Leash Walking

[EVELYN BOND]

I cant get my 10 wk old to walk on a leash.  I have tried treats, and she just stops after she eats it.  I'm doing that dragging thing, but it's been two weeks and she still won't walk without me pulling her.  Any suggestions?  She's a SMART Boston Terrorist 😃

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there!

Welcome to the forums, 

Your pup is very young, and any leash pulling her or tension will cause her to instinctively put her breaks on because of the opposition reflex. She needs to learn to "give in" to the leash pressure rather than tensing up and resisting. The more your pup resists, the more the behavior becomes ingrained, so it's important to prevent her from rehearsing this behavior and doing everything possible to set her up for success. This often requires us to use baby steps. 

Here's are some steps to teach your pup to give into the leash pressure rather than resist it. 

Sit on the couch with her on leash and if she moves away, gently put a little of pressure on the leash and show her a treat so that she learns to give in to the pressure. Tossing the treat rather than hand feeding it, can turn into a fun game. Praise and reward every time she releases the pressure. Rinse and repeat several times, until she learns that the pressure leads to a reward. If she does well with this at least 8 times out of 10, then practice walking nearby the couch and do the same. 

Another option is to get a flirt pole, (flirt poles are like fishing poles with a toy attached at the end) and every time the leash is a little tense, wiggle the flirt pole to encourage forward movement and then let her catch it when she catches up with you. The goal is to make great things happen every time the leash tenses up a bit. You can also take advantage of meal time, such as walking her on leash to her bowl when she's hungry or walking her towards a friend with a toy hiding behind the back to reward her. 

Try to use a very lightweight leash and collar for her as it seems to make things easier. I like to start with those lightweight collars breeders use: https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-ID-Collar-Identification-Adjustable/dp/B09S3MSLXR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3KZU7ILOVBRPP&keywords=breeder%2Bpuppy%2Bcollar&qid=1692612966&sprefix=breeder%2Bpuppy%2Bcolla%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Happy training!

[EVELYN BOND]

Thanks...will try these tips!!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Sounds good, keep me posted on how things go! I am always here if you need more help.

Best

Adrienne