Leash training

After reading a thread on pulling pugs....I'm intrigued to read up your different views on Leash Training !!!
I've tried a few things, to no avail with Master Stubborn-Ness, so I for one, am keen for any suggests !!!!!!!!!!

There's loads of different methods. I don't have time to write a great long post now but I will endeavour to come back to this thread and fill in on what I mention below if nobody else has in the meantime.

There is the "be a tree" version.

There is the "loose leash and keep changing direction" version.

Both of the above methods ought, in my view, to be used with a harness not a collar.

My pugs need to know how to walk nicely in a collar for the show ring. Actually they are bad little pullers on their harnesses, especially Snifter, but I have to admit that is probably because I am quite lax with them on general walks in the park.

For walking nicely in a collar I have found the best way for us is to make sure I have their attention, especially in the beginning, to talk to them which keeps their attention on me and keeps them close, and to have plenty of treats. A good hand target is very helpful; if you can get them to walk nicely without the collar and leash you can then introduce the collar and leash and keep with the hand target.

Sorry; I'm short of time and must stop now but will check in again later or tomorrow.

I'll come back to this later when I have more time too. But treats work wonders with pugs so if your pug is food motivated, (and most pugs are) you're 75% of the way there.

Get a plastic tupperware container and put some bits of treats in there, not enough to fill it but not too few, it's best if it makes some noise when you shake it (try not to use kibble though). Then get a clicker or figure out a marker word (such as an enthusiastic "YES!") and load the clicker/marker by showing the dog that whenever you click/say that word a treat is coming (this takes a couple small 10 minute sessions). Start in your home and when you've mastered it in there then move to the yard, then to the park and so on and so forth. As you're walking click/mark when they get to the spot you want them at and give them a treat with the hand closest to them. You can shake the container to get their attention if needed. Keep things enthusiastic and happy and encourage them to want to be with you, not whatever is down the street. Do not say "no" or "bad dog" etc. when they're not doing what you want. This method takes patience since you're shaping a behaviour. Keep sessions short, about 15-20 minutes MAX. I usually do 5 minutes, break, 5 minutes, break, 5 minutes, happy dance!

MandyPug wrote:Get a plastic tupperware container and put some bits of treats in there, not enough to fill it but not too few, it's best if it makes some noise when you shake it (try not to use kibble though). Then get a clicker or figure out a marker word (such as an enthusiastic "YES!") and load the clicker/marker by showing the dog that whenever you click/say that word a treat is coming (this takes a couple small 10 minute sessions). Start in your home and when you've mastered it in there then move to the yard, then to the park and so on and so forth. As you're walking click/mark when they get to the spot you want them at and give them a treat with the hand closest to them. You can shake the container to get their attention if needed. Keep things enthusiastic and happy and encourage them to want to be with you, not whatever is down the street. Do not say "no" or "bad dog" etc. when they're not doing what you want. This method takes patience since you're shaping a behaviour. Keep sessions short, about 15-20 minutes MAX. I usually do 5 minutes, break, 5 minutes, break, 5 minutes, happy dance!

One of the things Patricia McConnell suggested at her seminar on Sunday was not using "yes" (which is the world I've always used". She felt that the word was too long and hissy--she marks either with a clicker OR (and I thought this was interesting) she actually says the word "Click" as the marker. she feels it is more abrupt and definitive than "yes". She said she's terrible for remembering where her clickers are or forgetting to bring them (boy, can I relate) so she started saying "click". I thought that was a pretty smart idea!

On the subject of marker words I think if you are going to use a word you use a lot in everyday life (like "yes") you need to have a particular way of saying it or a particular tone of voice so the poor dog is not constantly expecting a treat out of the blue. Click is a good idea of a word to use because it is not used a huge amount in general conversation. A happy sounding "yeah!" could work well.

That all makes sense with the "Yes" Blanche (i would have loved to see patricia in person!). That's just what the trainers around here have used, i always use a clicker though (i have a million of them and keep one in my car, purse, room, living room, etc.). I always have a clicker on me lol. Actually most of the time i have more than one on me, i've given some away before too.

