Walking Straight And Not Pulling.

[Stitch]

Does anyone have any suggestions on what they think the best way to teach a pup (that has never been on a lead) how to walk straight beside you (well balanced and not leaning) and without pulling.

If I get one that pulls then I tend to stop until the pup turns around to me to find out what is happening, then I continue on until it pulls again but this method is really only for when I am in a patient mood as it can be very frustrating.

Also the 'well balanced' walk is important to me but I have not discovered a good way to teach this, I really don't know if it can be 'taught' - what do you think???

[Keshwar]

Does anyone have any suggestions on what they think the best way to teach a pup (that has never been on a lead) how to walk straight beside you (well balanced and not leaning) and without pulling.

If I get one that pulls then I tend to stop until the pup turns around to me to find out what is happening, then I continue on until it pulls again but this method is really only for when I am in a patient mood as it can be very frustrating.

Also the 'well balanced' walk is important to me but I have not discovered a good way to teach this, I really don't know if it can be 'taught' - what do you think???

By this (bolded bit) do you mean in the heel position?

I wouldn't try this at all with a puppy that has never been on a lead. First up I would make sure that having the lead and collar on are a fun experience and then work on getting the puppy to pay attention to you. This should eliminate pulling.

Personally when I walk my dogs on a lead I very rarely have them in a heel position.

Bear.

[luvsdogs]

Agree with Keshwar. If you want the pup to walk on say the left only, only reward on the left. If he's elsewhere lure him to your left & reward.

[Stitch]

This is a hypothetical question so presume that we know that walking on the lead should be a happy experience and yes it would always be associated with walking on the left hand side.

What I am particularly interested in is getting the dog to walk forward in a balanced state, not pulling either to the side or to the front and the starting point would be from scratch with a pup that has not been walked on a lead.

Any ideas?

[Keshwar]

I would get pup used to lead and collar.

Play focus games with pup - even when not on lead.

With pup on-lead mark and reward when pup is in the position you want.

Intially I would keep sessions very short. Slowly build duration.

All of this really depends on what you are training for. If you are training to eventually trial then the positioning needs to be precise. If you are simply training a pup to walk nicely on lead then precision isn't really required.

When I walkk my dogs on lead I do not insist they be in a set position. My criteria are thay can be anywhere around me to the end of the lead. To the end of the lead is not pulling. I can usually walk my dogs - Afghan Hounds - holding the lead on one finger.

For me walks are relaxion and exercise for the dogs. They can sniff and explore, within the above constraints, but most move on when asked to.

Bear.

[Stitch]

Yes Keshwar I am expecting the positioning to be precise so I am thinking clicker training is going to be a must.

What exercises do you use for focusing?

[Keshwar]

If you are going to use a clicker I'd simply click and reward every time the pup looks at me. Then I'd put a cue on the behaviour, "watching, "look" etc. To encourage the pup to look I hold a reward infront of my face. When the pup will reliably look I then move the reward out to the side, so the pup only gets the reward when making eye contact.

Then to increase duration I'd increase the time between the click and the reward.

As with all training only move on to the next phase when the current level is reliable.

Bear.

[dancinbcs]

I teach all my puppies to heel without a collar or lead from about 5-6 weeks, using food as a lure then a reward. Once they will heel around the yard I do it with a collar on then work up to attaching a lead. All training sessions are just a couple of minutes several times a day and by the time they are eight weeks they walk roughly at heel with or without the lead. The lead is only there to stop them wandering off not to guide them in any way.

Once they are happy to walk with a lead attached I get them used to gentle pressure on it and finally being restricted by it, rewarding all the way. My puppies all just accept that they should walk on my left side and if they feel any pressure on the lead they come closer to relieve the pressure.

I devised this method over many years after starting with my first show dog who took four months to learn to walk on lead without throwing himself down and screaming. He went on to gain his CDX and become a Best In Show winner but it sure was hard work at first. I now make sure that any puppies I breed are basically lead trained, toilet trained and have started on the basics of stand, sit, drop, watch and come before they leave at 8 weeks.

[Stitch]

Interesting Dancinbcs, I think that there is much more scope to train puppies earlier than is normally considered acceptable - as you have proved.

How do you overcome the usual response of all the litter mates having an influence on the one that is currently being trained and creating a distraction?

Do you move/train away from their line of sight?

The more I read about it and the more experience I get, the more I feel that I should be training much earlier.

It is just getting into a routine for this early training that I am finding difficult.

[dancinbcs]

Interesting Dancinbcs, I think that there is much more scope to train puppies earlier than is normally considered acceptable - as you have proved.

How do you overcome the usual response of all the litter mates having an influence on the one that is currently being trained and creating a distraction?

Do you move/train away from their line of sight?

The more I read about it and the more experience I get, the more I feel that I should be training much earlier.

It is just getting into a routine for this early training that I am finding difficult.

It is actually better if the other puppies can watch the training session. Jealousy works wonders. When one puppy is taken out of the run and given yummy treats for doing a couple of minutes training, the others are all keen to have their turn.

Don't worry too much about setting a routine. Just try to fit in a few minutes several times a day. It's amazing what you can achieve in two or three minutes with a baby. Having BCs it becomes routine to train puppies for a minute or so every time you interact with them. When I just have one left, every time I go out into the yard or the puppy is awake inside there needs to be little bits of training going on. Letting a BC develop bad habits is a recipe for disaster so the earlier training starts the easier it is on everyone. When not asleep a BC puppy has to be doing "something" so I just make sure it is something that I want them to do.

The biggest problem we have selling BC puppies is making sure that the owner is smarter than the puppy. They do have habit of training the owner if not very carefully handled from the start.

The early training is the reason that I will never own a rescue dog again. Yes, I have trained older dogs in the past but it is soooooo much simpler to train a baby puppy before the rebellious stage at 4 months hits than it is to start afterwards.

By the time my puppies are first shown at 3 months they are show trained, crate trained, toilet trained and know their basic obedience commands as well as a couple of little tricks like "shake hands". They of course still chew and dig and do all the normal puppy things (some much more than others) but their basic training is well and truly underway.

[Stitch]

OK Dancinbcs, you are my idol! :p

That's exactly what I want to do only not with BC's.

Do you think clicker training works with ones so young?

Or do you just reward immediately with voice and treats?

[dancinbcs]

OK Dancinbcs, you are my idol!

That's exactly what I want to do only not with BC's.

Do you think clicker training works with ones so young?

Or do you just reward immediately with voice and treats?

Thanks Stitch. What breed do you have ?

I have never used clicker training but have knowledgable friends who have used it successfully on little babies. I could never remember to have the clicker with me so just use the word "good" and treat.

Must have a go at clicker training sometime to see how well it works.