Off lead training and socialising is going well

Just some random ramblings,...

When i first let Floyd off leash it was in large park, with no one else about, no distractions or roads. He would always stick close by and enjoy play chasing. I moved onto getting him to follow me round the house and rewarding him with treats when he stuck close,.. doing this round the house, garden on lead helps really well with the pulling issue, and doing it off lead helps with heeling, this worked really well and soon he was coming out the front door with me, walking along the street for about 100 metres or so and heeling there and back ( BTW,.. out side my door is an enclosed street, no cars etc.) I practised this and walking round rooms in house getting him to heel,.. several times a day for a good few weeks,.. in fact i still practise this. That was from about 3 months old.

He is 6 months old now and when we go walkies he isnt really a hyper dog when i get lead or say walkies, He goes on lead to get to the park and sits at the road to cross. About 100 yards inside park i let him off lead, making sure no one / dogs / distractions are behind us ie near the road. He will run to his fav sniffing spots,.. excited coz he knows he will see his play mates, spike and lucy who are bedlington terriers and sasha who is a huskey x german shepard. He will run about playing with them for hours if he could. For the past few months i have been making sure he is well socialised with other dogs. There is several regular dog walkers i see each day, some have sociable dogs who want to play or sniff some get pulled past as their owners aint interested in stopping. Floyd usually has a sniff if they are on lead or not. Some smaller dogs have growled and snapped at him for this, but i think thats an important part of his learning. I strongly believe that allowing them to play with other dogs is important, ones of good temprement obvously. As well as letting them stop n sniff when on lead.

There is usually between 4 and 7 regular dog/ owners in park at same time every day,... perfect for socialising. Regardless if i wanna spend an hour with these people or not i make sure i do, for the dogs sake. All the regular dogs help teach floyd boundaries, etiquette and when enough is enough. When a new dog passes the dogs form a pack like formation and surround the new dog, intimidating for new dog im sure but everyone is happy after a sniff,.. this is good for my pup too, he joins in and has a wee sniff and to see if new dog is up for a play.

One bad habbit he has is when we are walking off lead and another dog is coming towards us he tends to 'jog' forward to see and sniff them, he doesnt run/bolt to them. Some dogs and especially their owners can think the worst when this happens, and i can honestly say he does have a good recall,.... but as im sure ur all aware when they smell, see, want something they dont always listen,... especially at 6 months old!
He made me really proud today, on way back i seen a family coming towards us, mum dad a walking child and kid in a buggy, this is attention fodder for him, but i hate him jogging up to people like this ESPECIALLY when there is kids there!!,.. so from about 100 metres before we came in contact i made him heel, using a treat and as practised he heeled, focusing on me until we went past the family, not once looking at them,.. he got his treat and praise

He has never shown any aggression to another dog, but was chased and bitted by some mankey crazy spanniel ! He has how ever showed signs of dominance to other smaller dogs, no barking or growling though, just nudging them and if they are playing sometimes he tries to get over them, like standing above them, but i heard that is perfectly natural for young male dogs and is perfect for socialsing them correctly,.. as long as it never gets rough or teeth showing.

At night when i know the road i cross to get to park will be quiet i manage to get him there, heeling, stopping at road, sitting,.. there and back off lead, however i will not do this during the day when road is busy!!!

I realise his is still young and his attitude will change to a bit more boysterous as he grows up, he has already started to hump lucy who is in season, dirty boy ! lol

There are several other staffys who come to the park, one which is never off lead and is a growler and a snarler and basically hates every other dog in park, i think its a good example of poor training and socialising. Two other staffs are mega pullers, and i mean they pull their owner to and from park, they never get off lead either, the dog is very large and a growler and usually growls at floyd, but just last week the owner stopped to talk and whilst he chatted growling stopped and a bit of play even started, first time i have ever seen that dog playful, even the owner remarked on it!

Walking off lead and heeling off lead will be an ongoing training process over the next year i would imagine, but for the moment im happy with how things are going

Sounds like you are making great progress. Keep up the good work!

brilliant well done to your both

Sounds like you are on the right track

It sounds like Floyd is doing great. Well done to you both

Thanks for writing about this, its great advice, its the one thing we have been struggling with - the pulling.

Will take your tips on board and start that straight away

will let you know how we are doing with it

Wonderful progress. Keep up the good work

Wow, Floyd is something else
Stella is 11 month and she has to be on lead when there are people or unknown dogs around... She would bolt, jump, she wants to play all the time
I'll try to use some of your tips, but she doesn't pay any attention to treats when there are distractions around But I do meet with other dog owners so she can sniff and play when it is safe to do so
Well done, I'm envious X

Good going.

Butkus has always been good on a lead right from the start but he is better off one, if that makes any sense?!

He walks the full distance of the lead away from me, not pulling, or even keeping the lead tight, in fact i only rest the lead on one finger and it's in a loose loop between us, the lead is no use whatsoever like that, but reassuring when walking along busy roadsides (for me). However, when he is let off he walks on heel without being told too and will even walk so close that he touches my leg with his head.

He has always been a very socialised and friendly boy since 9wks old and even when other dogs growl, snarl and snap he doesn't even entertain them with a look, and walks by!!!! its quite funny to see.

They are very friendly and placid dogs in the right up bringing and its s sad that some never get to live that way.

Here's to yours being the same way as mine and having loads of doggie friends.