

She's still a baby. Give her time. She's going to pull if you let her. Don't let her do it ever again. Not even once. Stop, wait until she stops pulling or looks at you, then move forward. You can also do *gentle* 180 degree turns until she learns to watch and stay with you. I've never trained my dogs with anything but a flat buckle collar and leash. It takes time, but it truly does work. Is she in puppy classes? In classes, they'll also work with you on proper leash walking technique. Hang in there!

 

[HokieGirl]

She knows how to heel. If I stop and stay "Rocki Heel" she will eventually turn around and come back to my side but then pull again. She will also sit if I stop moving it just that it is at the end of the leash. I wonder if our walk yesterday was particularly bad because we went camping this weekend and used a retractable leash to give her freedom while allowing her some room to play. Thanks for the input. I am def. going to keep working with her. She was in puppy class and did well, she has since graduated.

 

[Althea]

You might want to enroll for the next class (I'm keeping Suki in class until at least one of us is fully trained! ) as it will give you some consistency -- I know I need it, or I can get lackadaisical about it, as I don't mind doggie behavior, AKA lack of manners.

Also, did you check out the threads on here about using treats to keep them focused on you? Also suggest: she shouldn't sit at the end of the leash when you stop. Perhaps rather than stopping, start backing up until she turns and looks at you, then praise her when she's on the loose leash. The second she pulls, do it all over again. I "check* Suki when she reached the end of the leash, before she can even pull. Just a light tug and a vocal "ah-ah" in a low tone. She immediately drops back. I've been doing this since we first brought her home, and so far, it's worked well...and it's worked well on all my other dogs. Just an idea -- I'm sure there are plenty others that work too!

 

[whiskers]

I'd first ditch the choker. 5 months old is still soooo young to be expecting much from her, and I've never seen a choker stop a dog from pulling.

I think you might find the "choose to heel" game beneficial. Basically it teaches the dog that being at your side is the most awesome thing ever, and they are choosing to be there on their own because it requires you to do nothing except walk around. I start this in my backyard with the dog off leash. I just walk around, and anytime the dog catches up to me and is at my side, I click and treat (if you don't use a clicker you can just say Yes! or Good!). And if they maintain that position as we're walking, I keep clicking/treating. Dog gets sidetracked and slows down or wanders off, that's fine. I either change direction or speed up, maybe pat my leg to get their attention if they're really in their own world. Usually a direction change or change of pace is enough to get them interested and run back to you. And again, always clicking/treating for them finding and maintaining that position that we want. When the dog seems to be "getting" it, then I'll throw in some turns, where I expect the dog to turn with me. I find the dog gets it better if you start out turning INTO them.

When we're good in the backyard, I move to somewhere like an open, empty park. Little more distracting than the backyard because it's a new environment, but not crazy enough that there's much else for your dog to focus on. And then I just do the same thing. Walk around, c/t for finding and maintaining position (and I use a leash here, btw, just for safety).

Then we progress to a "real" walk around the neighborhood, and at this point the dog is pretty familiar with the game and knows that being at your side is what gets them rewarded. It doesn't take long to get to this point. I think with Juno we worked in the backyard once, at the park once, and then we went for a walk and it was the most enjoyable walk I've ever been on with her (I still click and treat at this point). She was giving me heads-up attention and when she did start straying a little too far ahead, she knew it and would self-correct, and slow down back to my side.

Also agree with althea, don't let her pull on walks. Stop walking or change directions, but don't continue moving forward when she pulls.

 

[CoraBoxer]

We've been there with Cora. She had phases where she'd be good, then all of a sudden we'd be back to starting over (or so it seemed). She choked herself, I don't think i'd be using a choker. Anyways even with the gl harness she'd still have those phases - it was easier to correct her though. We kept with it. Walks twice a day good day or bad we'd be out there with her. Honestly as fast as it went bad, it went good. We try to keep her busy as much as possible so that she doesn't build up a whole ton of energy but its more than that. She's so great on walks now its hard to believe she used to be such a puller. It was more than pulling though, she used to pick up every single thing that was on the ground. Now shes at my side, head up. Its great.

I would totally say she's testing/learning. Like other have said, totally stick with it and don't let yourself get frustrated.

 

[HokieGirl]

I appreciate all the words of wisdom. Let me correct myself by saying the choker was only used for corrections - if she started to move away from my side, I'd give it a light tug well before she was pulling. Once she started pulling, I had to take her off the choker because I didn't want her to choke herself - she did not acutally choke.

I really appreciate all the input as well. Rocki seems to respond well to games so I am going to try the training game. She really wants to please. With one session of take it and drop she learned how to do these two tricks. Also, when it comes to leash training, at what age would you say your pooches "got it?" It seems like Rocki really wants to learn and I am hopeful that she will because she started out so good on a leash. I want to avoid having to use a gentle leader if possible. I want to her to heal up right at my side. I think using postive reinforcement works best and have tried while on walks to give her treats for staying at my side but she is too excited to eat them, perhaps if we start from scratch in the back yard that will work.

Don't worry, I am not going to give up on her. Everyday I work she gets a nice long walk. If I am home all day usually she is too tired to walk becuase she gets a lot of outside time and attention. Sometimes we still walk, sometimes we don't. We go for walks at least 5 days a week probably close to 40 mins.

 

[TwoDogs]

Also, when it comes to leash training, at what age would you say your pooches "got it?" It seems like Rocki really wants to learn and I am hopeful that she will because she started out so good on a leash. I want to avoid having to use a gentle leader if possible. I want to her to heal up right at my side.

By the time my pup was 14 weeks, she knew how to Heel with an auto Sit and could find the Heel position (not completely straight) from any angle. It's not a matter of them "getting it"--that's the easy part. As with any training, the hard part is them choosing to do it in the face of distractions.

Keep trying--she will eventually get there. I think that going back to working in the low distraction backyard is a great idea. Get the foundation behavior down solid and then take it on the road. Remember, "the road" might be only your driveway at first. Consider what "life rewards" you can give her for heeling nicely. If she wants to sniff the grass, then let her "go sniff" as a reward for a few steps of heeling. Treats work great in some instances, but always look for the most powerful reinforcer you can give your dog. Sometimes that is access to the environment.

And I'm all for owners using a management tool like the Easy Walk to allow them to walk their dog and at the same time prevent the dog from engaging in and being reinforced by the undesirable behavior while they are working on training an appropriate behavior. Not every minute can be a "training session"--sometimes we just have to walk our dogs.

BTW, you can get the same benefits as the Easy Walk Harness from some regular harnesses. Just look for one that has a metal ring where the straps come together in the front. Provided it fits well, you will see much of the same effect at a price that is more affordable when outfitting a constantly growing pup.

 

[HokieGirl]

I did work with Rocki on heeling yesterday and she seems to understand the concept, but how right you are with getting her to do it amid distractions...she would much rather play with the 100 lb lab down the street than heel. I started using some treats and would let her wander some. In the backyard, she will walk right with me but not so much in the front yard. We will keep working on it.

 

[HokieGirl]

Improvement

Rocki did well this weekend on the leash. We went to the track and she walked right with me. I was even able to drop the leash and she would stay with me (without treats). When I changed directions (my husband was with me) she stayed with him when I called her to heel she looked confused. Once I was 10 yards away and called her to heel the second time she came and walked with me again.