Hi, everyone. I am a new member and I can't figure out how to post an email, so I don't know if this is coming as a reply to someone else's questions.

I have a ten week old GSD female. I have been taking her on leashed walks. It took her about 1 week to get over being on the leash, but now she tries to eat things along the way (rocks, leaves). I washed Frawley's video Dog Obedience video last night and learned about Ouch corrections and not giving corrections until you are 110% sure the dog knows she is doing something wrong. Prior to hearing this, I was correcting my puppy by pulling on the leash when I saw she was going for a rock and saying "No, yuck". If I didn't catch her in time, I would stop and pull the rock or leaf out of her mouth and say "Yuck". Needless to say, this results in numerous interruptions of the walk. I am trying to figure out what I should do. I even adjusted the walk schedule to do it after she eats, thinking she was hungry, but that didn't matter. Advice?

Someone suggested I should not be leash walking at this age? Correct?

Hi, Stephanie,

Do you have any grassy areas? I think that the puppy experts recommend that soft surfaces are far better for walks at that age.

I think that they also redirect at that age more than give leash corrections.

But puppy folks will respond better.

I'll repost what I said in the other thread:

 Quote:

Your pup is 10 weeks old, and still exploring and learning about the world. I wouldn't worry about structured walks at this point - just my opinion, but at that age, when you go out, it should be more of a brief exploration (you also obviously don't want to over-exercise). I let my pup for months explore as much as he wanted when we were out. I didn't let him eat what he wanted, which meant being right there with him and either removing things before he could grab them or taking them away once he had. I think puppies, like human babies, like to stick things in their mouths as a way of experiencing them or learning about them. It's normal, and I don't think is related to hunger at all.

I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't take your pup out (and yes, I always took my puppy out a leash), but that structured exercise and walks doesn't need to be a big focus at this age. Let your girl be a puppy and wander around. Play with her in the yard, tug, throw a ball, play on-leash tag, whatever.

At that age would you do the potty-walks around the grassy yard?

I did, sure.

And we have a field one house over that I'd take him to and we'd explore (I never see other dogs there). We'd also do mini 'around the block' walks sometimes, though I was careful of that when he was really little too b/c other than the rescue vaccinating him at 6 weeks, I haven't vaccinated him, so I was careful about walking him places other dogs went.

I think taking pups out and getting them exposed to a variety of places and things is really important, I wasn't trying to suggest that. By 10 weeks Neb was riding the subway and bus, had been out to parties, and started going to the FR field, for instance, gone camping, 'hiked' (aka ride in the snugli while we hiked), that kind of thing.

I was more just thinking that at 10 weeks, they're still little babies, and they're not going to have the focus I associate as necessary for a structured walk. Also, with a GSD b/c of the size of the breed, I know there are issues w/joints and over-exercise as puppies.

Even now - Neb is 10 months and I believe that's when pups often go through a second fear stage. He huffed and barked at someone walking past our yard a few weeks ago, so I've started again on our walks to let him explore and check out everything, and I haven't seen any other signs of nervousness/lack of confidence. Whether that's my approach or just that Neb is a fairly confident little guy anyways, I really couldn't tell you - probably Neb though

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I guess I was thinking that Frawley says "exercise and walks" and I know she can't be off the leash so I don't know how you "exercise" without walking. I will definitely lay off of the "walk" mode and just let her explore and take the lead. I am just concerned that following the crate training and only taking her out to use bathroom and then out for some play time doesn't give her the type of "exercise" that will get the energy out of her puppy system.

My theory was that it let him learn to meet the world on his own, and it gave him the time to really check out anything that might have seemed strange or scary, and to realise that whatever it was wasn't actually a big deal at all. I was going to say he learnt to deal with the world on his terms, though I suppose since I was always with him and ready to step in, my terms were still there, but I wanted him to be able to work through things and have confidence in himself vis-a-vis other things. I'm really not an expert though, so

I'm not saying not to take her on walks at all, or that you're not letting her explore, just that I wouldn't worry about whether she walks nicely at your side and at an even pace and that kind of thing, (ETA: aka, the interruptions (but I would be right there to make sure she's not eating rocks etc....Neb was big into that too, yikes!). Let her zig and zag all over the place, as long as she's not about to get stepped on or wander out into a road, so that she can figure stuff out. I don't know what 10 weeks old for a dog is equivalent to in humans, but it's still a baby, so my theory is just have fun with her as a puppy. They're only the little babies once, so enjoy it (even me, who is deeply on the side of adult dogs, kind of misses Neb's more obtuse baby moments once in a while).

Play sessions, leash tag, exploring, all of that can really tire them out. I also did fun, all-positive (no corrections at all) training with Neb, teaching him basics. That's another good way to get their energy out

I agree, just let him be a pup for a bit longer.

Remove anything he's chewing on that would cause him harm of course, and saying "yucky" while you do it is fine, but don't correct or pull with the leash.

I found that if i removed the item (rocks, garbage etc.) and then got his attention on something else (ME!, cause really, whats more fun than ME!!!) entice him to follow you or run after you (not long distance, just a few steps to get him away from the offending object) always worked.

Oh! Or squeaky toys! They're great for distracting too!

 Quote: stephanie irwin

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I guess I was thinking that Frawley says "exercise and walks" and I know she can't be off the leash so I don't know how you "exercise" without walking. I will definitely lay off of the "walk" mode and just let her explore and take the lead. I am just concerned that following the crate training and only taking her out to use bathroom and then out for some play time doesn't give her the type of "exercise" that will get the energy out of her puppy system.

Stephanie, you are making the mistake of confusing ADULT DOG groundwork with PUPPY groundwork. Ed does indeed say this in his videos that are intended for ADULT DOGS. You may want to get his DVD "Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months" for ideas on how to raise a puppy.

A puppy can not and should not be isolated in a crate for a long period of time. Babies need stimulation and SOCIALIZING - this is a big thing. A lot of the fearful dogs we get in rescue are that way because the owners did not take the dogs out when they were puppies, and they only ever saw the house, yard and around the block. Take your puppy with you (carry him) when you go out if at all possible. Let him meet lots of people and see new things. At 10 weeks don't worry about exercise, he will tire himself out discovering new things in the world. Play with him with toys as well. He will not have the opportunity to grab things in his mouth (totally normal puppy behaviour) if he is actively engaged in playing tug with you.

Look at THIS THREAD to see a man playing with HIS 10-week-old pups. Note all the fun things for the puppies to do. Also notice how they love to have something in their mouth. It is more constructive to give them something they CAN have rather than constantly be correcting the little guy and getting frustrated.