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Originally Posted by Rocmistro  So my question is on point 2, above. I'm doing this as much to let her know that she is NOT in charge, as I am to train her to be good on a leash. |
Number one is fine....let her drag a leash (supervised) around the house and get accustomed to how it feels.
Number two is all wrong. First of all, the leash is NOT a teaching tool and should not be used for that purpose - at this stage it is only on the puppy to keep the puppy out of harm's way. Keep a hold of the leash and keep it loose (no tension), and use everything BUT the leash when teaching her to walk with you. Pat your leg, squeek a toy, jump up and down, roll her a treat.....anything BUT pulling on the leash.
She should actually think she IS in charge at this stage, even though she's not.....that's what your bigger brain is for!
And...by making good choices, she gets a REWARD. You do need to lure at first until she gets the idea, then after a period of time when she's really good at something, you wait until she does it, and THEN she gets a reward. It takes time for a puppy to learn..so give her that consideration.
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Originally Posted by Rocmistro Am I accomplishing this or just making her hate being on a leash? I'm trying to break the "rebellious/dominant" spirit, let her know who is Alpha. |
The LAST thing I EVER want to do with a puppy or a dog is break their spirit!
That's the best thing they possess. What you want to do is teach her how to use that beautiful spirit by channeling it into behaviors you would like to see, not by shutting it down. She needs a LEADER, not an "alpha".