# Leash training help



## brandongill1 (Mar 27, 2012)

Hi guys, so my pup Odin is 13 weeks old, and I'm having trouble taking him out for walks. inside the house he's wild jumping around biting whatever is in sight, but as soon as I take him outside for a walk, all that energy vanishes, he'll walk a few steps, and then start eating what ever is on the ground, if he see's someone walking, he stops whatever he is doing, sits down and stares at them until they're out of sight, it doesn't seem like he's afraid, he'll just watch them until they're out of sight. afterwards he goes right back to eating everything off the ground, walks a few more steps, and then back to eating anything off the ground, I've tried luring him with treats, but it doesn't seem all that effective, any advice on how to get him to walk more with me?


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## LogicSays (Feb 1, 2012)

I have a 5 month old. That stage was extremely frustrating, I know your pain. The short answer is: it will probably go away with time. If he's food motivated, this will help with learning how to walk properly on a leash. Just make sure to keep at it, and don't get too frustrated. As hard as that can be sometimes, I have seen firsthand how much damage it can do to proper training.


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## kidkhmer (Jul 14, 2010)

I have a 16 week old pup who now walks perfectly on a lead. I have always started my dogs on-leash training from week 2 of ownership. I start them in the house/yard by simply clipping a very small leash on that they can trail around without me holding it. I click an reward to put it on and click and reward when i take it off. I then move them to tinny little walks in the house or in the garden and we always start with a "lets go!". I have a rock climbing chalk pouch slung over my chest under my armpit full of TINY little hot dog pieces ( half pea sized ) and as we walk forward I click and reward every few steps or so . I simply fill my fist up and let them snuffle a few out at a time.This ( i believe but I am no pro ! ) gets them to associate walking on leash with something nice - treats ! I also noticed it trains them as an extra added benefit to focus on you ! I then move them to outside walks using the same technique but just small distances. Constant rewards as we walk and if they get distracted I lure back to the walk with treat and then click reward. As they get a little older, I also use the treats when they see other dogs. As soon as my latest pup got all excited id get her focused back on the treat and we'd walk past and click reward. Then....to get her Ok further with other dogs ( we have tonnes of untrained dogs here that just sit behind their gates and go mental ) I would walk her right up to the gates and put her into a sit stay or a down stay and whilst she would grizzle away and fidget initially ....after some weeks of this she eventually just settled down because she knew a treat was coming if she did. So...she is only 16 weeks old and with daily repetition in training she now walks at the heel like a champ even if i don't take rewards and the clicker . I also think it helps to walk with purpose in your stride. Don't dawdle at a snails pace. Control the walk and if they pull at the lead....STOP.......Wait...."Lets go ! ". I also train the dogs to "SWITCH" by switching the lead behind my back and having the dogs walk right side as well sometimes. You never know when it will come in handy.One thing i think i have in my favor here in Cambodia is the climate. It is so freaking hot and humid outside most days that it doesn't take long before the pups have had the spunk knocked out of them and they go into dopey compliant mode ;-). If your pup isnt food orientated that must be hard. I have never had a dog that didn't love hot dogs.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

What do you mean eating everything off the ground?


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## brandongill1 (Mar 27, 2012)

kidkhmer said:


> I have a 16 week old pup who now walks perfectly on a lead. I have always started my dogs on-leash training from week 2 of ownership. I start them in the house/yard by simply clipping a very small leash on that they can trail around without me holding it. I click an reward to put it on and click and reward when i take it off. I then move them to tinny little walks in the house or in the garden and we always start with a "lets go!". I have a rock climbing chalk pouch slung over my chest under my armpit full of TINY little hot dog pieces ( half pea sized ) and as we walk forward I click and reward every few steps or so . I simply fill my fist up and let them snuffle a few out at a time.This ( i believe but I am no pro ! ) gets them to associate walking on leash with something nice - treats ! I also noticed it trains them as an extra added benefit to focus on you ! I then move them to outside walks using the same technique but just small distances. Constant rewards as we walk and if they get distracted I lure back to the walk with treat and then click reward. As they get a little older, I also use the treats when they see other dogs. As soon as my latest pup got all excited id get her focused back on the treat and we'd walk past and click reward. Then....to get her Ok further with other dogs ( we have tonnes of untrained dogs here that just sit behind their gates and go mental ) I would walk her right up to the gates and put her into a sit stay or a down stay and whilst she would grizzle away and fidget initially ....after some weeks of this she eventually just settled down because she knew a treat was coming if she did. So...she is only 16 weeks old and with daily repetition in training she now walks at the heel like a champ even if i don't take rewards and the clicker . I also think it helps to walk with purpose in your stride. Don't dawdle at a snails pace. Control the walk and if they pull at the lead....STOP.......Wait...."Lets go ! ". I also train the dogs to "SWITCH" by switching the lead behind my back and having the dogs walk right side as well sometimes. You never know when it will come in handy.One thing i think i have in my favor here in Cambodia is the climate. It is so freaking hot and humid outside most days that it doesn't take long before the pups have had the spunk knocked out of them and they go into dopey compliant mode ;-). If your pup isnt food orientated that must be hard. I have never had a dog that didn't love hot dogs.


He is very food motivated, though when it comes to walking he'll walk up eat the food, and just sit there and wait for me to talk up a few more steps and wait for the treat again, other times he'll just sit there and sight see, looking at everything, and everyone that walks by. Ive been trying day by day, sometimes he'll walk 2 or 3 blocks, other times he won't do anything. though the real kicker is, with my sister, he walks on for hours, and I've walked with her too, doesn't do anything special, he'll just walk with her for some reason


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## brandongill1 (Mar 27, 2012)

Falkosmom said:


> What do you mean eating everything off the ground?


grass, leaves, rocks, sticks, etc etc


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## kidkhmer (Jul 14, 2010)

I am reading that as you stop the walk to reward him ?

Don't.

Keep him moving and keep the treats flowing as long as he's doing what you want. Reward on the moment he steps off and Don't be afraid to give a tug on the lead and a turn "walk".many times that's all they need...


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

don't let your pup eat things laying on the ground.
don't wait untill it's time to go out to leash train.
leash your pup and walk around indoors. leash your
pup and walk around outdoors. when your pup is staring
at people passing ask the person to come over and pet
your pup. leash train often in short sessions.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I don't have alot of luck with puppies and leashes, if I have to have them on the Gentle Leader works well for puppies to 'manage' them easily and happily.





 
That said, what I really do is just go in the back yard for all the poops/pees when my pups are young. THey go out, I got out, brief play sessions AFTER they 'go' and then back in the house. Great time to work in some http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ime-owner/162230-engagement-key-training.html <--click that

But what I actually do to EXERCISE my pups is, about every other day, pack them into the car and we do this:





 
I also am REALLY working on a good 'leave it' command for all my pups the day they come into the house. It can save their lives (and my patience....)


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