Hi All, Zulu spends quite a bit of time in his play pen, which is a decent size for a 8 week old puppy (3m x 3m). I would like to include him more around the house, in other ‘designated’ areas, which include: 1: The tiled area to the entrance of the lounge 2: In the kitchen / dinner area As I have toddlers (and a cheeky kitten), its difficult to let Zulu ‘run wild’ around the house as he will get quite excited with the kids and kitten. What I have started doing is putting his lead on in the above designated areas and attached the lead to a door handle. I found that he actually sits and behaves very well, plus it allows my kids to roam the house and get comfortably closs to Zulu, without him jumping them… it also gives me a little rest as I don’t need to watch the kids, dog and kitten so closely… all in all… I feel this helps tremendously with Zulu’s discipline as well as integrating the whole family. Every few minutes I reward Zulu for sitting quietly (and occupying himself) as well as reward him for calming down when he’s excited. What are you views on having your puppy on a lead (like above) outside of his designated areas? Cheers, Robbie
Re: Using a lead indoors I used an indoor long line (think that's what it's called :) when I had children in the house or when someone who isn't confident around dogs. It helped Harley learn quickly but have a bit of space but also helped the 'non doggy people'. I rarely use it now, but the first 2 months I did
Re: Using a lead indoors I remember over the weekend how chaotic things were when we brought Zulu home, but its amazing how little things (such as the lead indoors), can make things so much easy. I also have kibble jars in Zulus designated areas.. which allows me to reward train him as soon as he starts getting too excited.
Re: Using a lead indoors When puzzle first came i had to put a lead on her at times as she would not leave our other dog alone, she would follow him constantly and try to suckly on him and snuggle into him, he was not a fan of this but was too soft at the time to tell her to get away so he was constantly getting up and moving away which was not helping his poorly legs, and not to mention that he lost 1kg in the first 2 weeks of having her. I just put it on her and attached it to me so she could only go so far away and leave him to have some peace and quite, we did have a cage but i felt it was unfair for her to be in that during her most active parts of the day when she wanted to play
Re: Using a lead indoors [quote author=Puppypal link=topic=5073.msg63635#msg63635 date=1395786486] I just put it on her and attached it to me so she could only go so far away and leave him to have some peace and quite, we did have a cage but i felt it was unfair for her to be in that during her most active parts of the day when she wanted to play [/quote] How did you attached the lead to you?
Re: Using a lead indoors I think that what you're doing sounds fine, Robbie You can use a clip or carabiner to clip the lead to a belt.
Re: Using a lead indoors Funny you mention carabiners.. i discovered them this morning when i was trying to figure out how to attach the lead to the sliding door handle... found one on the pram, which my wife uses to attached her shopping bags lol Wonderful little things they are!
Re: Using a lead indoors Leads round your waist are fine when the pups are little; I nearly killed myself when Drift was about a year old, I was out with him attached to me, when husband suddenly appeared, Drift pulled toward him and I was tipped back and cracked my head on the floor, thought I was dead for a moment!
Re: Using a lead indoors I think there are some different concepts maybe muddled up here. An indoor long-line or house-line is a short training line that is usually left trailing. This is a great way to give yourself some extra control as you can pick up the end of the line if you need to interrupt the puppy or pre-empt a behaviour you don't want. A tether is a different and also useful concept, but, I would never tether a puppy to an object, only to myself. Tethering the puppy to his owner can really help them to bond with the puppy as he goes everywhere they go. Tethering the puppy to an object is likely to result in struggling, whining, and tangling, and doesn't teach the puppy very much.
Re: Using a lead indoors Tying to myself hasn't worked for me - the risk there is treading on the puppy or jerking its neck if you both move in opposite directions at the same time. You have to be careful and very attentive. If you can't be fully attentive then some kind of restriction of the puppy is the best option. A portable crate or playpen would be the ideal, I think. Being tied up to an object and waiting quietly is one of the exercises taught in the puppy class at our dog club. It is taught actively (ie. it's not just 'tie up the pup and walk away) with rewards/attention for waiting quietly. Handlers are only a metre away too. I've not seen any problems with it provided things progress at the pup's pace and the pup is already used to a collar and lead. Obviously a pup should never be out of sight in that situation.
Re: Using a lead indoors [quote author=Robbiep link=topic=5073.msg63643#msg63643 date=1395786843] [quote author=Puppypal link=topic=5073.msg63635#msg63635 date=1395786486] I just put it on her and attached it to me so she could only go so far away and leave him to have some peace and quite, we did have a cage but i felt it was unfair for her to be in that during her most active parts of the day when she wanted to play [/quote] How did you attached the lead to you? [/quote] i just tied it round my wrist as she was small and easily containable then, now if i have to do when grumpy guts does not feel well i tie it around my waist
Re: Using a lead indoors Hi all, Thanks for the feedback. I think perhaps i wasn't clear on my use of the lead indoors.. Its not a case of me tethering Zulu, but if im in the kitchen cooking, sometimes i like to have him closer to me (generally within a metre of me), or if im setting up and getting the kids ready for dinner etc. Its just a nice way to have him nearby when im slightly busy and cant watch his every move. The other option is to put him in his play area (which has view of the kitchen, dinning area and lounge) but sometimes i like having him just that little bit closer to me.
Re: Using a lead indoors [quote author=Robbiep link=topic=5073.msg63847#msg63847 date=1395870197] ..... but if im in the kitchen cooking, sometimes i like to have him closer to me (generally within a metre of me)..... [/quote] I have no problem with that one
Re: Using a lead indoors [quote author=Robbiep link=topic=5073.msg63847#msg63847 date=1395870197] Its not a case of me tethering Zulu, but if im in the kitchen cooking, sometimes i like to have him closer to me (generally within a metre of me), or if im setting up and getting the kids ready for dinner etc. Its just a nice way to have him nearby when im slightly busy and cant watch his every move.[/quote] That was the scenario I had imagined
