Help! We've taken in a big 15 month Irish Wolfhound called Finbar who is completely untrained. He's a nice boy and has a permenant home to go to, but is here supposedly to learn some manners first. Normally I'd start by getting a dog like this on the lead and take everything else from there, but Finbar has other ideas. He's never met a lead before and goes ape, screaming and twisting, when one is attached. If he was a bit smaller and a bit less distressed we would let him work through the 'bucking bronco' stage but he really is scared and anyway neither of us can hold him. Any ideas please?

I would try just leaving a short, lightweight lead attached to his collar. Maybe even shorten one yourself, or just use a makeshift length of webbing. Let it stay on him but dont attempt to lead him by it for a day or two. Gradually get him used to a longer one, before trying to hold it. If he is food oriented distract him with something tasty whilst holding his lead for a f ew seconds, and work up to longer.

Unfortunately he seems to be even more scared of a trailing lead, even a light short one, than a lead that is held. He *is* food orientated but he goes into such a panic that even food is no distraction. We only know what we have been told about his history so it's possible that he associates something bad with leads / collars.

How does he react to a lead lying on the floor?  Could you start to get him used to the lead by lying it next to his food bowl at every meal?

He isn't worried by a lead / collar on the floor, but I need to get him to tolerate a collar at least fairly quickly. He is a good natured big galoot but he's had zero training and is a bit of house wrecker at present. He's quick and quite amenable to correction about things like jumping on the kitchen work surfaces - but with a dog of this size correction would be easier with a handle!

How about a broad slip collar - a la greyhounds?  He may find that more comfortable than something fixed...

How about a broad slip collar - a la greyhounds?  He may find that more comfortable than something fixed...  I assume his neck has been checked out for any possible injury?

Yep, he had a very full examination by the vet when he arrived a couple of days ago and there is no sign of tenderness around his neck or pain on movement. We've been using a broad leather hound collar (our own IW's tatty, old softened one) but I'm going to go in the other direction tomorrow and buying a light fabric collar from the local pet shop.

If he's really scared then you will really need some time to desensitise him.
I would normally suggest a clicker to signal reward to him when he makes a move, looks at or sniffs it as this can work verywell indeed with no negative connotations re the lead at all.
If you don't use a clicker you can do the same thing but it may take more time.
Basically you reward him with high value food for looking at it,then for any kind of move/interaction with it and so on until you can get it near the dog neck, but each stage the dog must be totally happy. After a while (sometimes a few days) the lead can be ut on.
Best done with a trainer though who is used to clicker.
I hope you manage to get him happy with the lead; has he been hit with a lead in the past? as if so , you will need to be very careful he doesn't get more scared of it which may happen if you go too fast.

Lindsay
X

I don't know if he has had a bad experience with a lead. He came with the usual 'good reason' for re-homing - nothing whatsover to do with is being now enormous and totally untrained of course! That said he shows no signs of active mistreatment and is generally confident and good natured. He has a good experienced permanent home to go to once minor issues like doing square dances on the kitchen table and house training are sorted. (This morning we had a flood indoors to equal the one in the field ... and the shelties are swimming in that!)

I'm absolutely hopeless with clickers. I've seen very good results with them but when I try to use one I'm thinking so much about the clicker that it throws my own timing off.

Jackie H kindly e-mailed with suggestions for getting him used to a lead and I intend to follow those, but a collar is a matter of urgency if we are to have a house left standing. He really does think he is a giant cat and since he doesn't even know his name yet standing cooing "Good boy Finbar. Now please come down off the sideboard ... " has its limitations. :)

He certainly sounds like a very big character Jas, hope you manage to get things sorted with him :)

Lindsay
X

It sounds as if this dog has spent time doing his own thing! and getting away with murder because he's so very big :(

If you're inclined to let him work thru the 'bucking bronco' stage then it could be useful to be able to attach the lead to an immoveable object, such as a ring in the wall or strong tree, if you stand close enough to the fastening he won't twig that you're not holding it ;) and you can reward him immediately as soon as he calms down (need to make sure the lead won't break tho)  This isn't going to work tho if he's genuinely scared and it won't stop him trying to pull like a train.  

What about Nothing in Life is Free? - including his dinner ;)  If he wants his dinner he'll have to work for it, sit, stay, down and come (recall) can be taught this way very quickly as a hungry dog is usually very attentive :)  Once you have his attention perhaps you could train him to walk to heel without a lead - this will be useful when you finally get a lead on him :)

Personally I wouldn't even try to get a lead on him yet, he obviously doesn't trust anyone enough to allow it at this stage, just persevere with a collar, rest it on his neck, and if thats ok treat him.  When he's got used to that try fastening and unfastening it quickly without it staying on and build up to him accepting the collar first.  Next step would be a short piece of string (6") tied loosely to his collar and then try increasing the length of the string until its trailing on the floor.  When he accepts this totally you could try handling the string - if it doesnt freak him out you know he's ready to try the lead briefly.  Unfortunately I don't think there's going to be a quick fix for his fear of the lead, just gradual desensitization.

Jas

PM'd you last night.