do you guys train your dogs on a leash?

I could tell a few of you guys on here have done some horse work as well. You have a lot of good advice and tactics on here to choose from. On that note here is another:

Don't tie your chain directly a fence post or whatever; instead use a light (so your dog can stretch it half it's length or better) bungee strap. This will be more like a hand lead. It has some give but pulls back as you will when your pup gets out too far. In the same when he lets up he gets the reward of all the pressure being gone. I would watch him while doing this to make sure he doesn't run out of air the first few times (and that is probably all it will take). Last use a tightening (choke) collar. Fixing a mess takes 5 times as long to teach over like when the pup slips his collar.

I leash, potty and close quarters training at 8 weeks and keep only doing that until 10 weeks. After that I am shooting with them and getting them started on short easy play retrieves.
 
I trained my bird dog to a leash as well. I want my dogs to hunt hard, but they need to have manners as well.

I tell my GSP to hunt them up and he casts out about 50-100yds out and checks back in with me. I really liked the way he cast out when I tried to use him as a decoy, but there were just some things that I didn't like too. He would check back good, but would hover over me while I was calling. I really didn't like that part. I am going to train Tug with him and let him follow him to get the roaming around part down, but he is ALOT less gung-ho than my GSP.
 
I keep all of my dogs on chains when they get old enough. I chain them before I ever leash them so I don't have a problem with them fighting the leash...(They fight the chain plenty hard when they first get introduced to it.)

If you are having trouble getting a pup to give to a leash, try a good tight collar (not to tight, if you can get 2 fingers in between the collar and the dog, you are fine) and a short chain, maybe 6-10 feet where they are free to move about. You don't want them getting hung up on anything.

You can cut the learning time in half if you spend some time with them and let them get used to it with you around.

Leash training is just the beginnig... wait til you have to put a 50 foot check cord on them to teach them to come... Sometimes mine wear the 50ft cord and a shock collar but that's for later on in life.

Make it fun for the dog and fun for you... after all that's what it's all about.
 
I leash train every dog I get. I thought, up until now, I could leash train any dog out there...I've met my match.

We've got a little Jack Russel that deals me fits. She doesn't pull, struggle, or even throw a fit, she just rolls over on her back and looks at me. Kind of a doggy style "sit in".

She's fine on walks where my wife just lets her run around with a leash on, but as soon as you start any healing exercises...belly up.

If she were taller, I could walk her with a super short lead, guideing her as we walk, but she's a little bitty thing and it's tough on the back getting down to her level.

I'm thinking about trying a harness type collar instead of a choker. Any suggestions?

We still love 'er though!

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And this is the view you get if you want her to heel.

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i do when they are about 4 months old and they do fine.
i hunt lion and bears [beeep], and most of the time they are on a leash.
 
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