Hiya, I'm a new owner of a Staffy...

I've had her for 3 weeks now, she's now 9 weeks old.

I just started to 'lead train' her, we take strolls around the block but she pulls really hard to a point where she's strangling herself. Saying that, sometimes I cant differenciate her crying or that she's genuinely hurting.

I'm really fed up as I dont know what to do. How long does it take to lead train her?

Havent you got her out before her vaccinations are done ?   you are taking risks with her and there is a lot of parvo about.

Didn't do much research on where to source or how to train a pup did you?  You got her 2 weeks too early from her mother and you've been taking her out and about without adequate protection from diseases which are fatal :rolleyes:

Instead of trying to lead train her, get her back indoors and concentrate on house training her.  If you want to take her out you do so by all means for socialisation purposes but keep her in your arms.

OTOH, if you're all "really fed up" perhaps you should consider returning her to the breeder - it doesn't sound as though you put any thought into purchasing this puppy at all

What are you actually DOING to lead train her?

Putting a lead on and walking round the block is not training!

You need to figure out first what you want her TO do (not as you are probably concentrating on, what you DONT want her to do), and then you need to think about how to get HER to want to do that too (not as old fashioned methods would have it, MAKE her do what you want).

This pretty much applies to all training.

You want her to walk beside you and pay attention to you. To do this you need to understand what is rewarding to her, and then use that. It might be food, or a squeaky toy or a kind word.

Start off in the house. For a start she is too young for lots of exercise and secondly whilst i dont believe socialisation and training should wait for vaccinations i DO think pounding the streets is too big a risk.

Have treats, or learn to use a clicker and reward her for walking next to you. Do that in the garden as well.
Do little five minute or less sessions, several times a day, staying positive and happy - if she doesnt do what you are asking, then she doesnt get the reward taht is on offer. (Do however try to make sure she doesnt have the opportunity to zoom off and play iwh toys etc, just put tem away).

Then you can moveo n to putting a lead on and going round the garden, again treating her for walking beside you.

If she lunges ahead or puts any tension on the lead. just stop! Wait for her to come back to you and ten carry on. She will soon realise that walkin WITH you is rewarding, but zooming off ahead means you stop dead.

Whilst you are doing tihs, please use a flat collar and a long lead, nothing else.

Em

@ teri...before u jumo to conclusions...how do u know the mother aint dead...goe do u know the mother aint rejecting them....b4 taking her away too young from her mother...

@theemx...thanks babes...

I'm not mind reader, a psychic nor adept at deciphering hieroglyphics but I can spot someone who is lacking essential information on appropriate animal husbandry instantly :)

Why are you taking this dog outside at 9 weeks of age????

You should start lead training by at first putting a lead on the dog, then allowing the dog to walk around without you holding it firstly.  No wonder the poor thing isn't happy.

I do think you should be giving the poster advice instead of criticism, after all this won't help the puppy. Yes the poster has made some mistakes but this is how we all learn. I would love to help but unfortunately i have never been the best at lead training and don't think i ever will. I find it the hardest thing to master. Good luck with your puppy hopefully you will get lots of help and advice and become an expert! :)

Don't be silly Louise - this place is all about criticism  ;-)

No, this forum is NOT all about criticism - its about constructive exchange of views.    We can only go on the information put before us - I know of no-one with a computer that comes complete with crystal ball!

This girl is expecting instant results from a 9-week old puppy, which she has owned for 14 days - I'll bet she wasn't clean, housetrained and self reliant by the time she was 2 years old!

She should not be taking a puppy of this age out on a lead without vaccinations at this age - she is just asking for trouble.   Lead training should start in the house for the first couple of weeks, until the puppy is able to be put down on the ground - about 7-10 days after 2nd jab.    It will not know automatically how to walk on a lead - it is a totally alien concept for a young animal!

Buy a copy of "The Perfect Puppy" - read that, and then start taking your puppy out for socialisation - or, if you really feel you cannot cope with it - take it back to the breeder!

Margot

Lol Jayne. Yes we all know what you have pointed out lokismum, but obviously the poster does not. Hence the reason they are seeking advice. We should all try and help the best we can, not advice the person to give up so easily. A lot of things in life are difficult and we feel like giving up, but with a bit of help and perseverance we can achieve lots of things.

