Looking for tips for my friend with her 8mo old rescue pup: lead problems

[Elibean]

And although I haven't met him, sounds like fairly extreme lead problems atm.

This is an 8mo old Weimeraner cross, rehomed about 2 weeks ago. He is lovely natured, clever, and has started to settle well....but my friend is tearing her hair out over how to walk him safely as he just can't cope with leads. As soon as he is on one (they are using a harness at the moment), he tears around in circles in a complete panic, and lies flat to wriggle out of the harness.

His owner thinks maybe he was left tied up outside for hours in his former life

Off lead, he's a bit manic but pretty well behaved - but as they're in London, getting him to a common or park without using a lead is nigh on impossible. They've tried all sorts of ways to get him used to the lead, playing with it, putting him on it at home and walking around...but not made any difference so far. They haven't tried a halti yet, but are wondering if it might help?

They are reasonably experienced dog owners, very committed and wanting to help their boy settle down...but they haven't come across this before, and probably don't have much money for trainers.

I have absolutely NO experience with this kind of thing - any help, tips, or ideas as to who to talk to very welcome!

I'd be trying to create a good association with the lead, using food.

Work out at what point the dog becomes uncomfortable - is it the sight of the lead, or having it near it, or having it put on?

Start with the dog "under threshold" - ie still comfortable, and teach it that the sight of the lead means yummy treats. When it's comfy with the lead in sight, move on to reaching toward the dog with the lead, while treating. Then move on to clipping the lead on, whilst treating. Then walking maybe a couple of paces while treating, and so on.

I guess this dog didn't actually come from a decent rescue as he would of been assessed as not used to walking on a lead.

Even if it was assessed KC, surely at some point you have to start introducing a lead? Otherwise the poor thing will never get walked?

The idea of the food is a great one. My first thought would be to call in an expert as it's such a big problem

It's hard to advise on this on the interweb tbh - it is a complex problem which needs fixing asap.

Has the dog been to the vet to eliminate pain caused by the collar/lead as a possible cause of the fear? That's the most important first step.

Is it the lead or the collar which is the problem? Does the dog wear a collar all the time? What sort of leads and collars have been tried so far?

Don't try a halti - most issue free dogs hate them, so this poor fellow isn't likely to do very well at all.

Goldenbrown - if the dog had been assessed the new owners would of known what they were taking on and the dog would of been started on lead training. I wasn't making a moot point - the title says 'rescue' but it obviously wasn't.

It was the RSPCA.

Thanks so much all of you, will pass on all thoughts to my friend. I don't have the answers to some of the questions, but think he wears a collar all the time and is fine with that.

She said if she puts the lead on the ground, he just plays with it - no fear as such, just plays, chews etc. Its when the harness goes on, or the lead is clipped on to his collar (if no harness), I think? As soon as he feels 'tied', by the sound of it.

I'll let you know how its going, and pass on all info - thanks again

ps dog seems v happy in other ways, this is only issue he's not settling with.

I think your friend will need to go very very slowly with this to get him used to the lead. If he is not frightened of the lead that is a start, could she use a slip lead and just let it hang loose around his neck to get the idea, just for a minute or two, lots of hugs, food reward and then build up from there?

I have noticed on the Many Tears site that lots of the rescued puppy farm breeding dogs are said to be very frightened of leads, maybe if they are not introduced at a very early age it is a strange concept for a dog to get used to.

Yes, that makes sense. Its hard though, because to exercise him in the meantime....

When I got my pup she completely FREAKED when we put a lead on her, as did my mam's. I don't think it's automatically an abuse thing but could just be that it's never had one on before. Perhaps your friend could start with a long lead so the dog is clipped on but can still roam pretty freely and then gradually get more control?

Its hard to tell without having actually seen him, but from what I was told he sort of just gets very 'manic' and wildeyed and starts rushing around in circles and tangling himself up....as soon as he's on. Long lead or short, I think. But yes, I think you're right, not automatically abuse - think that was her trying to make sense of something she couldn't understand