Puppy that hates leash

renaerenae
edited December 2009 in Behavior & Training
Ok most of my dogs had no problem with the leash when they were puppies, but Kiyo doesn't like it at all. She's ok with a collar, but being on a leash and walking with it on, she hates it. All she does is freeze, whines, and screams. I don't think its too earlier to start her on walking on the leash. What do you guys think and do you have any suggestions. I also baited her with food and it work for awhile but not anymore.

Comments

  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    What kind of leash are you using? And how old is she?

    When teaching a dog to walk on a leash (regardless of age), you need to start by letting them remain in control while the leash is on. Let them drag it around the house at first. Then get yourself a long leash 15-20 feet should do. Some people use retractable leashes, others prefer nylon. Let her wander around while you hold the long leash. Let her get used to the idea of boundaries. Then, slowly, introduce the concept of walking while still giving her plenty of freedom. Over time, you can begin to shorten the length of the leash until she gets the idea of how things work.

    Also, as you suggest, plenty of treats are always a good thing.

    Good luck!
  • sjp051993sjp051993
    edited November -1
    I always let my pups drag the leash around the house. Also if you have another dog that walks well on a leash that helps. When I have a new pup I walk them with my male shiba. He is very well mannered and seems to give the pup confidence to walk along right beside on the leash. Using this method I had my kai puppy leash trained in 2 days. Also try treats they normally do not get. I use grilled chicken as a treat when I leash train. For the pups it becomes a very special treat they only get when they walk on the leash.
  • renaerenae
    edited November -1
    Thanks you guys. I've started working on that with her. She doesn't like it that much, but it'll take sometime before she's use to it. She'll be 10wks tomorrow and the leash is about 4ft. I have other leashes too and they're longer than her leash.
  • KenshiKenshi
    edited December 2009
    Are you using a collar or a harness? Our puppy had an easier time dealing with the concept of a harness when she was very little.

    At first Tomoe didn't want to go anywhere, then she would walk for a ways but she'd freeze because suddenly she was scared. Ever since that point it has been about letting her have time to sniff things, but not TOO much time, and she's been getting gradually better.

    I got her an Easy Walk harness and it's worked out very well with her, she doesn't seem as inclined to fight the leash when we go on long walks with it.
  • renaerenae
    edited November -1
    I do have a harness from one of my other dogs when he was a puppy but it's a little too big for her. I'll try a harness with her and see how she likes it.
  • TheWalrusTheWalrus
    edited November -1
    One tip from personal experience: Don't pull a pup that has stopped or is trying to pull away. It is counter productive.
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