Lead Training

I've been working with Bacon on learning how to walk on lead. I got him an easy walk harness and have to say he is pretty darn good at staying by my side. Most of the time when he gets ahead and the leash tightens he'll slow down, look at me and wait for me to catch up.

All was going great up until the last 2-3 weeks. He now stops randomly and refuses to walk. He'll just sit there and eventually he'll be ready and we'll go again. It happens sometimes at the beginning of walks, middle, and end. Also, somedays hell do it every 10-15 feet which makes it a looooong walk since i have to constantly coax him with a "come on" or "lets go".

Any recommendations?

Make his walks really exciting!! Be the most fun thing to be around lol, even if you feel stupid! He'll come around

bring food...bring food...I walked bent over with a cheese stick sticking out of the back of my hand in front of Callie's nose for weeks (I have mentioned elsewhere that she is obsessed with cheese). It will make you the most interesting game in town!

Do you take him to different places for a walk so he can meet other dogs too. May just be fed up with the same scenery. Take some toys along too so the walk is more fun and give him chance to have a sniff around.

micheled wrote:bring food...bring food...I walked bent over with a cheese stick sticking out of the back of my hand in front of Callie's nose for weeks (I have mentioned elsewhere that she is obsessed with cheese). It will make you the most interesting game in town!

Good one , picniks are always fun too.

haha... I do mix up his walk routes. Sometimes I go to a place where there are no distractions, sometimes i go places with lots of dogs, etc...

Maybe I'll create a piece of cheese on a stick since he spits out carrots! Do I have to keep feeding him treats throughout the whole walk?

No, but do it often enough so he's interested. Then if he's getting obstinate you can let him see that you have one and start walking. Betcha he will follow. I don't carry them on short walks anymore but will bring one if we haven't had a good (well-behaved walk) that day.

There have been times I lifted Cal by the back strap of her harness to get her back on her feet. Shell sit and refuse to budge once in a while, usually when she wants to go greet someone that I don't want her to bother. Anythings better than pulling!

micheled wrote:There have been times I lifted Cal by the back strap of her harness to get her back on her feet. Shell sit and refuse to budge once in a while, usually when she wants to go greet someone that I don't want her to bother. Anythings better than pulling!

Yes!!!! Bacon does the same thing. He NEEDS to greet every dog, person, piece of paper, rock, stick he encounters!

Thanks again for the advice. I'm sure everyone says the same, but don't know what I'd do without the advice I get on this forum!!! I almost feel guilty for posting so many questions I feel are dumb, but really want help with.

I don't have any real advice, but Loki did the exact same thing and stopped it randomly a few days ago lol I think it's just a case of them being a bit insecure of their surroundings or getting used to it all. Coax him with a treat maybe? That's what we did, but I don't know if Loki's stopped because of us giving him treats, or just cos he got over it.

Treats and a favorite squeaky toy are things we always carry on walks.

Nor Cal wrote:
Thanks again for the advice. I'm sure everyone says the same, but don't know what I'd do without the advice I get on this forum!!! I almost feel guilty for posting so many questions I feel are dumb, but really want help with.

The more questions the better. It's not just the person who posts the question who learns. I learn things on here everyday. I could own a million staffys and I still won't know it all

Get yourself a stick and put a target on it, and target train him. When he gets the hang of that you can use the target for SO many things, one of them being to make him walk to the target to get a treat - meaning he will walk miles before he notices it lol