Hi all, fairly new to the forum working with my first working line GSD. She is now 10 weeks. I have been taking short walks with her on the leash and find she has been great as we walk away from the house other than a desire to go back home on occasions. Beyond that when she knows were heading back she pulls. I have been doing some quick pull backs (corrections) and not getting any real success (continues to pull). Any thoughts would be appreciated. I feel I am pulling back every few seconds.

On a separate note I have found some of her qualities very unqiue to other dogs I have had (courage- willing to try things, great eye contact, almost completely potty trained). Biting certainly a pain but getting much better.

Thanks in advance for any help

I know you said short walks, but make sure they're very short, short enough for her. Ten weeks is very young and they can't walk as much as they seem to want.

For the pulling on the way home, take treats with you and when she starts to pull back, stop, call her to you and when she comes give her a treat. Repeat, over and over

At 10 weeks she might be a wee bit cautious about the walking (noises, sights, cars, different surfaces on her feet, whatever you encounter). Cautious, maybe a little anxious, and that could be why she's more apt to walk nicely along with you when leaving the house, staying close to you. When walking back, she's heading home and knows it (smart like a whip!), where she feels totally safe. So she pulls, trying to get there asap. Stopping, calling her and giving her treats will help ease her. Just don't walk very far from home yet as you don't want to stress her.

Edited to add: I certainly wouldn't worry about this in a 10 week old puppy. What we take for granted is totally new to them, they've never seen or heard the things we see and hear everyday.

Thank you Sandy very much. Houses are relatively close together in my neighborhood. When I say short a few houses one way and then back. So maybe 500-700 feet in total.

So I should not keep correcting her (e.g., swift pull backs). Just stop, call her, use the treats as you suggested. Sounds like your generally suggesting slow her down, reassure, and make her less anxious. Eventually her anxiety will subside and she will not find it necessary to pull.

I honestly have never seen eye contact like this dog gives. Is this pretty typical. Is it a message in anyway? Sorry for the questions it's been 15 years since my GSD who just passed was a pup.

Thanks again

They will learn that forward movement stops when they pull. You only go forward when the leash is loose.
The split second before the pup/dog hits the end of the leash I give a "Walk easy" command.
Walk easy, or whatever command you use can mean walk with a loose lead or it can be used to release from a formal heeling position but don't drag my old butt around.

I agree with Bob and Sandy here, this is the method I use for teaching leash manners to all ages of dogs. I call it Stop and Go. It can take a long time to get from point A to point B using this method but with patience it works very well for introducing the concept of "no pulling" in a possitive way.

Make sure you are very happy and upbeat when calling the pup or dog to you and have that treat ready to give as soon as they reach you. Make a point to take the pup out specifically to work on this because as I said it can take a while to get from point A to point B for the first several times you use this method.

If you do find yourself in a rush and hurry to get the pup out for potty don't correct, just allow the pup to do its thing and back inside. I find puppies catch on very quickly but this is best done after the pup has done its business or you could distract the pup from going potty.

 Quote: Wade Godin

I honestly have never seen eye contact like this dog gives. Is this pretty typical. Is it a message in anyway? Sorry for the questions it's been 15 years since my GSD who just passed was a pup.

Thanks again

Wade, I don't know if it's normal, but it's wonderful that you are getting eye contact from a 10 week old pup, especially on walks.
Perhaps it's a confidence issue, but take advantage of it and reward her for spontaneous eye contact.
My pup is 9 months old, and is just starting to give me eye contact on walks!
Your pup sounds great.

I have to chime in here!

How are you dealing with the biting?
You said it's getting better ... how are you handling it
when pup is in biting mode?
How do you get your hand/leg out of his mouth?

I do the pulling back when walking - and am in the same boat!
It doesnt seem to phase him. So Ive started to take treats with
me, and that is helping a little!

Hi Debbie, just continuing some of the things I learned here and read on the biting. Exercise always helps her relieve some energy. But other than that first it's toys to focus her attention on something else, next it's just saying no, next it's grabbing by the cheeks and looking in her eyes and saying no, and lastly when it gets intolerable (last resort) the crate, when she calms down in the crate I let her back out and see if we how she is. Overall it's slowly working....

Thanks for all the feedback on the walks, the stopping technique I like and will try.