Question about unusual new leash behavior
Hello all
Like the title says, I have a question about some new leash problems that my corgi has recently exhibited. She's 9 months old now and I would describe our relationship as great although she can be a little snobby at times.
I've been walking her using the easy walk harness with the leash loose but shortened since it can easily get swept under her short legs. I typically let her sniff this one bush in my front yard for a few minutes right at the beginning of each walk (because she really wants to) and usually after that she seems content to refrain from investigating everything else. I also have to make sure we keep moving otherwise she can get distracted and want to linger for more vigorous sniffing elsewhere. If she does stop, I can usually get her to continue again by stopping, turning around to look at her, and clicking my tongue or patting my leg while motioning her to come along. Many of the times this happens, it seems like she thinks someone is following us when no one is there (i.e. the wind will blow and some leaves will rustle, then she'll turn around and scan the area behind us).
Recently she has started this new habit of suddenly stopping then sniffing around but almost as if she is faking interest. Then she'll turn around and try to lead the walk in the opposite direction. She'll then stop as if to give up and then suddenly try to bolt away. Then settle down and look at me annoyed. At this point she'll refuse to listen to me and attempt a few more break aways if I let her. Nowadays I try only a few times to get her to continue and then pick her up and carry her the rest of the way homeand cut her walk shorter for misbehaving.
This doesn't happen every time, but maybe 1 out of 3. I have examined my surroundings to see if there was anything triggering it but I have not seen anything that would set her off. Once I take her home she acts as if nothing happened usually bringing a toy and insisting that we play. It may worth noting that I keep the leash tight when she tries to go somewhere else but I never pull to direct her somewhere.
Have any of you experienced similiar behavior or have some advice for me because I'm not really sure where to start with this one. Thanks
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on
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For starters, there is no way she realizes the walk is shortened because she was a pill. She just got you to do what she wanted, go home! You are the human and she is the dog. Continue on your walk. A good leash tug isn't going to scar her for life. Don't jerk her off her feet but let her know that this is the way it's going to be no matter how stubborn she is. Don't pick her up, just start off at a walk and go. When she follows, a treat would be good then proceed without a big deal. She'll get over it. Right now, she's got you trained to do what she wants. Not a good thing for a Corgi at all!!
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Permalink Reply by david kim on
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I should probably clarify. I pick her up because I want to her to avoid picking up bad habits by doing them in the first place (i.e. when not listening to me during walks). It was pretty difficult to leash train her when she was a puppy so I didn't want to test my good fortune after she finally started to walk properly. That doesn't mean I walk her any less. I just end up trying again later. Also, I don't think her goal is to go home. Just opposite of wherever we were originally going.
Also when I say she walks properly I'm not saying that she "never" gets distracted. I'm usually constantly correcting her very gently as soon as I notice when her attention is drifting. But with a regular collar gentle correcting is harder to do because she doesn't seem to register it as well and usually by the time she gets it is when she is already pulling hard.
To me, its more confusing what gets her to suddenly behave this way in the first place. I'm wondering if maybe its related to how she seems sensitive to the idea of being followed?
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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She might just be acting like a stubborn little brat, or she may be genuinely spooking at something. Or perhaps her harness is rubbing her funny. The other day Jack kept spinning in circles, sitting and looking around, then spinning again. Not sure if something scared him (it was dark out) or the buckle from his orange safety vest was hitting him, but this is unusual behavior for him.
Will she walk in a regular collar?
Anyway, Karen gives good advice! Continue on, then once she's walking well give her a couple treats. Maddie goes where you want but Jack will sometimes plant his feet if you go a way he does not prefer. We just keep going.
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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The behavior you describe is unusual and it's hard to offer advice when the cause is unclear. I don't think she is "faking interest". I would try taking her other places to walk, even if you have to drive a few streets away to start your walk, and see if the behavior occurs in a different environment. I would not look at it as misbehaving, rather I would be curious to figure out what she is reacting to. Does she spook? Try sitting down with her and see if it passes shortly and if you can then resume walking. Keep a lighthearted attitude - she's just a puppy - or she will react to your reactions as well as to whatever else is triggering her. It may help to write a couple of lines in a notebook about your walks, nothing long or involved, but it can help you discover a pattern, in a week or two, when you review your entries, that may not be apparent now. Let us know how it goes.
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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She is at an age where there are different stages in her development both mental and physical. Often 9 months is part of a fearful stage so she may just be alerting to things that catch her attention. Your behavior should be calm and consistent. I have always been a "just keep walking kind of person" and the stage passes but treats might help too. It is possible that picking her up is reinforcing her "idea" that she should be worrying about something. I also let my dogs sniff almost whenever they want for the first few minutes of our walks.
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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I would just keep walking and offer a treat if she follows, or lure her with it if necessary. I don't think picking her up and taking her home is really teaching her anything. If she is truly afraid of something it may only be reinforcing that fear because you're picking her up.
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