Managing an in-training dog during surgery recovery.

I've realized I make a certain repeated mistake, but I'm not sure what the specific changes I should make in handling. This was recently brought to mind by a foster dog I trained through week 5 (as far as I planned to take her). She had been, with only a couple exceptions, one of the easiest dogs to train. From the start I had her attention on me and she *kinda* walked in heel even during the long line work. So fast forward several weeks and we hung out in week 5 practice until her spay. Over the course of spay recovery it seemed her training really regressed.

In my mind, I can't take a recovering dog out on a long line in case that dog gets a zoom of energy. I am afraid of the dog hitting the end of the line on either long or 6 foot leash in case it hurts their surgery area. Doesn't seem like about turns are fair or any sort of down correction. Most corrections seem like they might not feel great after a major abdominal surgery. So what happens is I end up shortening the leash to go down the stairs slowly and go outside slowly and within a few days this dog (who was not a puller) learned to pull. And her stays got weak, etc. And because of major pent up energy from extra crate time it was just kangaroo on leash.

How could I go better in the future? When there's so much pent up energy, no way to run off steam, etc what do you do? Or do I just make corrections right away regardless of surgery? Is there a happy medium?

(I've invited her new owner to this group so she can do the work I started, at least as a refresher)

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Managing an in-training dog during surgery recovery.