Taking a closer look at 'Pushiness'; we see the results and they are not pretty.
What if... Memories associated with an activity (for example WALKING ON A LEASH) are unpleasant, possibly painful, exhausting, or habitually bad?
Answer: Dissolve those memories. How? By what process?
First, Flower Essences for positive EMOTIONAL NUTRITION. Especially this set: THINKING AND TRAINING. Second, pay attention to potential causes of discomfort and un-ease: equipment, diet, nutrition, hydration, exercise, gut function, and balance of mental stimulation. Goal is to achieve emotional and mental soundness while thriving in optimal environments suited to the species. Having said all that and meeting their criteria to the best of our abilities. Let's look at one thing that may not be working: GOING FOR A WALK!
1. Walking. PURPOSE: Enjoy your time together, improve your connection (via ropes, leashes, and leads) solidifying your co-operative relationship. Exercising for overall wellbeing.
2. Waiting = Smelling. Reading the daily peemail, find out what is in bloom, who is in estrus, what is new in the neighborhood. PURPOSE: Stimulates brain, guts, primal instincts, and hormones. Super charges the system.
3. Make a request or 2 or 3. Communicate. Co-operate (You are only 1/2 of the co-equation).
Make "IT" mean something - Like: what is in it for them? for me? for the strangers in our lives and OTHER PROBLEM AREAS = ie: the front door, feeding times, traveling, vet visits, snips at the groomer's, storms and thunder.
DOORBELL DRAMA?
WHAT ABOUT IT?
Basically, it is the same difference as leash-pulling. Wait for that nano-moment of quiet, mark it with a new positive word, tone, or sound and immediately reward the heck out of that. If spinning, barking, or jumping continues... WAIT. Recognize that moment of CALM and reward it like crazy! Get that favorite toy you have been hiding IN YOUR BACK POCKET for a moment like this, or those dehydrated fish treats, always adding tons of "Atta-Boys"!
One 18 month old Pit mix pulled soooo hard choking herself, ignoring the tugs and pulls that the owners quit walking her as much - they had to for everyone's safety... the Dog's, the owners, and strangers on the street, even though we all knew she only wanted to PLAY!!!
With 2Hounds Design Freedom No-Pull Harness, Flower Essences, and walking 2 hours total - split over a 5 day period of 2-handed handling (= one hand on the steering wheel - front connection and one hand on the brakes = leash attached at top of the shoulders) and this Dog TRANSFORMED to walk happily on a loose leash at my side!! Just praise (no treats) and a few new training words: WAIT, WALK, TURN, WAIT. In my world, WAIT allows for sniffing. Maybe they need a little more CONFIDENCE? Or tone it down too much CONFIDENCE?