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How To Get Puppy To Walk On A Lead?


pennyw74
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Ok, my 12 week old Cavalier, Izzy, just won't do it.

I have tried treats. I have tried just the collar, then letting her walk around with the lead attached. I have tried little by little.

As soon as you put her down and she sees that the lead is attached, she plants herself and doesn't look at me, almost as if she turns her back on me. She just doesn't want to know about it.

At first, she'll sniff around and chew sticks and leaves but then she'll catch a glimpse of that dreaded lead and that's it.

She's starting puppy pre-school tomorrow night.

Will this help us both out or should she be able to do it before she gets there?

Has anybody else got any other suggestions for me?

I know the outside world is just so big for her. I know she doesn't know what I expect her to do. I mean, why should she be attached - she doesn't understand that. She is such a good little puppy at home, will come (most of the time) when you call and can sit on command (most of the time).

Help????

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Try carrying her about half a block away from home and then walking her home. She obviously is very comfortable at home so actually walking her home instead of away from home, she will associate it with something good.

Also, make sure you walk nice and upright looking straight ahead, not looking at her. If she stops just put your hand on her bum and push her along a bit and then stand up again and keep walking.

You need to be confident yourself before Izzy will be :)

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We tried the half a block away thing. We headed towards the park but it was blocked off because of construction, so we put her down anyway. She still wasn't interested.

It's hard to push her along when her bum is on the ground. She'll end up with gravel rash on her bum.

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Will she walk around the back yard with the lead on? Maybe if you hold onto the lead and someone else stands about a mentre away with her favourite toy to entice her she might move...

I'm not really too sure though, we had Gypsy on the lead since the day we brought her home so we never hand problems like this and the lead doesn't faze her at all.

Good luck with your little girl.

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No, she won't walk anywhere if somebody is holding her lead. If it's attached but nobody is holding it, she's ok. As soon as she sees that it's attached to a hand, bum goes on the ground.

I have tried to entice her with a toy and food while my fiance holds the lead but she's no silly puppy. I have held food in one hand and the lead in the other. Eventually she will come for the food but will go the very long way around, avoiding my hand that is holding the lead.

They're funny little things.

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When its feed time use the lead.

Sit out the front holding the lead & let her wonder about & never pick her up when she has been stubborn.If you hav eto pick her up make sure she has done something.It may also be time for a gentle tug

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Ok, a little bit of success.

My fiance carried her up to the bus stop yesterday afternoon to wait for me to come home.

He took some treats. She was sniffing around and quite excited about being out. Another dog passed her and she was very interested in what he was doing.

We walked back home. She would sit every now and then but with a little bit of encouragement, she would get up again. The walk is only about eight minutes up the street but already, it had turned into about 20 minutes. Eventually, she had enough.

It was progress, though and we were very proud of her.

She came in and then she learned how to fetch.

Puppy pre-school tonight, so we'll learn a little bit more so she can, too.

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Izzy did very well at puppy pre-school.

She has lots of new friends now, everybody is bigger than her. She had two mini fox terriers, a weimaraner, a border collie, a jack russell and a cavoodle. She played well with them all at the beginning but after the lessons, she was so tired and just wanted to hide under the chairs. The border collie was way too big for her at 9.00 at night.

She did most of what she was asked and made us very proud. We have a long way to go and will continue to practise what we learned.

She ended up very dirty after getting wet from the grass and then dusty.

Funny thing is that at home, she is very good at "sit" but there, she sat right up on her back legs with her front paws in the air, like a kangaroo. I'm thinking...she never does this at home...

She came when called and also walked around the back of the legs and sat.

Next week, another lesson. All this learning wore me out, too. I was exhausted.

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Great news. You'd think I had a different puppy.

I took Izzy out the front yesterday and we walked right to the end of the street and back - no problems.

My fiance did it through the week but she kept stopping but did much better.

I was so proud of her yesterday. I could see people pointing at her as they drove past.

Now we just have to practice staying on one side instead of tripping me up.

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I had the same problem with my chi pup. Would just sit and refuse to budge. With practice I got him moving just a few steps at a time. Then I took him to a dog show to socialize and get the feel of it, and he was so interested in all around that he took no notice of the lead at all. I still was not sure how he would go the following week in his first show, but he did quite well, winning his class, though distracted by the pups running behind him. I noticed every other chi pup behaving the same way. I'm sure he will be trotting along nicely in no time, as will your pup.

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Izzy is doing so well at puppy pre-school. She was the star student this week, she learnt stand and stay and made me so proud.

She's not too keen on getting trampled on by the border collie puppy, though.

She is walking really well now, she just wants to run, though. I think we're learning how to stop her pulling on the lead next week at school. Such a huge different to her planting her little bottom on the ground and digging her heels in.

She really has come a long way.

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Try to time your lead practice with meal time- hungry pups will be more enthusiastic for treats.

Don't forget to deduct treats off the meal (cav pups don't need to eat much, so several treats probably make a meal).

Fat pups are a big no-no! Bad for their health and joints.

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These tips are all so useful! I have a Havanese girl, Lottie, 16 weeks old who came to us at 14 weeks mostly toilet trained but it was downhill from there ... she didn't even know (or want to know) what the lead was all about!

I'll try the tips you all gave :rofl:

Thanks!

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Well done!
Eventually, she had enough.

i do hope you DIDN'T pick her up :eek:

If she learns that you will carry her........she is then being the one who calls the shots!!

She is the DOG you are the HUMANS. Humans make the decisions, NOT dogs :)

Spot on persephone. Stop carrying her

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