Walks not enjoyable

Basenji Training
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  • J

    It's been awhile since I wrote about our basenjis.
    All was fine until a few weeks ago, our youngest is becoming extremely stubborn on walks. We walk both dogs at the same time because leaving one alone for any lenght of time…well you know..
    He pulls and tugs and darts at anything that moves. I have been tripped more times than I care to remember and very hurt on one occasion. I don't believe in pinch collars so they are not an option. Any tips or suggestions to help make our walks a little more enjoyable.

    Jo-Anne

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  • dashD

    I like the gentle leader.

    Jennifer

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  • J

    What is the gentle leader??

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  • barklessk9B

    I tried everything and was finally saved by the Halti. I use a soft choke collar and a halti because one of my dogs can slip each kind when she gets wound up.

    http://www.dogsupplies.com/store/mcart.php?ID=271

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  • S

    How about attending a basic obedience class?

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • MacPackM

    There is a halter (I think by Gentle leader)that has the D-ring (that the leash clips onto) at the front of the chest. A friend with a youngster uses one and says it really helps.

    Anne in Tampa

    Chipley, Missy & Lucky

    Topper, Nicky & Eddie in the clouds

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  • NemoN

    Since the dog's motivation is moving forward to get at whatever it wants and you can use that as a reward when he behaves appropriately. You can try several approaches, a) stop dead in your tracks once he pulls and only move foward when the leash is slack (be a tree, you decide when he goes, not him…), b) when he pulls turn in the opposite direction at an angle (4:00 position on a clock, he won't be able to pull as steadily when redirected laterally), and walk in that direction for a little bit and then return to the direction you want to go, c) train him with a watch command, so that that if you see something in the distance that might set him off, you can get him to look at you and you can give him a yummy treat - that might desensitive him a little to some of the distractions.

    When I tried these approaches, I really didn't move very far at first, but it paid off. Good luck!

    Connect with the Basenji Club of America on Facebook

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  • K

    The Easy Walk harness is another option, and usually less annoying for the dog. But the Haltis and Gentle Leaders are nice too.

    Kelli Harmon

    Kiroja Basenjis

    Southgate, MI USA

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  • dashD

    @Jo-Anne:

    What is the gentle leader??

    http://www.pickofthelitterdogtraining.com/GentleLeader.jpg

    I found this link to a pic. I got it since dash tries to eat other dogs that approach on leash, but overall it gives more control. I had a dog trainer fit it on him since the fit is rather tight, so it does not slip unlike the Halti.

    Actual training would be best, but this could give you more control in the mean time.

    Jennifer

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  • J

    @sharronhurlbut:

    How about attending a basic obedience class?

    Would love to try obedience classes….any tips on keeping him calm in the car so we can get there... Our boy is quite the youngster or a little devil depending on the day

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  • J

    @kiroja:

    The Easy Walk harness is another option, and usually less annoying for the dog. But the Haltis and Gentle Leaders are nice too.

    Both dogs are walked with harness'. Just purchased a Halti, will try it out and see how it goes. Some days are better than others:)

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  • J

    @dash:

    http://www.pickofthelitterdogtraining.com/GentleLeader.jpg

    I found this link to a pic. I got it since dash tries to eat other dogs that approach on leash, but overall it gives more control. I had a dog trainer fit it on him since the fit is rather tight, so it does not slip unlike the Halti.

    Actual training would be best, but this could give you more control in the mean time.

    Thank you for the link

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  • ComicDom1C

    Joanne,

    We bought a Gentle leader yesterday. Since we walk through a forest preserve type park on a dailiy basis we have all kinds of animals that will get our dogs attention.

    We just finished the easiest 4 miles that Roo and I have ever done. Kudo's to the inventor's of the Gentle Leader. By the way those 4 miles today were in the Rain and Roo did not balk at the rain a bit.

    Jason and Miranda

    Get your Basenji Fanconi DNA tested today!

    https://secure.offa.org/dnatesting/index.html

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  • BennyB

    @ComicDom1:

    Joanne,

    We bought a Gentle leader yesterday. Since we walk through a forest preserve type park on a dailiy basis we have all kinds of animals that will get our dogs attention.

    We just finished the easiest 4 miles that Roo and I have ever done. Kudo's to the inventor's of the Gentle Leader. By the way those 4 miles today were in the Rain and Roo did not balk at the rain a bit.

    Jason and Miranda

    What specific Gentle Leader and what size did you get for your B?

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  • ComicDom1C

    Benny, we bought the small. Our dog is 21 almost 22 lbs of Pure Muscle. We walked 3 miles twice a day every day last summer, rain or shine, and at least 3 miles on most days in the winter conditions permitting. The small size is for dogs up to 25lbs. Please read all the directions and view the CD/DVD that comes with it. It is important to put this head collar on your dog properly and important to adjust it properly also. We bought ours at Pet Smart on sale.

    Jason

    Get your Basenji Fanconi DNA tested today!

    https://secure.offa.org/dnatesting/index.html

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  • lvossL

    An Easy Walk or Sensation harness is also a good option for preventing pulling. Mine never adjusted to the Gentle Leader. They would refuse to walk and just try to get it off rubbing on everything. I have used the Easy Walk harness and it effectively stopped the pulling without the resistance they showed with the Gentle Leader. Both are made by Premier. Basenjis are the 'tweener size S/M.

