# Teaching a "Feral" Dog to Walk On Leash?



## Britt & Bello (Apr 14, 2011)

How would one go about doing this? Because I've got two chow mixes who need to learn to walk on a leash. 

*How they act when leashed:*
We've been using slip over the head leashes on them, that of course choke when they pull back on them. Causing them to panic, yelp, flip around, etc. I know the shelter dragged them around when they refused to walk, so now not only scared they release their bowls. 

The few days that I had them before being forced to take them to the shelter, I would try and take them out and let them lead me, trying my hardest not to force them. Feather would normally start chewing on the leash. So anybody with experince, what "tools" would be the best. I'm not going to use a choker on them, but am terrified of them slipping out of a normal collar or harness. And because they are scared they won't let us catch them. Where they are staying does have a fenced in backyard (unlike at my house) but they would still need to be on leash, just to learn and so that we can catch them. I'm thinking a martingale collar, and chain leash, but would chewing on that hurt them? It's been a long time since I leash trained anything. And that was when I was ten, and trained Brittany to walk on a leash a puppy. But that was easy, because she trusted me. And Bello wasn't terrified of the leash when I got him, he just pulled, which is a completely different thing to fix. 

BACKGROUND TIME:
This shouldn't be necessary to the answer, but I figure I might as well tell their story. It was a dark and stormy night (okay only dark), my friends and I were meeting a church to walk to a friends house to throw a surprise party for him. Two yound dogs came running up to us. A chow mix and a pit bull mix. The friend's dad told us they had been dumped out. We went to the party had a good time (should have seen that boy JUMP), but the entire time I couldn't get the mutts out of my head and how someone could dump them out like that. 

Fast forward five days, when my friend is telling me they are still out there. So on Leap Day I drove back out to his house with a friend, armed with treats and a camera to get pictures of them, earn their trust and post them on Craigslist to hopefully find homes for them. Turns out there were THREE dogs, all around the same age, and upon closer inspection all with purple tongues leading me to believe they were all related. The two females were nicer than the male (the male being the one who wasn't there the day of the party). But this could have something to do with the male being in pain and not putting any weight on his back leg. Got pictures, contacted rescues, got them on Craigslist, but no one wanted them, I had people willing to help, but no one willing to foster, or take. 

For around three days we went out everyday after school to visit the chows named them Jinx, the hurt male, Paint, the brindle "pit bull" girl, and Feather, the gorgeous chow. On the first Sunday we went as people were leaving the preacher told us that they had called Memphis Animal Services to come get them and not to expect the dogs to be there this time next week. Of course if you know anything about Memphis Animal Shelter you know how this set me into a panic. 

On Monday as we were sitting with the dogs, MAS showed up and told us that they would give us the rest of the afternoon to try and catch the chows otherwise they were setting traps and taking them. At this point all the dogs would come running to us wagging tails, and Feather even letting us pet her. That ended up being her down fall and the reason she got caught first. My friend slipped the leash over her head while she was enjoying a good chest scratch. She went wild, flipping around, like crazy before we finally got her into the kennel. It took an additional two days before Paint got caught. She got caught in the MAS trap, but we took her before they realized she was in it. We never caught Jinx, but MAS I think, thinks he is gone because they took the trap away and he pretty much lives in the woods now unless I come by to drop off food for him. If I wasn't so busy, I'd be trying to catch him, but since I don't have money for his vet bills, and haven't found anyone to take him I'm not going to catch him yet. 

So what happened to Paint and Feather? Well my step-dad threw a fit that I brought them home to avoid taking them to the MAS, and I ended up having to take them to a different shelter, still a kill shelter, but not as bad. Well when I took Paint they said "don't even bother vaccinating her, we will just put her to sleep after the hold." WHICH OF COURSE. Set me into another panic. That was Saturday, today I went back and adopted both dogs back. I can't keep them. They aren't even staying at my house. But they are now fixed, and I'm going to be working with them everyday trying to get them semi more adoptable. All the rescues are full. >_> Which I don't blame them, just frustrating. They are living in a friends garage. I have gotten into contact with a rescue who might be able to take them up north for adoption if we can get them a bit better behaved. CUE THE REASON FOR THIS THREAD. 

Paint









Jinx









Feather


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

I'd put collars on them, with a drag leash on them for when they can be supervised. Or at feeding time, attach a leash while you have the bowl, and put the bowl down and walk them to it/then drop leash. Or have REALLY good treats, like pieces of cut up hot dog, and encourage them with the treats to come to you on leash.
If they are friendly with other dogs, sometimes walking a well behaved dog with them can encourage them.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

Definitely go for the Marti collars, adjusted properly will limit choking and escaping. The chain lead may work but you will have to try it 1st to see. 

Something else that may work is a tie out cable used as a lead. Easier on mouth and teeth than a chain lead but tougher than a leather lead. Not very good for obedience work but you weren't going for obedience anyway.

Years ago I had a client that caught a dog living wild in Bermuda, he caught her running loose on the beach (took him a week) dropped her off for obedience work and instead of a 30 day course it took 90 days. She turned out to be quite a nice dog. It did not appear she had been severely abused. So I got lucky with her.


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## SassyCat (Aug 29, 2011)

Leash shouldn't be much of a problem. If dog really flips out wait until she calms down and give her a lot of food. Practice just putting it on and off for a few days until she's perfectly content with it. Every time she flips out, feed her lots as soon as she calms down. She will very quickly learn that having a leash on isn’t all that bad. They will get used to it, you just make sure there are positive associations with putting it on (via food). Don’t try touching her while she’s going bonkers, just ignore it until she calms and don’t let the leash go, hold it firmly. And yes, feeding time should always be with a leash on for a week or so.

You can buy long line cables in pet shops that they won’t chew on and won’t get tangled up. If you buy martis, just pay attention to the size – it must not be too big or too small.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Don't use a choke chain, and try not to loop the leash around the dog's head, but attach it to the leash. Looping around his head may be a bad trigger.

Altho you said feral, it sounds like these dogs all love people, but are a little wary. After you take a few months to gain their trust, I think they will act like most family dogs.

I agree with Nikes about letting them drag a leash to get used to the feel.


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