Leash Walking Struggles

[Stephanie Bowman]

Hi everyone!

We hired a trainer for our 15 week old pup a few weeks ago. We are working on the "heel" walking now, and Teddy is really having trouble understanding it. At first, we were having trouble with him going on walks at all, since he would cry every time it wasn't in our backyard and would jump on us so we could carry him. Now, he is confident in walking around our neighborhood but pulls a lot on the leash, sometimes even choking himself to the point of coughing. Our trainer insists it's good practice to have him walk on our left, right next to us, using the traditional leash only instead of a harness. Anyone experience a similar issue?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You may want to post about this in the Training Group. Lots of very experienced and wise doodle owners there who may have some tips for you.

I agree with your trainer. There are all kinds of gimmicks and gadgets to "fix" pulling, but if you goal is to have a well-trained adult dog who walks calmly at your side, and if you want him to get his CGC and beyond, it really is best to follow your trainer's advice: dog learns to walk at your left on a traditional leash. it's hard work, but you will be so glad you did it in the years to come. 

[Stephanie Bowman]

Thank you! I just posted it to the Training Group. Still trying to familiarize myself with the site. So happy to know there are helpful groups out there and folks that can provide us with helpful tips!

I know that in the end we will be grateful that we pushed through this, I just can't help but feel bad that he's choking himself to the point of coughing. This too shall end, I guess.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm attaching a link put out by AKC that I think has some great info about teaching your new puppy to walk on a leash.  What I really like about this advice is that you start the training inside where there are fewer distractions and you are getting the puppy used to wearing a collar and leash.  I think it's very difficult to take a puppy who is enthralled with the sights and smells outside, put a collar and leash on him, and then expect that he'll walk nicely on your left side.   He's a baby...and he's "clueless".  What I also like about the advice in this link is that you never move forward while the puppy is pulling and there is no rough collar correction with this method.  On some walks you may barely get out of the driveway because you have to stop so many times, but it time he'll understand and all your patience will pay off.  Also I'm a firm believer in using lots of treats as motivation during the puppy stage of leash training.  Good luck and please do check out all the discussion on this in the Training Group. http://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/puppy-training/teach-pupp...

[Stephanie Bowman]

Just read the article! Definitely helpful. I think we need to bring more treats with us to encourage Teddy to stick by us. He just discovered cats so I am thrilled they covered that issue in the article.

[Sebastian and Chester's Mom]

I have trained both of my two using no-pull harnesses. For me, they weren’t so much a gimmick as they were a tool that effectively allowed me to keep control while building trust. Sebastian is a 115lb Livestock Guardian Dog mix, whose ancestors have been bred for thousands of years to think for themselves and make decisions without human interference. Chester is a 65lb Lab mix who was a fed-but-essentially-feral street dog who, at times, is afraid of his own shadow. For both of them, building trust has been an essential component for effective training.
Over the past 5 1/2 years, I have worked with a number of different trainers and behaviorists, and have found that the most effective ones were those who listened to me and helped me to work WITH my dogs, instead of AGAINST their unwanted behaviors. The least effective trainers took a one-size-fits-all approach both when it came to equipment and techniques. When the prescribed approach did not have the desired effects, they dismissed my concerns, saying that I “must be doing it wrong” (those exact words were used by our puppy kindergarten teacher).
Speaking of kindergarten, from a developmental standpoint, your puppy’s closest human equivalent would be somewhere in the preschool to kindergarten range. Keep that in mind when you start to get frustrated with his leash pulling. In my experience, training is more of a marathon than a sprint. However, if you are having doubts about this particular trainer or their techniques, it is absolutely okay to look for one who may be a better fit for you and Teddy. For Sebastian, his third obedience class (his CGC class), was the charm. Whereas our first two instructors were convinced that Sebastian had something wrong with him because he wasn’t binging on my every word the way a border collie might, our CGC instructor really helped me to reign in my expectations and get to understand him better. In a matter of weeks he literally went from being the dog that the other people in class whispered not-nice-things about, to being the dog who nearly passed the CGC test (he aced everything but the meeting a new dog portion. He wanted to be the new dog’s BFF). For him, that was a huge deal, and I’m still really proud of him.

