Help!!!.. my chow wont walk on leash..

[trry]

My chow has been here almost 5 days he was really active this morning and he was opening up. Playing with toys and such and running around it before he would just be very cautious. So I thought I could train it to walk on leash. It REFUSES... I am using a collar and leash but he refuses to walk he rather stand there and wait it out. I waited for 20min and I tried tugging on the leash but he would whimper and growl at me.

He is 4 months old and he has never been train to walk on a leash any suggestion please? I am trying to socialize the little guy but he makes me carry him everywhere!....

HELP advise please...


thanks!



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[Sarahloo]

He is 4 months old and he has never been train to walk on a leash

Exactly! So why should he be able to do it? You have to train him first! So no reason to panic!

http://www.google.de/#sclient=psy-ab&hl ... 24&bih=612

[cherriemater]

The first time I put a collar on our boys they both HATED it. But, I let them feel it out and learn to live with it. That was when they were only 9 weeks and I could keep up with them. The next thing I did was put the leashes on them and then I dropped the leash and let them drag it around. This got them used to it and, yes, they HATED it. But, they liked running in the park, too. So, they forgot about them. I have heard about this type of training so as long as you're supervising (so he doesn't get stuck or choke) then this might help.

Here's a video I took of their first day out with their leashes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fQkr0bQ ... plpp_video This was only 5 days after we picked them up, so we started right away with training. They do GREAT now on retractable leashes.

Check out those other references that Sarah provided. I didn't read them all, but they look very interesting.

[BeckiHutton]

I thought I replied to this, but my post seems to have disappeared... luckily I always copy my posts, in case this happens ... so here it is

Firstly, stop picking him up... it is rewarding the fact that he is refusing to walk. He is obviously unsure, because he hasn't been walked before.. lily was like this when I first got her. You just have to take it very slow. Go as far as he wants to. If he wants to stop, let him,but don't praise him for stopping. Wait for a little while, and clap your hands and say, come on, and begin to walk... make your voice happy and excitable. If that doesn't work, take him back the way you came, and save the walk for another day... take him to places where he can sit and watch what's going on... supermarkets are excellent places for this. Lots of people. Just make sure they don't scare him... he is going to be very unsure for a while

[trry]

Thank you for your advice but my question is that lets say we have been there for 30min and he still has not moved... I would have to pick him up to move him. We had a standstill in the backyard for 20min he rather sit there and look out than walk once I hold the leash. The chow is alright with leash and collar it just when I hold it he becomes a dead weight.

[BeckiHutton]

I think, then, that it is encouragement you need. Every time he walks, make a really big deal out of it... if he is food orientated, hold a treat in front of him. If he moves towards it, give it to him, with lots of praise.

[Penelope]

I agree with treat motivation. Also maybe you should try a harness put don't let him ever pull away from you (in the backing up manner, especially because with all their hair they can sometimes pull out of collars/harness pulling backwards) - in a harness if you have him right next to you and the leash taut going straight up maybe you can start walking and lift a little and he'll sort of be hovering/skimming the ground next to you which might make him start walking pretty quickly. As soon as he starts making an effort TREAT! To be fair I've never had this issue, so I don't know if I'm giving good advice, but that's what I would try if all the standard puppy leash training tactics aren't working.

I like that harnesses don't pull on their necks - my chow would pull (forward) like crazy against just a collar, where I could 'put on the brakes' way more easily with the harness.

Dogs will test you a lot to see who is the master, you just have to make sure they know that your will wins every time, and once that is established, it will get a lot easier.

He's a gorgeous puppy!! Best of luck!

[Sarahloo]

before he would just be very cautious

Maybe he is scared of new things?

I would have the vet check him out to make sure that walking isn't painful to him!

