[Elisabeth Kazup]

I posted another thread a week or so ago about Penny pulling on the leash. I'm working with her and she is better but we also haven't had any of the distractions that would make her pull.

My question is: Why is she so excellent OFF the leash and such a putz when she's on it.

I've been cheating even more with her restrictions because she's so responsive and obedient. I'm supposed to be taking her potty..and any other time she's outside...on leash only. In her eagerness to get out and see what's going on in the yard, she pulls like a bull. And strains that hind leg in the process, can't be good.

So yesterday I went thru the door first and turned to her. I put my hand out (halt) and made her wait until I said "step" "step". She slowing and carefully stepped down 2 steps to the patio and then when I said "walk-slow-walk" she slowly went to her spot and piddled. I let her wander around the yard OFF LEASH and was able to control her distance and movements with voice command. Seems to be a lesser of the evils as far as protecting her knee goes.

So she knows how to do it. Why not when she's on a leash??

 

[bioteach]

Our breeder is having us try the "surprise recall" on leash because when Nugget really wishes to go he can pull like a plow horse. I put a bunch of small treats in my pocket and when we walk I would randomly call him to me and reward him. If he pulls I stop and refuse to move. Progress is slow because he gets excited and forgets his manners.

Dogs sometimes react to leashes in unexpected ways. When Brewer was on a leash he became very protective to the point of aggression towards other dogs. Apparently for some unknown reason he thought that he was a guard dog when he was on a leash. Off leash he was playful with other dogs.

It sounds as though you are doing better than I am!

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

Thanks, Bioteach. For some time now, I've been getting the feeling that she is telling me that being off leash makes her an equal and she wants that SO MUCH she behaves much better off, in every respect, than on. Not just pulling. I really think SHE thinks she's a people. Leashes are for dogs.:uhoh:

 

[Sally's Mom]

Dogs pull on leash because they have learned to pull... it's an oppositional reflex. The one dog I have that never pulls is Tiki. As a pup she was never on a leash, so she never learned to pull. All of the others were not reliable to come when called as pups, so they were always leashed when I took them out. Sooo, they learned to drag me out of the house to do their business. On 01 VeterinaryPartner Home Page - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!, there is a good article about training your dog to walk on a loose leash...

 

[bbuzz]

Thanks, Bioteach. For some time now, I've been getting the feeling that she is telling me that being off leash makes her an equal and she wants that SO MUCH she behaves much better off, in every respect, than on. Not just pulling. I really think SHE thinks she's a people. Leashes are for dogs.:uhoh:

It's a very rare event for us to leash our girl, by choice as she does walk very well on the lead. Even when we in the middle of city, a festival or the mahem of the tour down under (cycling race). When we need her close she just happily walks on a perfect heel. The sad thing is her previous owners left her locked up outside without company or even grass! Her owners walked locally, but refused to take Sasha because supposedly she pulled (took me 1 wk to fix!).

We always feel rather proud walking Sasha past a dog going crazy pulling on its lead and she is just walk perfect along ignoring it or giving it one of those *** looks. We have always found police, council workers, event organizers etc don't care she if without a leash, because it's obvious she is very well trained.

Exactly like your penny our girl think she is an equal human!! I'm my opinion for penny's situation being of leash is the optimal option. It sounds like by voice cammands you have perfect control and management of her injuries. Plus she has been placed under so much restrictions due to the op, so a little bit of controlled freedom will do her wonders!

We have a walk slow command because Sasha comes rock climbing and into alot of dangerous environments and it is a very very handy command. One of those commands you teach, with little understanding how important it will be.

Good luck with your continued support and care of penny, can't be long now till its a distant memory!

 

[lgnutah]

My dog likes to walk way ahead of me when on leash-probably because we have always used a Flexi. Off leash he walks much closer to me (when asked to do so)

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights. I've been letting her go potty off leash for 3 days now. She is very responsive to 'slow, walk' command. I keep a close on her, watching to see if she alerts to a squirrel or bunny because I can stop her before she starts, even once she has started. I find she is checking in with me very often. Today, as I'm not feeling well, I watched from inside. She was still checking in at the window and when I called her back, she walked slowly to me.

