# Leash questions-- Will I cause problems ?



## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

Often Thor wants to run but he is still too young for off leash. His recall is pretty good but not yet. Anyway... Sometimes I just run with him down the sidewalk (on his leash) and into the woods. He wants to go go so I run for him to get the running he wants. My concern is I don't want him thinking we will always run and him become a puller. I want to let him run (especially at the beginning of our walks) but like I said I don't want him to gain a bad habit of yanking me when I am just walking. Any advice would be great 


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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

? 


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I gather you do not have a place where you can let him run by himself. We used to take Rose to the cabin and let her run there and play hide and seek with her. We let her run ahead, hide behind a tree and then let her come and find us. 
After you guys run do you walk back home? How is he on the leash when you just walk? How old is he?


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I would think that if he isn't pulling on the leash when you're running, you're not teaching him to pull. 
It's something we still struggle with - the pulling thing - so I might be totally incorrect here.


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

I have thankfully had major success with my dogs and fosters on leash training.... you didn't mention he pulled when you do not run, right? So no worries. I jog, walk, and run with our schnauzer mix and I change it up because it keeps her on her toes. She does have a tendency to walk a bit faster than me if she's excited and needs a good run, but doesn't pull by any means it's just her energy level. I would just change it up with him... one walk do some running in the beginning, one walk in the middle, and one walk at the end. That way he doesn't get it set "OK we run this area always"

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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

Claudia M said:


> I gather you do not have a place where you can let him run by himself. We used to take Rose to the cabin and let her run there and play hide and seek with her. We let her run ahead, hide behind a tree and then let her come and find us.
> After you guys run do you walk back home? How is he on the leash when you just walk? How old is he?


He is 15 weeks (or 16 I need to count again). We have a large back yard but he doesn't really want to run there. My kids will run back and fourth to get him to run but he just wants to play tackle or grab their clothes. Normal puppy behavior of course. He doesn't really fetch and retrieve yet. I can get him to go a couple times but it's just not much actual running going on with all the back yard play. We do play tug and "wrestle". I live in a neighborhood and although there is a small section of woods on our walk I am too paranoid to let him go and run ahead. Sometimes I will drop the leash and throw a stick for him to run after. That street is just too frightening for me. I am too worried I wouldn't be able to catch him if he decided to run away. He has never done anything like that though. Plus he LOVES kids and if a kid were to come by he would take off towards them. We are still working on things like that and although he is really good and behaves well, he is still a young puppy. All this so say, not really a place I can let him go and run free. I need to find a place where I can take him to a field or something. That would be great. On our wash home he does pretty good. He walks normal and doesn't really pull unless he sees a human. He loves people  



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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

tine434 said:


> I have thankfully had major success with my dogs and fosters on leash training.... you didn't mention he pulled when you do not run, right? So no worries. I jog, walk, and run with our schnauzer mix and I change it up because it keeps her on her toes. She does have a tendency to walk a bit faster than me if she's excited and needs a good run, but doesn't pull by any means it's just her energy level. I would just change it up with him... one walk do some running in the beginning, one walk in the middle, and one walk at the end. That way he doesn't get it set "OK we run this area always"
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Yes I guess I can say the same thing. He does not pull me but rather walks a little faster at times. I was just worried I could create a pulling situation if I sometimes ran with him. I don't want him to think I will always run lol. I'm no runner 


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

Nope, you're giving him a good balance of YOUR pace so you should be fine. I did hear at that age it is best to run them on grass if you have any by the pavement though

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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

tine434 said:


> Nope, you're giving him a good balance of YOUR pace so you should be fine. I did hear at that age it is best to run them on grass if you have any by the pavement though
> 
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Thanks! I will start making sure we are on the grass. Didn't think of that. Thor is awesome  just had to put that out there lol 


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## Pammie (Jan 22, 2011)

Maybe attach a command to when you run so he knows the game is changing from walk to run?
Also, you could get one of those 30 or 50 foot 'leashes' and then take Thor to a field or grassy park to run around.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Shellbug said:


> Sometimes I will drop the leash and throw a stick for him to run after. That street is just too frightening for me. I am too worried I wouldn't be able to catch him if he decided to run away. He has never done anything like that though. Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I know too well being afraid to let go. I was like that with Rose at the cabin and thought my husband was doing this weird hide and seek game. "What if she doesn't come back", "What if she gets lost in the woods?" "What if there was a snake out there? A bear, a bob cat?" I was always running with the EMT gel and the First aid kit in my backpack. Funny, she never did and all my worries were in vain. Of course he always took her off leash at home as well and did the same thing, hide behind a tree, hide behind a building and she would always go and find him. Mind you we have 2 un-fenced acres at home as well and after she was tired of the running he would walk the property line with her. Now, at 19 months she knows her property line no matter what.


