July 07, 2023
I read that it takes 4-6 weeks for a puppy to master loose leash walking, can I still take my Golden Retriever pup for walks in the park or neighborhood now even though she's pulling?
Full Question:
Hi Cindy,I have an almost 5 month old female golden retriever puppy. We got her 3 weeks ago. She pulls on the leash when we walk outside and I just started training her to walk on a loose leash this week. We started in doors and progressed to the backyard. She’s making some progress. My question is, at this stage can I still take her for longer walks before she masters loose leash walking? E.g. a walk in the park or in the neighborhood? If she can’t manage to walk properly with the distractions, does that make her training regress? Should I wait till she masters loose leash walking before taking her to places? I read that it takes about 4-6 weeks for puppies to master loose leash walking? Thank you!
Cindy's Answer:
Good morning! Congrats on the new puppy.
I don't expect puppies that young to maintain loose leash walking in a distracting environment.
I would not be walking her in the neighborhood or park yet, you've had her a short time and need to build a solid training relationship with her. There are too many variables and things that may derail your training in environments you can't control (park, neighborhood) What if a loose dog charges her and shatters her confidence? Then you have a whole new issue to work on that may have life long fallout.
We have a good course on loose leash walking that I'll link below.
As for 4-6 weeks, I think that there is no timeline for training. Each dog/puppy is an individual and some may take longer and some less time. I don't ever set a timeline for training, I follow the puppy's lead and understanding of what I'm teaching.
I don't expect puppies that young to maintain loose leash walking in a distracting environment.
I would not be walking her in the neighborhood or park yet, you've had her a short time and need to build a solid training relationship with her. There are too many variables and things that may derail your training in environments you can't control (park, neighborhood) What if a loose dog charges her and shatters her confidence? Then you have a whole new issue to work on that may have life long fallout.
We have a good course on loose leash walking that I'll link below.
As for 4-6 weeks, I think that there is no timeline for training. Each dog/puppy is an individual and some may take longer and some less time. I don't ever set a timeline for training, I follow the puppy's lead and understanding of what I'm teaching.
User Response:
Thank you so much Cindy!
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