Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Cocoa and I are in training now. Today, the instructor talked about loose leash walking. I've been using a flexi-leash because I thought it would be better for her to go at her speed. I don't like it when she tugs ahead, but am working on redirecting that.
Do you loose leash walk your dogs? Does it seem to be harder on them to go slower or do they just get used to it?
Thanks!
It is harder for them to go slow, it is a balance thing. AfterTrouble's surgery I always used a longer leash so she could move at her best pace. Conventional training has some challenges for a tripawd. That doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't be done, it just means you may have to modify some elements.
Happy training.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Hi Susan,
You are likely to get a number of responses here from members who walk their tripawds on a flexi lead. Please keep in mind that the majority of these dogs are mature and had a preexisting skill set. Leash walking on a flexi teaches a dog nothing. It is simply a connection to you on the other end...and a potentially dangerous one... Cocoa, as a young dog should learn to properly walk on a leash. She's probably not going to go on long treks, but the discipline and self control she will develop will be invaluable as she matures and ultimately grows into a senior tripawd. The learning process alone will provide great mental stimulation.
Flexi's, do not give you the ability to control your dog, and can cause her, you or other dogs to get tangled and injured.
It is definitely more difficult for a tripawd to walk slower, but you work around that with shorter walks. Once Cocoa has mastered loose leash walking, casual heeling, and most importantly, checking in with you and a reliable recall, you can reconsider using the flexi.
It's important to work with a trainer who is willing to help you adapt your training sessions to Cocoa's needs.
I really like our trainer. She understands we don't want to use sit as a starting point for other actions, like down. We're going to work on stand-stay next week. She's been adjusting our classes to do what I want to focus on. We've been working on look at me, leave it, take it.
We did some loose leash walking in the story today, but her attitude there is very different from what it is outside in our yard.
Today we worked on "come," which required the trainer to walk Cocoa away from me. Apparently this caused great separation anxiety, because she had two pee accidents, including one on me. Another one after she came to my call without being able to see me. Once she came around the corner and I picked up her leash, she pee'd again. Obviously we stopped that and basically wrapped up class. I felt so bad for her -- she's such a trouper at everything and tries so hard to please. She is not afraid of the trainer, I think we'd just done a lot and she was overwhelmed.
How long a "regular" leash should we try using? The longest I have is maybe 4-ft.
Do we use the walk/stop option to keep her from pulling on the leash? Or the turn the other way?
Here's my two cents..if she hasn't been a tripawd long, it's going to take a while for her to build up her strength to even be able to walk slowly. At least it did for my Tripawd. I did and do rehab work with her to keep her core strong and that has helped tremendously. I compete with her in Rally-O and Wag It Games and some of this is in heel. She already knew these behaviors prior to being a Tripawd however...so at least all she had to learn was to balance herself and get strengthened again to do the behaviors. But when we are out on our walks and she can't be loose, she is on a flexi. Will she pull on it? Yes. But she will also pull on a regular leash too if I let her go out ahead of me on walks. I just walk faster to keep the line from going to tight and working her too hard in doing so. It's far easier for her to go faster(but harder on me! LOL!)
Does your trainer teach doing clicker training? My two suggestions would be:
do some rehab. therapy exercises to strengthen your dog(you can go to my blog for ideas or Admin posts great CARE videos on rehab)
Shape/clicker train your dog to walk loosely on a leash
It can be done! but I do feel the strengthening part is a big key to my dog's ability to compete in sports now that require her to go along primarily at heel now vs. the agility she was so used to for 8 years before being a Tripawd.
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Is Cocoa able to take treats while training? You can treat her when your walking & she's not pulling. Another option that usually works well is to stop all forward motion when she pulls and restart when she lets up.
A nice, low stress way to teach come on your own, is to walk forward, then stop and call her to you & treat. Start with very short distances (a couple of feet). You can advance to practicing at home...down a hallway, then outside on a long lead. Teaching come from a place Cocoa can't see you, in an unfamiliar environment is a much more advanced skill and more than she is ready for.
Dogs do not generalize. You have to repeat simple lessons in new environments until they build confidence. Cocoa obviously relies on you & trusts you.
Have you thought about group classes instead of private training. It can be very valuable for both confidence building and mastering skills around distractions.
A six foot lead is more than adequate.
Love love love this advice! Tracy and Cynthia, you two are a wealth of knowledge on this topic, thank you.
littlemanjake said:
Have you thought about group classes instead of private training. It can be very valuable for both confidence building and mastering skills around distractions.