[Ursa's daddy]

Here is what I do. I use a harness rather than a collar, but that is a different matter. Penelope covered that subject. After I put the harness on the animal and he accepts it, I put the leash on and let him just drag it around the house. This lets him experience this new thing in a known and controlled environment. Next we go outside. Initially, all I am looking for it that the dog will walk. I like BeckiHutton's idea to

take him to places where he can sit and watch what's going on... supermarkets are excellent places for this. Lots of people. Just make sure they don't scare him... he is going to be very unsure for a while

My experience is that puppies have to stop and smell everything, because to them, everything is new. All you initially want is for the puppy to walk anywhere. Talk to him and encourage him when he does walk, even if it is just a few steps. It may take a few days,

[Cam Atis]

We have the same exact problem. Very reluctant to walk after you when in unfamiliar territory. i used to carry her from one point to another just to get going.
Progress from my side is great.Cassie is now following me on leash. And she comes when called (not leashed). What I did was I let her out on new surroundings like garage. Leave her for 30min to one hour supervised from afar. It took her a while. Now already a few days that I am letting her romp around carefree, she now accepts and follows (actually more like blocking my path if unleased) when leashed. i can control her urge to nip my ankle when she is leashed. Shes doing great. Now she has expannded her territory to the front landing of the house. But hasn't gone down the few steps we got. She is still suspicious of new areas. So i really can't walk her yet beause she wont go beyond her known area. JUST GIVE HER ENOUGH TIME. I do it during the evenings when I have more time to wait around her outside the house

[trry]

update: yeah, this little guy is doing great will only fight to walk if we are going home or to the car. Otherwise everything seems to be good. The harness is a must since the collar he would probably of been choked to death by now. /sarcasm.... But he would resist so much at petstores since they use glossy floors and his abundance of furs makes him glide around.

[Pinoy51]

Simba, is five month old male. He learned walking on leash when he was 3.5month in two days.
Now we're going to the Vet, exploring our village and the park. I can tie him to a chair in a open restaurant etc.
Here is how it worked: I started as usual with letting him get used to have a collar around his neck, I made it as loose as possible but tight enough so he can't get out very easily.
After he didn't mind the collar anymore, I attached the leash and let him do what he wants to do with it for a while.
Then I picked it up and just followed him around for a while.
Now comes the tricky part: The moment I started to give some tension on the leash he blocked, just stood still or wanted to retreat. I lessened the tension so he could calm down, now instead of pulling him forward to make him move, I applied tension carefully upward. No choking, just enough to make him feel the tension.
Worked wonders, he started to move forward to avoid the tension. So I praised him pulled a bit backward to make him stop, gave sit command praise, treat. Gave "go" command, pulled up, he moved etc.
Two days and he became a leash "pro".

[Ursa's daddy]

Pinoy51, that is a description of the method I have used with both dogs and cats. The differences is that I use a harness instead of a collar. Now I have found chows can be a bit more difficult than you have described, but the process works.

[Pinoy51]

That's why I used the collar, he really doesn't like the pulling feeling, so it's easier to make him move than with a harness.
the most important factor, you as human have to stay calm and controlled to avoid any choking specially in the beginning, when he still doesn't get it right away.

[Cam Atis]

Pinoy, I tried your method to Cassie but it didnt work for her. She'd follow my command if she changed her mind from doing otherwise. Hmmm...maybe your chow is not so stubborn and willful

[Pinoy51]

He is very stubborn when it comes to talking. "come here, down etc." are all his to follow if he likes. But he reacts very well on body language, sounds and touch. I give him a "TSSSSS..." for stop what your doing and a double tongue click for come here. I normally get his attention with those sounds, if I stand up at the same time he always follows.
he sits if i stand in front w/o command. I established leadership by food control and ownership of all doors inside and outside he house. I go first he has to follow.
But he is a typical Chow, very protective and a bully when it comes to the rest of the family or when I'm not paying attention. He challenges me every single day.

[Ursa's daddy]

Pinoy51, it sounds like you do much of the same things with your chows. Just thinking about how my two act, it seems they know the things I really don't like and avoid them; they know what I really like and generally do that. Everything in the middle is something they do as the mood strikes them. My wife frequently starts a conversation with "YOUR dogs ......." She then describes something that I have never seen them do.

You are correct that dogs, ESPECIALLY chows, will react to body language, sounds and touch. This is something to be used during training.