I have a 4 month old boxer/pit mix named max. he is very smart, only messed in the house twice since we've had him and learned all his basic tricks real quick. I have a problem though getting him to walk on a leash. He runs away from it when i have it, will cling to the ground when i finally get it on him and he won't budge. if we move anywhere it's bc i literally dragged him. We have a 14 year old beagle/shepard mix that loves walks and max will go out and walk on a leash only if jack goes. Any suggestions on how to teach him to walk on it and to teach him not to either be afraid of it or just being stubborn about it. I don't understand why he won't go alone but he'll go when jack goes...strange to me....thanks.
leash probs
- Thread starter ashlees
- Start date
Don't drag him, it will make him even more scare of the leash.
Start letting him walk around with the leash on. Then after a while, when he's used to it, pick it up, and be patient. Call him to you, everytime he goes to you, give him a treat. Then, start walking, while showing a treat at his height, and he should follow the treat. Give him the treat after a few steps, rinse and repeat.
Eventually he will get used to the leash, especially if it's associated with a good thing (treats).
Start letting him walk around with the leash on. Then after a while, when he's used to it, pick it up, and be patient. Call him to you, everytime he goes to you, give him a treat. Then, start walking, while showing a treat at his height, and he should follow the treat. Give him the treat after a few steps, rinse and repeat.
Eventually he will get used to the leash, especially if it's associated with a good thing (treats).
Fran is right. You have frightened your dog and made him resist the leash because it was unpleasant and frightening to be dragged with it. Your puppy is not stubborn. Now, you can turn that around. I'll suggest that you leave the leash lying on the floor for a few days. Toss a few SPECIAL treats near it. Get him to see the leash as non-threatening. After a few days, try attaching it to his collar while giving him praise, happy, cheerful voice and treats. Let him drag it around for 5 or 10 minutes, supervising him so that he doesn't get it tangled on something which will again frighten or frusterate him. Take it off and leave it on the floor. Get your dog to come along with you through the house without a leash on. Just pat your thigh, make happy noises and make it a game. Praise him when he comes along beside you. Always always praise your dog when it comes to you, when he is near you. Then after a few days of this, put the leash on and try to encourage him to come along with you, dragging the leash. Do that for a few times. Then pick up the other end of the leash and happily coax him to come along. DO NOT CAUSE TENSION IN THE LEASH and never drag your puppy. Reward him for coming along by your side. Do this in baby steps and soon your puppy will be happy to go for a walk outside in the yard. Practice in the yard for a week or so before ever taking him out into the big scary world.
Just try and put yourself in your puppies shoes. EVERYTHING is new and potentially scary to a baby. They've never seen some of these things before. Introduce new things in as non-frightening a way as possible. Make things you want your dog to be able to do, pleasant, rewarding and fun.
Good luck.
Just try and put yourself in your puppies shoes. EVERYTHING is new and potentially scary to a baby. They've never seen some of these things before. Introduce new things in as non-frightening a way as possible. Make things you want your dog to be able to do, pleasant, rewarding and fun.
Good luck.
What kind of treats? I have yet to find a dog who will turn down some left over, cut up into tiny, pea sized pieces of a New York steak or even hot dog, mozzerella cheese or some chicken parmessan. You can also work with your dog when it's getting close to meal time and he's hungry.
What is he interested in? Does he have a special toy that he particularily likes? One that he doesn't get to have at all times that you could save for when you're trying to teach him something and it would then seem more of a reward? Don't forget to make a fool of yourself with giggly, happy, hopping, cheer. LOL.
What is he interested in? Does he have a special toy that he particularily likes? One that he doesn't get to have at all times that you could save for when you're trying to teach him something and it would then seem more of a reward? Don't forget to make a fool of yourself with giggly, happy, hopping, cheer. LOL.
he's just so dead against not doing what he doesn't want to that he doesn't care what i have. He's just concerned with going back inside. The only way we can get him to go is if our other dog goes. Yesterday though, he decided to try and we walked for awhile. So he's getting better. I just give him dog biscuits for treats...i try to stay away from "people" food. Our other dog is overweight i think partley because of it but he's getting better. And believe me, i do make a fool out of myself...i look goofy trying to get him to go it's funny! Thanks for your suggestions!!!
There's nothing wrong with people food as long as it's nutritious and a balanced part of their diet. Dogs and people eat many of the same things. You make the training treats the size of a pea and use lower fat treats. I use skim milk monery jack or mozzerella cheese. I sometimes use some left over lean meat. Regular hard dog biscuits aren't that exciting. For motivation, you need something that the dog really loves. Dogs, by nature love food. They have an inherently strong desire and instinct to get food because it's a matter of survival. I realize there are a few who prefer a toy. But if you work with your dog (or most dogs) when he's hungry, not just after a meal, and use delicious treats, he'll get interested. I can almost guarantee it.
It's highly unusual for any dog to be dead against doing something that you want him to do when you are giving him his desire and what every pack animal needs instinctively for survival; your attention, your companionship, your involvement, yummy treats, a fun time...I've worked with a lot of dogs and never saw one who couldn't be enticed into getting involved and trying new things.
Don't push away the idea of using people food or any other suggestions which people have used successfully for years and years if you want to get your dog motivated. Most professional trainers use food motivators. Training will not happen without the dog's involvement.
