Hi All, Hopefully someone can assist. While Vanilla (5 1/2 months) is sitting and I am standing on the lead with enough slack to make sure that her head is not pulled down. Yet she still manages to get up and do a somersault when someone comes up (not exactly but it felt like it and lucky this only happened once). All the other times she will get up on all fours and try and get moving. I am worried that she will do damage to either her neck or bones. Even having her focus on me from an early point when I notice she is fixed on someone or someone is fixed on her does not always help. I don't want to hold her collar at the bottom/underneath as someone has suggested to stop her moving. Have enough problems retraining a new harnes with her over the past week... anyone got some suggestions or came across this themselves? Cheers, Sven
@snowbunny lead is attached to the collar. I get her to sit then place the lead under my foot. I believe if attached to a harness it can cause problems for them. @Oberon tried that originally with streami g treats. Problem we have had is that she has had a very sensitive tummy plus infection,so had to stop treating unless it was chicken. We went to class and they mentioned the metjod of standing on the lead. Originally was not that keen on the method, but a bit of research suggested that is a good way to stop a jumping dog. Just not sure now after the experience. Might go back to treating her and maybe get her to face me, but think that could cause problems down the track as she might never get used to meeting people in a sit position out and about...
I don't think getting her to focus on you is the right approach. A better way is to train her to remain calm whilst being free to look at the thing she is excited by. This means lots of practice at a distance she is able to cope with, and gradually getting closer. The rest of the time, just don't let her meet people. Keep walking on. If a person approaches you, call to them, "No thank you, we're training". Cross the road or change direction if you have to to give her enough distance.
I have seen a couple of dogs panic (suddenly struggling and pulling away hard) with the 'foot on the lead' approach if it's done with a collar on, so in those cases I would try it with a harness only. Or I'd train my dog to be ok with it with a clicker (starting with a microsecond of foot on lead and then building up).
The technique doesn't really work on a harness, because the angle of the lead isn't right. It isn't right either to control the dog, or to create the cue (the cue is the lead hanging directly down to the floor). So if you have a dog that panics if restrained, you do need to address that first.
Thanks for the advise. I think I will go back to my way which was to get her to sit and I stroked her chest and talked to her calmy while also C&T. I was making progress that way, but then changed tacked after the class. I think sometimes have to trust my own instinct...
