# Distance walking on leash at 18 weeks



## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

We are urban V owners, living and working in a big city.
My pup Fred is now 18 weeks. I take her to work twice a week. I used to take her in a basket in the front of my bicycle. She’s getting big and heavy. I could take her with public transport, which I usually do only on rainy days.
It’s 3km / 1,8 miles to work. I was wondering if it would be possible to start walking her. It’s a leashed walk, through the city center with lots of noises and smells and people and pidgeons.

Normally, It would take me about 35 minutes on my own. But with Fred more like 60. She is quite the disaster on leash, and I really do not my enjoy walking her (on leash). She pulls a lot and tries to run towards all people. Or she tries to eat plastic, cigarettes or any other junk on the streets.
I was hoping that maybe if I start walking her more in such environments, we could practice leash walking. She never had much interest in treats outside - not even boiled chicken - so training her loose leash is quite a challenge. But we are slowly getting better, she starts to look up, or stay closer. Funny thing: if she has had a good walk off leash, the day after she is more focused in staying close to us on leash.

During the walk to my office there is no point at which I can met her roam freely for a moment. I am afraid it’s still a bit too much for her. What do you think?


----------



## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

I think you can start walking her. She's almost 5 months old and has more than enough strength and stamina. for 3km walk twice a day.
I would walk her in the cool of the morning and evening if at all possible, and watch her paws. You can always put a soft muzzle on her to stop the picking up of trash, but as soon as the muzzle is off, she'll go right back to finding exactly what you most do not want her to have!


----------



## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

Thanks @gunnr! Good to hear that it’s doable for Fred.

If the evening / afternoon walk is too much, I can take public transport. Would still only do it when it’s not too hot, but with our climate, heatwaves happen only one week per year. 

I’ve been reading about easy walker harnesses on this forum. I’m really thinking of buying one for these walks. I’m not really feeling the slipleash because I haven’t got any experience with it.

As for the junk on the streets, she’s getting better at ‘no’ and I’m becoming a pro in spotting junk on the streets, often before she does 💪


----------



## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

yeah, get her walking with you, it'll improve her lead (uk version of leash) and keep her toenails trimmed


----------



## PinDave (Jul 1, 2020)

As long as she’s had her required vaccinations, she can definitely do a 3 km walk. Our Maui was pulling on the leash (and sometimes still does), but the breeder suggested using a slip-leash, and keeping it up high on the neck, right below the ears, as they do at dog shows. It took us a little while to figure out how to use this style of leash effectively, as we were worried that Maui would be constantly choking himself. We keep the walk moving forward, and don’t let him sniff everything he wants to. We’re leading and keep him mentally moving forward. The slack in the leash is very slight - just slack enough that it’s not constricting unless we give it a quick tug for a correction. You really have to pay close attention until you get the feel for it.

Walking the energy out of Maui has been the single most important thing for our relationship with this wonderful, but very high energy pup! At first they want to go wherever they want. At the end of the day, you have to be the leader on a walk.


----------

