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How To Get Puppy To Walk On A Lead?


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I also asked this in the puppy section but thought I'd ask here, too.

Ok, my 12 week old Cavalier, Izzy, just won't do it.

I have tried treats. I have tried just the collar, then letting her walk around with the lead attached. I have tried little by little.

As soon as you put her down and she sees that the lead is attached, she plants herself and doesn't look at me, almost as if she turns her back on me. She just doesn't want to know about it.

At first, she'll sniff around and chew sticks and leaves but then she'll catch a glimpse of that dreaded lead and that's it.

She's starting puppy pre-school tomorrow night.

Will this help us both out or should she be able to do it before she gets there?

Has anybody else got any other suggestions for me?

I know the outside world is just so big for her. I know she doesn't know what I expect her to do. I mean, why should she be attached - she doesn't understand that. She is such a good little puppy at home, will come (most of the time) when you call and can sit on command (most of the time).

Help????

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Penny,I am not sure what you mean by as soon as you put her down?Are you picking her up to put Collar and Lead on her?

Penny, when she plants herself what is your reaction?

Penny, I do not expect a huge amount from 12 wk old Pups and they have only very short attention spans so a little at a time is best.

Penny I would for a start find a enclosed area, put the Collar and Lead on her.Let her plant herself.As soon she plants herself walk away,ignore her totally,no eye contact, no nothing.Be patient and go about other things.She will get sick of sitting there getting no attention and sooner or later she will move.

Penny,a bit more information would be helpful. Tony

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Penny I would for a start find a enclosed area, put the Collar and Lead on her.Let her plant herself.As soon she plants herself walk away,ignore her totally,no eye contact, no nothing.Be patient and go about other things.She will get sick of sitting there getting no attention and sooner or later she will move.

I also would try something like that...

To be honest, if she were mine...I would put lead and collar on, and just take a step(without talking to her, or making eye contact). If she stays still, she will be very uncomfortable...keep a light pressure on the lead, and at the FIRST sign of her moving toward you, release any pressure...then repeat... it may take a while..but don't give in!!!

She may be only a pup, but she has learnt that if she throws a tanty, she doesn't have to do it!!

:)

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Penny,I am not sure what you mean by as soon as you put her down?Are you picking her up to put Collar and Lead on her?

Penny, when she plants herself what is your reaction?

Ok, we live in a townhouse, so we are not allowed to let her walk on common property. We have to carry her to the front footpath and then put her down.

When she plants herself, I try to make it exciting for her. I try to get her excited about coming to me. She won't even look at me.

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Also, this puppy is one stubborn little puppy.

If I walk away and not hold the lead, she is fine with it. She will drag the lead behind her and then sit down and chew it. No problem. As soon as I pick up the lead again. That's when she plants herself.

If I hold the lead and take one step. She will not move and this went on for not just a minute but say five minutes - she would not move. I think she is quite happy to be uncomfortable, as long as she doesn't have to walk on that lead.

I don't give in, it just depends on how many hours I have in the day...and I mean hours.

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Haven't read the puppy thread, so this might have been suggested. I would be having her trail the leash (a very light one) around inside the house - and then, maybe just before meal time, or something interesting like that, I would be picking up the lead quietly, as she moves to get her meal/toy or whatever exciting thing that is. the theory behind this is that you holding the lead means very good things for puppies. If she's food oriented, I would hold the leash, throw a hig value piece of food, and 'race' her to the food. Make it a high energy game. Life we said in realtion to going to the vet, if you're stressed, she will pick up on that.

If you have a friend with a safe back yard, I'd be playing these sorts of games there too.

The sooner you get it through to 'little miss princess' that she is a dog, and you as the human actually get to call the shots, the happier you and she will be. She sounds an extremely smart little dog - as Cavs are, so you're going to need to be one jump ahead of her. Loving a dog IMHO doesn't mean just cuddling and babying her, it means encouraging her to learn how to be a lovely companion dog in the world she's going to be living in. Going to puppy kinder, and following up with other puppy classes, and maybe going on to the sorts of dog sports that Cavs can excel in, is a great way to do this.

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