Puppy training for human parents

[DJ & Chance]

I learned some things a few days ago about holding a leash with a rambunctious puppy in tow. 

 

“Hold it”=

“Grasp it”=

”Anchor with thumb and fingers”

 

I learned this because my five-month old puppy lunged suddenly, strongly, and unexpectedly on a recent walk.  The leash slipped out of my hand, and my puppy zoomed off like a crazed creature—jubilant with his tail held high, leash flying through the air behind him. 

Luckily we were on a quiet street because the puppy zipped back and forth across that street as we tried to capture him.   One neighbor positioned himself up the street to ward off oncoming cars.  Eventually the puppy zipped in close to me, still in a full run. I stepped on the leash and captured him.

 

What about recall?  Was all of our recall training to date a total failure?

 

My first mistake was not holding the leash properly. 

 

My second mistake was not using the recall command we’ve been practicing.   That’s right!  I shouted, pleaded, fell to my knees so that the puppy could leap into my arms; but I did not use the recall command.

 

In hindsight, this mistake is understandable.  I panicked.  My pup was running loose and in danger, and I instinctively shouted phrases such as “Chance, please please come! Chancy, come now! Chance, come or you’ll get hurt!”  But nothing I shouted resembled the recall command we (both) were beginning to learn.

 

As the human parents of young puppies, we receive lots of advice about training our dogs.  But we also need to work on training ourselves.  How we human parents hold a leash can be a life or death matter for our young charges; and how we react in a stressful situation is equally critical.   

So, I’ve studied up on leash holding, and when my pup is not around, I am practicing shouting my recall phrase so that it gets wired into the panic synapses of my brain.

 

In the end, the day ended wonderfully.  It was January 1-- the beginning of the New Year--and my adorable young charge discovered the joys of playing on a nearby rocky beach.  

[DJ & Chance]

Thanks, Ginny, for the tip!

[Ginny Nightingale]

Phew!!! Glad you had help and that the pup came back--great pics! I always keep the loop around my wrist and then hold the leash firmly closer to the dog's neck--but if that slips, the loop does not.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Wow, what a nightmare for a few minutes.  I worried about Libby getting loose in the beginning of our walks, but she is now very controlled when walking and loves being right by our side. Of course, they does not mean somethng can happen at any time!   The pictures of Chance on the beach are adorable and he definitely looks like he is having a great time.

[DJ & Chance]

Thanks, Deanna.  I've added a knot to the leash!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

When Sedona was a baby, her leash became knotted - imagine that! Anyway, we left the knot as it gave us a firmer hand-hold than just the flat, smooth leash.
Glad you were able to get your runaway Chance without incident!

[Sheila & Finnley]

Great pictures ! On the bright side of the digging, if you go there enough and he digs, it will keep his front paw nails all worn down, and all you will have to trim are the back ones ! :)

[DJ & Chance]

Thanks Joanna & Bonnie, it was a tense few moments; AND I bask in compliments meant for my pup!

[DJ & Chance]

BG he becomes frenetic digging in the sand until he hits water!

[BG and Gavin]

Good reminder.  Chance looks like he is digging in doggie beach heaven!

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

VERY CUTE PUP!