If I'm taking Chuck on a walk somewhere, or even a hike, and we stop for more than a couple minutes, he will start whining and pacing and crying.

I know I know...huskies get bored easily, etc etc, but I've been around enough huskies by now to know mine is an outlier. A couple weeks ago we went on a 6 mile hike with a 2000 vertical gain, I tie him up on a 25 foot leash near an alpine lake while we rested, and for 15 minutes he whines because he can't go exactly where he wants. It really doesn't matter whether he's had exercise or not.

This behavior makes it hard to spend time with him, and I'm hoping that since it's well outside what I've seen with other huskies it can be adjusted, but I'm not sure.

My only theory is that I need to have him on leash more often and he'll eventually get used to it. I typically prefer to exercise him at the dog park since I don't have a joring set up, and I don't have other dogs at home. He gets to run freely and socialize all at once. The problem behavior comes up during non routine type experiences on the leash. Do I just need to expose him to more situations where we stop while he's on leash? Any other thoughts?

Cheers

I think you've answered your own question. Remember sometimes what we mean to teach isn't what we teach at all. If your getting frustrated and resuming things when he becomes loud or insistent enough...he's learning that in order to get his way he ought to act like a pill.

It may be a good idea to do some obedience training, teach speak, and no speak...giving commands that he can't possibly engage in while doing the undesired behavior and reinforcing that will go a long way. Good luck!!!

I definitely don't reward him for it, but the repetition of repeatedly not getting his way is probably helpful - I think your right.

How did you teach speak by the way? I tried today holding up a treat and waiting for him to bark or whine...I think I just said speak 500 times. Not a sound. So profoundly stubborn.

Haha, that was a tough command for us, and still to this day Miya will open her mouth to speak and nothing comes out, usually by my third request for her to speak something comes out. Was kind of curious if other huskies were silent speakers, lol. Rob, what we did was say "Miya speak", then we would wuff, and if she made any noise gave her a little treat. as the little noise grew louder and more on command the treat gradually got bigger. For such a large vocabulary, you would think that would be a simple command for them to achieve. Good luck, they can be such stubborn snots. Remember consistency, repetition and patience of a saint. My girl is not the greatest on leash so I do feel for you. I can't tell you how many times I have to tell her no and be good when on leash.

I found speak an easy one to teach. Personally, I clicker train. So I bark myself at her until she barks then I click, treat. Then after she gets the game, I say, "Speak!" Happily, then bark again. And after she gets that game, I loose the bark on my end and just say speak. I did this same process with sing, but instead I howl.

Lucy, no silent speak? I laugh at her when I say speak and she opens her mouth and nothing comes out, you can tell she is trying, but nothing, the third try is the charm and then a woof comes out. She seriously knows what I am asking, I'll have to video it and post it up, it's truly hilarious. 

The reward wouldn't be a treat or anything like that...the reward in this instance would be getting to resume the walk after demanding through undesired behavior that you resume the walk. With behavior modification it doesn't matter what your trying to reinforce sometimes...its what is reinforced if that makes sense.

lillith87 wrote:

I found speak an easy one to teach. Personally, I clicker train. So I bark myself at her until she barks then I click, treat. Then after she gets the game, I say, "Speak!" Happily, then bark again. And after she gets that game, I loose the bark on my end and just say speak. I did this same process with sing, but instead I howl. Smile

This is pretty much it. Our variation is that we hold up something that our guys always bark at...like an annoying squeeky toy that hasn't been unsqueeked yet.

MiyasMomma wrote:

Lucy, no silent speak?

Sometimes Okami will make this airy grumble instead and an airy whine when I ask her to sing, then I just look at her funny and say that wasn't Sing/speak! It is kind of a rare occurrence, but it is funny.

If I understand the problem correctly, it is not when Chuck is leashed and walking, but leashed and stationary? It sounds to me like he could benefit from some tether training - do you ever tether him outside at home? Start with just a short time, do not take him off tether when he whines, wait until a quiet moment (easier said than done!)