Help training dog to walk on leash

[Aeress]

Hi! My 3 yr old lab/beagle mix was rescued by us last April. SHe has some behaviors that we are working on, one of which is walking on a leash without pulling. She is a major sniffer, and hunter and it seems to rule most of her time outside. If I insist on sit or heel when she starts to pull, we never get any kind of walk. When she does walk well, as soon as she hears/sees something or gets a scent she is totally one track minded.

Any help?

I have heard beagles can be hard to train to walk.

[greenmagick]

I do a couple things...one is to load up a spoon with peanut butter or get lots of treats (or the dogs dinner) and start walking. Hold the spoon by your side and start walking....this automatically rewards the dog for keeping close and not pulling. Or if not using a spoon, rapid fire the treats or kibble. I think this works best in the very beginning. Then you start rewarding less and less as the dog is conditioned to stay in the general area of you. Then when they start pulling either stop moving and wait for them to have a loose leash again or do a 180 and start walking the opposite direction. Sometimes your walks may be 15 minutes of back and forth in front of your house while they are learning. Thats ok, you just gradually build up

Here's an example of using a clicker to teach loose leash walking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgtqgiAKoQ

[SoulCakes]

If nothing else is working, I'd recommend a head collar. A lot of people use them with their dogs even if they aren't pulling because it's easier to guide them. It does resemble a muzzle, but it's not at all cruel (and much less awful than choking yourself on your own collar by pulling!).

This is the brand I recommend. You can find them at any Petsmart:

http://www.buygentleleader.com/View....er/description