I recently purchased a beautiful B&T pup, he is 5 months I have been getting him accustomed to me for a couple of weeks. Yesterday, I put a leash on him and he started flopping like a fish out of water. I let the leash go and he would run around the yard with it with no problem. When I pick up the leash and try to lead him he starts the drop and flop again. I don't want to drag him or scare him or scar him. What can I do to ease his troubled mind and leashbrake him?

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work with him a little bit every day with the leash on .... and when he tugs say no and pull him back but i wouldnt start that till he gets used to the leash real well

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jason

Tie him out in the yard for a couple hours at a clip on a tie-out. He'll get the idea of being restrained and you will be able to hook a leash up to him and work him in no time.

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I had the same proublem but with my great dane pup. Even as a pup he still had a lot of power behind him. What worked for us was to time him out for an hour and he got the idea with in a few days. Just make sure he is where you can see him easily that way if he gets to tangled you know and can help him out.

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Erica

Leashing a pup up for the first time is certainly a shock for them, since they're always used to being free. LOL, if somebody suddenly put a leash on me right now, I wouldn't flop around, but I'd turn rabid on them

I'd hold the leash myself, and not walk, just stand there until he stops flopping and calms down. Lesson over for the day. Repeat. Just a little bit at a time, walk a few feet, done. Etc. Try to always end the session on a positive note--dog calm and getting some sort of treat (you don't have to give him a whole hunk of meat, just something little). Has worked for me in the past. Tying the dog up for short periods makes sense, though I've never done that myself.

I used to just tie them out like others have said and it works great. Just recently my daughter got a husky pup. She went out and bought it a harness instead of a coller. She put it on the pup and it never fought a bit. since this time every pup we break to lead we use the harness and they all lead with little resistance. after a couple weeks you can put regular collers on they usually just take to them with no problems

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Like most said jus tie him out for a while till he gets used to it and quits floppin and work with him every day and he will be just fine.

I always stake em out by themselves at first. The reason for that is this. A lot of people use snares to kill fox and coyote with out here. I want my dogs to learn to hold still when restrained around the neck. I don't want them to think they only have to hold still when I am present. I have had 3 dogs caught in snares over the years. All of them were just sitting there patiently. I recon they would all have been dead dogs if not broke on a stake out first. Just food for thought.

Staking a dog out as "snare-teaching" is something I had never thought of! My dog is great on a choker chain, but at least since I've owned him he's never been staked. I think I'll try that a few times just to see how he reacts. The best medicine is preventative medicine, and boy I learn more every time I read these posts!

A few pointers. Make sure the collar is good and snug. Tighter than normal. This will help prevent slipping the collar if e fights it. Make sure there are NO snags for him to get hung up on and make double sure there is absolutely NOTHING for the dog to get hung over. Put the stake in a clean, flat, shaded area free from any obstructions. Then walk away and stay away. IF the dog throws a fit and starts howling, screaming and flopping around, you have already insured he can't get hung up or hurt on anything. Make certain sure the chain has at least two swivel points so the chain does not get wound up and stuck. Let the dog fight it for as long as it takes. He will be fine if you take these simple precautions. Don't chicken out and let him off for throwing a fit or barking incessantly. MOSY dogs break pretty quick, but I have had some fight it for a couple days. Good luck. You will be glad you broke the dog to be staked out for many reasons.

I forgot to ask, by staking the dog out do you mean giving him a 10 foot chain, or is it staked so that he has very limited movement (without actually squashing his head to the ground ), so that he gets used to real restriction?

i think i would also try petting on the dog and assuring him that it is okay to be on the leash. just kinda comforting him to the new experience.