To walk or not to walk...

**custerpup** · 08-11-2007, 02:31 PM

Custer, our 12 week old yellow lab, is doing a really nice job with his crate and some basic obedience. In researching how to teach a dog to walk on a loose leash (any kind of leash, really!) we have found nothing that gives us an idea of how old a pup is before this skill is mastered. Sometimes he does really well, sometimes he flat out refuses. I think it is probably normal given his age, but my husband thinks that if he does it once or twice, he knows how to do it, and by not walking he is exerting his status.

Any ideas? Like how old your pup was when he could walk well on a leash - up to a mile or so?

Thanks much!

D

**Kymberley** · 08-11-2007, 02:45 PM

I personally wouldn't worry about it until you have his vaccinations completed. If you want him to become more accustomed to the leash itself, have it on him while he's in the house and just let him run around with it on. It took a long while for us to be comfortable with ours on walks, and even then it was after formal training. I'd say they were at least a year old.

**Trickster** · 08-11-2007, 03:02 PM

Hi there.

A sensible rule of thumb to follow in regards to exercise is the '5 minute rule' -- 5 minutes of exercise per month of age. So for a 3 month old puppy that is 15 minutes of leash walking a day. It is VERY important that you limit forced leash walking while the puppy is young and it's joints are developing. And while over exercising will not cause joint problems, it could potentially make any underlying joint problems far worse. Not only that but pushing a puppy beyond its physical limitations with over exercising will leave them open to injury -- tears, strains, etc. Most exuberant dogs will not "stop when tired", unlike some people say. The reality is that many puppies have little grip on their limitations, often pushing through exhaustion. This is especially true of drivey field types who never want to quit.

Right now I would not focus on leash walking for exercise and milage. What IS important is socialization and getting the pup exposed as much as possible. And yes, this will involve leash walking.

I think your husbands expections for loose leash walking with a 12 week old pup are a little unrealistic. The pup is certainly not "exerting his status" -- as you say, he is being a normal pup. It will take time and plenty of training to get a reliable loose leash walk.

**kaytris** · 08-11-2007, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by custerpup

my husband thinks that if he does it once or twice, he knows how to do it, and by not walking he is exerting his status.

Any ideas? Like how old your pup was when he could walk well on a leash - up to a mile or so?

Thanks much!

Tristan took close to two years to get a reliable loose leash walk.... I know some dogs that get it quicker, but it is one of the hardest things to teach.

As for reliability, it takes much more than 'once or twice' for anyone, human or not, to learn any new skill. Ask your husband how long before he was a confident, reliable driver. Or how long it took his mom to teach him to use the potty 100% of the time. :P

**Baloo317** · 08-11-2007, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by Trickster

I think your husbands expections for loose leash walking with a 12 week old pup are a little unrealistic. The pup is certainly not "exerting his status" -- as you say, he is being a normal pup. It will take time and plenty of training to get a reliable loose leash walk.

I totally agree. It is a bit dangerous to atribute puppy behaviours to a "play for status" because if you do that, you will be at odds with the pup a lot of the time. And training works better if you work together, instead of being on opposing teams.  :-\

Overall, as a breed Labs are *very rarely* dominant. Confident, yes, but that's not the same thing. 

ETA: Baloo has a pretty good loose leash walk, on occasion. (He's 21 weeks) When he was a pup he would do the refusing thing too. High-pitched-voice encouragement and treats worked wonders. Sometimes I would have to encourage and treat him 10 times over maybe 20 ft., but eventually he got it.

**HersheyK's Dad** · 08-13-2007, 08:36 AM

Too much to expect at 12 weeks. You can place a 24 week target for yourself but don't get upset if you don't make it.

Practice loose leash walking in your yard. You really want all shots before exposing to much else.

If he/she is pulling, I used a Gentle Leader and it worked great.

HK is 7 months old. She walks fine with me. BUT, if I don't have the Gentile Leader on, the last 1/4 mi toward home she will pull. Not excessively like she initially did, but she knows we are on the way home and wants to get there.

Felix · 08-19-2007, 01:34 AM

12 week's that just one very young Labrador ... so he's still a baby, just give it some time .. It is better that he understand one commando correctly then that he nows 10 commands, and dont understand them

If you get my drift ;D

**kassabella** · 08-19-2007, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by custerpup

Custer, our 12 week old yellow lab, is doing a really nice job with his crate and some basic obedience. In researching how to teach a dog to walk on a loose leash (any kind of leash, really!) we have found nothing that gives us an idea of how old a pup is before this skill is mastered. Sometimes he does really well, sometimes he flat out refuses. I think it is probably normal given his age, but my husband thinks that if he does it once or twice, he knows how to do it, and by not walking he is exerting his status.

Thanks much!

D

Dogs all mature and learn at a different pace. This is probably why there are no hard and fast rules to be found.
I think your pup is normal. Your husband isn't quite right. It takes a lot of training and even after months they can still have off days.

I know I do and my dogs sure do.
[quote=custerpup ]

Any ideas? Like how old your pup was when he could walk well on a leash - up to a mile or so?

D
I had Kass from a pup. I let her be a pup first. With play, socialising etc, you can train making it fun, yet letting them know what you want. They have a short concentration and little bits at first. They do get better. As Trickster says.

Kassa was walking well off and on lead by about 18 months. Again some do better than others and depends on training, the dog and other things.

Ernie wasn't trained and he will never be good off or on lead. He is better, but not great.

Hang in there. Your pup is a baby and with love and respect you will have a great dog.

Hope we have helped.One last thing. Don't over excersise a young pup.

**luv4labs** · 09-30-2007, 02:00 AM

I had the leash on Drake a lot when he was that age. Just mostly let him drag it around and get used to it. When we would go out in the yard he was still at that age that he wanted to follow me everywhere and then I would pick the leash up and just let him follow me while I was holding it. I would change directions suddenly and he would file right back in behind me. He has never fought the leash or pulled at all and heels on command very well now - on and off leash (off leash we only practice on in the fenced yard). Hope this helps some - Drake is 6 mos. old now.