ARGH! Leash Manners!

[lizzybeth727]

Hopefully you won't have this problem again! But if you do - whenever I start a walk and my dog is SO bad, so much worse than the previous day, I've found that the best thing to do is turn around and go back home as fast as possible. Your dog should not be rewarded (by continuing to stay outside and walk around the neighborhood, that's very rewarding for dogs!) for that behavior, and it's not good for YOUR mental health! The longer you continue the walk, the more frustrated you will get, and it's just not worth it.

That doesn't mean, of course, that if a dog has always been bad on leash that owner should just never try to work with him! But in this case, since you say it's so much worse than it has been, maybe it's a good time to take a day off.

[noludoru]

Originally Posted by RedyreRottweilers

I just don't let it happen, Nolu. If a pup gets out to where he is about to have a tight leash, I gently but firmly pull the puppy back to my side and then immediately dump slack in the leash and offer a food reward.

It is important to IMMEDIATELY give back the slack in the leash, even if the puppy moves out ahead instantly and you just have to do it over.

So many people don't even realize they hold their dog on a tight leash almost all of the time. They unwittingly teach the puppy to lean on the collar and pull on the leash. Once a puppy has learned to lean on the collar it is much harder to teach them not to pull. The person who is holding the leash so that the dog can lean on the collar is at least 50% of the equation.

Ohhh... now THAT makes sense. Thanks for explaining that, Red. I love how you always concisely explain things for people.

[Pandemonium]

We refer to these kinds of days as "walking the yo-yo". Bernie's beagle nose tends to lead him backwards on the leash! You walk 3 steps together, he walks 2 steps back, he's now behind you, give a pull on the leash he's one step ahead, walk 2 steps, found a pinecone/dirt/cigarette butt/smell.. he's 5 steps behind again.

On these kind of yo-yo days, we generally turn around and go play in the yard til he wears off some steam. I like to end the day with at least some satisfactory skills practiced. Once in a while, it's me that's learned something!

Other times, he's perffffffffffect on the leash. In fact I don't think we've had a leash "drag me to the park/driveway/tree" kind of walk. His concentration varies, as does mine! Mind you I've had comments that I tend to power trip over the dog.. no I don't, I want a well behaved happy dog, that listens more often than the hubby!

Sorry you've had a bad day of it with Morgan, and even though it won't be your last, you'll soon forget about today, and have lovely loose leash walks again!

[adojrts]

I haven't read the entire thread but if I have to bring a dog/pup back to me when they forge ahead, I don't give them a reward. I reward them when they stay beside me or give me some improvement.
And I absolutely agree that it takes two to pull, pulling is a learned behaviour on both parties, imo. People hang onto their dogs/pups and they both get desenistized to the pressure or pulling.

[maxfox426]

I just wanted to give everybody an update on Morgan's leash training.

You all were right, and two days ago just seems to have been a "puppy day". Lol! I took your advice and yesterday morning we took a day off from walking, and played ball in the yard instead. Today we tried a short walk again, and he was [almost] perfect again! A tiny little bit of yo-yo-ing, and we had to stop 2-3 times to regroup... but for the most part he was correcting himself to keep his leash loose.

And just so we are all on the same page: "loose leash" for Morgan means he is walking by my side, the connection where his leash clips to his collar is below his chin, and the leash itself hangs in a small 'U' in front of his chest while I'm holding the other end.

Thank you all for your advice and encouragement! It really helped a lot!!