Hi guys Within the last week or so Daisy has become so difficult to walk on lead as she just constantly jumps up at your legs and whines. She mostly gets walked off lead so it’s not usually an issue and she heels pretty well off lead. However this is only just started and it’s getting impossible to walk any distance with her! She was doing really well with loose lead walking and walking to heel while on lead but seems to have gone backwards all of a sudden.. I reward her for every few steps she takes properly but it’s just got to the point now where she doesn’t even take two steps forward without jumping up at my legs. Any tips for this?
Hi @Jordan Maides I cannot, of course, see the dog and you walking together and therefore the suggested solutions are pure guesses. Perhaps try all of the following: 1. pick up the speed at which you are walking 2. cue the dog to walk next to you in heel position and then every 3 or 4 paces, give the release cue and let Daisy sniff. Gradually increase the time/distance she must walk next to you. 3. Don't look down at the dog. You may be reinforcing the behaviour by just looking at her. 4. If you are wearing dresses, then switch to pants. I imagine it's getting cold in Wales. Check to see whether your coat/jacket is flapping around/loose cords etc and thereby becoming a distraction. Try walking a short distance without the jacket /coat to see whether it is the clothing that has recently caused the problem. 5. Try gathering all of the loose lead in the right hand so that it too does not represent a distraction. 6. Try the on-lead walking after she has had a good run around on a long-line/off lead and expended quite a bit of energy. Let me know whether any or none of them work?
@Michael A Brooks Hi Michael, just thought I'd update you. I've been trying your suggestions and the one that seems to have made the biggest difference is to pick up my walking pace. She is now improving and becoming easier to walk. Also, I noticed her harness looked a bit short on her, although there was still room to adjust it around her body, it had become too short lengthways and was starting to dig into her armpits slightly. I've been walking her on her collar since noticing this until I can get her a new harness and this also seems to have made a difference! Silly me, maybe all along she was jumping up because it was rubbing her Thanks for your advice!
Thanks for the update @Jordan Maides Good observation on the length of the harness. Yeah they grow so quickly. I have many collars and harnesses that are too small
