bradpattison.com

Hi everyone - on Friday night I picked up a 9 week old miniature beagle puppy. She weighs 2 lbs and is about the size of a kitten; can't do stairs and can fit in the space underneath a kitchen cabinet. She is so small that the x-small Martingale collar would go around her body. Her leash, a 6' light wight leash has a small clasp, which she loves to chew.....

I have umbilicaled her since Saturday morning. On Sunday afternoon, her behaviour changed and she 'started putting on the brakes.' SHE WILL NOT MOVE WHEN HER LEASH IS ON. Umbilicalled or not.
When I do have the leash around my waist, I am litterally dragging her across carpet, across the kitchen, across the batheroom tile, across gravel, across concrete - you get the picture.
When I take the leash off, she is scared enough/ or has separation anxiety, to follow closely- to be my shadow. In fact, she's pretty good 'off leash.'
BUT - its not safe for her. She hasn't exhibited to much beagle scent hound behaviour - the kind of behavour that will make her run and track an animal. One day soon, she will. She's so small that she gets lost in the grass - so being off leash is just outright dangerous.

I'm scared I'm truly hurting her. She's resisting so much that I'm dragging her by her collar and her neck is stretched out. I can only imagine what this is doing to her feet.

HELP!

Hello I have a beagle/pug and I know what U mean. He is getting better. He is bigger-Never weighed 2lbs
Your little beagle must be a pocket beagle. I think what ever you do over the next few months are real important. I would continue with leashing.
Don't be in a hurry so no need to drag- encourage and go as much as you can each day.
Happy pup off leash means no leash in future-not sure if she is scared or just wants she wants- NO leash.
It was only second day. Now I might not be correct but speed can come lateras she gets older-leash on and attached to you is what is important right now -not puppy choosing to follow -no leash. cause we know what they get like later. she is young and don't give up and let her win.
She sounds adorable and i can see that you may think you are hurting her.
Be like a rock til she comes the way you want to go- don't follow her.That won't hurt her but she will not get her way. Gently but firm will get results. There will be others with perhaps better advice and I may learn some stuff too.

Hi Deb - thanks for the encouragement. I'm scared though that if I 'wait for her to relax and move,' I'll be moving one inch at a time and it will take an hour to get down the driveway to the grass.......

Yes I know but it might be like that for a bit. I think you can do it anywhere indoors or out. She is going to get bigger and more bold --it won't be forever. One day at at time will get you there.
Right now we have so many mosquitoes that I train with Kobe inside right now and we take a half hour fast walk with bug spray on late evening. Main point is to get her use to leash . couse you can't sit too long or she will make lunch of leash. so lots of gentle encouragement to move the way you want to go. She will get to see that is not so annoying to be tied to you and follow.Hopefully faster soon!
We'll see if anyone comes up with better idea-its only what i would do cause if you fail with leash now -would be hard on you later and her.

Not sure letting leash drag --would help her get use to collar and leash. You could step on leash to apply avert control at very short intervals to show puppy that she just can't do what she wants. we need someone who has had this happen and has ideas that have worked.
I have had other pups do this and I would wait til they came but only the way i wanted them to come or we end up going where they want to go.

Hi Pat-

Sounds like you're working hard! Umbilical training should be done both indoors and out as Debi said. Don't worry too much about your pup being resistant, most puppies are, but also don't give up(that's letting her win then). Try doing it inside the house first and try not to drag her too much around as well. Putting pressure on the leash with your body until she gives in, then take a step (keep moving though). Always remember to end when she is walking with you too! Also try things like Debi suggested like having the leash on her when you are just sitting around just to get her used to it. If you are reading a book, sitting on the computer or watching TV, that is a great time to put the leash on her and get her used to it. When I first started with Lindy, that's how I did it and I even dropped the leash when we first went to the bathroom, just occasionally stepping on it, to give her a tug and show her that it was there. Then eventually I picked it up, just holding it and finally went to full umbilical. It only took a couple of weeks to get to that stage and then she was walking everywhere with me on umbilical for the two hours that Brad suggested(mostly indoors at the time because she wasn't allowed out yet because of vaccines). Of course she was resistant, she wanted to be in charge of where she went at all times, but remember you are alpha and you can change this behaviour! Do you have Brad's book yet? If not, I suggest that you get it.

As for the collar, do what I did and get the x-small and sew it to fit your dog's neck, leaving it so that it is still adjustable (they always seem to have bigger heads than necks. Just remember, one finger between when it is tight. That way when she starts to grow, you can still adjust it and eventually take out the stitching. If you need to you can always buy a bigger collar later on, but trust me...the martingale (and Brad's Hustle Up collar - which is the best on the market in my opinion) makes a huge difference. This way you will be training the best way you can right from the start!

Sounds like you are off to a great start and keep you're head up! You'll get there!

-Karen

So we just finished the lunch hour walk. I gave her tons of verbal praise for every step forward we had. Once she resisted, I went silent and just stood there. When she move forward, I moved forward - which is really ***-backward. She seems to be okay for a metre or two and then she'll just slam on the brakes. Funny how when we turn around and go home, there's absolutely no problem with walking.

I'll stick with inside the house umbilical training for the next few days and see how that goes. I'll keep everyone posted