Hi all,
My setter puppy is 11 weeks old today, and having had her second injection last week I thought I'd try taking her outside for the first time on her lead.  What a perlarva (spelling!) that was!!  She was freaked out, even though I took it slowly like I have with my SBTs, she was yanking her head around and whining, would walk occasionally then dug her heels in and sat still.  I only got her about three houses down then turned around and came back!  I tried standing in front of her and calling her with a titbit but she didn't want to know either.  My friend said just to let her get used to the lead by clipping it to her collar and letting her wander around the room with it on without me 'leading' her anywhere, then letting her walk me on the lead around the house wherever she wants to go, just so she can get used to the sensation around her before I start to guide her.  I didn't want to walk her with my other dogs just yet but thought it might encourage her.  Obviously this is something I need to get right at an early age and don't want to make it stressful for her as I want her to get used to her lead so we can start our walks, so I need some quick advice as to what can work here!  I've never had a problem with my SBTs, they seemed to just know instinctively what to do on the lead as pups so this is new to me!
Any advice much appreciated!

It must be a setter thing!  I remember my Irish Setter doing exactly the same thing on our first outing.  I ended up carrying her home.  I'm afraid that I don't have any advice as I really can't remember how she got over it.  It can't have been too bad or lasted too long though or I'm sure I would remember.  Good luck

Definitely practice at home FIRST -ideally you should have done this from the moment you brought your puppy home. It's all a bit much otherwise to suddenly wear collar and lead AND be expected to walk outdoors in unfamiliar places.

Personally I find it's always easiest to bring an adult, well behaved dog with me for a puppy's first walk, it makes life so much easier. :)

Hi Nickyvangelis,

My english setter pup is now nearly 5 months and also found having a lead frustrating at first. we started off in the garden and he would either almost strangle himself trying to hold it or suddenly flop down to chew it and refuse to move or thought it was a game! have you found out about good training classes that you could enrol in soon as this really helped us.  we have also found out that setters have a tendency to walk ahead more than normal and on advice from puppy classes we changed from a rope 'choke' lead to a clip on as this was slightly longer and now seems to be better. however being a 'friendly, people' dog always means that some walks are longer than necessary as even someone walking on the other side of the road can be a 'fuss and notice' me possibility. We have also found that khan will do almost anything for a treat although he is also very good at having deaf ears!
I'm sure you'll both enjoy walks soon! 

She's had the collar on since we brought her home and the lead she has been wearing around the house a couple of times, but taking her outside she freaked out!  Think I might try walking her with my oldest Staffy who's very good on the lead and heels very nicely.  I've heard setters can be a bit bonkers on leads at the best of times but don't want her to associate the lead with being stressed out.  She's just walking around the room at the moment with it on just so she can get used to the weight difference, then I'll let her walk me around the house with it later on.  It's the digging the heels in that's causing the most problem as I don't want to hurt her feet!!

> She's had the collar on since we brought her home and the lead she has been wearing around the house a couple of times, but taking her outside she freaked out! 

Is it more of a case that she was frigtened of going outside, rather than the lead itself.
My pup was used to his lead from the first day I had him, he would happily trot around the house and garden on the lead, but when it came to him walking outside (not the garden), he freaked out to the extent of not wanting to go anywhere near the front door. I would sit inside by the front door and everytime he showed an interest I would chuck a treat at him. Gradually he would get closer untill after a couple of days he would sit by the door with me, then we would sit inside with the door open. That progressed to sitting outside the frontdoor (lots of treats) and then walking as far as he was comfortable with (10 yards max for a few weeks). With patience, encouragement and lots of rewards for being brave (never forcing him or pulling him) he soon decided it was great to go for a walk :)
I did try to take him out with my old dog, but I just ended up with the pup flattened on the floor  in fear and the old dog pulling to go for his walk :(

Find a friend with an adult dog and go for a walk together--having a 'new' adult around can be quite motivating for a young pup and that way you don't have to control them both. My dog was exactly the same at 12 weeks--I put it down to the fact that he'd never seen the big wide world, and even living in a small rural village freaked him out at first. "Aunt Sally" saved the day and made the world look a safer place to him...a couple of walks later he was doing just fine. Now at the grand old age of 1 year he's doing Good luckhis 'uncle' bit for younger pups with great success.

my pup was scared to go outside at first... i put her in a comfy harness until she got used to the outside so that she wouldnt slip it etc (she wriggled an awful lot)... i ignored the behaviour and kept walkking.. she realised that it was quite nice walking along sensibly.. she got alot of praise and attention for doing this too because when she was whining and struggling i would ask people not to fuss her or touch her.. and when she was good i allowed it.. she is now on a lead and loves short walks

> I've heard setters can be a bit bonkers on leads at the best of times but don't want her to associate the lead with being stressed out. 

Don't want to put you off but my Gordon is nearly 4 and is only just settling on the lead - having said that she is fab off it and has great recall (unless there is a bird within range). :-D :-D
Don't rush things - she will learn but it may take a while and she will make up for it by giving you loads of kisses :-D

had this with many of my spaniels - I start off with a harness so they get out and about, after a while clip lead onto collar so have 2 leads in my hand, gradually move to holding the collar one only and then remove harness. Only takes maybe a week or 2....my setter was the best on the lead so fingers crossed youll come through this stage!! Think its more important to get her out and about than having a drama with the lead so a body harness for a few weeks is worth a try!!

Hiya,
Two weeks on and she's being good on the lead, she is a bit weavy but she doesn't hang back any more...if anything she wants to scoot off ahead of me!  I know Setters are reknowned for pulling, so am keeping her on a very short leash.
Am kind of devastated tonight because I just lost my first staffy as she's been rehomed...my boyfriend had sorted it all out, checked the home etc...he didn't tell me til the last few hours because he knew I'd be really upset.  :-(