Author Topic: Loose leash - we became complacent!  (Read 2691 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Londongirl

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1458
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #15 on: November 13, 2017, 10:47:24 AM »
Have you tried reinforcing the position by your side as a place of value all the time not just when walking? We naturally give reinforcement (treats, cuddles etc) with the dog in front facing us. Try changing that to by your side, both facing forwards. Do it as quick training sessions  throughout the day, but also daily in as many interactions as possible. That’s where he needs to be when you put down his dinner, give him a biscuit, where he waits to be released at a door or to go get something he wants. Over time, it becomes a default for the dog to hang out by your side because that’s where good things happen.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline bizzylizzy

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4504
  • Gender: Female
  • 🙂 Jayne
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #16 on: November 13, 2017, 12:59:29 PM »
Good idea and certainly worth a try, thanks!

Offline ips

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1226
  • Gender: Male
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #17 on: November 13, 2017, 07:27:36 PM »
Have you tried reinforcing the position by your side as a place of value all the time not just when walking? We naturally give reinforcement (treats, cuddles etc) with the dog in front facing us. Try changing that to by your side, both facing forwards. Do it as quick training sessions  throughout the day, but also daily in as many interactions as possible. That’s where he needs to be when you put down his dinner, give him a biscuit, where he waits to be released at a door or to go get something he wants. Over time, it becomes a default for the dog to hang out by your side because that’s where good things happen.

That is exactly what I do.....when I remember 😁
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Ambler54

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 220
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2017, 07:22:31 AM »
Have real problem with Rosie pulling, on a cliff path walk We have no idea where She thinks She is going but it is like having a demented demon on the lead, even get people jumping out of the way as We approach as She sounds like a rabid dog with the straining and panting.Will do 'good walking' but the attention span on that is a nano second.But now I have to take control of this behaviour, after months of sore shoulders, back, arms and then legs, blaming Rosie for it all I have been diagnosed with Polymyalgia( so not the dogs fault...lol) on steroids and feeling so much better but I cant have Her constantly pulling.Going to do the all day training even at home as suggested by Londongirl, following this post with interest.Any break through moments Bizzylizzy please share.

Offline bizzylizzy

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4504
  • Gender: Female
  • 🙂 Jayne
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2017, 01:40:55 PM »
Have real problem with Rosie pulling, on a cliff path walk We have no idea where She thinks She is going but it is like having a demented demon on the lead, even get people jumping out of the way as We approach as She sounds like a rabid dog with the straining and panting.Will do 'good walking' but the attention span on that is a nano second.But now I have to take control of this behaviour, after months of sore shoulders, back, arms and then legs, blaming Rosie for it all I have been diagnosed with Polymyalgia( so not the dogs fault...lol) on steroids and feeling so much better but I cant have Her constantly pulling.Going to do the all day training even at home as suggested by Londongirl, following this post with interest.Any break through moments Bizzylizzy please share.

I can‘t really report any major breakthroughs yet but  I‘m being a LOT more consistant and concious of limiting the use of commands that are unlikely to be followed. I therefore now only say „heel“ if I want him stuck literally at my heel and I‘m strict that the position is correct, not an inch infront, behind ir at an angle. (Good advice there from Pearly!)  He has to sit at my heel, I say heel once, put left foot forward and off we go. That bit is working well and he seems to need the ritual to get him focused. I don‘t repeat „heel“ again unless we either change pace or stop and start again and other than a „fine“ or „well done“, he gets no other big reward as I‘m finding if I treat or say „Good Boy“ he seems to take that as a signal that this game is now over!! I‘ve decided now not to give any command at all if I just want him to walk on a loose lead, he can wander up ahead but as soon as I see the lead‘s running short I stop or turn around, if he looks up at me and follows, then I’ve been using a clciker and treating from my left hand .This is taking longer than walking tight to heel and he‘s still very distracted but I think he‘s slightly better than a few weeks ago. For the time being, I‘m avoiding all places where there‘s too much distraction as I‘m worried about setting him up to fail again, we‘re taking each day at a time. London Girl‘s tip about keeping everything „left „is definately starting to sink in with Humphrey now and he‘s begun to automatically take up position there to have his lead and collar put on, so I‘m confident we will get there - eventually!  ;) :lol2: Will keep you posted!

Offline Ambler54

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 220
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #20 on: November 19, 2017, 07:02:47 AM »
Following with interest.Rosie sees being given the treat as a release from the training, but unfortunately She also expects a 'well done" or " good walking' to be promptly followed by a reward so I am obviously going to have to change that now.

Offline bizzylizzy

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4504
  • Gender: Female
  • 🙂 Jayne
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #21 on: November 19, 2017, 07:32:54 AM »
Looking back, I think I‘ve generally been too generous with the treats and am finding now that Less is More, but its all a learning process,  for us aswell as the dogs!  :-\

Offline Londongirl

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1458
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #22 on: November 19, 2017, 08:27:30 AM »
It may not be about being too generous with the treats but about the timing. Think very carefully about what you are actually rewarding when you give a treat. Are you accidently rewarding a chain of behaviour: pull in front + stop + come to side? There’s a good chance the dog is thinking ‘I need to pull ahead to come back to get the treat’. So rather than the dog considering the treat a release from training, the motion forwards after the treat is part of the behaviour you have inadvertently trained.

Try occasionally turning and walking backwards while the dog has its head right by your leg, and fire in lots of tiny treats. That way the dog is walking forwards but being rewarded for loose leash.  And giving treats when you catch your dog walking nicely beside you rather than when they have pulled forwards and come back.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline ips

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1226
  • Gender: Male
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #23 on: November 19, 2017, 09:52:45 AM »
Following with interest.Rosie sees being given the treat as a release from the training, but unfortunately She also expects a 'well done" or " good walking' to be promptly followed by a reward so I am obviously going to have to change that now.

I have noticed during training certain things that a treat and or a good girl is taken as a release. Timing I think is critical.

Good post above from LG 👍
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Londongirl

  • Donator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1458
Re: Loose leash - we became complacent!
« Reply #24 on: November 19, 2017, 11:59:53 AM »
Following with interest.Rosie sees being given the treat as a release from the training, but unfortunately She also expects a 'well done" or " good walking' to be promptly followed by a reward so I am obviously going to have to change that now.

I have noticed during training certain things that a treat and or a good girl is taken as a release. Timing I think is critical.

Good post above from LG 👍

There’s a training opportunity right there: put the dog in a control position where you don’t expect them to move until you give whatever your release word is. Then test them with other words like ‘good’ girl’ or whatever - if they move, put them back in the control position with no reward. It’s actually quite a fun game. It only takes Henry one or two repetitions before he realises he has to wait for the specific word. Reinforcing the release word will eventually generalise to ‘I don’t move just because I’ve been given a treat’ although that will take a bit longer. I usually give the treat and say the release word immediately afterwards, so Henry knows that a treat without the release word doesn’t mean he can move.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)