Yeah thats true, i just heard it wasn't healthy for there teeth and healthy in general. We cut some chicken into small pieces and it seemed to work. Thanks for the suggestion. Do you train animals? if so, have any suggestions on why he wants in and out every 5 minutes? is it a nervous thing? he'll whine to go out, he goes out, goes to the bathroom comes back in plays a little then wants back out. he does throughout the whole day.
He might be bored. Does he have a job? LOL. Give him plenty of interesting things to do; toys, little obedience commands that you work on throughout the day....a little here, a little there and outside for two or three short training sessions and some romping. If he gets a little tired out, he may settle down a bit. Yes, it could get to be a habit...this in and out, in and out. Don't give in to it every time.
Where did you hear...or who told you that people food like meat and veggies aren't good for dogs? You can do your own research. There's a ton of online info and books. The premium dog food kibbles are all human grade meat, veggies a little grain, vitamins, mineral suppliments etc. It's just easier to feed as a kibble. Actually there's a lot out on feeding raw food and a lot of people swear by it. It's meat, sometimes veggies, sometimes a little grain, although grain is really not much of a natural thing for dogs. That's what we eat too. They're carnivores with an omnivore eating behavior, which means they're designed to eat meat (teeth, jaws, digestive system) but will eat just about anything they can find because they're not only hunters, but scavengers..opportunists. There are some things we eat though, which are toxic to dogs so it's good to find out about that....like onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate and a few other things I think.
You can brush teeth. They make a doggie toothpaste. Don't use human toothpaste...toxic to dogs. Any food, whether it's hard or not still gets stuck between their teeth.
Hope that helps a little and just make sure your dog goes when he goes outside and then you'll be more assured when you ignore his request to go out after only 5 minutes. LOL...the little devil. LOL.
Where did you hear...or who told you that people food like meat and veggies aren't good for dogs? You can do your own research. There's a ton of online info and books. The premium dog food kibbles are all human grade meat, veggies a little grain, vitamins, mineral suppliments etc. It's just easier to feed as a kibble. Actually there's a lot out on feeding raw food and a lot of people swear by it. It's meat, sometimes veggies, sometimes a little grain, although grain is really not much of a natural thing for dogs. That's what we eat too. They're carnivores with an omnivore eating behavior, which means they're designed to eat meat (teeth, jaws, digestive system) but will eat just about anything they can find because they're not only hunters, but scavengers..opportunists. There are some things we eat though, which are toxic to dogs so it's good to find out about that....like onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate and a few other things I think.
You can brush teeth. They make a doggie toothpaste. Don't use human toothpaste...toxic to dogs. Any food, whether it's hard or not still gets stuck between their teeth.
Hope that helps a little and just make sure your dog goes when he goes outside and then you'll be more assured when you ignore his request to go out after only 5 minutes. LOL...the little devil. LOL.
Yes he really does pee everytime he goes out. When we were potty training him we would make him go out every 20 minutes or so and he would pee. He learned to go pee outside which is why he only had two accidents in the house since we have had him. But sometimes he just wants out to bark at squirrels...most of the time he does pee though. I just heard that things like bread, cheese, peanut butter and things like that are real bad for there teeth. But we have given him things like chicken and hot dog weiners and he loves it. We just don't want him to get used to having people food so he doesn't beg. He's well mannered and a great dog...so i really don;t think that will be an issue. we have given our other dog carrots before...and he loves them...are those ok every once and awhile or can those be toxic? and what about pig ears? i heard they were good and bad...we give him these green mint hard bones for his teeth/breath and he loves them and it leaves his teeth really white. what do you think?-thanks ashlee
Carrots are good for dogs and they often love gnawing on one like a bone, but when they're not ground up or pureed reeeeeeeely small, the dog really doesn't digest them. They're not really designed to handle large pieces of veggies. But they're fun "bones" and the dogs enjoy them and they may get some vitamins that way. But you can also put them in the food processor (a little bit) and add it to his food once in a while for a treat.
As far as reward treats in training, meat or cheese is best. Of course, it's probably not great for teeth, just like it isn't for ours but neither would be their kibble....it's all going to attract bacteria as it sits inbetween the teeth and stagnates, so you can brush teeth.
I don't like pig's ears and rawhide. They can cause injury. My Chi almost died....had bloody diarrhea and vomitting for 24 hrs. and that's what I think did it. She had had a pig's ear and it probably scratched up her intestines. Those things can also cause blockages if they break off a hunk and swallow it. It's not very digestable stuff. I have heard the same about greenies, but really don't know.
As far as reward treats in training, meat or cheese is best. Of course, it's probably not great for teeth, just like it isn't for ours but neither would be their kibble....it's all going to attract bacteria as it sits inbetween the teeth and stagnates, so you can brush teeth.
I don't like pig's ears and rawhide. They can cause injury. My Chi almost died....had bloody diarrhea and vomitting for 24 hrs. and that's what I think did it. She had had a pig's ear and it probably scratched up her intestines. Those things can also cause blockages if they break off a hunk and swallow it. It's not very digestable stuff. I have heard the same about greenies, but really don't know.
i heard the same about pig ears. Thanks thats a great idea about the carrots, i will try it and see if max will eat them. I know my other dog did, he also liked grapes and i noticed you said they were harmful. Do you have any suggestions on what types of "people" food is best for them other than cheese and meats? i will try those but would like other ideas to mix it up a bit if you have any other suggestions. thanks for your help.