Loose Leash Walking. This is the way that's worked best for me and the pugs since they are so greedy!

1. Make sure your dog is hungry, or in other words, don't give your dog dinner and then go practice LLW. Wait til he's good and hungry, with a pug you won't be waiting long.

2. Load up on a bunch of little tiny treats. My favorite is the dog food that comes in a roll, like Natural Balance or the Pet Botanics that they sell at Petsmart. You'll need something to put the treats in, my favorite is a cheap nail apron from Home Depot or Lowes. You can fit a bunch of treats in there and I cut the treats into little 1/8" cubes.

3. If your dog is a hard-core puller, outfit them in a harness, and if you have a hard time controlling your dog, the Easy Walk harness by Premier works really well. Of course make sure your dog has a leash on, I like a 4' lead rather than a 6' lead so the dog won't tangle up in it. No Flexi-Leads, they are the work of Satan.

4. Find a relatively quiet place to start, in your front/back yard, a quiet side street, somewhere where there's not a bunch of activity. Have a hand full of treats and watch your dog. Just stand there at first, your dog is going to be distracted by all the noise/smells/sights but eventually he'll look back at you and as soon as that happens, mark it! Use a clicker, use yes, say click, I don't care, mark it, and promptly give your dog a treat. He'll eat his treat and go back to staring/sniffing and you're gonna let him because again, eventually he'll look back and you and you will mark it and treat again. Keep repeating the click/treat (that's usually what I use, so we'll say click) every time the dog looks at you. You should start to notice that your dog is looking back at you more frequently and remember to click/treat EVERY SINGLE TIME. I shouted that because it's important. Your click and treat is giving your dog information and the more consistent you are the faster your dog will learn. Don't worry about how many treats your dog is getting (remember you cut them into little tiny pieces).

5. By now your dog should be looking at you every few seconds. While your dog is looking at you take a step forward. If your dog stays with you while you step forward click/treat. Here at this early stage, he'll probably stay with you for a few steps and as long as he's looking, continue to click/treat. But as soon as his attention wanders and he starts to pull, you stop walking. And you're going to stand there again and wait for the dog to focus back on you and as soon as he does, you click/treat and start to walk forward and as long as he paying attention to you, continue to click/treat.

6. The light bulb should start to turn on and your dog figures out that attention=treats. Once that association is made, you can name the behavior, I call it "easy" rather than heel because loose leash walking is not a formal heel and since I do obedience, I want my dogs to learn the difference. The dog doesn't care what you call it, but I don't want to look like a fool in the obedience ring :)

7. I've also found it helps to use a release word so the dog knows he's free to be a dog. "All done" works pretty well for me rather than "ok" (we used that for guide dogs and had some problems since the word is used so much in normal conversation). So I'll cue my dog with "easy", we'll do a few minutes of LLW, I release the dog, he sniffs, plays, pees, and so forth, then cue the dog "easy", minute of LLW, release and so forth.

8. Once your dog is consistently walking nicely in a quiet place, start to increase duration, make your dog "easy" for longer and longer periods of time. My dogs are still getting a pretty steady supply of treats. I say that because most people want to stop giving treats as soon as possible, before the dog is has made the behavior a habit. You can start to taper off giving the dog treats, but I err on the side of caution and my dogs walk like a million bucks beside me because they've gotten so many treats for doing the behavior.

9. Once the dog will walk nicely for minutes at a time, start increasing distractions and work with your dog at a park, Petsmart on a quiet weekday evening (there's not too much noise and too many dogs like there is on the weekend) or a parking lot at a mall so your dog will learn to focus with distractions. Anytime you raise your criteria, the treats start to flow like wine again, so lots of treats when you're at a new location.

10. Remember lots of treats, start with low distraction and keep it short and sweet in the beginning and you should start to see improvement. Hope this helps!

Fantastic !!!

We'll get on this ASAP...Im super excited to see a new improved Yoda :) haha
You are all such stars. I know it will take a while, he seems to take longer than most, but it's worth it.