Training beagle to walk on lead.

eoinburke67

hi, i have a 1 year old female beagle and she's brilliant. couldn't ask for a better pet. I have her trained for almost everything o need come,sit, stay and while not needed but nice hi five. But I've been trying to get her trained on the lead for nearly half a year but havent been too pushed, kind of waiting to let her grown up and calm down, but my dad yesterday told me i have to get her trained on the lead now. so far I've tried the stop start technique not luck. I tried holding a treat in my hand and giving it too her while she was beside me and there was slack on the lead, this works perfectly inside the house boundaries but as soon as we get out and about the treats dont attract her, she ignores them. I've tried a training harness. she copped quickly that when it tightened on her front legs she power on through her back.

my uncle has a pugle and he cant train her to walk on the lead but she is 100% reliable off lead. he walks her around some racing track in kildare.

Would you guys recommend getting a harness to make pulling less tiresome on my arm and train her off lead or get some harness and do what im doing now? i have a old golf club that i smashed the head off a while ago and hod it in front of her when she goes to over take me, for some reason she hates the sight of it.
Im open to any ideas, although im not in favor of choke chains or slip leads if someone with a beagle recommends one ill give it ago.

One last note on this already long opening speech i dont want to hear that its impossible to train a beagle off lead I've seen two where i live but when asking the owners how they did it they told be they got sick of the dog pulling so they took the dog to the beach and got its favorite toy and just started trowing it and the dog would bring it back. they exercise their dogs while sitting in the front seat of their car just throwing the toy for the dog when them come back but based on previous experiences i dont want to just give the dog that much freedom and im afraid shed just bolt and seep out a rabbit or somthing.

Thanks for reading

Cherry Blossom

I'd suggest getting a proper harness and cycling with her to burn off some of that energy, I'd also try walking her in a head collar like a dogmatic, once you are controlling the dogs head, the rest of the dog has no choice but to follow.

personaltrainer

i use a harness on my beagle while out cycling. i also bring her to the woods close to my house where i can let her go and she'll always come back. i keep a few treats in my pocket as well. i have a little collar that goes over her nose and when thats on she walks right beside me.

eoinburke67

personaltrainer wrote: »

i use a harness on my beagle while out cycling. i also bring her to the woods close to my house where i can let her go and she'll always come back. i keep a few treats in my pocket as well. i have a little collar that goes over her nose and when thats on she walks right beside me.

just woundering is the small collar you use this?http://www.dogmatic.org.uk/index.html

And what treats do you use? i have some training treats i got in a shop and she loves them at home but takes no notice of them when out and about?

personaltrainer

yeah thats the one...i use a large puppy one on her but she really respects it. I actually use cooked hotdogs chopped into small pieces...i did a course of puppy training classes with her and these are what she loved! when out i'll call her back to me make her sit give her a treat and then let her run again.

ShaneIRL

Bit off topic folks but does anyone know any good beagle breeders in Leinster or Munster area. Looking to get one in the very near future.

Much appreciated

eoinburke67

today i started to train the dog off the lead.
I took her out of the usual boundaries of the house to a part of the garden she's never been before. i took 20-30 ft or rope and tied it to the dogs collar and we started to play and practice recalling. she came back 98% of the time. when she came back i have her some nice warm chicken straight out of the oven. I tryed to play a game of fetch with her but she took no notice of the toy any ideas to get he back interested in it? and any more tips?

Taltos

We use I think the Sensation front connecting harness.
This takes strain off the neck - and when adjusted properly if the dog tries to pull they just end up turning themselves around a bit.

Maybe see a trainer if there is one close.

With the front harness - use the stop & start approach.
Hold some treat in say your left hand, lead in the right, keep the dog across on your left hand side (treat side).
Just do small walks - hopefully the dog will be encouraged by the smell of food in your hand and will walk with you hoping to get some. As soon as the dog moves forwards away from you STOP - and wait for them to return (giving a treat when they do).
As you walk occassionally treat - and keep up the praise.

Just be consistent and calm. Key thing here is patience - it can be done - and you might find that the week after you feel like giving up it suddenly clicks.

Remember - as soon as your dog pulls ahead - you gotta stop - and do not move until they come back. Start in a quiet place - just walk forwards and back over a very short distance - at the end of each loop - big praise and loads of rewards.

Finally - keep that leash loose - any tension at all is bad - if you walk with this the dog will learn that tension means move forwards....

Best of luck.