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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Getting dog back on lead at end of walk

11 replies

Blondiecub0109 · 09/02/2019 20:55

Hi, wonder if anyone had any ideas on this?

18m old neutered male west is. Complete character, thinks he’s a huge dog. Loves walks and adventures has walked happily off lead since very young.

He is fine during the walk, but has always been hit and miss with me about letting me put his lead back on at the end of a walk or to get back to car park. I deal with this by anticipating the end of the walk and if he stopped to sniff/ scent something getting his lead in then. If all else fails I tempt him with a treat which he gets once lead is on.

He’s fine for my OH and will just still for him to put lead on.

New dog walker (2 days a week) since January and she has same problem as me ... but he won’t even come to her for a treat!

It’s as if he doesn’t want the walks to end. But tbh a 50-60 minute off lead, forest/beach walk for a westie should be enough? We don’t want to over exercise him.

I can only think that a) it’s not long enough or b) esp. with dog walker he’s having too much fun with the other dogs.

I’ve been wfh a few days and noticed that he’s not been back from dog walker long when he wanted to go back out for toilet, and one day he peed indoors. I wondered if he’s too busy having fun to remember to do toilet business (this was a problem when he was boarded and they had to give him ‘alone time’) and then getting stressed his walk has ended.

His recall and general behaviour is excellent except for the end of walks! So specific!

OP posts:

greenelephantscarf · 09/02/2019 20:56

tbh it sounds like he is not ready to go off lead

RiojaHaze · 09/02/2019 20:58

Try recalling him during the walk and putting his lead back on him at different times then letting him off again.

GemmeFatale · 09/02/2019 20:59

Have you tried catch and release? So call back, put lead on, give treat, then release to play again. Repeat multiple times. You need at least four instances of returning to be given a treat and allowed to play again for every one of that being the end of play time.

On the toilet issue I’d train a potty cue, and give him time and space specifically for toileting at the beginning and end of each walk.

adaline · 09/02/2019 21:27

Put the lead on at random points through the walk, or make him sit so you can grab his collar before he gets a treat when he recalls.

Mine has to sit to heel to get his treat.

FenellaMaxwell · 09/02/2019 21:29

As PPs have said - you should be calling him back to you at intervals. He comes, he sits, you clip the road on, he gets a treat.

PoliticalRookery · 09/02/2019 21:33

Yes, as others have said. If you only put him on his lead at the end of the walk, then he associates it with the walk ending. You need to break that association by putting him on the lead randomly at different points in the walk. When you say his recall is otherwise good, does he come close enough for you to hold him, or just near you?

BiteyShark · 10/02/2019 00:20

Frequently during our walks my dog has to sit and stay and I go up to him and gently hold his collar before releasing him to play ball. This way he doesn't know the difference between play time and walk ending.

billybagpuss · 10/02/2019 08:05

I agree with all the pp advise, one thing I realised I wasn't doing when having similar issues was actually petting DDog during the walk. We'd do plenty of recall, she'd come (usually) and then get her treat and run off. So I started treating and petting around the collar area which made a massive distance. Also don't touch the lead until she's there by your side. Billypup knew if the lead is in my hand, or the ball in my pocket not the chucker that walk over so don't come close. She's got much better now though.

OrcinusOrca · 10/02/2019 08:12

If he does like food I'd recall him and clip his lead on randomly a few times throughout a walk. Don't always clip him on right at the end. Mix it up, eg. Clip him back on 15 mins before the end one time. He probably thinks it's a fun game now as you sneak up on him when he's sniffing

OrcinusOrca · 10/02/2019 08:13

And use treats as bait I was meant to also say! I used to play tug with my eldest dog in the middle of walks to keep him interested. Right git he can be!

MothershipG · 10/02/2019 08:50

While all this training is going on for a short term solution attach a trailing line.

We had this problem with my oldest dog for a long time so she had a light house line attached to her harness so she didn't get to play this game. Not letting him do this will also help reinforce the positive behaviour.

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