How to Leash Train a Mastiff Puppy

Hi! I love his name! I am not sure if you have tried to engage him in training commands while he is in this state of excitement, but that is my suggestion. The first step is to reframe what an oncoming dog (or people) means to your dog. From a safe distance — your dog determines the distance, not you — have your leashed dog view another dog. As the new dog comes into view, drop a lot of enticing meat treats just in front of your dog’s nose. Ignore any hysterics for now, but back up and create more space if your dog is unwilling to eat. The training reinforcer MUST be a great one, such as real meat. It is critical that the appearance of the new dog causes meat to fall from the sky. When the other dog is out of your dog’s view, all treats stop. We want your dog to predict that other dogs near him means that YUMMY FOOD will appear! And this leads us to our next step which is putting a command to this. Consider not walking your dog for 30 days as you reprogram his opinions of other dogs. Instead, sit on your front porch or in your garage with your dog on leash, and practice treating every time another dog comes into your dog’s line of sight. During this time, engage your dog’s mind with mind puzzles, obedience work, and fun stuff like games in the house or yard. You know you have made great progress when your dog sees another dog, and he turns his head away from the exciting dog and looks into your eyes, expecting a treat. Once your dog is looking at his (former) trigger and then looking expectantly up at you for a treat, you can begin to put this skill on cue. Tell the dog, "sit" or "watch me" or whatever command you want to use for this setting. After he starts automatically sitting or watching you when he sees another dog, you know you have success! Remember to go slowly! It could take up to a month or longer of consistent practice before you see an improvement with his behavior.

Aug. 15, 2020

Hello! Thank you for all of the information. I am not a fan of the no pull harnesses that go around the chest area. I do like the no pull harness that goes over the nose. They are called a Gentle Leader here. I am sure you can find them online, if not in stores. That is an option to consider. I am also going to give you information on how to train loose leash walking, as well as some tips to help with jumping! Give the Command Choose a word or phrase that lets your dog know what is expected of it. Since this is not a formal "heel," something like "with me" or "let's go" works well. Start out on your walk with your dog at your side, give the cue word or phrase, and begin walking. Stop and Go When your dog pulls at the end of the leash, stop immediately and do not budge. Never allow your dog to move forward when it is pulling or lunging. This way, you are teaching your dog that the only way to get where it wants to go is by leaving some slack in the leash. As soon as there is some slack in the leash, you can begin again. Give your dog the command "with me" and start moving forward. If your dog seems relentless about pulling on the leash even when you stop, try changing directions instead. You may find yourself turning in circles at first, but soon your dog will learn that it's not going anywhere if it pulls. It will learn to pay attention to you to figure out which way to go. Make It Rewarding Once you step out of your house, you have a lot of competition for your dog's attention. You have to make staying close to you more rewarding and fun than running off to explore all the sights and smells of your neighborhood. For this, you can use treats, praise, and a happy tone of voice. To start, any time your dog turns and looks at you, praise it and offer a treat. This is also a good time to use a clicker if you have decided to try clicker training. When your dog's attention turns to you, click and treat. In this way, you are teaching your dog that it is rewarding to pay attention to you. You can also speak to your dog in a high, happy tone to keep its attention on you. You may need to use a lot of treats in the beginning to get your dog's attention. Keep your hand by your side and give it treats continuously, as long as it is walking near you with some slack in the leash. As your dog gets the idea of what you expect, you can slowly phase out the treats by waiting longer between treats. Problems and Proofing Behavior Leash training can take time; you will probably not have your dog walking on a loose leash the first time. There may be times when you simply cannot get your dog's attention. It might find what's going on elsewhere more interesting than your treats or happy talk, and stopping and starting may not be enough to distract it from whatever is holding its attention. In this case, it's best to move away from the distraction. Walk in the opposite direction, saying "let's go." There's no need to pull your dog; simply walk away while holding the leash. Your dog will have no choice but to follow. Once it is walking with you, offer a treat and plenty of praise. To "proof" your dog's ability to walk on a loose leash, take frequent short walks, varying your routine and direction. Once your dog is comfortable with your local neighborhood, practice loose-leash walking in locations where distractions are likely. Be consistent and positive. In time, your dog will learn how to walk properly on the leash. Jumping: Teach your dog that they receive no attention for jumping on you or anyone else. Teach your dog to do something that is incompatible with jumping up, such as sitting. They can't sit and jump up at the same time. If they are not sitting, they get no attention. It is important to be consistent. Everyone in your family must follow the training program all the time. You can't let your dog jump on people in some circumstances, but not others. Training techniques: When your dog… Jumps on other people: Ask a family member or friend to assist with training. Your assistant must be someone your dog likes and wants to greet. Your dog should never be forced to greet someone who scares them. Give your dog the "sit" command. (This exercise assumes your dog already knows how to "sit.") The greeter approaches you and your dog. If your dog stands up, the greeter immediately turns and walks away. Ask your dog to "sit," and have the greeter approach again. Keep repeating until your dog remains seated as the greeter approaches. If your dog does remain seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a reward. When you encounter someone while out walking your dog, you must manage the situation and train your dog at the same time. Stop the person from approaching by telling them you don't want your dog to jump. Hand the person a treat. Ask your dog to "sit." Tell the person they can pet your dog and give them the treat as long as your dog remains seated. Some people will tell you they don't mind if your dog jumps on them, especially if your dog is small and fluffy or a puppy. But you should mind. Remember you need to be consistent in training. If you don't want your dog to jump on people, stick to your training and don't make exceptions. Jumps on you when you come in the door: Keep greetings quiet and low-key. If your dog jumps on you, ignore them. Turn and go out the door. Try again. You may have to come in and go out dozens of times before your dog learns they only gets your attention when they keep all four feet on the floor. Jumps on you when you're sitting: If you are sitting and your dog jumps up on you, stand up. Don't talk to your dog or push them away. Just ignore them until all four feet are on the ground. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thank you for writing in!

Aug. 8, 2020