going mad when lead goes on!

[picklesmum]

Hi there. Pickle (16 weeks) is showing very positive signs of barking/snuffling at the door when he needs to go outside. This is great news, however, when I go to put his lead on to take him out, he goes mad, snapping and growling at me. He's quite happy on the lead outside, it's just getting it attached to his collar that's the problem. I dont want to shout 'no' or any of the usual anti-biting techniques, as I dont want to discourage him from telling us when he needs to go out.
(BTW our garden is not secure enough to let him out without his lead)
Any ideas on how to tackle my baby crocodile, eh.. I mean cockers' lead issue?
Oh, and while I'm here, has anyone tried these doggy harness/seatbelt thingies for the car? At the moment Pickle sits on the back seat on a towel, but he has started to wander around in transit. :roll:  I am thinking about getting the harness thingy - any thoughts on that?
Thank you in advance
Emma and Pickle xx                    

[bluesmum]

Hi Emma,

 sorry i've no ideas for you on your lead issue  but i,m sure someone will be along shortly with some advise on this I can however discuss the matter of a harness as i use one of these myself and have found it to be an absolute god send! I feel so much better driving knowing that not only is blue secure in "his" seat (without it he'd be sat on my knee! )but he is also safe :wink:                    

[Colin]

I think most dogs probably get excited and act daft once they catch sight of the lead before going out.  I've taught my two to sit before I put the lead on but they still dance round in circles, chewing each others ears for a bit before they eventually calm down and sit patiently. Obviously with a young pup you can't wait too long as you don't want to risk an accident on the floor. Does Pickle sit for a treat ? If so, you could try this and  simultaneously put the lead on as you give the treat. If you give in to his growling he'll carry on doing it, thinking that it is this behaviour that is getting him what he wants, in this case getting to go out. I've found it's best to stand as still as possible and not say a word, they give up acting up eventually realising it's futile.

I used the dog seat belt for a while and it did work well, although it could get a bit tangled at times. I now put the dogs in a crate in the boot, this has the added benefit of the seats not getting covered in hairs and mud etc. I wish I'd done this right from the start now. I suppose it depends on the size of your car really but there are small crates available that would fit any car.                    

[Hel]

Hi Emma

Does he do mad every time you put the lead on to take him for a walk, or just when he needs to go outside?

Re the car - I would get a harness for the car, the sooner he is used to it the better.  It really is not safe to have dogs wandering round in the car.

I learnt the hard way when I got hit in the back - which I could see coming from my mirror and I was stationary.  My first response was to stop Fletch from being hurt as he was loose in the car - as a result I now have problems with my left shoulder and arm - as that arm was outstretched when I was hit.  

Helen                    

[Maria]

I would agree with the others about a car harness - we had to brake sharply once and Boysie was thrown into the footwell in the back - and he went into shock for a while. We now have a harness (which we bought from Waggers). I also heard of a story where someone was involved in an accident on a motorway - their dog was unrestrained and went wandering from the wreckage, and was subsequently run over. Better safe than sorry.                    

[picklesmum]

Thanks for all your responses - I am going to order a car harness right away - just got the Waggers catalogue today, so will get Pickle measured up!
With the lead issue, he seems to be worse when he really needs to go (ie when I get him outside he runs to the grass and relieves himself right away) When he is sleepy, or not in desparate need for the toilet, he doesnt bite/growl so much. He will sit/lie for a treat normally, but when he needs to go out, I worry that he'll get distracted, and forget what he has learned.  It would be so much easier if the garden was enclosed and I could just open the door and let him straight out! I guess as with all training, it's just going to need patience, practice and some more patience!
On the positive side, I'm just glad he's got the idea of barking at the door when he wants out....the less 'deposits' he makes in the house, the better!
Emma and Pickle xx                    

[Pammy]

Emma - you need to separate the lead business and him doing any toiletting. I see your garden is not securer. Sorry - but I think this is unfair on Pickle and also a big big risk. It only takes someone not to shut the door properly and he'll be out :shock: Your first job should be to secure the garden. At 16 weeks, trying to cope with holding on and the lead is going to be a bit much for him. Once your garden is secure you can work with him to calm him.

Let him go outside as normal and do his stuff then bring him in. At this time you can make him sit still for his lead as you know he doesn't "need" to go out :wink:

If he growls, put the lead away and walk away from him. Make him sit, pehaps with a treat to put the lead on.

It is difficult as you musn't reward the bad behaviour - but by the same token, they do get excited at the prospect of going out anyway - but it's about judging what is acceptable excitement and what's not. Growling is not - so don't take it any further. He will soon learn that growling does not get him what he wants.

Sorry to be so blunt about your garden - but it really is important to have it dog proof.                    

[PennyB]

Oh, and while I'm here, has anyone tried these doggy harness/seatbelt thingies for the car? At the moment Pickle sits on the back seat on a towel, but he has started to wander around in transit. :roll:  I am thinking about getting the harness thingy - any thoughts on that?
Thank you in advance
Emma and Pickle xx

Even if the dog sits quietly in the back of the car its still not safe to leave them in there without some form of protection. If you suddenly brake the dog could go through the window or do some damage to the passenger/driver in front of the car. My two both have car harnesses even though I haven't got a car as if friends give me a lift with the dogs at least Wilf and Ruby are secure. I got one of mine online from PetPlanet and the other I bought from my local petshop.

The other alternative is to have a crate in your car as I know some do.

I agree about securing the garden as well as Pickle can't get any enjoyment out of the garden and will just see it as a toilet.                    

[shonajoy]

I don't have my garden dog proofed either - it's on a corner, at the end of a very quiet road, and we have been letting him out in the garden for a while now. I do watch him, but to totally dog proof as in no escape routes anywhere, I'd be well into the thousands mark.

We have a wall round half of it, which could easily be jumped, and a hedge on another bit - the garden is really big, and we have no gates at the front either.  We have trees along one end too - the practicalities of fencing in that area would be difficult maybe even not possible.

I see it the same way as letting him off the lead in the park - he's good at staying close, and recall is something we work on daily. He's never out on his own, and he's good at coming back.

Shona                    

[KellyP]

Millie has a harness for the car - £11.99 from pets at home, made by 'Hi-Life' or is it 'Hi-craft' ?
Either way its good, buckles securely round her neck and ribs, with padding down the bit that goes between her legs. Its got a loop with a quick release buckle that you clip around the seat belt and on the end of that a 'D' ring to clip a lead onto if you need too and is nicely adjustable.

Another bonus of her being 'strapped in' is that when you open the door to get her out, she can't leap out quickly, which is also a god send as she loves going places in the car and before we had the harness she'd dive straight out before you could grab her.  :roll:
I do have a cage as well, but my car isn't suitable for a cage (its  hatchback) so we settled for the harness.

So from us an all round thumbs up for a £11.99 well spent                      

[picklesmum]

Thank you again for all the advice. Re the garden - I have a gardener currently planting hedging to secure an area for Pickle. But please don't think I'm being unfair to him - he has a massive, safe grassy area behind the house to run around (supervised) and we're right beside a lovely quiet beach, so he has plenty of fun outdoors!
His harness is on order, and he won't be in the car again without it. Thanks for your replies - it's great to get all these wise words from experienced owners.
Emma and Pickle xx