# A few questions....



## Emily's mommy (Aug 8, 2011)

Hi everybody! I was home for the past few days so I had a lot of time to spend training Emily. I have a few questions. First, teaching her to walk on a loose leash without pulling is very challenging. Did it take others a while to get it? It seems to take her a lot shorter time to get other thing, even giving me her paw. Second, Emily still barks at anyone who passes by the house when she is out front or walking anywhere near our property. What is the general opinion about this? I know she is being protective but passersby are, shall I say, not so understanding and I have received a fair share of dirty looks. Should I train her to stop this or not? 
Looking forward to hearing opinions... Thanks!


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

We are still working on walking nicely to heal and suspect we will be for some time. We learnt the basics at a training class. Starting with puppy in front of you and with a treat in your left hand and lead (and clicker if using one in your right hand), hold the treat in front of the pup and move it round in a circle at your left side, just in front of pups nose until he is just at your side then give the treat (click your clicker first if you are using one). Practice that a few times then delay giving the treat until you have walked forward one pace. Again practice that a few times. Then do again but walk forward a few paces, reward and keep walking, rewarding every few paces if pup has a loose lead. Slowly extend the number of paces you take before rewarding. You shouldn't be stopping while rewarding but doing it while walking. A favourite high reward treat should have your pup walking nicely at your side gazing up at your hand waiting for the next treat. Any pulls on the lead then stop walking, get pup into the correct position and start again. I use the command heal.

Lolly knows how to walk to heal and is very good at doing so while walking along the road unless a dog is coming toward us or she sees a cat etc!!! But at the beginning of a walk at the park, in the car park where I need her to still be on a lead I have no hope !!!! She is straining at the lead in excitement so I don't even bother with the command so there is no failure.

Can't help with the barking I'm afraid as Lolly barks at the postman etc while we are in the house.


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Izzie pulls on her lead so I can't advise on that, but in regards to her barking at people through the window, Izzie does this too, others may have different opinions, but personally we don't mind her doing this as in a way it lets us know people are coming down the drive etc (if for any reason people thought we weren't in & were tryinh something then we would be warned or she may make them think twice), it's just a way for Izzie to say I want a fuss or to play! So we let her bark  But it's a personal opinion...


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## Happyad (Oct 5, 2010)

Well put Fallon. 
The dog is out for a walk with you and not vice versa.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Barking is a tricky one, I guess it depends how much they bark.

Millie barks a little to let us know if someones at the door. I let her bark a bit, then say thank you and Quiet. If I'm lucky she'll stop then and her job is done


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

fallon said:


> When leaving the house for a dog walk, it usually starts with the dog being on the lead. Make sure that you are not the one who is led by the dog. As soon as the dog tries to overtake you and aims to be in front of you, stop walking and establish contact with your dog.As soon as you have the dogs attention pull it towards you and then loosen the lead Start walking again and as soon as the dog tries to pass you again, stop and repeat the process.Make sure that you are the one who gives the direction of the walk and dictates the pace at which things happen, because the one who goes in front is the one that leads. Xxx


Are you supposed to do this EVERY time you go for a walk or only when you are trying to train??:If I stopped everytime she pulled we would never get anywhere and never have a proper walk ( and all the excess energy that would entail)


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## Deefer (Jun 15, 2011)

I think I posted this somewhere else (but not good at finding the links!). Deefer was a terrible "puller". I was really frightened he was going to totally stangle himself and if he saw a jogger or a bicycle he would nearly pull us over. I invested in a car harness which you could put the lead on to and this has totally changed the way he walks. I started totally on the harness and then gradually spent more time on a loose leash. If he pulled we went back to the harness and now he never needs the harness - just trots along beside us (even if he does spot the bare legs of a random jogger!) 

Sue


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