# 1 year old Husky/Heeler



## Nikki_Nue (Nov 18, 2008)

Hello! I am the owner of a 1 year old Husky/Heeler mix who is in need of some serious help (both of us). When I took him in as a puppy, it was meant to be temporary (in order to save him from the pound) but I ended up falling head over heels in love and now am never letting him go 

The problems:

Leash walking. He is fine until we come across a person or dog. Then, he is pull pull pull. We tried Haltis, GL, harnesses, everything short of a pinch collar. Not a thing works. We have tried walking the other way. Stopping in our tracks. Nevertheless, as soon as we move again, he pulls towards the human or dog he sees (recently add cats to the mix)

Chewing: This is back and crazy. It is like it was months ago when he was teething!

Crate: this is just a question. We recently decided crating him was a must. We used to baby gate him in the kitchen at night and when he couldn't be watched (as he likes to eat the couch....)well...that worked until he learned he could jump the gate. Not so good. So we got a crate. We are slowly introducing him to it. Giving lots of praise and treats when he goes in by himself. Working up in amount of time he spends alone in there. Any ideas how to make this go smoothly?

Thanks!


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## pattymac (Oct 11, 2008)

I haven't tried this yet myself but I'm going to so I'll try to explain. I've been reading that one way to train polite loose leash walking is to not use a leash at all. You can start in the house and the idea is every time he comes close to you to click and treat. Start walking around and each time he comes beside you click and treat. If you have a fenced yard, after a few days in the house, take him outside and repeat. If he does well there, then get him a long line and put that on him and take him in the front yard. If he stays close, click and treat. If he doesn't get it go back to less distractions, say in the backyard again. If you don't have a clicker then just a word like 'yes' said in a happy way works too. I use both. Make sure you use something he really likes so that you're more exciting than other things. I read this on www.dogstardaily.com Lots of great training advice over there. 

Another thing that should help is teach him to make eye contact with you, the two go together really well, that way when you're walking him you can eventually get him to focus on you and ignore those distractions. If you go on Youtube, check out some of the competition obedience videos and watch the dogs heeling off leash, they don't take their eyes off their handlers.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

The easiest and quickest way to get a dog walking on a loose lead is, whenever the dog starts going past you to pull towards something, you turn and go quickly in the opposite direction without saying anything. If the dog turns and goes with you, praise him. But, as is more likely to happen especially at first, he keeps going in his original direction, he'll hit the end of the lead and self correct. At that time, he'll probably turn towards you. When he does, wait for him to come in your direction (call and encourage him if necessary) and praise him.

Question regarding the prong collar: How was it fit and where on the neck was it sitting? I ask because people tend to put on correction collars (choke or prong) that are too big for the dog and/or have the collar sitting too low on the dog's neck.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Nikki_Nue said:


> Leash walking. He is fine until we come across a person or dog. Then, he is pull pull pull. We tried Haltis, GL, harnesses, everything short of a pinch collar. Not a thing works. We have tried walking the other way. Stopping in our tracks. Nevertheless, as soon as we move again, he pulls towards the human or dog he sees (recently add cats to the mix)


It's not the leash that's the problem. It's the other dog/person/cat. You need to desensitise him to these things -- basically, that means teaching him that they're no big deal. This means keeping your dog far enough from the other dog so that he doesn't get excessively excitable. Wait till he notices the other dog, then redirect him (this can be done by saying his name in a funny high-pitched way, squeezing a squeaky toy, waving a treat in front of his nose...it should NOT be done with any kind of negative stimuli like a leash jerk or a stern word, or you will end up with bigger problems on your hands). Ask for a behaviour that is incompatible with tugging; for example, a down or a sit-stay. Treat and praise for compliance. If he's too excited to perform the command, it means you've gotten too close. Then walk in the opposite direction. 

Gradually (and I mean very gradually, depending on how reactive your dog is) you will be able to decrease the distance from which your dog reacts to the other person/dog/cat. 



> Chewing: This is back and crazy. It is like it was months ago when he was teething!


