Lead walking issue
Discussion
As some of you know, we have this now 15 month old Lagotto, Leo.
Lovely, friendly dog with people and other dogs.
Little problem we're having is on his lead.
When the wife takes him out he ends up attacking his lead, jumping at her hand and generally making a bloody idiot of himself.
Getting to the point she comes back in tears, more at frustration than anything.
This can be after he's had any amount of time off the lead and then put back on to return home, or just a short final walk around the block before bed.
However, he doesn't do this with me, or my 14 year old daughter.
I'm going to be incapacitated for at least two weeks in January and the wife is going to have to do more of (all of!) the walking.
We've used the services of a dog trainer recently and carry out what he taught us to the T.
Really getting us down, because he's actually a good lad in general.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Lovely, friendly dog with people and other dogs.
Little problem we're having is on his lead.
When the wife takes him out he ends up attacking his lead, jumping at her hand and generally making a bloody idiot of himself.
Getting to the point she comes back in tears, more at frustration than anything.
This can be after he's had any amount of time off the lead and then put back on to return home, or just a short final walk around the block before bed.
However, he doesn't do this with me, or my 14 year old daughter.
I'm going to be incapacitated for at least two weeks in January and the wife is going to have to do more of (all of!) the walking.
We've used the services of a dog trainer recently and carry out what he taught us to the T.
Really getting us down, because he's actually a good lad in general.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
The dog wants attention and a bit of fun, my guess your Mrs is reacting and the dog loves it and is simply seeing it as a game of tug so keeps doing it. After all, it's getting results for him.
My dog did this a couple of times. The advice I was given is to drop the lead immediately and turn your head and your focus away from him. He wants attention, your Mrs needs to reinforce this will get him nothing.
I know dropping the lead and letting him run off is not an option so you can either step on the lead so it's tight to the point that the dog literally can't bite it or grab his collar until the dog stops acting up. I think I ended up grabbing the dogs collar, removing the lead (so the dog has the lead dangling in his mouth and nothing to pull against - Dog now thinks this is BORING!) waiting for him to drop it then placing it in my pocket out of sight; waiting for the dog to calm then walking the dog (by the collar) back a few feet, placing the lead back on and starting again.
Once he's calmed down, walk back a few steps to before where he started playing up and repeat this as many times as necessary. You want to reinforce that this action will not get him anywhere. He'll soon learn.
You want to reinforce good behaviour. When the dog walks past his spaz out spot as normal, give him a treat (toy, food or attention - which ever he responds to).
Also looks for visual clues where he's about to bite the lead - it might be as subtle as a look, stance etc - And just before he's about to do it, distract him with something else like a treat.
My dog did this a couple of times. The advice I was given is to drop the lead immediately and turn your head and your focus away from him. He wants attention, your Mrs needs to reinforce this will get him nothing.
I know dropping the lead and letting him run off is not an option so you can either step on the lead so it's tight to the point that the dog literally can't bite it or grab his collar until the dog stops acting up. I think I ended up grabbing the dogs collar, removing the lead (so the dog has the lead dangling in his mouth and nothing to pull against - Dog now thinks this is BORING!) waiting for him to drop it then placing it in my pocket out of sight; waiting for the dog to calm then walking the dog (by the collar) back a few feet, placing the lead back on and starting again.
Once he's calmed down, walk back a few steps to before where he started playing up and repeat this as many times as necessary. You want to reinforce that this action will not get him anywhere. He'll soon learn.
You want to reinforce good behaviour. When the dog walks past his spaz out spot as normal, give him a treat (toy, food or attention - which ever he responds to).
Also looks for visual clues where he's about to bite the lead - it might be as subtle as a look, stance etc - And just before he's about to do it, distract him with something else like a treat.
Edited by pseudonym on Thursday 22 December 11:48
The problem with dropping the lead for her, is that I don't think she'd be strong enough to stand on it and him not pull it from under her foot.
She's just come back from a walk with muddy paw prints all over her, where he's been jumping at her lead hand.
He started almost as soon as he was put on the lead to go for his walk, then again when put back on the lead after a run in the field.
I went down the lane to rescue her, gave him an almighty b
king, and he walked back with me as if nothing had happened.
It must be something she does - but on the face of it she holds the lead as I do and gives him a short tug back to heel when he starts to pull just as I do
They have a bit of a 'love / hate' relationship - she can take or leave him, whereas my daughter and myself play with him and generally fuss him at home whereas my wife doesn't.
She's just come back from a walk with muddy paw prints all over her, where he's been jumping at her lead hand.
He started almost as soon as he was put on the lead to go for his walk, then again when put back on the lead after a run in the field.
I went down the lane to rescue her, gave him an almighty b
king, and he walked back with me as if nothing had happened.It must be something she does - but on the face of it she holds the lead as I do and gives him a short tug back to heel when he starts to pull just as I do
They have a bit of a 'love / hate' relationship - she can take or leave him, whereas my daughter and myself play with him and generally fuss him at home whereas my wife doesn't.
Jesus said:
I've encouraged her to start interacting with him more at home, and I think the chain lead is a good idea.
Also thinking of a muzzle just for when she walks him - if he can't bite the lead it should take the fun out of it.
I don't think a muzzle is the right answer, it's only covering the issue and the issue will re-manifest itself in something else. She needs to assert herself. It's a dominance thing. Him playing up and her reacting is getting him what he wants - attention, he doesn't care if it's from a good or bad place. Also thinking of a muzzle just for when she walks him - if he can't bite the lead it should take the fun out of it.
She needs to show, in no uncertain terms it will not fly. If strength control is an issue, how is he off lead? Maybe practise in a field or similar, walk around until he acts up. She needs to drop the lead immediately and turn her back on him - ignore him, no reaction other than ignorance, don't look at him once; head held high and forward. If he keeps jumping, she needs to keep turning around with her back to him without looking at him. Then, wait for him to calm (preferably sat down waiting) and give him a treat, once again immediately - Then repeat till he learns. This reinforces bad behaviour = being ignored. Good = treats. I'd recommend a lot of attention and cuddles as treats and he'll soon learn being sat down waiting get's him attention.
The immediate thing is very important so the dog learns it was that specific behaviour which resulted in your Mrs actions. Naughty = ignore, sit down = attention.
Can you not accompany her whilst she does this?
Edited by pseudonym on Friday 23 December 10:31
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