Hi, i posted a thread a few weeks before we were due to get our 2 puppy's and i can happily say 6 weeks after having them both they are a joy (touch wood it stays this way) to have and train. They are so far so good at not chewing stuff around the house and they dont bother us when we eat any meals or snacks nor do they jump up at us, other people or dogs. We are just wanting a few tips on how to walk them both good on the lead as at the moment we take them to a large polo pitch near the army camp where it is lovely and quiet with friendly dog walkers and we dont use a lead whatsoever whilst we are there. However atleast once a day my wife takes them out on the lead but they dont seem to like it, they become very timid around all kinds of vehicles, other dogs etc when they are normally fine when off the lead. We have body harness's for them so it doesn't pull on the neck, so we are just wanting to know where we can improve or what we are doing wrong as they are both our first dogs. We have so far taught them to sit, paw, HI-5, not jump up at anyone. So if anybody can recommend ways that have worked for you please fire away. Also can anybody recommend any puppy socialising groups around the Tidworth area? Thanks, Aaron.
Hello there, Is it the lead, or is it busier places that is the problem? If you walk them off lead where 'it is lovely and quiet' but walk them on lead where there are vehicles and so on, then maybe it's the busier places rather than the lead? That said, leads do change things for dogs. They can't move away from things they don't like, and the dynamics are very different from being off lead. I'd say walk the dogs separately (you should be anyway, both off and on lead - I do not think you should be walking or training 2 puppies of the same age together, indeed my new puppy is never walked with even my older dog unless as a specific training exercise) and socialise them well to all environments and experiences on lead.
Hi Aaron, We are down the road from you in the Weyhill area! When Mole was small we took him to the Wyevale garden centre they have a puppy morning on Saturday mornings in pets at home which he loved! Also walking at Abbotts Ann around the loop walk there you meet lots of different dogs and I still take him there a lot for socialising. Have fun, maybe we will bump into you! Sam
I cant pin it down to the busier place been the issue as they are fine around the vehicles that go in and out of the polo grounds. So i would say they lead, with you having had much more experience with labradors would you say taking them individually to the polo pitch and try on the lead there and seperately in the busy area? May i ask why to do everything seperate sorry if it comes across rude.
Was that andover pets at home? That's where they are registered. We just go to tidworth polo pitches at the moment and around locally on lead. Hopefully see you soon!
No, it's not rude at all. Generally, with puppies being brought up together, you want to do as much as possible with them separately. This is to stop them being focussed on each other, rather than their humans, and also to stop them being dependent on each other. If a puppy always has another puppy (or, I'd say, an older dog) to boost their confidence, or to even give them a cue as to how to behave, then they can be less than self sufficient. Are your two litter mates? My puppy never goes out with my older dog unless it's a specific exercise - mainly learning to ignore my older dog! Who largely wants nothing to do with her, having more important boy's stuff like peeing on things to be getting on with, but she is pretty obsessed by trying to engage him in play.
It's the pet store inside the Wyevale garden centre just outside Andover on the roundabout leading to the A343 Salisbury road. Yes, hope to bump into you - so many great walks around here when they get bigger! Sam
Definitely not rude - someone on a quest to become informed is to be congratulated I have litter mates who are now two years of age. It's not easy, if you want to give them the best start in life. You have to do more apart than you do together. Here's a thread where I wrote a bit more information, that has links to a couple of good articles. http://thelabradorforum.com/threads/what-to-feed-them.15818 It doesn't actually matter whether they're litter mates or not, any two puppies growing up together can develop LMS. I wouldn't change my two for the world, but I wouldn't do it again! Not to put you off, but be prepared for some seriously hard work if you want to give them the best opportunity to grow up into well-rounded dogs. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. I've been there
Yes they are litter mates, we've done a lot of research on littermate syndrome and touch wood they have shown no signs of it. My wife does train them seperately and I took them out on the lead each separately twice yesterday and they both hated the lead as i took it off and they walked next to me and not phased by busses or cars. Would you say there is anything we can do to help with on lead walking? Thanks
Thanks so much, we will both look in depth into what links you posted. Are your two now well trained? Were prepared for the hard work haha.
It depends what you mean by "well trained"! I do gundog training with them and they're getting on well with that, but they're not going to be winning any championships any time soon! They are generally fabulous pet dogs, (almost) always come back when called, don't wander far and do what I ask them to. Almost always
Hope it stays that way for you with them doing so well! Is there anything you'd reccomend we could do to help them on the lead at all then as took them out individually with harness and they barely got 10m between them both haha, took the lead off and they stayed by me the whole time and sat when we crossed the road
The real danger period for LMS is really around their adolescence, this is when the aggressive part seems to come to the fore if it's going to. So as much separation as possible until then is key. As far as lead walking, don't put any pressure on them. Clip the lead on then sit down on the floor and play with them. Then walk a few steps, play a bit more. Again, individually, not together. Forget walking about meaning getting from A to B and make it just time with your puppy. It may be that you don't get ten metres away from your door to start off with, but that's OK. In time, they'll learn that walks are great fun and when they're independent you'll be wishing they were a bit more reliant on you, so make the most of it now, and make being with you outside the most fun thing ever. Even if it means not going anywhere!
You could also try having them on lead but without you holding it, in your garden and other safe areas, so it's dragging behind them. It might get them associated with the lead in a less stressful environment.
I may have misunderstood you, but I'm a bit concerned if you mean you took the lead off while they were next to, and crossing, a road. It worries me when I see off-lead dogs on pavements as I don't believe even a well-trained dog can be 100% guaranteed to never take off after a cat, dog, piece of rubbish etc. I see it as staking the dog's life on his absolute obedience. I'm all for off-lead in safe areas. I've only ever owned one dog at a time, but trained mine by driving to off-lead areas and then doing several short (i.e. 30 seconds at first) on lead sessions, heavily rewarded with food, between off lead play. Good luck!