Chewing can be symptomatic of boredom, and boredom is VERY common in high-drive breeds like the husky and the heeler. Both are working breeds and need a job to do so they can work both their body and minds; otherwise, they tend to entertain themselves in often destructive ways (chewing, barking, digging, escape). How much exercise does he get and how much mental stimulation do you do with him? 



> Crate: this is just a question. We recently decided crating him was a must. We used to baby gate him in the kitchen at night and when he couldn't be watched (as he likes to eat the couch....)well...that worked until he learned he could jump the gate. Not so good. So we got a crate. We are slowly introducing him to it. Giving lots of praise and treats when he goes in by himself. Working up in amount of time he spends alone in there. Any ideas how to make this go smoothly?


You seem to be on the right track. Keep doing this. Be patient. Dog training always occurs in baby steps.

Good luck and please keep us posted.


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## Nikki_Nue (Nov 18, 2008)

skelaki said:


> The easiest and quickest way to get a dog walking on a loose lead is, whenever the dog starts going past you to pull towards something, you turn and go quickly in the opposite direction without saying anything. If the dog turns and goes with you, praise him. But, as is more likely to happen especially at first, he keeps going in his original direction, he'll hit the end of the lead and self correct. At that time, he'll probably turn towards you. When he does, wait for him to come in your direction (call and encourage him if necessary) and praise him.
> 
> Question regarding the prong collar: How was it fit and where on the neck was it sitting? I ask because people tend to put on correction collars (choke or prong) that are too big for the dog and/or have the collar sitting too low on the dog's neck.


After a long, long time we finally have found a collar that fits right on him. He has a Husky body but a Heeler head so his head is tiny but his neck is bulky (kind funny looking but I love him anyway!) so collars that fit on his neck can easily fit OVER his head. We finally found one that is just right.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, we did not use a prong collar. I have no issue with using them on other dogs, but I wont use one on him unless he were a danger which he is not. He is friendly to high hell he is just crazy active.



> It's not the leash that's the problem. It's the other dog/person/cat. You need to desensitise him to these things -- basically, that means teaching him that they're no big deal. This means keeping your dog far enough from the other dog so that he doesn't get excessively excitable. Wait till he notices the other dog, then redirect him (this can be done by saying his name in a funny high-pitched way, squeezing a squeaky toy, waving a treat in front of his nose...it should NOT be done with any kind of negative stimuli like a leash jerk or a stern word, or you will end up with bigger problems on your hands). Ask for a behaviour that is incompatible with tugging; for example, a down or a sit-stay. Treat and praise for compliance. If he's too excited to perform the command, it means you've gotten too close. Then walk in the opposite direction.
> 
> Gradually (and I mean very gradually, depending on how reactive your dog is) you will be able to decrease the distance from which your dog reacts to the other person/dog/cat.


Alright. Here is where the issue comes in. We have done that. He can see a dog (or cat - people he is less responsive to unless we are really close) the length of 2 blocks away and go nuts. We turn around when we see them but my neighborhood, everyone has a dog. I feel bad for him because I know he just wants to play (he is young still) but I can't let him go into a situation where I don't know the other dog or how either will react. Plus I can't reward him for acting like that and play would.



> Chewing can be symptomatic of boredom, and boredom is VERY common in high-drive breeds like the husky and the heeler. Both are working breeds and need a job to do so they can work both their body and minds; otherwise, they tend to entertain themselves in often destructive ways (chewing, barking, digging, escape). How much exercise does he get and how much mental stimulation do you do with him?


I will admit, he probably does not get the exercise he needs. I walk him 5-6 times a day for about 15minutes each time. We do a lot of mental stimulation. His toys are all about finding ways to get a treat out of them. We play soccer in the living room. We play hide and seek. Anything to wear his butt out for the night!



> You seem to be on the right track. Keep doing this. Be patient. Dog training always occurs in baby steps.