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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

Oh ClaudiaM I am so jealous of your property ! It's so beautiful ! Amazing. I have never wanted to go back "home" as I do now with Thor. I grew up on farm land. I have an average suburb home now and I dream of a piece of land for my dogs. Yes plural one day lol. For now it's just one dog  
Well I do live in a country type city (Texas- you are never far from land). I will find a place to go to train him better with my commands so I will feel better. Already I do unleash him coming up in the yard and he does listen and goes right up to the front door. He's such a good good boy. Tomorrow I am packing him up in my car and we are going on a hunt for some land to play. Those pictures you posted are amazing. Amazing. 


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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

Pammie said:


> Maybe attach a command to when you run so he knows the game is changing from walk to run?
> Also, you could get one of those 30 or 50 foot 'leashes' and then take Thor to a field or grassy park to run around.


Those are some great ideas. I will be getting right on that. Thank you 


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Shellbug said:


> Oh ClaudiaM I am so jealous of your property ! It's so beautiful ! Amazing. I have never wanted to go back "home" as I do now with Thor. I grew up on farm land. I have an average suburb home now and I dream of a piece of land for my dogs. Yes plural one day lol. For now it's just one dog
> Well I do live in a country type city (Texas- you are never far from land). I will find a place to go to train him better with my commands so I will feel better. Already I do unleash him coming up in the yard and he does listen and goes right up to the front door. He's such a good good boy. Tomorrow I am packing him up in my car and we are going on a hunt for some land to play. Those pictures you posted are amazing. Amazing.
> 
> 
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With the land comes the ticks, snakes, skunks, foxes, deer, the work of keeping it mowed etc etc etc. With all that I rather have the land than the house. 
It does make it difficult even at the house to watch for the critters at night; first we have to scout the land, shoo the foxes back in the woods and then let the girls out to relieve themselves before night time. 
I bet Thor would love to have a four legged companion!


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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

That is a lot of work lol. Maybe me and Thor will just come over for play dates  
If it were not almost midnight me and Thor would be out scouting land to romp on. That's our goal first thing in the morning. Actually across the street the lady has a half acre she said today we can play fetch on. The back part is totally fenced in so all I would have to be carful of is one section behind me. I think I can handle that for teaching him to play like a golden lol. He prefers playing fetch with a teddy bear instead of a tennis ball.







I bet your dogs LOVE romping all over that land 


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

We have a good large backyard that we fenced in about half an acre in the back with privacy fence to keep those critters out lol. It can be dangerous but thankfully the fence keeps most out.... I couldn't imagine having to clean up yard daily! Whew

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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Shellbug said:


> That is a lot of work lol. Maybe me and Thor will just come over for play dates


Anytime. My girls are always happy to have friends over and play.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

tine434 said:


> We have a good large backyard that we fenced in about half an acre in the back with privacy fence to keep those critters out lol. It can be dangerous but thankfully the fence keeps most out.... I couldn't imagine having to clean up yard daily! Whew
> 
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Since we are using the terrain for field training there is no way to fence it. The only critters I despise are the skunks. The foxes are pretty friendly. I actually enjoy watching them a night between the deer. It is like they are best friends. The only problem is that they "tend" to multiply and we have an outdoor cat that we have to watch out for. 
The foxes are also like clockwork. They come out at the same time and they pretty much know the time we are taking the girls out. Before we even step outside they start towards the woods. Never in a hurry, I have to tell them to hurry up and even then they do not seem to pick up pace.


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## fuzzy (Jan 25, 2014)

Shellbug said:


> Often Thor wants to run but he is still too young for off leash. His recall is pretty good but not yet. Anyway... Sometimes I just run with him down the sidewalk (on his leash) and into the woods. He wants to go go so I run for him to get the running he wants. My concern is I don't want him thinking we will always run and him become a puller. I want to let him run (especially at the beginning of our walks) but like I said I don't want him to gain a bad habit of yanking me when I am just walking. Any advice would be great
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


running is a good habit not only they enjoy running but also for their digestion...but u should also make sure that u should also teach him on walk with leash and without....how does he behave when u start walking, does he pulls or does he wait for u to start...plz be noted that walking habits are very important for all dogs as this determines how obedient they are towards their owners....u need to be the pack leader and ur dogs should follow u...


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

We live in the city (Nashville). There are loads of schools with fenced in soccer/football fields, which work well. When dogs have been new to our house those places have been great to teach them fetch, let them run, and work on recall. Once they came every time I called them we've moved up to a baseball field, then off leash everywhere we went unless it was needed for safety or a requirement.

Treat training always works for us. Give them a treat when they come and they learn there are tasty rewards. Best way to start that is in your backyard:

Have one person on one side of the yard, and another on the other. Call back and forth and reward with a small but high value treat (like pieces of beef or something). Clap your hands as they come and praise them when you hand the treat to them. Make the bites small so they don't fill up too quickly. Works like a charm.

Congrats on your new fluffy bundle of love


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

Back to the original question. Does Thor pull on the leash and then you both run? If so, you are teaching him to pull on the leash.
First you need to teach watch me, so he learns to look at you figure out where you are going. Then you teach loose leash walking. And then you teach change in walking speeds. I've been know to run down an empty aisle at Petsmet, just to work on the change of pace.


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## roseylilmomma (Jan 30, 2014)

Good advise. Thank you


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