Would definitely agree with this. Our Wyatt Ray couldn't be around other dogs when he first joined our pack, he wanted to kill every one he saw. Through ongoing group and private training with the same teacher he has come a long way in overcoming his scary approach. It was a real confidence builder for him. Not quite there yet but definitely much improved one year later.
maggie said:
if she hasn't been a tripawd long, it's going to take a while for her to build up her strength to even be able to walk slowly. At least it did for my Tripawd.
We found this to be true with Wyatt as well. Strength training, in combination with learning to heel properly has really benefitted him.
As for a Flexi leash…I wouldn't go there in a million years with Wyatt, probably wouldn't have used it with Jer either. They scare me.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I just want to add a bit on the flexi leash subject just to clarify my views on it.
I ONLY use flexi TAPE leashes...NEVER the rope types...those do and will cause serious burns/injuries. Ask my sister, Gina, when Maggie went around her legs once when Maggie was younger! Ouch.
I live in a VERY rural area where I see NO other dogs. The only animals we may see on our walks are moose/deer/patridge etc.! 
When I go to dog trials, I don't use the flexi's..my dogs are then on regular leashes.
I think the right place, the right dog, flexi's are a perfect fit. I LOVE my flexi's. But do agree that they don't fit all situations or all dogs.
Here's a photo of Maggie yesterday in the woods enjoying a romp on her flexi. You may ask why she is even tied but she has high prey drive and I can't take the chance that we may run into a moose or something and Maggie take off on me rampaging thru the woods and possibly injuring herself. The flexi gives her more freedom yet I still have her under leash control.
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
Good point Tracy, I never thought of the Flexi in those terms.
Look at Maggie GO!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
How do you like them, thar ears!?! LOL! I love that picture just for her crazy ears! 
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
I've used flexi leads for years without any problems. When Maggie became a tri-pug it allowed her to move at her own pace. But I agree there is a time and place for them. When I need the dogs under tighter control I use our regular 6' leashes. Of course my dogs are pretty small so controlling them with the flexi has not been a problem for me.
I did want to second or third the group training idea. I'm taking almost 5 year old adopted pug boy Obie to obedience class. He knows his basic commands, but is very shy around people, and scared of most dogs we meet. He definitely has some issues from his upbringing. One of my goals from the class is to boost his confidence, and in only 2 classes I see improvement. We are learning clicker training (which I love Tracy!) and he is really enjoying our daily training sessions.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Like many others have said, I've found there is a time/place for a flexi, but when out on our normal walks is not one of them. I do not feel like I have enough control, especially if I need to pull Zula in fast (we live in a really rural development - a benefit is little traffic, but a downside is no sidewalks, so when cars do come, we pull over and 'heel.')
Our normal walking route has a slight uphill and downhill. I have noticed that it is much harder for Zula to control her speed when going downhill, so we make that part the 2nd half of the walk (when she's more tired), and also provide more slack to walk ahead of us.
We tried the approach where we turned and changed direction every time she pulled - an entire 45 mins covering the same 300 ft just outside our driveway - I'm sure the neighbors thought we were nuts! But, what has seemed to work best is lots of verbal praise when she is doing the right thing, verbal correction when she starts to get out of place, and if she pulls the leash tight (I use a basic 6' nylon lead), I simply stop in place, and won't move until she comes back to me & puts slack in the line.
Like Cynthia said, we are having to go back and re-teach some of the basics. We trained inside during the winter, and Zula will come from wherever she is inside the house when we call her. But, now that it is nice out, she has selective hearing for the 'come' command when she's outside/distracted. So, we need to start the baby steps again outside (and if it ever stops raining, we can really get to it!)
Good luck!
Zack, King of Dogs, 1996 to 2010
Zack lived a full 14 years, even to the end.
The joy and memories he provided us will last a lifetime.
Surviving him is his sister, Izzy, a 12-year-old boxer mix quadpawd.
And the latest addition, Zula, an 11-month-old pit bull mix tripawd.
krun15 said:
We are learning clicker training (which I love Tracy!) and he is really enjoying our daily training sessions.
Karen and the pugapalooza
-------------------------------------
Yay Karen!!! It's a BLAST for both human and dog! I LOVE it. I love the shaping process and seeing the dogs figure things out on their own
It's a nice feeling when you finally get all the pieces together to a behavior! I recenly taught Maggie how to do the formal retrieve for APDT Rally and Wag It Games...gotta be the toughest thing I've ever taught her! But we finally got it! What a feeling to have the pieces all together now. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks!
Have fun!!
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
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