Hello everyone. Our puppy Scout (10 months) has been doing great off lead. Her recall is fantastic. She responds and checks back to me when called even when people and/or other dogs are present. Its a great feeling knowing I can keep her close to me when we go for a walk. My problem is this..... Now that I've been doing so much off lead walking it seems whenever I get in a situation where she needs to be kept on a lead (lots of people, areas with trash or other things I don't want her picking up in her mouth or eating, etc) she does terrible. Before I started moving to off lead walks I had her walking comfortably by my side with virtually no pulling. Now anytime she is on the lead she just pulls and pulls. I feel like she is just looking for the freedom of being off the lead. She is almost 70 lbs and my wife can barely keep her back when she walks her on the lead. I feel like I've made giant steps forward in off lead walking but have taken giant steps backwards in walking on the lead! Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. time for some remedial no-pull training. Set aside some time, where you have no specific destination, and unlimited time. Arm yourself with treats.... and start walking. As soon as she pulls stop dead in your tracks and wait. When she releases the pressure, reward and start again. Pull= stop....release = treats and go.... You might not get very far...but keep after it....and hopefully she'll quickly remember her leash manners. Once she gets the connection of pulling gets her no where, and staying on loose lead gets her treats....then it's just being consistent and stopping anytime she is onlead and pulling. Good luck! But it should turn around pretty quickly....and bonus - you'll be her new favorite thing - treat dispenser!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. We are in exactly the same boat and have started just what sunsetpines suggested. It's VERY frustrating! Fingers crossed we start making progress.
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. It is very unlikely to be anything to do with the off lead walks. Unless that means you haven't been keeping up the online training of course. It might also be her age, it's not unusual for puppies to start off ok on the lead and then get worse as teenagers. There are loads of resources on the site to help with lead walking, it can be tough, take a while, and lots of us have been there. Best of luck with it.
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. I'd like to say that's me but the recalls not 100 percent either!lol 9 month Bailey, Our lead training has improved, I couldn't do the stopping thing, at about the same size too heavy, So I started heeling on the off lead walk and in the garden no lead! On lead and went back to treat treat treat, as we walked ! Most of his morning allowance! Also put on lead on offlead walking for shirt time ( treat treat treat) Now much better! I have a look at me three times whilst we walking treat third time, now fourth or fifth time. Yesterday no treats! Had to rush to local shop and forgot treats. Super Hope helps good luck x
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. Benson is 17 months, when he was younger he never really pulled. As he hit adolescence we have had to revist a number of behaviours, one is on lead, mainly because he has become very aware of smells/other dogs so super distracted, so we have to work now a bit harder at proving against these, and re framing his interest around us on walks. I think labs having a training blip around this age is not unusual Good luck though, it does get easier!
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. Bouncer now pulls like a train when on the lead but still behaves brilliant off the lead. I put it down to teenagermutt syndrome.
Re: Great off lead...now terrible on it. Yep, I reckon they get to being teenagers and the "let me at the world" feeling kicks in, and that's that. Unfortunately though, they don't grow out of pulling on the lead....
