Leash Training Difficulty

Peter

I am starting to believe that because each dog is very different, whatever the general training guideline is - it doesn't fit every dog ! I must admit I gave up on the training book sometime ago. However, I do on occasions walk a large working dog, along with my small Heinz 57. Certainly as you say, you do need to try and remain the "leader" not the follower. I would recommend a short leash, so he has to walk definitely no further ahead than yourself. Have you tried to get the dog to listen to you when walking - they don't always look up at you, but you can tell they are listening by their actions. As soon as he tries to get in front, with a sharp short tug to the side of him pull him back in line with yourself and use your command, heel or whatever. Depending on how bad he is also you can try and stop walking until the dog has calmed down a little, then move on when you are ready, so effectively he's not really gaining a lot of ground out of trying to pull you around.

Hope this is of help.
Wendy

Hi Peter

Sounds like your doing okay, and just needed reassurance. You say it works as a short term effect - however as much as we would all like our dogs perfect within a short amount of time unfortunately there is no magic solution to fast track - what I did find encouraging the other day I read that it can take up to two years to train your dog !!! it got me thinking I've got some way to go yet, but just think of how much your dog has already learnt - it may seem small at the moment, but perserve and I'm sure in a couple of weeks you'll reap the benefit.

Wendy

Hi Peter and everyone!

I have a dog that pulls. He is not even a dominant one among my 3 dogs.
In fact, pulling when walking has nothing to do with Alpha, dominant, challenging the Alpha position, etc. It is just because the dog is so excited and anxious to see what's out there. To prove this, doesn't your dog pull more on the way to the park than on the way back home? Doesn't he pull stronger when he sees a squirrel or a cat?

Dogs need to learn to walk slower to keep up with us humans who have only 2 legs. When they pull, just stop with a jerk, or start walking to the opposite direction. If you let your dog drag you, he will learn that dragging you is the way he can get where he wants to go. Don't let him learn the bad habit. Teach him that if he pulls he will not only get anywhere but also it will slow him down by going backwards! Do this from the very beginning of your walk when you still have alot of strength.

Repeat this stopping/going backwards every time he pulls. You and your dog won't go very far at the beginning. Pretty soon, your dog starts realizing (I hope) that you let him go forward when he is not pulling hard. Depending on how much hard wired your dog is, how obedient he is, how curious/obsessed with squirrels he is, it can take weeks for him to realize this but don't give up.

In the mean time, you can practice "loose leash walk" or "heel walk" inside the house using treats. This is helpful because your dog learns to pay attention to you when you give him a command. When you want your dog to walk slowly give him a command "Easy". Once he learns how to walk loose leash, it will be a good reminder on your walk. As soon as he starts pulling you, you can tell him to be "Easy". My other two dogs can walk off-leash on the bike path and when they start going too fast I can just control them by saying "Easy" and they will slow down.

I don't know why but my male dog still hasn't learned loose leash walk. He pulls but he is getting better with the above-mentioned stopping/going backward method.

I found harness is not helpful at all as far as stop pulling is concerned. It almost seems to help the dog to pull more. When you think of sledding dogs you will see why. They are wearing harness and it is meant for pulling. I would just use a regular collar.

Good luck

Just wanted to add that a harness indeed encourages pulling. They are used for sledding and "sport-pulling" contests. It wil give your dog much more strenth to pull against you as opposed to a collar.

If the choke collar was causing discomfort it may have been on wrong. You should make sure that when you are holding the collar in your hand and you open the loop that it makes a "P" shape. Slip the collar over the dogs head and make sure that the loop has the tendancy to fall open when you are not pulling on it. The choke collar should be used with short sidewards "snaps" to get the dogs attention more than "choking" the dog. Also, the short leash helps.

If you have the dog on your left side, hold the loop of the leash in your right hand, let the length of the leash run across the front of you (let it droop if need be) and hold the leash in your left hand at a point just long enough to keep your dog right by your side. Grip the leash with both of your hands in a palms up position. You want to have your elbows somewhat bent to keep the leash up and give you better control. (I wish I could draw a picture) It will be difficult for him to pull. if he does, a quick short sidewards snap towards you with your left hand should get his attention. You can stop and give him a sit command to get him to focus. Also the sudden change in direction helps as well. The short snap method works equally as well with a conventional collar.


You need your dog to get used to paying attention to you instead of everything else as hard as it might be for him.

Hope that helps

i WOULD AGREE THAT THE BODY HARNESS IS OF NO HELP FOR PULLING BUT i FOUND THE HEAD HALTI BY GENTLE LEADER A MIRICLE AND MY DOG WALKS LIKE A LAMB WHEN I USE IT NO PULLING AT ALL THE GENTLE LEADER IS DESIGNED TO MIMIC HOW A MOTHER WOULD PICK UP HER PUPS BY THE BACK OF THE NECK , FOR ME IT WAS WORRTH THE INVESTMENT PARTICULARILY WHILST USING ALL THE OTHER METHODS TO STOP LEASE PULLING THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU NEED TO GO OUT WITH THE DOG AND NEED THEM NOT TO PULL i FOUND THE HALTI THE ANSWER UNTIL MY DOG HAS LEARNT NOT TO PULL USING THE OTHER METHODS HOPE THIS HELPS YOU