Bad walking on a leash...

[kjc]

Finny is a retired breeder Biewer. She acts like a tornado on a leash... has to see completely all around her and barks at everything and nothing when walking past houses and yards. She knows where all the neighborhood dogs live, and will fence fight with them if I let her. Once we reach the woods, she calms down. I think something bad may have happened to scare or hurt her, she's almost uncontrollable around houses, dogs, and kids.

If I choke up (shorten my hold) on the leash, she will trip me up crossing in front of me and stopping then starting, barking the whole time.

I tried carrying her today past her worst areas and saw great improvement. She remained much calmer.

My question is: how do I pass this feeling of being safe in my arms to her when she's walking on the leash?

[Dara311]

Originally Posted by kjc

Finny is a retired breeder Biewer. She acts like a tornado on a leash... has to see completely all around her and barks at everything and nothing when walking past houses and yards. She knows where all the neighborhood dogs live, and will fence fight with them if I let her. Once we reach the woods, she calms down. I think something bad may have happened to scare or hurt her, she's almost uncontrollable around houses, dogs, and kids.

If I choke up (shorten my hold) on the leash, she will trip me up crossing in front of me and stopping then starting, barking the whole time.

I tried carrying her today past her worst areas and saw great improvement. She remained much calmer.

My question is: how do I pass this feeling of being safe in my arms to her when she's walking on the leash?

Are you using a harness for your baby!? Sometimes that will help with getting them to walk better on leashes!

[kjc]

Originally Posted by Dara311

Are you using a harness for your baby!? Sometimes that will help with getting them to walk better on leashes!

Oh yes, I always use a harness.

[Patti]

Maybe try giving her treats along the way?

[yorkietalkjilly]

I would keep doing what you are doing for a few more times until she gets the point that it isn't always scary to walk past those dogs and that you are there for her. Then, in time, when she readily relaxes with being carried past those places and it's kind of ho-hum to her, can you maybe try starting to put her down and then pick her right up again when you get to her scary place and just keep doing that for a while until she figures out that while she is down on the sidewalk, nothing bad happens even though dogs are barking and besides, you pick her up soon and get her quite safely past it and continue the walk on the sidewalk?

In time, you should be able to leave her down a little longer each time and eventually even encourage her to take a couple of steps before you pick her up and walk her past that place. A nice treat for that each time, too.

Showing her it is possible to endure the scary places with your help should start to calm her in time and start to make her feel these dogs are not so scary so that setting her down and then back up shouldn't be that bad and slowly work up to her walking by on the sidewalk in time. Usually, with enough repetitions, both she and the other dogs should grow used to this happening and the barking dogs stop barking so very wildly when she comes by and just bark an acknowledgment and go on with their lives.

But this method will expose her to the the sidewalk and being down there on the leash where the dogs bark at her in very short bursts whereupon she's immediately relieved to be whisked back into your arms and security. She'll settle into accepting that and one day you will leave her down there just a tad longer before you pick her up and walk past. Worked up to slowly that way, she should accept being down there with them barking for long enough to walk on past as just part of what happens. I'll bet you two can do it in time.

[kjc]

OMG! I forgot to take treats, but once out of the yard I stopped to chat with my neighbor and her dog... I picked Finny up bc she was getting barky, and she remained calm in my arms.

So after 10 minutes or so, I try and put her down to meet Prince. And they get along! No fence fighting! WooHoo!

So then we start our walk, just nice and slow. Previously we went faster to keep her mind on walking to no avail. So easy does it. She walked calmly, stopped here and there, looked at me, and walked on QUIETLY! OMG!

She did bark at two of the yards with dogs in them, but it was so much more controlled, and then she just stopped barking and walked on! She even stopped all by herself to look at a manhole cover! I about died!

A few cars passed us and she was fine, till a really quiet car came by while she was intent on looking for the cocker spaniels in their yard, and the car really spooked her. I tried to warn her but she was zoned in on seeing the cockers. She recovered very well though, but it did startle her.

I am so excited! Tons of praise and cuddles for my girl! She was 97% better today than she's ever been. I'm in shock, I can't wait to go again tomorrow! Yippee!

[kjc]

Wow! I guess this all doesn't sound too real, I never expected such a quick turn around with her, still pinching myself!