[Carol and Truffle]

great input! thanks.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I would at least use a martingale collar for safety.  We had a trainer that used the corrective collar traditional (choke chain) for training as well as a leather leash. The two we had then did well with it.  We use a prong on our dogs that can slip a collar when frightened or overly excited. I would not use a prong on a puppy.

[Nancy]

I have struggled with pulling with Oliver since the day I began walking him as a pup.  I have tried it all, been to several training classes and have not had much luck.  The only harness that actually worked was the Gentle Leader.  However, Oliver is extremely sensitive and to him using that harness was a punishment and he dreaded, actually cowered when I would get it out to go for a walk.  He definitely was NOT enjoying our walk.  I decided to go back to the Easy Harness and allow him to walk in front of me, but not pull.  The only way this worked was for me to walk in the middle of the road so he does not have access to dirt and grass.  Obviously, we don't walk on main streets but this works for us.  I do allow him "sniffing" times throughout the walk, so he knows what to expect.  I am able to walk both Ivy and Oliver at the same time, Ivy naturally stays very close to me, but the most importantly, we all enjoy going for a walk :) 

 

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

In my opinion, loose leash walking is the hardest thing to teach a dog how to do.  For most of them it just isn't what they want to do!  For you it requires a fair amount of coordination and patience. Here are some tips that have helped me. They work with a leash or a harness.

There are a lot of good "reward only" trainers out there, it doesn't seem like you found one.  Change trainers until you find one who helps you.  in the meantime. 

0) Have a really reliable "Teddy"  with eye contact and "Teddy sit" before expecting much success with a walk.

1) Do not expect to "go for a walk" for several months.  Practice walking for 5- 15 minutes twice a day increasing the time with Teddy's age. Most of your practice will be a few steps, turning, increasing a decreasing speed for short times.

2) Practice just before a meal when Teddy is hungry. Do not practice immediately after a meal.

3) You can use part of his kibble mixed with really wonderful soft treats or just all wonderful treats.  I find a training pouch a plus - easier than my pocket and it immediately signals to dog that he is going to be rewarded for figuring out what you want  and doing it.

4) Practice walks should start in low distraction areas (like in the hallway of your house).  Hold leash loop and extra  in right hand. Standing still adjust leash in left hand to be "loose" when Teddy's is sitting right beside you then add about 6 inches extra.  That is where the leash stays in your left hand no matter where he goes. Before you move forward at all, with Teddy sitting beside you say "yes" and treat.  They "yes" marks the position he is in and helps him understand why he is getting the treat then.

5) say "Teddy forward" (or word you wish to use) and step off slowly if he follows one step and leash is still loose say "Teddy yes" and treat.  Best result is he looks up at you, you must bend over and give treat so he can make eye contact.  Continue working toward several steps before treat.  Then slow or fast, turns etc.  This only takes a very small area like a hallway or driveway to do.  If Teddy gets ahead or behind so there is even some light tension on leash STOP - do not moveor talk, just wait.  When he comes back to you( with no tension)  and looks at you "Teddy yes" and treat and immediately  one step forward.  if he follows and leash stays loose "Teddy yes" treat while continuing to walk.  Teddy is always the only one putting tension on the leash and releasing the tension.  Expect a few meltdowns (temper tantrums) just quietly wait them out.

When you take this show on the road - a low distraction area, expect to have to start over but make progress more quickly.

When you really go on the road, lots of distractions, expect a complete fall-apart and quickly return to the beginning.

You will be actually taking short walks in a few weeks.

After training an hour sleeping in his crate helps him move the memory from short term to long term memory.

This is tedious at first, difficult to coordinate your human efforts but if you stick with it, you should be proficient enough to walk several steps before "Teddy yes' treat.

Operating principles:  continue to walk forward when you treat (tricky to manage this you are developing a muscle pattern also) and LEASH means walk beside you with no tension on leash.  Add "sniffers"  only when you have a firm loose leash walk.

P.S.  I have my puppy, Murphy, in a front hook harness.  It is the first time I have ever used a harness, always a collar.  I really like it.  If for some reason I want her to earn a GCC I will cross that bridge then.