She is enjoying this bit of freedom. Last week the restrictions really seemed to hit her and she was despondent. She much more playful now. She's been playing with her tennis ball; throwing it in the air and then pouncing on it, growling and barking at it. Of course we have to keep THAT under control too.

And I've been cheating today. She knows I'm in a lot of pain and has been cuddling with me on the love seat. She's carefully hopping up, I think that's better than a slow climb, and really wants to be close to me. I need my girl, too.

 

[doggiedad]

i taught my dog to heel on either side with
or without a leash. teaching heel takes care
of pulling problems. my dog learned to heel
really quickly. it took some time to teach him
to heel when leashed. when he was leashed
his head was always in front of my knee. after
some extra training he started keeping his head
even with my knee.

to stop the door rushing and bolting i use to
prop the front door open. i leashed my dog
and walked to the door. i would walk out of the
door. when my dog followed i would turn around
put in back in the house and say "no". as time
went on he would wait for a command to exit.
once learned not to bolt out of door i added
distractions. i would prop the door open and have
my neighbors call. then i would have my neighbors
bring their dog over and let the dogs get nose to
nose and sometimes walk in our house with their
dog. they would stay a few minutes and turn around
and walk out of the door. i the beigning my dog would
follow. when he followed i would get him and bring
him back in and say "no". after some time he knew
not to exit the door. i slowly started leaving the door
open longer and longer. sometimes i would get up
and walk out of the door. if he followed i would say
"no". he finally learned not to exit the door without
a command. i also taught him not to exit the car
without a command.

 

[ashleylp]

We were having the same issue with Remy... until we got the gentle lead collar thing... it makes a HUGE difference. I've heard of dogs hurting their necks with it but Remy just simply doesn't pull when it's on. We just got it yesterday so he is still a bit resistant to something being on his face but he walks like a dream...

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

btdt. And it did work like a dream when she wasn't scraping her face along the ground trying to get it off...which was about 90% of the time. We gave up after a couple of weeks. Hope you have better luck with it.

We were having the same issue with Remy... until we got the gentle lead collar thing... it makes a HUGE difference. I've heard of dogs hurting their necks with it but Remy just simply doesn't pull when it's on. We just got it yesterday so he is still a bit resistant to something being on his face but he walks like a dream...

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

Door rushing or bolting has never been a problem. She always pauses and waits for the 'okay' before going out any door. She won't even get out of the car in the garage without the 'okay' release. She's always been very good about that, on her own. I never had to teach her that.

 

[jweisman54]

btdt. And it did work like a dream when she wasn't scraping her face along the ground trying to get it off...which was about 90% of the time. We gave up after a couple of weeks. Hope you have better luck with it.

I've been using the Gentle Leader for almost a year now with Izzy and she has NEVER tried to scrape her face on the ground. I also alternate with the Easy Walk Harness. She can loose leash work very nicely when she wants to but she can also pull when she sees a leaf blowing as well....no type of harness will stop her from doing that, it is in her nature and she is still a pup.

 

[bbuzz]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights. I've been letting her go potty off leash for 3 days now. She is very responsive to 'slow, walk' command. I keep a close on her, watching to see if she alerts to a squirrel or bunny because I can stop her before she starts, even once she has started. I find she is checking in with me very often. Today, as I'm not feeling well, I watched from inside. She was still checking in at the window and when I called her back, she walked slowly to me.

She is enjoying this bit of freedom. Last week the restrictions really seemed to hit her and she was despondent. She much more playful now. She's been playing with her tennis ball; throwing it in the air and then pouncing on it, growling and barking at it. Of course we have to keep THAT under control too.

And I've been cheating today. She knows I'm in a lot of pain and has been cuddling with me on the love seat. She's carefully hopping up, I think that's better than a slow climb, and really wants to be close to me. I need my girl, too.

