Walking question

[Smokeycat]

Most of the time walking both dogs is relatively easy. Once in a while one, typically Kryten,will be a little s___head and 'forget' that he knows how to walk nicely. Completely my fault, I got lazy about on leash walks. The problem arises when both are out for walks but not together, ie. one person is taking Jiggers for a run while another person is taking Kryten for a walk. Kryten will fight to go with Jiggers or at least back to the last spot he saw him. I have been trying to correct this since i first noticed it at the end of september but what I'm doing is not working because the behavior is getting worse. He now whines and pulls to go back (or speed up if Jiggers is ahead). If I refuse to go back he will sit down and start barking. The only thing that I have found that even sort of works is teasing him with a stick by holding it just out of his reach so that he has to move forward to get it. The moment he gets it we're right back to where we started. He is perfectly content to go for a walk without Jiggers if they don't start at the same time. We want to join a walking/running group with the dogs at the end of January but right now I don't know if my arms/shoulders could handle it. I welcome any tips/recommendations on how I can correct this, either training or equipment. I use a martingale collar right now but am open to suggestions since he is starting to get very strong and seems to pull thru it.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Well, if you decide to go for something besides a flat martingale I'd recommend a prong over a choke as he sounds like he'll pull through a choke too. But you might want to try a head halter for the pulling problem, or an anti-pull harness first. They don't work for all dogs, but its a step. Someone elsewhere found a new variation on the head halter, I'll dig put the link.

For the rest....I'm thinking a back to basics approach, where he starts to go in one direction turn and walk in the other. Till his attention returns to you.

---------- Post added at 09:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 PM ----------

http://www.newtrix.ca/index.cfm?page=ourProducts

Haven't tried it myself, but it avoids putting torsion on the dog's neck, which is my biggest gripe about the gentle leader style head halters.

 

[ruthcatrin]

http://www.newtrix.ca/index.cfm?page=ourProducts

Haven't tried it myself, but it avoids putting torsion on the dog's neck, which is my biggest gripe about the gentle leader style head halters.

 

[Smokeycat]

Thanks for that link. Yeah I agree its back to basics for the whole 'forgetting' thing. I just don't know what to do when he basically shuts down because Jiggers went that way.

 

[ruthcatrin]

It may be time to spend some time with them seperated. How does he do at home if you take Jiggers out without him?

 

[Smokeycat]

He'll whine a few seconds and then lie down and act like normal. There's actually more fuss from Jiggers when he gets left home.

 

[ruthcatrin]

When you have problems with him out walking, do you leave the house together? (i assume)

 

[Smokeycat]

Yep.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Have you tried leaving seperetely? Even by a few minutes? I know that won't work for the group thing, but as a temporary to see if it makes a difference?

 

[Smokeycat]

As long as Kryten can't see Jiggers when he leaves he's ok. We've gone out different doors so that we start on different streets and he's perfectly happy.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Hmmm

If Kryten's on a lead in the front yard and can see Jiggers being walked off does he react the same?

 

[Smokeycat]

Didn't think to try that, so no idea.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I'm thinkng some sort of weaning/training? Where he just sits and watches Jiggers get walked away, then eventually come back. Maybe working on training in between?

 

[Smokeycat]

Thanks I'll try that. Maybe it will help calm him down when he sees his leash come out too.

 

[ruthcatrin]

STart with short intervals (ie:Jiggers out of sight and back fairly quickly), then extend it. Also don't make a huge fuss over Jiggers coming back.

You might take a look at the similer training done with dogs who have seperation anxiety when their human leave. Just thought of that, I'll see if I can find a couple links when I get home.

 

[Smokeycat]

I have made the connection between how he's behaving and separation anxiety.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Theres training they recommend for it, leaving and coming back and how to specifically handle it, and I'm wondering if it could be modified to work for this. I've just never looked closely at it as its not really a peoblem we've had.

 

[Smokeycat]

I thought that I had it figured out last weekend. I went out and got him a gentle leader and last Saturday there was no problem walking him even though he knew Jiggers was ahead of us in the crowd. This week when we went in opposite directions it was right back to whining, turning around, pulling to go back and then sitting down when I refused. Any coaxing or pulling I tried only seemed to make it worse and he was wearing the gentle leader. I eventually got frustrated with him and walked to the end of the leash and faced the way I wanted to go with my back to him and to my surprise within 10 seconds of my ignoring him he got up and started walking ahead of me. Granted he was trying to get ahead of me so that he could convince me to go back but if I didn't look or speak to him he kept walk nicely forward. Due to work schedules we can only do these separate walks on Saturdays but next week I'll be able to see if the 'Ignore the misbehaving dog' is a method that continues to work. I certainly hope so because its embarrassing to be out in a group with a dog that doesn't listen and behave himself.

 

[joshuagough]

I wouldn't get so caught up in what kind of collar/harness as that's not the source of your problem nor the fix.

I'd suggest you take the training back inside your house, work 1on1. Separate the two and work on loose leash walking with each of them (again inside without distraction).

My expectation of the dog is that it be no further from me than the length of the leash (the leash not being pulled against). A good practice of this is walking forward with the dog by your side, leave the leash loose.. stop in your tracks and walk straight backwards slowly (don't turn around). Don't try to make the dog "heel" by pulling him close to your side.

If the dog continues forward (getting to the end of the leash) I would give a tug on the leash and give the dog your recall. Repeat the process over and over, the dog will catch on to the fact he should be focused on you.

I totally understand you want to be able to walk him outside and with the other dog, but that's a unreal expectation if you can't control him on the leash inside (good control with his focus being on you).

I can offer some leash tricks that will "stop" the dog from pulling but that doesn't "teach" your dog..

I thought that I had it figured out last weekend. I went out and got him a gentle leader and last Saturday there was no problem walking him even though he knew Jiggers was ahead of us in the crowd. This week when we went in opposite directions it was right back to whining, turning around, pulling to go back and then sitting down when I refused. Any coaxing or pulling I tried only seemed to make it worse and he was wearing the gentle leader. I eventually got frustrated with him and walked to the end of the leash and faced the way I wanted to go with my back to him and to my surprise within 10 seconds of my ignoring him he got up and started walking ahead of me. Granted he was trying to get ahead of me so that he could convince me to go back but if I didn't look or speak to him he kept walk nicely forward. Due to work schedules we can only do these separate walks on Saturdays but next week I'll be able to see if the 'Ignore the misbehaving dog' is a method that continues to work. I certainly hope so because its embarrassing to be out in a group with a dog that doesn't listen and behave himself.

 

[Smokeycat]

I have no problems walking him when I either take him out by himself or with Jiggers. The problems only arise when both dogs go out at the same time but separately. The best description is that Kryten suffers from separation anxiety when he knows Jiggers is out doing something different then he is. I only pointed out the gentle leader with regards to today to show just how stubborn he can be.