Leash Anxiety?

[stardreamer413]

Hi everyone! I saw a similar question to mine a few topics down, but my issue's a bit different I think. I adopted my 4 year old Eskie, Aspen a few months ago from the shelter and he has been absolutely PERFECT for the most part. He's very calm and laid back indoors and loves to cuddle and sleep.. but the SECOND I pull that leash out he becomes a different dog and just jumps around everyyywhere. Once we're outside, he's very hard to control. He just sprints and jumps around and runs in circles around my other Eskie. Does anyone else have leash obedience issues, or have any suggestions for me? I try to be stern with him, but I just feel bad when I do because he gets so scared and skiddish when you try to use any disciplinary tone with him. Also, I don't know what kind of background he came from before he ended up at the pound so for all I know he's never even been ON a leash.

Any help or input is greatly appreciated! Thanks

[eskilady]

Try pretending that he is a new puppy and has never been on a leash before.  Start out by just putting the leash on him and not trying to take him places.  Let him lead you - let him get use to the leash.  don't try and take him with your other eskie for awhile.  Just let him lead you around and then after awhile, try with gentle persuasion to take him where you want to go. 

[BanaerEskies]

Welcome!  For the leash anxiety, just get a light weight lead and let him drag it around the house whenever you are home.  That way leash becomes a regular thing.  After a day or two when he doesn't even notice it anymore.  Pick it up and say "lets go" or whatever you walk command is and take one or two steps and give a cookie, then drop it and go back to whatever you were doing.  Build it up to where you can walk around a room, then room to room, then out the door and right back in, then out the door and around the yard, keep building.  Lots of treats and praise throughout the process.

[eskieagilitygal]

Clarification?   He's not scared of it, is he?   He's just not walking nice on the lead or with you?   That's what I'm understanding?   Is that correct?

I posted how to fix this years ago.. it should be in archieves.  I'll go see if I can find.   But in short...basicly you'll need to walk him alone, until he's walking right.  You can have him doing it in one session, but that one session may take awhile.   You'll need to be in a very patient mood and have at least a couple hours to spare and to train this.

If you have a garage and driveway.  Hook him on the lead at the top of your drive way.  If he starts acting wild and circling around you, you just stand like a "pole".    No need to say anything at this point.  Just be quite be a "pole".    He will tire and he will lay down.   Not saying it will be quick, but it will happen.  As soon as he does, call him to you...then when he's next to you take a step down the drive way.   If he stays with you "praise" like crazy and reward him with a treat.   If he goes wild again, pulling and circling then go back to being the "pole" and being quite.   He only gets praise and a step forward, when he's next to you and calm.    So... you just keep repeating this, until you reach the end of  the drive.   If you make it to the end of the drive to the sidewalk within a reasonable time frame and he's walking on lead pretty well, but still pulling a bit, you can then go to phase 2.  Phase two is.. you walk, but as soon as he's in front of you or pulling, you are like "Oh no" we are not going that way.  You turn and start walking the other direction.   As soon as he's next to you again (while passing in most cases) then praise and reward.   If he starts pulling again, then you turn the oppiosite direction again and beging walking.   He'll be like"Huh" and as he turns to catch up with you.. as he passes next to you, you praise and reward (while he's next to you in the heal position).

Does this all make sense?   It's easier to show, then explain.   Bottom line... he only gets rewarded when he's next to you and walking nice.      Have a 6' lead and keep it loose.   Allow him to choose to heal and not be forced to heal.       

Good Luck!         

[stardreamer413]

Thank you SO much for your input everyone!! I'm taking notes.. I think this will all help. Walking him separate will probably really help as well.

And eskiagilitygal- that's right.. he's definitely not scared of the leash, just gets overly excited. It's the ONLY time he's even slightly disobedient.. its the weirdest thing. He does exactly what you described.. just runs around me and my other Eskie in circles and then jumps around everywhere. Makes you feel like you're walking a 70 pound dog, not a 20 pound one!

[eskieagilitygal]

My first Eskie WInston (Rescue) was like that and he's very obedient now on the leash.  Went on to becoming a therapy dog and getting many obedience and agility titles.  The first time I walked him (over 11 years now) it took me 3 hrs to walk a mile the method I desribed   But, after that... he understood and never had a problem after... and if he did he was quickly reminded by me just turning around and going the other way.   They understand quickly they won't get to where they want to go, if they are pulling.   :0)

[stardreamer413]

Oh wow, really?? I wonder if it's a coincidence or has something to do with them being rescues. He wasn't at the shelter very long though, he was picked up as a stray and I applied for him the second day he was there but he couldnt come home for almost a month because they had to send out a certified letter to the 'owner' etc. So all I can think of is he's just never been leash trained. But I'm definitely going to work on this technique with him. I've been doing something similar.. where when he pulls or runs ahead of me I'll just stand still until he's done or comes back to my side and it'll work in the moment, but he goes right back to it. I'll let everyone know how it all works out Thanks again all!

[eskieagilitygal]

He's just young and full of energy... he'll come around.  He just needs to learn what you expect.

[Geno]

Chester was like this and still has his moments. There were times I could not get him to hold still to put the leash on him.

For my front door, I noticed he loved sitting on the top of the love chair and look outside. Since I can walk behind the love chair I started putting the leash on while he was sitting there. When he ran and jumped off and started circling, I just stood there by the back of the love chair waiting for him. Now when I take him out the front door, he jumps up there and sits while I put the leash on.

For the side door I make him sit, as soon as I reach to put the leash on, if he starts getting hyper, I stand up straight and wait for him to sit again. He finally figured it out and just sits still most of the time.

It take patience and time and positive re-enforcement.

Geno

[TigerLilly]

I had a chihuahua mix a while back who was also a rescue that had this same exact problem except I think hers was more so out of fear.  She'd freak out as soon as I put her collar on but she was fine with a harness except for letting me put the leash on. Fawn was pretty treat driven so I'd give her a treat whenever she'd let me approach her with a leash then when she'd let me put it on the harness and so on. I got her used to the harness by having her wear it around the house without a leash then, as someone mentioned, leave the leash on in the house and let her get used to it that way.  Keep walks short in the beginning and praise him a lot.  Once she got used to walking on a harness, I gradually re introduced her to wearing and walking on a collar and eventually I was able to walk her that way but it took a lot of patience treats.  I also have my current dog, an eskie who gets really excited about going out but not as much as she did at first.  I have her sit and be calm before putting her leash on.  I sometimes walk around the house carrying her leash so that picking it up isn't always associated with going for a walk and that's helped a lot as well.  Give him time, he'll get the hang of it

[NordicWhispers]

Tammy that's how I leash trainl all my puppies is the about faces.  Never tried phase 1 but phase 2 usually only takes one session and they are walking on a lead pretty well.  Of course the crazy puppies usually need boot camp just before going in the ring for a quick reminder.  They seem to forget everything once they walk in the ring if you don't