Going for walks

[JANE D]

Hi - Charlie is now 11months old and really quite good now at home but the big problem still is going out for a walk. As soon as I make the first move to go out he goes crackers-leaping all over he place-throwing himself at the door and generally causing havoc.  :twisted:  I use a canny collar on him as its the only way I can stop him pulling but getting it on can take 10minutes or more as he just throws himself about and bites my hands. Even when I get it on he still launches himself at the doors and I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself as the strap over his nose tightens when he pulls and he just leaps about. Its got that taking him out is quite traumatic and this manic behaviour spoils the pleasure of going for walks.
Does anyone elses dog behave like this or has anyone any tips for dealing with it? Help please!!
Jane and Charlie                    

[lizzy]

I think this a quite a usual problem with cockers, they get very excited when they know it's walkies and go well over the top. :roll:

I would go right back to basic training with Charlie, as soon as you make the first move to go out ask him to sit then give him a treat, if he starts jumping around ask him to sit again and keep doing this until he gets the message that he's going nowhere while he's jumping around.

Carry on doing this until you get out the door, praise him if he's good ignore him if he's not. You probably won't get far for the first few days but he will soon cotton on that his behaviour is gettting him knowhere (literallly). You will need to be firm with him but I think with a little training this problem can be overcome, my youngest Evie , 6 months, gets very excited when she know's it walkies, but she now know's that her lead does'nt go on till she is sat down quietly. :wink:

hth

Lizzy Molly and Evie                    

[*Jay*]

Does anyone elses dog behave like this or has anyone any tips for dealing with it? Help please!!  

Yes!!!!! Dallas is a nightmare. I've posted about this before as he flings himself at walls while shrieking and going completely hysterical. He also does this at food time although this is getting slightly better. Unfortunately, at walkies time, Dallas doesn't pause for even a nanosecond to reward good behaviour so I'm a bit stuck. I'm thinking using training discs may help so I'm reading up on that at the moment.                    

[gc]

Do you take him out for a walk everyday?
Generally speaking.... this is a typical happy, healthy cocker :-)
Probably when he grows up, this situation will be better, but if I see mine who is 5....well...   earthquake in the house!                          

[picklesmum]

Hi Jane. I can totally sympathise, as Pickle used to be a nightmare - he'd get so excited, bounce and woofing, and it actually got to the point I couldn't attatch his lead to his collar as he was rolling around thashing and woofing on the floor  :roll: He was like a tasmanian devil!
We did as Lizzy says above - back to basics, getting him to sit for a treat well away from the front door, and getting his lead on with another treat/sit. Then it was a case of back to a 'sit' every time we took a step towards the door, as he got all fired up again. It used to take about 20 mins to get him out the door, but he's much better now - we can be out in a couple of mins, which may seem a lot, but at least he's a bit calmer once we get outside.
Once we're outside, however, the start - stop cycle begins again, as he is the worlds worst lead-puller......so it can take us half an hour to walk about 10 metres :roll:
Certainly don't get anywhere in a hurry anymore!!!
But good luck...once again, perserverance is the way forward.
Emma and Pickle xx
PS Gill, what are trainig discs? If they're any good, let us know!!                    

[LindaW]

Hi Jane. PS Gill, what are trainig discs? If they're any good, let us know!!

The training discs are made by Mikki and are brass discs held together by a piece of ribbon.  The idea is that they are used as a distraction really. They were introduced by the late John Fisher.  I have used them quite successfully but I think a few pebbles in an empty coke can are just as effective.                      

[PennyB]

If you use training disks you have to go through training how to use them 1st and beware if your dog is noise sensitive as it will scare the hell out of them (so lightly does it for starters until you get the sort of level they will react to) and do more harm than good plus don't overuse them as they can become desensitized to them.

I don't use them now I have Wilf as while Ruby was OK with them they scared the hell out of Wilf and I dented his confidence a little at the time (OK now).                    

[JANE D]

Thanks all for your replies. Good to know that I'm not the only one with this problem!
I have to tell you that today I did as suggested and went right back to basics - making him sit and giving him a treat every time he threw himself around. I got his collar and lead on after about 30mins  but I got the feeling that he knew exactly what it was all about      
so going to persevere and allow plenty of time for daily walks. You really need the patience of a saint but I'm determined to master it as there is no greater pleasure than taking my beautiful boy out for his run.

Jane and Charlie                    

[Pammy]

Jane - I'm another one with cockers that bounce off the walls when it's walkies :?  At least you only have the one so it's relatively easy to put it right( and all things are relative ). With perseverence you should be able to bring him under control.

The main thing is that he doesn't get his walk, or the collar etc on - until he's sat and been good.  Don't be afraid to put the collar and lead away if he's not settling well enough - he will work out what's going an as long as you are consistent and persevere. Also anyone else who might take him for a walk must do exactly the same!

hth                    

[kookie]

It must be a cocker thing, my 3 behave like lunatics at walky time too, and Alfie carries on for a about 10 minutes after we get outside!
He has to talk to everyone, not nasty, but like ....

'Hey!!! Yo !!! I'm alfie and I'm goin' for a walk!!! Aint life just great!!!!Aren't you just great!!!!I'm goin walkies!!!! wanna come!!!!We have loads of fun!!!!

He's very vocal, but eveyone can see he just a happy little dog.                    

[Tracey J]

Sounds like Molly too!  She used to be like a dervish but we've graduated to sitting while tap dancing, tail (stump) wagging so madly that she moves round the floor   .  Still a bit of a struggle to get the lead on, but have got it down to about 30 seconds.  Then, she's off like a bullet.  I'm glad she's not in the minority