Thanks. We had a small victory with the crate last night. I put him in it with his blanket, a few toys and a couple of treats and locked him in. I went and sat out of his line of sight and he was able to go 10 minutes before he got antsy. He calmed down and I let him out. When I came down to check on him later -- he was sleeping in it! I left it open because I didn't want to freak him out but yay!


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Nikki_Nue said:


> Here is where the issue comes in. He can see a dog (or cat - people he is less responsive to unless we are really close) the length of 2 blocks away and go nuts. We turn around when we see them but my neighborhood, everyone has a dog. I feel bad for him because I know he just wants to play (he is young still) but I can't let him go into a situation where I don't know the other dog or how either will react. Plus I can't reward him for acting like that and play would.


The real problem? He thinks he is supposed to do the 'meet and greet' first (before you). He should be looking to you for permission to say Hello.
You start teaching that by stepping in front of him (facing him) and cutting off his view of the dog/person/cat (at a distance- yes, it might be 3 blocks away). Make him pay attention to you. Every time he starts that Border Collie stare on another dog, you step in front...teaching him that you get to go first....he has to follow. Use your basic commands....Sit....Come to Heel....Down...to force attention and don't forget the all important treats and praise.


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## Nikki_Nue (Nov 18, 2008)

TooneyDogs said:


> The real problem? He thinks he is supposed to do the 'meet and greet' first (before you). He should be looking to you for permission to say Hello.
> You start teaching that by stepping in front of him (facing him) and cutting off his view of the dog/person/cat (at a distance- yes, it might be 3 blocks away). Make him pay attention to you. Every time he starts that Border Collie stare on another dog, you step in front...teaching him that you get to go first....he has to follow. Use your basic commands....Sit....Come to Heel....Down...to force attention and don't forget the all important treats and praise.


Unfortunetly, stepping in front of him is not an option by itself. It would have to include getting down to his level and grabbing the collar. Otherwise stepping in front of him would only cause him to whip around me knocking me on my butt or hurting himself.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Nikki_Nue said:


> Unfortunetly, stepping in front of him is not an option by itself. It would have to include getting down to his level and grabbing the collar. Otherwise stepping in front of him would only cause him to whip around me knocking me on my butt or hurting himself.


If he is getting that crazed you might be getting a little too close.



> I will admit, he probably does not get the exercise he needs. I walk him 5-6 times a day for about 15minutes each time. We do a lot of mental stimulation. His toys are all about finding ways to get a treat out of them. We play soccer in the living room. We play hide and seek. Anything to wear his butt out for the night!


Really not enough...  Is there anyway you could get him involved in some kind of sport?



> Thanks. We had a small victory with the crate last night. I put him in it with his blanket, a few toys and a couple of treats and locked him in. I went and sat out of his line of sight and he was able to go 10 minutes before he got antsy. He calmed down and I let him out. When I came down to check on him later -- he was sleeping in it! I left it open because I didn't want to freak him out but yay!


Congratulations


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## Nikki_Nue (Nov 18, 2008)

rosemaryninja said:


> If he is getting that crazed you might be getting a little too close.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There is no way in heck I can keep him, at all times, at least three blocks away from any dog, cat or human other than the ones he knows. It just isn't possible. at two blocks away, he goes nuts if he sees them. Unless I choose to never take him outside which is not an option.

Sports are not an option for him due to an injury he sustained. Any sort of strenuous activity causes him pain. Which is why we do the walks. He was fine on that much exercise until a few weeks ago.


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## foxthegoldfish (Apr 15, 2008)

my dog has the same problem on walks, i understand how you don't have the choice sometimes to not get too close, people can come out of no where at any time. it has made our walks horrible. i too am interested in how to stop hr doing this but do not want to hijack your thread. 

the only thing that has gotten her to calm down at all is to stand in one spot until after they have gone and let her bark, jump cry etc for 10min or so until she relaxes, if i walk at all she gets excited and wont calm down for the whole walk. do you find this?

i have also found that stepping front of her doesn't work, she just looks past me, and no matter how far away we are she gets fixed on them. frustrating isnt it.

sorry i cant help hope someone has an answer


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