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  • nobarkusN

    I used harnesses on both. Hold the leashes with the right hand and always keep them on on your left side holding the leash as well with your left hand for control. Keep them close to your left side. When you hold the leash with your right hand put your hand through the loop so it wraps around your wrist and then grab hold of the leash that way if they try to bolt suddenly the leash will not pull out of your hand.

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

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  • tah1212T

    I tried the gentle leader, head harness; however, at the time Rocco was between sizes, so I did not feel I could get it quite right. I used the harness version, and that worked pretty good?until he stole it from the closet and chewed it up?I highly recommend you use a combination of a harness with the clip on the front (as this will make pulling more difficult) and training classes. As far as managing a dog in the car, the safest way is with a crate. At first they might not like it, but over time with more practice they will adjust. It only took a few classes for Rocco to figure out that riding in the crate meant he would be going to ?hang? out with some other puppies.

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  • Shaye's MomS

    We have never been able to enjoy our walks with Shaye - she pulled and slipped most harnesses, and choked herself constantly with every type collar we tried. With the Gentle Leader, she simply threw herself on the ground and would not stand up, and pawed the nose piece continually. BUT - at obedience class the other night, the insructor told us about the Easy Walk Harness, and we put one on her. I cannot tell you what a difference it made! She cannot slip it off, she knows she has no control, and she walks next to us with no problem at all - when she needs to do her business, we simply give her the length of the retractable, then when she's done shorten it up again and she pretty much walks loose leash, the way she should, for the rest of the walk. Wish I'd known about this when she was a little puppy - she's 6 months now, and we'll never have a walking problem again. I really really recommend this harness - no pulling on her neck, no discomfort at all, and it made all the difference in the world to us when it comes to walking her.

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  • bcraigB

    I am also a huge fan of the Easy Walk harness and posted a recommendation on another thread. In our case, the timing also coincided with when her leash training finally began to progress. But there is no question that the harness helped a lot. We have the 'tweener size called small/medium.

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    @DebraDownSouth: I do 2 kinds of walks with my dogs, both do no permit pulling. On most walks, I like to use a longer leash and I allow them to sniff and do whatever… it is what is fun for them. On exercise walks, I make them heel and keep head up. That way they get that sometimes they can meander and sniff, other times it's business. I have never tried it, but I suspect you can teach sniff, then NO SNIFF lol. We do both on our walks, free leash and then heeling. But I would love him to have his head up more during free leash walking.
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    QuercusQ
    @SNA: I tried a head halter ages ago, for at least 3 weeks, but she just hated it. She kept trying to get it off, even after three weeks, and I just couldn't do it to her anymore. A couple of books I'm following at the moment say that head halters suppress rather than correct the behaviour. She's doing well now. Well, both the head halter, and the chest harness suppress the pulling behavior. You have to train the desired behavior at the same time. The idea is that you have to stop them from pulling, or else you can't make any progress training the correct behavior. Pulling is a self rewarding behavior; in their minds, they pull, and it makes them get to where they want to be. You have to stop that association, and retrain them that when the leash is loose you get to go where you want to be. Neither walking aide can do that, only the training.
  • S

    Reluctant to go for walks

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    ComicDom1C
    @SNA: Thank you very much for your comments. I probably have been expecting too much of her. I had a think about what had changed for her to be so obstinate, and I realised that I had been going without my kids. Good for me as it's less work, but my four year old, I realised, was excellent at getting her going again when she stopped, simply by walking ahead, and, if needed, calling her name. Taking my four year old son also means taking my 20 month old daughter in the sling, but at least we can do our 20-30 minute walk around the block. Now I just have to think of a way of convincing my once enthusiastic son who now complains of being tired and who doesn't want to go, of coming on the walk every day! LOL at carrying Dallas, I have to do that with Jessie nearly every time at the end too! Does your puppy have a favorite toy? If so put it in your back pocket and then put the leash on your pet and see how that works. Just make sure your pet cannot get it by jumping. In fact you can make a game of it by playing in your home with the toy and the dog for a about 5 mins before you walk. If your dog likes squeekie toys then you can also buy a replacement squeekie and keep it in your pocket. When you are walking and want the dogs attention you can squeek it inside your pocket. We use Martingale Collar's. Our Basenji seems to tolerate this style well. I also have noticed that leash control is very important when walking my Basenji. For that purpose I use a regular type 6 foot lead that I can wrap around my hand when I wish to take more control of my dog. I also have a very short lead ( about 2 feet or maybe less) that I use when I want the dog to concentrate on walking next to me. After my dog gets his business done, we are all about a constant pace walking. My perception is that if we are out for a walk to exercise him that we should concentrate on that aspect. I also have a 20 foot lead that I do use when we go on a leisure type walk. On that type of walk, I usually allow him to sniff and explore but I keep moving. He might run ahead slightly but then he will stop and wait and then do it again. The only time I use a flexie type or retractable leash is when I am going to let him have the room to run in a circle. Of course like any dog, the more rope or leash you give them the more they will take advantage of. My puppy does not walk perfectly, but what he does is pretty tolerable. After he does his business and we get our first 1 1/2 miles in, he settles down and gets the next 1 1/2 mile in quite nicely. Of course we did not start at that distance but we did start with at least a 1 to 1 1/2 miles when he was a little over 8 weeks old. After the walk, we worked on sit, stay, come, and lay down for about 10 to 15 mins. I always treated him with a couple of cheerio's or something similar directly after the walk. Actually he refused to drink any water until he got his cheerios. Hope this helps, Jason