It is also the way people put things.  To be blunt, some people on here are very rude.  There is nothing wrong with being friendly, and replying in a kind, more tolerant manner.  Go through life with a smile - you will find it much nicer  :-)

So what do you think I've done - advising buying the Perfect Puppy & not expecting miracles???   Isn't that advice???

Fantastic lokismum!! some constructive advice :)

People come on here looking for advice and mostly they get good sound constructive advice ;)

unfortunately people often misconstrue what is being said to them, or they don't like the advice they are given so don't follow it.

Some of the members here are "old timers", not intending any offence to be taken at this by the "more experienced members ;) and I'm not referring to age :D But there is a lot of repetition on here and some people don't always realise there is a search facility that will more than likely answer their question.

Margot and others have given advice that I wholeheartedly agree with. So with that, I will toddle off and go and impose my views elsewhere :P

>>No, this forum is NOT all about criticism

This FORUM might not be all about criticism but this THREAD certainly seems to be.  Especially when in response to a 2nd time poster.

Nothing wrong with that Lokismum.  I was referring to people on the forum in general.  Some people are rather quick to jump to conclusions and like I said, they are rude - Teri in this example.

"Didn't do much research on where to source or how to train a pup did you?  You got her 2 weeks too early from her mother"

"perhaps you should consider returning her to the breeder - it doesn't sound as though you put any thought into purchasing this puppy at all"

It's just horrible.  You don't know this person or her dog, or their circumstances.  You hardly gave her a chance to explain anything, the same as I wasn't given a chance when I posted the other day about my GSD.

Things can be said in a NICE way.  You don't need to be so argumentative and nasty.

OK, then let's start again...

Your puppy seems very young to be walking around the streets. If she hasn't had her full course of vaccinations you are putting her health at serious risk. She also seems to have left her mum very early but we don't, of course, know the circumstances.

So why not read the recommended book and, in the meantime, put a very light lead on her in the house and when you take her out in the garden so she gets used to a collar and lead.

It would be very nice indeed, if posters were to think about the question they ask, give all the information they can, BEFORE posting.  We still do not know why the puppy was acquired at 6 weeks old.    We still do not know whether it has been innoculated.   So how on earth can we give good information without all the facts?    Teri is one of the most caring people on this board, and the information she shares with people is always sound and informative.    

You were given loads of information - I know a lot of it was negative, and maybe not what you wanted to hear.   But it was - and is - still relevant.

Sadly, there have been loads of greedy breeders/puppy farmers who come onto the board, wanting information that they should already have, and who just post for the spin-offs of free advertising by proxy.

Margot

Okay. All the points have been made I think, so here's some advice: first off, you need to wait until your puppy has been vaccinated before taking her out. Secondly, such a young pup can't really go for a WALK as such, it's too tiring and it is harmful for growing bones. So what you do, is you start off at home, first getting her used to wearing a collar in the house. You then attach a lead, make sure it is lightweight, and just HOLD it, and follow the puppy where she walks. Once she has got used to that, you can start trying to get her to follow you. To do this, you will have to crouch down, call her, sound happy, show her a toy, a treat, anything she's interested in,  and praise her when she follows you.  Don't overdo it, just a few minutes at a time.  Not until she has learnt to have a collar and lead on can you start to try to use it in any way, and really you are best off starting as you mean to go on: get her to follow you by using your voice and enocurgement rather than using the lead to pull her.

When she's fully vaccinated you carry her up to the nearest park, field, whatever suitable area, put her on the ground once there, and mainly let her wander at her own pace, but you can also then practice walking on the lead -but only for a few minutes. Exercise such as this should be limited to 5 minutes per month of age, so it will most likely be no more than 10 minutes.

Before her vaccinations are all done, you should still take her out to get her used to the big world -to see and hear cars, buses, people dogs, etc -but until then you need to CARRY her, or she could get infected.

Then in the new year (seeing as most clubs will have a break soon for xmas), find a good training class and enrol there and you'll get help and advice on everything, and will learn to socialise with other people and other dogs which will be good and fun for both of you.

i come on here nearly everyday just for a nosey and to learn from things on here, but i must say i rarely post because i daren't!a lot of people on here are so aggressive in the way they respond to someone i wonder why they are on here and not at the angermanagement classes they should be at!dog training???????????i think animals could teach a few humans with THEIR behavioural problems ;)

Indeed.  I certainly wouldn't have posted if I'd paid more attention to people's posts beforehand.