Okay I feel like an idiot when I am trying to walk him on his leash

[natsan6]

I try to walk Jagger 2x a day (just up our street and back) sometimes he is "okay" other times he refuses to move and I feel mean holding onto the leash while he throws his tantrum. I treat him if he just walks period. I know I should want him to walk even with me and be able to heel and not pull, what am I doing wrong? He will sit for me to put on the leash....make it out of the garage and then its all bets off. The only time he will consistently walk forward is on the way to the bus stop when he is following the kids? On the way back to the house he is either pulling like mad to get home or he is all over the place under my feet or sniffing all over the ditches. How much of this should I let him get away with at 10weeks and what should I absolutely not allow. I am worried that I am going to spend the whole time correcting him and he is going to hate the leash My foster was thrilled when I got his leash out...I just want it to be a good experience for us but I also want him properly leash trained because he is going to be such a big boy. Thanks for any help!

P.S. we will be starting puppy classes at petco when he is 12 weeks.

 

[Smart_Family]

Have you tried holding a treat by your side and as he walks treating him? Usually it's the opposite and people (myself included) have trouble with the pup pulling haha.

 

[natsan6]

Yep I treat him if he walks by me.....he does pull on the way home it's like the horse barn scenario, very frustrating. Other times I really don't know what he is going to do he will follow my crew in the mornings, otherwise he is stubbornly refusing to move or is all over the street around my feet and in the ditches sniffing. Poor honey I feel like I am either stepping on him, correcting him or standing at the end of his leash...doing the "come Jagger *kiss noises* high pitched honey voice."

 

[Smart_Family]

Maybe try walking backwards away from him? Hmmm Jagger is quite the mystery!

 

[AKBull]

Just gotta be persistent. You'll be able to fine tune what you're doing in the classes. Don't fret, it'll work out.
He's just a little guy with so many cool things to check out, mom!

 

[stephanieb]

As the teacher at puppy kindergarten told me.... if you are even walking in the same direction at this age you should be having a party! He's still a baby and it will come

 

[Marrowshard]

The only thing I would add to the list is the possibility of soreness or injury. A growing pup might be a little achy in the joints and therefore reluctant to move.
As a side note, have you tried doing leash work without any distractions? We used to use hubby's concrete-floored workshop to reinforce leash behavior with our rescues. There were smells, but not the organic kind and there weren't any birds/leaves/cars etc. so it ended up making it easier for them to focus.

~Marrow

 

[natsan6]

Smart_Family he truly is to me sometimes but an awful cute one lol! I will try walking backwards with him so he can see me and I have a concrete patio around my pool that I can try Marrow's suggestion on YAY! I will keep my fingers crossed. Marrow it is funny that you said the soreness thing...you should see him when he gets out of his crate (that is padded) he stretches and walks like a drunk old man for a minute or 2. His legs have really grown in the last week....his body has stretched out quite a bit. I hadn't really thought about that I am sure there is some soreness.

Thank you Ak & Stephanie both of your comments make me feel better....he is so young and hasn't seen much...I really had no clue on how much to expect from him! I didn't want to spend so much time correcting and what not I just wanted him to enjoy his walk and it really didn't feel like he could with me so worried about what he should and shouldn't be doing. The foster that I had for a little while was a Neo/American Bulldog cross and it took me FOREVER to get him out of pulling and keeping his head to the ground but he loved to go out, my arm and shoulder didn't though. I guess I am just paranoid lol!

I have 6 kids and could handle anything with them but the pup walks funny, doesn't eat enough, or pulls I freak bahahaha!

 

[lolisnme]

I don't know if people will disagree with this but…I use a "Gentle Leader". It has been a huge help. When there are no distractions (just me walking her) she is right next to me the whole time. If people are around (street fair, farmers market) she is all over the place trying to greet everyone. The gentle leader around her head keeps her head controlled so her body stays near me. At first (first week) she didn't like it but now she has no problem.
Depending on the length of the muzzle the "gentle leader" can be wonderful.
We still use it when we are going to a new place because it guarantees she cant pull away and my arms don't get so tired lol.

