How do I get my puppy to walk on the lead???

pug&boston · 12-19-2010

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][/FONT]Howdy fellers, I'm New to this so sorry if I get it all wrong!! I got two dogs a pug aged 2 and a boston terrior who is 15 weeks old, but when me and my boyfriend go to walk him he's haveing none of it :s any ideas what I can do to push him along a little ??

Pleaseeee helppp thank u!!

cigwyllt · 12-20-2010

Is he used to wearing a collar all the time? If not then that is the best place to start - put the collar on and leave it on in the house all day everyday.

If you are already doing that the next step is to get him used to the lead. How does he behave when you take him out? Does he try and chew the lead and pull and jump around or does he freeze? Tell us a bit more about what's going on - where you have tried to walk him, what your pug is doing when you are out etc and we will have more idea of what to suggest. We could all make suggestions but you may have tried them already. Give us some more detail and we can be more helpful.

pug&boston · 12-20-2010

He just freezes and trys toi pull back home! We keep collar on all the time, he's ok off the lead chaseing the pug around the front yard but as soon as we put the lead on he freezes and trys to pull back home.

Yogi · 12-20-2010

One thing to note, small breed dogs should never be on a collar and leash. They need to be on a harness. Small breeds are susceptible to tracheal issues.

Lunareclipse · 12-21-2010

Leave his leash on all the time until he doesn't have a problem with it. When you go on a walk, make sure you there is something great at your final destination. A half a burger at mcdonald's sure helped one on mine want to go for walks and go for rides in the car. If there isn't anything like that near you, make your own and carry it with you. When you get to where you need to go, give your pooch the treat. Stop somewhere for a while and let your dog get used to just being away from the house. And if all else fails, leave him at home. There are some dogs that just want to chill out on the sofa.

cigwyllt · 12-21-2010

So use a harness and just leave a lightweight lead attached and let him run around to get used to the feel of it.

When I had a pup who froze when I tried to walk him outdoors I started by carrying him to a safe place where I could let him run. I would put him down and walk away so he would have to run after me, trailing the lead. Then after a while I would casually pick up the end and walk a little way with him, trying to keep his attention on me rather than the lead. It wasn't an overnight fix but with consistency and patience he will get the idea. Can you have someone else to walk the pug so that he has a doggy role model to copy?

CorkyMax · 12-21-2010

Just a thought here. I know this has been mentioned before in this forum----What are you trying to get him to walk on---Hope it is grass and not cement/road. This was a problem for another member. Try the grass first and see if that helps any (If you haven't already been doing that).

Taming Rover · 12-24-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yogi

One thing to note, small breed dogs should never be on a collar and leash. They need to be on a harness. Small breeds are susceptible to tracheal issues.

You could try a harness but be aware that harnesses were designed for pulling dogs, like huskies on sled, so there is a good chance that once your dog does get used to walking on it he might want to pull ahead with constant tension on the lead which is no fun for either of you. If your dog does learn to pull like this then having a harness takes the pressure off the trachea but it's far more ideal to make sure they don't get into pulling in the first place. If your dog doesn't pull like crazy while on a collar and leash then there should be no problem with the trachea. So if you do decide to go with a harness be diligent about discouraging pulling right from the start.

A suggestion would be to bring him to a neutral place, away from your home, then put him down and when he shuts down just stand there with slight pressure on the leash in the direction you want to go in. Don't pull on him, but just be very patient and stand there calmly with slight tension on the lead. Don't talk to him or coddle. As soon as he makes even a slight move forward, even one paw halfway forward, release the pressure. You'll probably have to do this a few times before he starts to get the idea that the way to have a relaxed leash is to move forward.
You can couple this with what Lunareclipse said, and have a big reward at the end when you reach your destination. You could also drive somewhere close to your place and walk back so that home is the reward.

Whichever method you find that works for you, I suggest doing it 3-5 times a day at first, short walks more often because when you immerse them in it, it becomes something that's normal much more quickly.

Also, keep tabs on your own reactions when he is shutting down, what do you do when he pulls to go back home? Our reactions effect our dogs much more than we realize.

P.S. Please don't give up on him and leave him at home. There is a way to have your dog walk well on a leash, you just have to find what works best for him. He is only 15 weeks old now, young enough that he's still very malleable, it might take some time, but you'll have far more issues with him eventually if he doesn't get the exercise and mental stimulation that comes with traveling with his pack on a regular basis