I'm so sorry to hear your not having the best day pain wise. I can relate to the feeling of the days of constant high pain scores. It's terrible when the pain just drills away at you. Is the pain from an injury? Penny the little darling sounds like she if doing all she can to help. Many days I have tried to manage bad pain days with cuddles!!

It sounds like penny off leash if definitely the way to go. It seemes like penny is understanding the freedom your giving her and she is being rather respectful of it.

I can relate to penny's frustration over medical restrictions are, after I shattered two veterbrae and broke 13 other bones I had 6 wks and 4 days in hospital bed! For someone who is very active 1 day in bed kills me, so it was a very long haul! The first 4 weeks I wasn't even allow to tilt the bed up!!

It's great that penny keeps checking back with you, even through the window. Sasha is always one to check in and I always feel a bit special, like she is always caring about us. It's one of those special golden qualities!

Hope your having a better day today!

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

Yes, today is better. I have curves in my spine from scoliosis and polio. It causes muscle pain as the muscles spasm. This time it was my lats and traps that seized up. After a day of rest (I don't take pain killers or muscle relaxers) they have loosened up and I'm back to my regular pain level of a 4 or 5.

She seemed to know that I wasn't myself and wanted to be near me. I love my pooch!

Sounds like you had quite a hard recovery. I'm glad you've come out the other side although I'm sure you have a lot of bad days too.

 

[bbuzz]

Pennys mum i was so hoping you weren't going to answer with anything spinal related. I think there is no injury as several and devastating as spinal related. Well you are doing so well not to be on pain killers and to be still enjoying your riding! I'm sure you have only managed to continue riding due to determination and will power. I know will power and determination are the keys to my success!

Unfortunately I can also relate to the curved spinal, after I shattered the veterbrae they had to do a spinal fusion (two rods and ten screws held me together). The spinal fusion didn't take because they bones didn't harden, so the rods snapped and now I have major curved spine. I use to be 6ft and now I'm 5'7 (probably more like 5'6 I'm just not willing to admit it!).

I can't complain too much though I lived in a rehabilitation hospital to learn to walk again. After seeing so many people who had minor accidents and are paraplegic or quadriplegic it puts life into perspective, I saw and heard a lot of heart breaking stories in rehab. Or if that doesn't make you appreciate life take a walk through the brain injury ward! The doctors will never be able to explain why I'm not paraplegic other than I was very fit, the x-rays are very scary!!

I live in hope that one day technology will advance enough to allow us fancy replacemt spines that aren't curved!!

So very relieved to hear your feeling better, my back work me up at 2am and kept hoping you were not also still in pain (well I got a feeling like me your always in pain). I think we both have wonderful and special girlies that were sent to us to help manage life with pain! Gosh that sounds a bit lame!!

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

I don't think it's lame at all. And I know what you mean about counting blessings and perspective. I used to work in financial aid at university here. I remember one day being all mad and depressed because I couldn't eat what I wanted (diabetes) and then I saw a young man of about 20 come off the elevator...quadaplegic...and I kicked myself. How trivial it is to make it about food. He would have gladly changed his chair for a restictive diet. It's all about perspective: I don't REALLY have it too bad, it just some days it all gangs up on me.

 

[bbuzz]

Completely agree its all about perspective!

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

I was thinking about you last evening. We had a beautiful sunset but quite low on our horizon. I figured it was getting ready to come up over your way. Hope you're enjoying your "spring"!

 

[bbuzz]

Oh that's lovely that you were thinking of me, thanks I feel all special!! Yes the warm weather is coming. We try and get down the beach almost everyday with Sasha in summer, so looking forward to that. It's so funny seeing all the winter photos and reading all the winter stories and over here we are the exact opposite.

Just hanging out for an appointment with my pain management specialist Monday. I have been in a ridiculous amount of pain this last year, so I am going to tell him he should be shot for not doing more and to hopefully sort it out!!