Hope this helps

 

[natsan6]

Thank you lolisnme, I will try it.... even if it is just to get him into the swing of things. Can I ask you what you mean by the length of the muzzle? He doesn't have a very long muzzle this was on Monday and I know it sounds crazy but he has already grown more from this pic but his muzzle is the same.

@Marrow I didn't realize how much he had grown until I pulled this pic up to post it for lolisnme, the title of this pic is 9weeks 16.9lbs I took it monday....he was 18.6lbs last night and much taller...I know there are much bigger pups on here at 10 weeks but, wow! Growing like a weed :0)

 

[Smart_Family]

Gentle leaders are good but as with harnesses if you start using them now you will be buying a new one every couple of weeks because of how fast and how much he will grow.

 

[lolisnme]

Thank you lolisnme, I will try it.... even if it is just to get him into the swing of things. Can I ask you what you mean by the length of the muzzle? He doesn't have a very long muzzle View attachment 3453 this was on Monday and I know it sounds crazy but he has already grown more from this pic but his muzzle is the same.

@Marrow I didn't realize how much he had grown until I pulled this pic up to post it for lolisnme, the title of this pic is 9weeks 16.9lbs I took it monday....he was 18.6lbs last night and much taller...I know there are much bigger pups on here at 10 weeks but, wow! Growing like a weed :0)

What I mean is like with with DDB/Pit her muzzle is about the same length as your dogs (opposed to a lab or german shepherd long narrow muzzle like in the picture on the packaging of gentle leaders). So what happens with a gentle leader is you get drool accumulation with use because the space between the edge of their mouth and the cheek is small. Mine tries to rub it off sometimes in the grass but she doesn't mind it normally. It helps because if they pull it causes a discomfort around the back of their head so it encourages them not to pull. It makes it easier to train them to heel. I still use it public just for a little more control in smaller areas but the theory of a gentle leader is to eventually not need it. I guess it just depends on the dog. However, I will say don't use the "gentle Leader Harness" because I saw a woman use it today and it is completely useless and makes the dog look ridiculous pulling, lol.

 

[NeoBull]

It sounds like you're doing the right things, that's pretty normal for his age. Just keep it up, keep trying treats, try bringing a favorite toy, and use a happy/silly/excited voice to encourage him once he gets going.

 

[natsan6]

Thanks both of you! He has puppy class for the first time this week so I am going to check out the gentle leader while I am there Here is the super annoying thing he isn't as obnoxious with my husband, pah traitor!

 

[lolisnme]

This might sound "cesar milan-ish" but maybe he feels your husband more intense/alpha. So what you could do is to be more assertive or more in charge on your walks. When I walk at a faster pace keeping my head up not looking at her, she's more into walking than sniffing or stalling. I believe they can read your body language and when you present your self more serious, they are more likely to be submissive.

 

[NeoBull]

This might sound "cesar milan-ish" but maybe he feels your husband more intense/alpha. So what you could do is to be more assertive or more in charge on your walks. When I walk at a faster pace keeping my head up not looking at her, she's more into walking than sniffing or stalling. I believe they can read your body language and when you present your self more serious, they are more likely to be submissive.

It could be a consistency thing... Mine always walk way better for me than for my husband because I'm super consistent with leash training and I don't let them get away with anything. I don't think it's an alpha thing in our case, I'm sure they see us both as alpha.

 

[natsan6]

He does have a tendency to ignore Jagger and just keep going, while I pay more attention to what needs to be corrected...I guess I am over thinking it. My husband will just pull him along and keep going. I want him to walk with me because he is supposed to not because I am forcing him to...does that even make sense?

 

[Marrowshard]

It makes sense, but it's kind of the same as comforting them everytime they jump at thunder. You're giving him something (attention, petting, time off) when he essentially misbehaves. It's not a huge infraction, especially at a young age, but even if he sees you both as superiors he might be thinking "Walks with mom are great! I can stop and sniff stuff and wander around if i want to!".

~Marrow