Loose lead training and different venues

[inappropriatelyemployed]

We are loose leading training and heel training presently. Pup is about 5 months and we tried a couple of puppy classes but have reverted to following the advice in the Happy Puppy handbook which is working.

My question is, while we are building this up, doing some heel work and loose lead work every day, several times a day, would you take him to different places? We were doing this but he pulls like mad which is why we started researching other methods.

The handbook suggests the method, once learnt, has to be 'proofed' in different situations but what do you do until it's learnt? It's boring doing the same street/garden but we know he goes crazy for other places which may undermine things.

What would you do?

[Bambamber]

I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but we take our pup to different places and let her burn off some steam for about 5 mins or so and then do loose lead training. That way she's got over the initial excitement and is much more attentive to the training we are doing

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

I don't know the method you are using but proofing usually means once the behaviour has been learnt then (in this instance) try it in new locations.

So I would suggest that the behaviour is not solid enough to go to a new location BUT a puppy needs to be out there learning about the world so you do not want to stay in one place.

What exactly is the method? Most methods are easy to take to new locations

[inappropriatelyemployed]

It is set out in the Happy Puppy Handbook and on the associated websites and it is one he is responding to.

So we are loose lead walking and walking to heel training concurrently.

We are on step one.

For heel walking this is done in the garden, and one of us (without distractions) wanders around while imagining a circle attached to our left foot which the puppy needs to enter to be able to walk to heel. When pup enters circle, we use marker word 'yes' and throw a treat outside circle. He then returns as we walk (changing directions) and we continue to say 'yes' and throw treat.

As he progresses, we can continue to walk further before marker word and treat and then imagine circle to be smaller.

This will build to using trigger word heel etc....

He has responded to this really well.

For loose lead, we are using the heel work as the basis for walking as we want, so we are walking and treating as we go. If he pulls, we stop, get eye contact and take a step backwards and he comes back takes a treat and we move on.

This has worked really well this week. We had been to a puppy class by a charity and their methods simply were not helping so this had wasted some time.

So I think this works but do we take him elsewhere while training and see how he goes?

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

OK - If your dog now has the idea that it is getting a reward from being near you I would not always throw the reward out of the circle. The reason you throw the treat out is that the dog then comes back to you and gives you the opportunity to retreat.

What I would now be doing is treat next to you and then after three or so rewards then throw the treat away and instantly reward the dog when it comes back to you.

This should up the speed with the process you are using.

[inappropriatelyemployed]

Do you treat out of hand or on floor?

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

I would treat from the hand