A reply or two would be nice, just to know that someone gives a poop. TIA.

[kamax60]

Yay Finny , keep up the good work!

[ReesesPieces]

Great advice and glad it's working for you! My baby isn't out walking yet but will be soon I hope and I can use parts of this to get him used to it.

Hope it all continues to work!

[kjc]

Originally Posted by kamax60

Yay Finny , keep up the good work!

Thank you very much!

Originally Posted by ReesesPieces

Great advice and glad it's working for you! My baby isn't out walking yet but will be soon I hope and I can use parts of this to get him used to it.

Hope it all continues to work!

Finny is an older dog, I got her when she was 2YO. Don't know if this will work for a puppy, but it might! All I do know is if something isn't working, don't be afraid to try different methods. Good Luck with your baby, hopefully he'll do fine and you won't need to ask for advice!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Big congratulations!!! Sounds like you've made huge strides with her. Way to go and here's hoping that little Finny can build on this nice walk experience and enjoy it even more. You did good, girl!!! I know Finny is happier feeling less scared now on her walk. My breakthroughs rarely come this quick!

[aileenation]

i don't know if it'll help. for me using the showlead or chokeleash will be soo helpful since when we need to correct the dog, just pull the leash and loose it right away, then they'll learn

[kjc]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Big congratulations!!! Sounds like you've made huge strides with her. Way to go and here's hoping that little Finny can build on this nice walk experience and enjoy it even more. You did good, girl!!! I know Finny is happier feeling less scared now on her walk. My breakthroughs rarely come this quick!

Been thinking about the whys, lol. I never carry her... 12 pounds gets heavy fast! But I do hold her on my lap in the house all the time. As painful to my back as this is, it was well worth it! I thought coddling would make her worse though, or require more coddling...

Originally Posted by aileenation

i don't know if it'll help. for me using the showlead or chokeleash will be soo helpful since when we need to correct the dog, just pull the leash and loose it right away, then they'll learn

Yorkies and many other small dogs should only be walked in a harness, as weak tracheas are common to this breed and others, and tracheal damage can occur using a choke collar of any kind, even with gentle use.

Yorkies are very smart dogs, and can be trained using a harness... granted it takes a bit longer and can be more difficult, but with persistence and patience, it can be done.

Thanks for posting though, as I'm sure many people think collars and choke collars are a solution, when they really aren't.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by kjc

Been thinking about the whys, lol. I never carry her... 12 pounds gets heavy fast! But I do hold her on my lap in the house all the time. As painful to my back as this is, it was well worth it! I thought coddling would make her worse though, or require more coddling...



Yorkies and many other small dogs should only be walked in a harness, as weak tracheas are common to this breed and others, and tracheal damage can occur using a choke collar of any kind, even with gentle use.

Yorkies are very smart dogs, and can be trained using a harness... granted it takes a bit longer and can be more difficult, but with persistence and patience, it can be done.

Thanks for posting though, as I'm sure many people think collars and choke collars are a solution, when they really aren't.

I don't think of this is coddling but temporarily showing her she has immediate access to safety and that you are there to remove her from the threat as she learns to deal with the scary dogs. If you then put her down and allow her to walk on and experience that she can go on with her walk, despite the barking dogs and her worries, she should begin to accept that this barking can be a part of her walk. But she'll remember your arms keeping her safe but then allowing her to stand on her on 4 feet and go on with her walk. Sometimes we have to meet our dogs where they are and don't accept that as the way it is, but how we can get them past it. You found a way to do that and fairly early in the process, which makes it all the better. I love to see stories of early success like that because that just means that as you keep going, she should get more and more confident within herself that she can get by those dogs. In time, you should be able to walk her over to them and let them fence-greet and sniff each other as you treat her. If the owner of the other dogs allows it and says they have no problems preventing it, you can even drop treats across the fence for the other dogs during this time to sweeten the pot.

I hope she settles into her walk a little better each day. Don't worry when you see a one-time panic attack at sometime - nervous dogs can regress and take a while to get back to where they were but that's ok, keep working with her as you are and you all will bring it about together. She's lucky to have you! You've got the touch.

[lisaly]

I believe that with lots of love, encouragement, and praise, almost anything is possible. Great job! Finny knows you love her and would do anything to protect her.