December 19, 2011
I tried to teach my dog a marker for "slow" on loose leash walks. I think he is now doing it on purpose to get the food. Are my assumptions correct in saying this will not work? Or am I impatient?
Full Question:
Hi,Love your all you are doing :) I have a 13 week old puppy(Weimaraner). Things are going well with marker training. He is crate trained and we are getting there with house training. He is a soft to mid temperament. Started marker training first few weeks with his name, now he just about gets whiplash when I call his name. He's learning sit already. When we walk I made the mistake of thinking I could 'marker' train the "slow" command by marking him when he slowed and turned. But I realize now all he is doing is turning, waiting for me to catch up, getting the food and then running forward again to where he pulls the leash tight. Are my assumptions correct in saying this will not work to 'loose leash' train him? Or am I to impatient, and continue to train him marking the turn? Another option I thought was to drop the "slow" command now I have used with incorrect training and use another word, correcting him with a couple of 'pops' when the leash goes tort?
Thanks for time
![Cindy](https://leerburg.com/Photos/articles/authors/cindyrhodes.jpg)
![Cindy](https://leerburg.com/Photos/articles/authors/cindyrhodes.jpg)
Hi David,
You might want to try “marking” and rewarding when he’s right next to you instead of when he gets ahead. You are actually training him to run ahead the way you are doing it. :)
This is going to involve LOTS of treats and lots of rewarding. Basically you give the dog a lot of value by staying next to you, feed, feed, feed, feed, etc… You reward him right over his head and right along the seam of your pants leg (so his head is even with your knee). I’m raising my current pup this way (she’s now 6 months) and she really understands it.
You can always go to corrections later when he really understands what you expect. I think popping him with the leash at this point is not what I would do.
You may also want to look into the Michael Ellis videos:
The Power of Training Dogs with Food
Advanced Concepts in Motivation
Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis
I hope this helps!
Cindy Rhodes
You might want to try “marking” and rewarding when he’s right next to you instead of when he gets ahead. You are actually training him to run ahead the way you are doing it. :)
This is going to involve LOTS of treats and lots of rewarding. Basically you give the dog a lot of value by staying next to you, feed, feed, feed, feed, etc… You reward him right over his head and right along the seam of your pants leg (so his head is even with your knee). I’m raising my current pup this way (she’s now 6 months) and she really understands it.
You can always go to corrections later when he really understands what you expect. I think popping him with the leash at this point is not what I would do.
You may also want to look into the Michael Ellis videos:
The Power of Training Dogs with Food
Advanced Concepts in Motivation
Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis
I hope this helps!
Cindy Rhodes
100% (1 out of 1)
respondents found this answer helpful
![](https://leerburg.com/Photos/index-imgs/ask-cindy-question-marks.png)
![Expert Dog Trainer Cindy Rhodes](https://leerburg.com/Photos/index-imgs/ask-cindy-portrait.png)
Can't find what you're looking for?