Walking in lead and when to let off lead

893 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by olliedogsmum, Oct 11, 2017

olliedogsmum

Discussion Starter · Oct 6, 2017

11 week old pup allowed to go outside now but so excited she just pulls at the end of the lead so we don't get anywhere!! She doesn't pay me any attention even though in the house she is good at looking at me in response to her name. Also couldn't care less about the treats I'm trying to lure her with as she just wants to pull at the lead and jump around trying to sniff everything.
Husband suggested taking her somewhere and letting her off lead so she can explore and outside can get less exciting but although her recall is getting ok in the house it's still not great in the garden and I'm sure it would be rubbish aomewhere else!
How do we get her out and socialised to as many places as possible if I can only walk with her when she isn't pulling on the lead? I'm so confused any help would be great!!

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Bentwings

· #2 · Oct 6, 2017

Look up dog training classes in your area. You will learn how to train your dog in basics. Don't be afraid to repeat classes.
Be aware that dog training isn't a quick fix thing. It takes time, consistancy and patience. Equipment alone won't do it.

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Kathyy

· #3 · Oct 6, 2017

She doesn't need to walk for miles. A walk up and down the driveway is a huge adventure for a baby dog.

I haven't trained a small pup to LLW but have seen people with new pups at dog shows just follow pups around as they explore then coax with clapping hands, bits of treats and such to get the pup to follow them.

Try a long line. Mine is an old cotton clothesline with a leash clip tied to one end.

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olliedogsmum

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 6, 2017

Thank you.

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Bentwings

· #5 · Oct 6, 2017

A long line is an excellent idea. You can get used to coiling it up and releasing it. This will help you later on. I have 30, 60 and 100 foot long lines. Make it out of something light to start with. I also make a slip handle out of the handle end. I put this on my left wrist and wear a glove. It's nearly impossible to have it pulled off. The glove helps prevent rope burns when the dog or pup decides to run where he shouldn't. I'd also suggest wearing pants when out side. I've seen some really nasty cuts and burns when long lines get wrapped around legs. When you coil it up for the session, clip the collar snap to the handle....it makes it more tangle free.

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Sydneyrocky

· #6 · Oct 7, 2017

What I did with mine was at that age I put her on a long lead but didn't let her have the entire length, I kept it short and used a treat stick in front of her so she would follow the treat until she was calm, then I would give her a separate treat and let her walk some more following the treat stick. When we stopped I would make her sit. After about two weeks she was much better and we started walking without the treat stick and as she went I let out the lead so she had more to walk.

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Shell

· #7 · Oct 7, 2017

A long line is very useful and makes exploring larger areas and practicing recall much safer, but make sure to use it on a harness not on a collar in case the dog hits the end of the line full force. They can get up a lot more speed in 20 or 30 feet than they can on a regular 6 foot leash and that multiples the impact of a sudden stop.

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Concerned

· #8 · Oct 8, 2017

The pup's just excited. If the pup doesn't accept treats then you might be too far away from home. Also, having more walks will make the outdoors less exciting. At least the environment. Stray cats, dogs, bones, etc. are another story.

Here's a tutorial on youtube that helped me train my puppy on LLW and heel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvSxr2uA16M&t=404s or you can just search for "Help My Dog Pulls". Just a reminder about the tutorial. Make sure to follow and enforce the part where you ask the dog to sit and have eye contact before moving along after issuing the treat.

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hanksimon

· #9 · Oct 11, 2017

If your dog is a Lab mix, she is going to be excited by all the new smells, etc. After her shots are up to date, and your Vet says that outdoor walks are safe, then I suggest that you walk her around the perimeter, on-leash, in a large fenced area, such as a playground or school yard, if allowed. After a month or two, you can let her off-leash in that area, encouraging her to keep up with you, and putting her back on leash if she strays too much.

If she runs off [Labs typically don't 'run off', instead they tend to run after something to explore or chase, or make friends], then you can try to call her name and run in the opposite direction to get her to chase you.

I agree that classes will also help. You may find that you want to do some basic scent training, and You can take her into PetsMart, as well as Lowe's, Home Depot, some banks, etc. She will pull at first, seeking novelty, but may mellow in a year or so, when visiting previously seen locations.

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olliedogsmum

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 11, 2017

Thank you. It really does seem as though she just really really interested in absolutely everything she sees! I'll have to see how we get on with loose leash but I like the idea of trying to find a big enclosed space so will start searching!

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