Loose leash walking not going very well

[yummybagel]

I have a male Beagle who is now three years old. We have been working on loose leash walking for a loooooong time now, but I have been using "stopping when he pulls" method instead of the "changing directions" method because I found it quite impossible since he just would not budge. Whenever we are walking away from the house, he walks happily, but he refuses to walk when I change directions. I tried to encourage him, lure him with treats but he just looks at me like, " what are you doing??" and firmly stands his ground. So I changed to the "stopping when he pulls" method. When he pulls, I stop and wait for him to look at me. When he looks at me, I walk again. I think we were able to make some progress with this method since with me quickening my pace a little bit and him learning that if I dont' move, he doesn't move, he isn't dragging me around anymore. He now actually stops when the leash becomes tight and I stand still. But the problem is, it feels like I never really fully have his attention. Even when I stop, he looks at me as if it's a routine thing, like he's looking at me just to get moving again. Like how sometimes a kid says "please" just to get what he/she wants. When the leash is tight, he stops and looks at me but immediately starts walking again the moment he sees my foot leave the ground. And I think Beagle owners would know all too well how hard it is to have the attention from Beagles during walks. His nose is always stuck on the ground, totally preoccupied with the scents. His focus is broken only when the leash becomes tight and he finds out that he isn't moving anymore.

But even when I didn't have his full attention, it has been manageable. But today, I don't know what it was--maybe a new scent, I'm not sure--but he pulled so much. Every four or five steps, I had to stop because he pulled. I got so frustrated and angry, which I think he felt from the tone of my voice. I felt really guilty because I think that made him kind of uncomfortable. So I cut the walk short and headed back, but near the end of the walk, I just wanted to get home asap that I shortened the leash and started walking really fast. So I ended up dragging him all the way home. UGHH soo frustrating!

What should I do??

[ladybug1802]

I personally (and I know I dont speak for everyone - but its just my preference) found the changing direction didnt work well for me as I ended up with my dog keeping going and ending up being pulled on his collar because he didnt follow me. I have found amethod that works really well. Do you use the clicker?

So you have the dog to your side (say, left hand side for this example)....before you start off you feed the dog a treat at your side. Then you take one step....and as you take that step click (or use a marker word, such as "yes!") to mark when the dog is at your side, but moving, because that is what you want to reward. Then after one step, stop, and give the dog a reward. If when you stop, the dog carries on going, wait for a bit to see if he comes back to your side, but if not, lure the dog back to your side with the treat, and feed the dog at your side again.

When the dog is staying by your side for one step, increase it to two steps...and same thing....click or mark when you are in the middle of taking the two steps, then stop and feed the dog when it is at your side.

Then slowly increase to 3 steps, then 4 steps, then 5 steps...you get the idea!

It takes time but I have found this method to worl really well, and better for me than changing direction.

Also, when you stop if the dog pulls, yes it prevents the dog continuing to pull you so doesnt get rewarded for pulling, BUT it doesnt enable the dog to know what you actually want him to do. So by marking (using clicker or marker word) when you are walkiong and the doig is walking next to you, and then rewarding whrn you stop, the dog knows what is expected of him. If he doesnt know what is expected of him its very hard for him to comply!

[yummybagel]

Thank you ladybug1802!
Sounds like a good idea. I will definitely try it out!

But he would still be able to sniff around right? I don't really want to restrict his sniffing because I know how much he loves to sniff, being a Beagle.

[ladybug1802]

Oh yes he can sniff....but what you will find is when you are doing this process he will probably be looking at you waiting for the click and treat!

Also problem is when you let him sniff he will pull....so maybe decide when it is a time he is allowed to sniff and when it isnt?

[jilldiane]

Just offering a bit of support to say this method of LLW really does work! I don`t use a clicker as such just click with my tongue but my 8mth pup has really got it with this method. He, like yours was just sitting down looking confused at me with the about turn method and `making like a tree` would just have him standing right at end off lead looking about him. Rewarding him for being at my side has clicked with him and he now walks on a lovely loose lead, well most of the time anyway he has moments when everything is pinging out of bushes and he just can`t control his sighthound urges
I think it is fairly unrealistic not to allow them to stop and sniff and explore things, if the park, wood field etc is close by then ok it is acceptable to ask them not to sniff or look under every bush until you get there, but if the most of the walk is onlead then I chose an area where I know there are going to be lots of sniffs and bushes to explore and tell him OK and let him do his thing, that seems to be working for us.

[Erica]

Zeus learned via the "tree" method, but as far as sniffing goes:

Zeus's leash is, by necessity, only about 2.5 feet long. That means it's not possible for him to sniff without pulling. However, he would try to haul me off to whatever he wanted to sniff - which is not a good plan when the dog outweighs you. What I would do is, when he would pull me off towards something would be to stop him, ask for a sit, walk on, then when he's walking nicely turn around and say "okay, sniff!" If we were approaching a place that he sniffed every day, or most every day, I would ask him to stop next to me, look up at me, then I would cue him to go sniff. Eventually, he got the message - now when he wants to go sniff something, 90% of the time he will stop in his tracks and look at me, and then, as long as it's a safe place to sniff, I'll cue him to go sniff. Normally I ask him for a pretty tight heel (basically he's got enough room to walk on the road or the grass on the side of the road, and that's about it) with no pressure on the leash, but when he's been cued to sniff I let him tug a little, but not enough to be called "pulling."

I imagine there's a better way to teach this, but it was an unplanned, organic progress that turned into something that works for me and the big guy. All of our other dogs walk on a loose leash, but seem to understand that they are allowed to tug a little (again, not pull hard) when they smell something exciting.