Author Topic: Crazy walks  (Read 14073 times)

Offline monty

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Crazy walks
« on: September 18, 2007, 07:35:55 am »
Hi all,

I have a 51/2 month old Alaskan Malmaute, he's a sweetie most of the time (isn't that what they all say) but lately we have been having problems on our walks. I walk him on a leash and harness and he seemed to be getting along fine, although he liked to stop every 5 seconds to sniff anything he could find. The last few walks we have been on if he wants to go one direction and I want to go the other he freaks out. Starts leaping up and down like mad, growling and nipping at my ankles and thighs and jumping up and catching my sleeves. I'm covered in bruises and it's very embarassing to be out in public and to have it seem like you are being attacked by your own dog. Has anyone else had this happen? And if so how did you deal with it.

We practice NILIF with him and are firm with him, so I have no idea what he is trying to achieve with this behaviour. I'd be delighted with any advice or help you could give me.

Offline Sillygoose

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2007, 03:36:54 pm »
Wow sounds like you have your hands full. Have you tried a pich collar on him? They work wonderfully and it won't take him long to realize you're the leader and not him.

Offline LuvmyMal

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2007, 09:18:10 pm »
More NILIF, keep him on leash when he is in the house and crate at night, do not allow him on furniture, beds, etc as he is now thinking he is in charge. Feed him in the crate, make him sit before entering/exiting any doors. Also is he neutered? If not NOW may be the time. I was trying to hold off on Adak, but his attitude showed me something different.

Offline monty

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2007, 09:44:31 am »
Thanks for the advice guys. We are still working on it. Practicing more NILIF, less freedom around the house etc. He just doesn't seem to like walking. He's fine for the first while, but then he'll start to whine and then all h*ll breaks loose. He'll leap and jump and go crazy. And it always seems to happen on the way home from walks. It's like he wants to get home so bad he gets totally over excited and won't listen to me at all.  ??? It just has me baffled.
I am thinking about neutering, but you read so many different things about when it's a good time and when it's a bad time. How old was Adak when you got him done?

Nicole

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2007, 12:36:27 pm »
Yeah, the first thing that jumped out at me is the harness. You may want to get him on something that makes it impossible to leap and jump. Perhaps a Halti, Gentle Leader or a pinch collar. He can't leap and jump with those items!

I second the neutering! I've always neutered my boys at very young ages and never seen problems. I know that this is a somewhat contentious issue, but I've had dogs forever and always neutered them as younguns.

Offline mountaindogmom

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2007, 02:31:44 am »
I also strongly second the pinch collar - if fitted and used properly it will solve your problem very quickly and will be a great tool to allow you to perfect loose leash walking.  It's not a permanent solution but is great during the training period and as a transition back to a regular choke or buckle collar once they learn some walking manners.  Harnesses are about the worst option for large breed dogs who are prone to pulling - they put all the strength and power in your dogs hands and give you none.

As for the neutering we did a lot of research and decided to neuter Jack at 5 months.  I wanted to lessen the chances, as much as possible, of him developing territorial male behaviors such as same sex aggression (Pyrs are prone to this) and urine marking (I don't want to stop every 10 feet on walks!).  We also liked the idea that surgeries are a lot less traumatic for puppies than for adult dogs and there is less bleeding and a quicker recovery time.  Jack's neuter went VERY smoothly and his growth rate is perfectly normal.  As a bonus, he doesn't lift his leg to pee so he just goes once before we start walking and we don't have to stop at every tree!  He gets along great with all other dogs, including males and doesn't bark excessively (yet!).  He's still growing and maturing so some of these behaviors could of course change but we hope that by neutering early we we increased our odds for getting the results we want.

Greta - Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (DOB 5-20-06)
Jack - Great Pyrenees (DOB 12-26-06)
& Three Kitties - Zoie, Bella & Nessie!

Offline Morweena

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2009, 07:22:35 pm »
To reinterate what everyone else has said - yup he is rebelling, points for his creativeness!
I've got a Malamute/BullMastiff mix and when she was going through a few "teen" phases she came up with the weirdest stuff to mess with me. The most creative was screaming when I made her down*,  this was an escalation from whining the day before, by the third day she just did it when I asked as she got that I wasn't buying her hysterics.
If I am spoiling her with too many trips to off leash dog walks she will drag her paws and walk behind me when leashed. She will move so slow I almost need to drag her until she gives up and trots along with me.
I use a martingale collar on her and it works great, but she's a beta girl generally.

Marion

* making her down wasn't anything harsh, just following up on my command by pulling the lead down so she was in the "vulture pose" and then standing on the lead and ignoring her till she complied
Ruby - bullmastiff/malamute

Offline vmimom2006

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Re: Crazy walks
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2009, 02:16:14 am »
Yep when Quinn (my mal of 14 years) was young he'd do the very same thing you describe. I'd stop and pin him. I know I got alot of "looks" from people but a mal can be very pushy and they have to know who is boss. Definately neutering will help.
Mom to:
Athena 20 month Blue Great Dane
Aurora 5 yr Blue Merle Great Dane
Baby Tux cat-RIP 6/9/09
Mandy & Millie 10 yr sisters tabbys
Wheet 9 yr black shorthair devil cat
Lucy Lu & Buckley 8 month kitties