Skip to content

Leash Behavior (or lack thereof)

Behavioral Issues
  • I just switched all three of my dogs to Martingale collars. Prior to that we were using a choke chain, a harness and an old martingale style collar. Two of my dogs are fine, the harness dog however is quite feisty and since we stopped using the harness she is crazy when we're trying to walk. Depending upon the length of our walk we have to cross two busy streets. Last night she had Guppy on his back in the middle of one of the streets wrestling with him all the while a car was coming and I was tangled in leashes. We got away safely but I'm not sure what to do with her. Not walking her isn't the answer, I thought about putting her back on the harness but I want her to learn to behave on the walks. Any suggestions??

  • It is really hard to train new behaviors if you are trying to work multiple dogs at once. When you do not have time to actively train the dog while out on a walk, use a harness so she does not practice the bad behaviors. Set aside time to train her to walk nicely on the martingale. Reward her for good behavior. As she gets the idea of where she is supposed to be and what she is supposed to be doing, then you can start to go to variable reinforcement. Until she has a good grasp of what is expected, don't use the martingale on her when you are walking her with another dog and she will have the opportunity to practice bad behavior.

  • Jacquie: I stand by the Easy Walk harness - the ring being in front of their chests gives you more control over where they are headed. Walking our B's with just collars, of any kind, can be a real problem, and walking three, as you have made clear, is a mess. To save my shoulders and wrists, mine are never out without their harnesses when I'm walking both. Walking one is possible on just a collar by putting it high on their necks, just under the chin, and keeping the leash short. (Like they walk them in dog shows; I call it Shaye's "princess walk") But that's tiring and doesn't teach them much. Ivoss' reply is right on. PS how you doin' out there?

  • You can try walking her with the familiar harness on her as well as the martingale. Try this a few times with just her. You may feel a little like a puppetier, but concentrate on the leash attached to the harness and she'll feel the collar on her neck at the same time. when you heel or stop apply a little pressure on both leashes. This is in essence sensitizing her to the 'new' sensation and she will eventually get it if there are no harsh tugs etc….Try to stay calm, do not correct with the leashe(s), and if she 'death rolls' just be patient and keep safety in mind foremost. (get her untangled calmly after her tantrum should it happen.....) PRAISE-PRAISE-PRAISE when she is walking calmly and she should get it, throw in some treats along the way and have a fun tone to your voice for reassurance!

  • My suggestion is that you start with short walks with just her, a couple of times a day, teaching loose leash walking. While heeling is not a fun way to take walks, you may also need to do that.
    http://www.clickerlessons.com/looseleash.htm So easy you'll feel faint once you try it. :)

  • I've had to re-train Kiora on leash walking now that she is an only dog. When I used to walk her with Ananda she would match her speed more or less…turns out walking by herself she pretty much thought anything goes. What I did was as soon as soon as she applied pressure to the leash I would stop until she let it go slack. Continuing the walk was her reward for having a loose leash. If she stopped and sat she got a treat as well. Now she is walking on a loose leash pretty consistently...she only tugs if she gets worked up about something and then she will stop, sigh and then sit....

  • @Jacquieoutwest:

    I just switched all three of my dogs to Martingale collars. Any suggestions??

    Hey Jacquieoutwest! How's it going?? what have you tried and did it work????

Suggested Topics

  • Leash Agression

    Behavioral Issues
    15
    0 Votes
    15 Posts
    7k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    @tanza: Rather then responding to spam, send a note to the admins of the group LOL you firing my OWN advice back to me? I know, I know… fail.
  • Aggressive Behavior

    Behavioral Issues
    26
    0 Votes
    26 Posts
    12k Views
    srjeeperS
    @davcoz: there are some people that he just does not like. These people tend to be the type that make my wife and I uneasy. Any ideas about this? **If these folks make you and your wife uneasy. Then why wouldn't you expect the same reaction from your B? He's lettin everybody know what he's feelin and your not sayin! :rolleyes:**
  • Off leash and good behavior

    Behavioral Issues
    26
    0 Votes
    26 Posts
    6k Views
    nobarkusN
    My past Basenjis did great off leash right away and stayed right with me. This youngster is not aloof and loves to play and see everybody. So it was too early to try that test.
  • Eating behaviors..

    Behavioral Issues
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    6k Views
    N
    Hello, I just wanted to send a quick update on Nulla. She is doing so well! We started a dog training course where my boyfriend and I are the alpha dogs. There is not treats involved and it has shown amazing results. Nulla has been in the course for about a month now. We have had no eating problems from her (no barfing, no not eating what we set our for her), no behavioral problems (no chewing my shoes, etc). She seems so happy and I am sure she is gaining weight (although I have not weighed her). I think dog training is completely necessary and we've seen HUGE results in Nulla. Everything I posted about before is no longer a concern. Thanks for all the input though. Take Care :)
  • On-Leash Snarking

    Behavioral Issues
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    5k Views
    jessi76J
    @sharronhurlbut: Training with treats will work, if you take it slow. Clicker training works as well. I was going to say the same thing. I would carry a treat bag with me, and a clicker when out on leash. Use the clicker to mark correct behavior, i.e., sitting calmly while another dog passes. If my dog gets snarky on leash, I promptly stand in front of him, and put him in a sit/wait with a focus on ME (not the other dog). if he persists, I simply become a "goalie" and continue to block his path, get eye contact, and again, get a sit/wait.
  • Leash aggression??

    Behavioral Issues
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    5k Views
    basenjibratzB
    @Quercus: That sounds ideal! I do love the head collars…the ONLY drawback is so many dogs have fits when they wear them. But the control is awesome, particularly for reactive dogs. Glad it is working for you! Oh yes, Talker had a fit when he was younger and I tried the collar. I gave up because I felt so bad for him. I don't know what changed this time–whether I was calmer or he mellowed out or what, but he accepted the halti this time around and I'm loving it. There were so many times that he would be so anxious to be out walking that getting him to stop pulling was tiresome and the walks were not enjoyable. We were constantly stopping and starting and stopping and starting to re-adjust ourselves. Now, we just walk. Loving the halti!:)