Daisy ran off in the park for the first time! :(

[Jordan & Daisy]

I just posted this in the training group but then realized puppy madness might be more appropriate-

We finished puppy training classes with Daisy and she listens GREAT when she wants to, but the problem is when she doesn't want to!!

We take her to a local park and let her run around off leash (leash still attached but we aren't holding it) a few times a week. Normally she runs circles around us or very close to us and never goes far but yesterday she TOOK OFF! My husband had to go running after her and found her right next to the parking lot which terrified me.

She didn't listen to "stay" or "come", and she didn't care that I had treats. All the training she's had pretty much gets thrown out the window when we are in the park. She also pulls us tremendously on the leash when we go for walks.

I am at a loss, what are we doing wrong? Is this a puppy thing? She's only 4.5 months, will this just get worse?

[Crystal about Murphy Bach]

Scares me. Though Murphy is older than Daisy, but still. He is really good on the leash, I have trained him well not to pull, he knows not too. But as soon as I let him off the leash on our dead end street he goes bolting. I like it because he can get way more exercise then I can give him on our morning walk at 6am. But there is always that chance. :/ 

Good thing Daisy is ok :)  Keep up the good training and she will be sweet and cute and cuddly! 

[Jordan & Daisy]

Thank you. :)

I agree about the exercise! I cannot walk/run nearly fast enough or long enough to tire her out lol! We have a lot more leash work to do, everything the trainer showed us for getting her to walk behind/next to us hasn't worked. Daisy is the light of my life but MAN is she stubborn. She just get so excited to see everything and everyone and always ends up pulling. I've thought about the Herm Sprenger prong collar but I don't know enough about it yet.

How did you get Murphy to walk well on leash?

[Crystal about Murphy Bach]

Honestly, I followed this video and Murphy does great with this advice :)

My Husband and I never have paid for professional training, I am addicted to Youtube training videos.. :) Good Luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBN2_YuTclU#t=124

[Crystal about Murphy Bach]

We train Murphy with Positive reinforcement. I think the only time I tell him no, is when he tries to get on the counter in the kitchen.

A lot of eye contact, and using hand gestures to get his attention. :)  

[Jordan & Daisy]

I am going to check it out!! This seems like something more up my alley anyway, I feel like when there are 10 dogs in the room it's VERY hard for Daisy to focus on anything but the dogs! 

[Crystal about Murphy Bach]

Oh and I am still using an "easy walk harness", as well as a short training leash 3 days a week, two days out of the week I walk with a slightly longer leash to do more long leash training with him. 

If he walks in front of me, I stop and walk backyard and he knows he can't do that(Exactly like that video I posted here), I make him sit next to me and praise him, then say ok and we walk again, then I praise him after he walks a good distance by my side, not pulling and/or walking in front of me. 

He doesn't pull really anymore, still working on walking in front of me sometimes, I eventually want to jog with him but we aren't there yet. Maybe in another month. 

[Jordan & Daisy]

I have never heard of this harness but I'll check it out. Our trainer says harnesses are bad because they are MEANT for pulling and sometimes encourage it. I am clueless though so I just took her word for it. Yay I can't wait to try something new for Daisy. Thank you!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

The Easy Walk harness is designed to prevent training. The various harness' you see displayed with all the leashes and collars are different, and yes, to nothing to prevent your dog from pulling. And may even encourage it.

[Crystal about Murphy Bach]

Jordan,

Well the easy walk harness worked for me to train Murphy to not pull. Murphy doesn't pull at all and he still wears one. I started initially with attaching the leash to the chest hook of the harness like advised, now I have graduated to clipping the leash on top like a collar would be attached, and he has been really great and not pulling. Also I feel like this is way better for his neck if he were to pull ever, like collars to me are neck jolters when their leash is attached to it if the dog were to pull.

Similar to our little 9lb chihuahua poodle he always wears a harness, because his poor little neck would get hurt if for some reason he pulled. Though the force is minimal because he is so small, but I guess I am trained to want to be as gentle as possible when it comes to my dogs necks. 

But it is always good to try different things if one doesn't work, each dog is a little different. 

Your Welcome! 

Crystal

[Marie and Hoka]

My dear-departed Tinker walked wonderfully on the gentle leader, and I will introduce Hoka to this when he is a little older.  I could ride my bike or run with Tinker no problem with it.

My older dog, Torrey could never tolerate wearing it, but we started Tinker earlier.

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

In addition to everyone else's advice, I would let her know that you have a REALLY, REALLY high value treat on you when she is off leash (and always make sure to have one on you). With Tenley, I bring a piece of beef jerky. He would do a back flip for that if he could. When he knows I have that, he is never far away from me. Over time you won't have to bring it, but at first make sure she knows you have it on you!