Going Outside for potty training

[Stripbass1]

Hello:

I obtained a rottweiler male puupy on 12/22/01.
His name is Odin and he is 9 weeks old.
As soon as we got home and i put him in his crate,
whenever i would open the door to the crate and
call him to follow me by saying outside, he would
follow imediately and even out race me to his
potty place, this was even after the 3rd time
of taking him out that day, but on 12/27/01 i
purchase a collar and a leash for him and need-
less to say when it was put on and i had him
on the deck, i had to pull on the leash for him
to move. ever since i did this, now when i open
the door to his crate he just stays there and will
not come out. I have to take him out and carry him
to his spot where he will do his thing, except
that now he will not follow me like he was doing
the first few days. I know this is a result of
forcing the leash and collar on him, but what can
i do now to have him revert to following me automatically like he did before, he was doing so
good and i am mad at myself for even trying the
leash thing so early. Any advice will be
appreciated.

[Goniella]

I honestly do not know how to get Odin to follow you again like he used to. But can say never pull your puppy on the first introduction to the leash. The first time on a collar and leash should be with the puppy moving and you following behind him, not pulling him along behind you. As he gets used to the leash then you start gently directing him the direction you want to go.....

[AngelBunny]

Stripbass1:

How about taking off the leash & go back to just putting on the collar? I think Odin's balking at the unfamiliar weight of collar & leash. When you open the door to Odin's crate, how about waving something ever so yummy under his nose (cheese, a bit of cooked liver, something really wonderful) while you slip on his collar? Bribe Odin forward with another treat & reward him with a "What a GOOD boy, Odin" in a big happy tone.

After he reverts to his cheerful happy self, trying tieing on a wee bit of line to his collar, leaving it there for a day or two, gradually lengthening the line as Odin gets accustomed to the weight on his neck.

Of course, never crate Odin with anything around his neck to eliminate any chances of him strangling himself. I assume when Odin's outside he's in a securely fenced area since it sounds as tho he wasn't initially leashed when you took him oustide.

[Darseeuh]

Try luring him out with a yummy a few times to replace the bad experience with good. :)