Struggling to take my 12month old lab a walk.

[Talcm79]

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As soon as he is taken outside he pulls, he can calm down after doing the toilet but again becomes excited and pulls when he sees people or other dogs. He is a really friendly dog and loves attention. He is becoming increasingly stronger to the point I am struggling to take him walks. He will not accept any treats when out walks so can't use that as a training method. I have tried a variety of different leads; halti's, half chokes, harness. My dreams of nice long walks with our dog and kids is really not a reality, please help.

 

[gypsysmum2]

It worries me, slightly, that he will not take treats when out on a walk. This is usually a sign of anxiety. The tummy becomes tight and they get ready for fight/flight and so cannot eat. If you have been struggling to walk him, has he picked up your frustration and become anxious?

Walking on a loose lead is one of the hardest of all training exercises to teach. We should, really, teach it when they are tiny puppies and ensure that they "follow" us rather than us following them! At this age they do not need much exercise and so we can turn around and go home if they start to pull. This teaches them that pulling, rather than getting them to where they want to go, has the opposite effect.

It is a very concentrated exercise for a dog to learn. Once learnt it becomes a habit.

I would enlist the help of a qualified dog trainer from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. They will often make house calls to assess individual dogs and give advice tailored to your circumstances. It is all based around rewarding the right behaviour (loose lead) and making sure the wrong behaviour is not rewarded by the dog getting to that exciting smell or to greet that person/dog/place. Chastising the wrong behaviour only serves to make the dog try to "escape" and pull harder!

Can you, in the meantime, take your dog somewhere to let off steam? It is really hard, as you no doubt know, to train a dog that has lots of pent up energy!

While you are waiting for the trainer perhaps you could start the process by getting your dog to pay attention to you in the house and garden. Use fabulous treats like cheese or chicken and get him to follow you for just a pace or two in order to get the treat. It will make the trainers job a lot easier if your dog is focused on you when they start. A toy can be used if that works better.

 

[Talcm79]

Hi there, he takes treats from my husband no problem when he takes him out so possibly he is aware of my nervousness. At home he is fantastic, he has learned many tricks and skills and responds well to treats. He listens well and follows commands when in the garden, when throwing a ball for him, he waits and watches until told to go and fetch before running off and retrieving the ball. As a pup he always walked well it has only become a problem in the last couple of months and I can't say anything has happened to have caused the change in him. My husband says he pulls for him for the first 5 mins or so and then settles down and is fine, he is also able to take him off the lead and let him run and says he comes back to him great. It may well be my anxiety but how do I and he overcome that.

 

[gypsysmum2]

You are also battling his hormones! This is the age that most dogs end up in rescue so you are not alone in your struggles. Neutering might help but do wait until he is a least eighteen months of age if you can. Testosterone gives a dog confidence and that is very important in their social interactions with other dogs etc.

A good trainer will give the skills to deal with your dog's behaviour and so increase your confidence. We are often anxious because we are not sure that we are handling the situation in the best way possible.