Leash training... where do I start?
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Lambo was a pain in the you know what... the first week of walks. I remember it well. After a week of consistent walks... with no training, he just knows the drill. Thankfully this one isn't heavy enough to 'pull,' so we don't have all the issues we did with Yuki  |
| I like using the easy walk harness. http://www.amazon.com/Reflective-Easy-H ... lk+harness I have used one since Domino was 8 weeks old and still use it now that he is over 1. I find he pulls less with it and I don't like the pulling to be around the the neck.. |
| ^^ That's actually what we have as well (different brand/same concept) but only b/c yuki is a heavy puller.. I'd rather have something easier to put on 'if' your dog isn't a puller. Everyone is always confused when we give it to them (boarding places, vet). It's wonderful and so much nicer than a halti/gentle leader imo. |
We use an easy walk harness with Sam as well. He never pulls with it. We have been using it since he was about 10 or 11 weeks old. With a regular collar, he would pull so much it sounded like he would choke himself.  He does fine with just a collar when we are going out to potty, but that's it. He gets excited when he sees his harness because he knows he's going for a walk. |
| Thanks guys for the idea with Kensie. I hate having a neck collar on her at any time due to matting. This would work well. |
SheepieBoss wrote: Thanks guys for the idea with Kensie. I hate having a neck collar on her at any time due to matting. This would work well. The harness won't help matting. It will do the same on the body as a collar does on the neck...just covering more area.  |
| Leash training - there are lots of ways to work on this. For the little guys - first you attach the lead and wander around with them. Outside in your yard would be a good place to start. Then after a bit, you start using the lead to change directions - and talk/praise your puppy for coming with you. Once they do this, you also want to start working on loose lead walking. The first step is getting them to recognize when they feel themselves reaching the end of the lead (whatever the length - 4 feet, or 20 feet). When they reach the end and the lead gets tight - you give a little pull and release. The RELEASE is the important part. I tell my students to think like they are using a yoyo...the wrist flick movement of a yoyo is very much like what you need to do. You will likely have to repeat it over and over, for many days as well. The goal is that your pup learns that when they feel themselves hitting the end of the lead, they give to it. The other big thing is making the effort to praise every time you have a loose lead, whether it is randomly occurring, or every time after you do the yoyo move. I do not use treats for any part of this training. YOU are the praise, the reward and the source of all love. When they are a little older, they get more aware of fun things, and will try and pull you toward it - the car, a favorite destination. If you have worked on the loose lead walking, you do that, and the pup will realize that you will not let them go there by dragging you. Only when they walk nicely will the fun stuff happen. This is where many humans (the human - not the dog, mind you) fail and LET the dog drag them. You are in fact teaching your dog that if they pull you, they get to go where they want, do what they want. Whether you know it or not, you are training a behavior. PULLING = go places. Instead, you want them to learn the exact opposite - pulling = we go NOWHERE.  So, you do your loose lead skills. You also turn around and move AWAY from the desired destination. Dogs are smart - if you do this every time, they will learn that walking nicely gets them where they want to go. It's truly a very simple concept. But, it takes some training, and many people are not willing to do this. People tend to be impatient, and want quick fixes. This is where stuff like the easy walk harnesses come in - they physically stop the dog from pulling. They aren't walking nicely because they have learned, they stop because it limits them. All you get is a dog who can't drag you when they have that harness on. Me personally, I want a dog who will walk nicely no matter what they have on them - no pulling, no jerking, no choking.A nicely behaved dog is so much more fun to take places and go anywhere with. To me the effort in the beginning is worth the payoff for the rest of the dog's life. |
| I DOOOO agree with gotsheep that these leashes aren't training them anything and we are totally in trouble when we have to quickly put on a normal leash/collar. Means we better have TWO hands available because we're about to be dragged................ But... I do like ours. And just for options... this is the one we have. I like it because the strap that is a different color is the strap that goes under the belly. When putting it on... TRUST ME, it's helpful to have a reminder/guide to how have it situated before putting on. Also, you don't have to have it on tight like a collar... ours is pretty loose all around, and she never gets out of it. http://www.amazon.com/Premier-Harness-L ... lk+harness |
Thanks for everyone's input. It seems all I can get Tucker to do right now, is "Stop, Drop and Roll". Or chew on the clasp...  |
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