We adopted a golden retriever about a year ago who was abused and neglected. He has warmed up to my wife a little bit, but he avoids us most of the time. For instance if we stand up from the couch, he makes sure to walk the other way in order to avoid us coming too close. I had read one of Cesar Milans books, and I agree that walks and exercise are essential in building a strong bond between owner and pet. However, whenever I put a leash on him, which is usually in his crate, he runs out of his crate and frantically bites at the leash running as fast as he can in order to escape this foreign object on his back/neck. Any ideas on what we should do in order to leash train him?
I do agree, that once the leash is attached he is probably running from us, but even if I just let the leash hang from his neck, it really freaks him out. Also, we tried a harness and that is what he freaked out with, we haven’t used a regular harness, because we figured if he didn’t like the harness he wouldn’t like a regular collar.
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I completely agree with Alex – slow desensitization is the best way to help a dog overcome its fear. However, I also agree with those who suggested getting help from a private trainer. It may not be the leash that’s the issue here, but the fact that being leashed prevents him from getting away from you. A trainer can help with making the dog more trusting of you. Ask your humane society or vet for a referral, or go to http://www.apdt.com or http://www.iaabc.org.
In the meantime, if there are times when you need to leash him before he is desensitized to the leash, offer him a handful of goodies to keep him occupied while you clip the leash on. Whatever you give him has to be more yummy than you are scary, so use hot dog, chicken, steak, hardboiled eggs, liver, etc. Dump it on the floor by the crate door and let him eat while you clip on the leash. I would even give him the treats a couple times when letting him out of the crate when you have no intention of leashing him. This way he will be less suspicious of what’s going on when you do attempt to leash him.
Sounds like you have to start from the very beginning with him. I would suggest even working with a trainer only because if you try something – you may traumatize him even more than he already is. Because he is so fearful already it wouldn’t take much for him to fear bite – please find someone to work with both you and him.
Good Luck!
Aww, poor baby. Try to get him to associate the leash with something good, like bribe him.
You can try to wear out the dog so he doesn’t have enough energy to fight the leash when you put it on…
Just give it time. It can take up to a couple years or more for the dog to warm up to you if he was in such a bad situation. I would try to talk to the dog, just to comfort him a bit if he’ll stand it, leave the leash out in plain sight for a few days so he’ll see that it won’t hurt him. Sometimes a little what I call sight therapy, just seeing it and going near it on his own might help out.
If not, I would consult a behavioral specialist, who could have better ideas than me
My heart goes out to the dog and all of you, who want to give this special pup a better life.
Just be patient. Its unfortunate that the dog has a negative past with men. And this probably wont all go away. The damage is done. But with time and patience he will sooner or later realize that you are not there to hurt him.
Try leaving the leash out on the floor where he can see it and approach it on his terms. Be sure to reward him for interest in the leash. You might even try leaving favorite bits of treats near the leash so he learns to associate positive things with the leash. When he goes to the leash enthusiastically (and he should if your treats are high enough in value), try picking the leash up but not putting it on him at first. Eventually work up to putting the leash on (all the while praising and treating). Your wife may need to be the person to do this training if he trusts her more.
You may also want to pick up some reading material on fearful dogs in general. Books by Patricia McConnell (the Cautious Canine) and Deborah Wood (Help for your Shy Dog) and Ian Dunbar are good places to start. Also, try this website: fearfuldogs.com
good luck.
You need obedience school together, but even before that, you might need help from an animal behaviorist. You need more than just a book; you need hands-on training. You could always contact Caesar’s website and ask if he’d be interested in dealing with your dog for a segment on one of his TV shows.
The best thing you can do is forget the history of abuse and proceed with training him in a fair and consistent way.
What I would do is find some friends who have well-trained dogs (maybe a trainer can help you in this regard), go to a fenced area, and clip a ten foot line to his collar. Let him loose to play with the other dogs. I guarantee that within a very short time the phenomenon of the leash dragging on him will not matter.
But expect the problem to return when you pick up the leash again. But you’ve just proved to yourself that it’s not the leash, it’s you holding the leash. That is, for whatever reason, he’s objecting to your authority.
I think you may need a trainer to help you out here.
Sounds like a leash was used as an object he was abused with. You’re going to have to start at the beging. You may try whomever he has warmed up to the most, to give him the walk. Make sure to give him treats,and lots of love while on the leash so he knows its okay and you won’t ause him like his prrevious owners. I would reccomend getting "Mellow mutt" by dogs well. These treats will help calm him, so he can relax a litte. I would contact a preofessional trainer, preferably one who has experiance with abused dogs (they will be more helpful as they will know a little bit about what the dog thinks, and how it asscoiates things) Maybe try a NEW leash something compleatly new to him, somthing he HASNT seen before. You will probably have to treat him like a puppy, as he is so affraid of the leash.
Give him love,treats etc while on the leash, make "leash time" FUN! Maybe if you let him walk around with it on in the house, NOONE HOLDING IT, the dog in controll of the leash.Get down on HIS level when leashing him (on your knee’s) let him sniff it first.
Hopefully one of these is semi-helpfull for you. I’m glad you are willign to take time with the dog, as he has had such an unfornate past. I thank you for rescueing, and actully caring about the dog!
Try contacting Ken, the DogGentler. DogGentler.com He helped me with ym dog, though not the same problem he should be able to help you with your dog, and his fear of the lead.
You should get down on his level allot, tyr playing with him, maybe chucking a ball ( away from hi of course) for him to retreive, and a treat when brought back? Maybe play with a squeaker?
We have had several abused dogs come thru rescue and have found that a harness will sometimes work better than just a collar and leash. Dogs are instinctively protective of their neck area and this is escaled with abuse. Leaving these objects lying around or on top of this crate where he can see and get used to them will help some also. Lots of love, praise, patience, treat and consistent fun will eventually get him to the point where he will trust and love you unconditionally. BOL!