need help with dog walking

I need any advice on dog walking. Oso is SOOO strong and when I walk him he pulls hard. I've tried stopping as soon as he starts to pull and telling him "NO PULL" so he'll stop then as i tell him okay he walks nice for a sec then sees something he's wants to go look at starts to pull. I have a 6 foot leash now, and I've tried one that keeps him by my side, he still pulls.I've also tried a harness and hooking the leash to the front chest ring, so when he pulls he kinda turns, but that wasn't working either. (trainer at petsmart gave me that advice) although it helps just not enough. I'm sometimes sore the next day b/c I'm pulling him back hard and often. He makes it a drag to walk him.

 

Have you tried changing direction frequently? This seemed to help more than anything with Natalie. She pays attention better, wondering if I will suddenly change direction.

 

yes, and he'll feel the leash tug and follow my direction ,then he finds something else he wants to sniff so badly. he also seems a bit hyper.

 

Am I correct to assume that oso is NOT a puppy?
If this is true -- you have some work to do!

Have you enrolled in a group obedience class? The group setting is a lot of fun and very effective for everyone -- even if the instructor isn't that good, the group setting is worth the time.

Make sure you are using a chain choke collar that fits properly - and is put on properly!!!! I alway see dogs with the collar on upside down. If it isn't on properly - it won't work the way it is supposed to. Also make sure it isn't too long. They work best if they are shorter and sit higher on the dogs neck. A proper length for my dogs is when I have to wiggle one ear out at a time! And when snugged, there is only about three inches of extra chain.

I have heard good things about a collar called the "gentle leader".
My vet sells them at his office. I am sure that some of the big box pet stores carry them. If not - check the Internet. It is a nylon collar that loops around the muzzle. When the dog pulls, the collar pulls his muzzle down.

I hear so many people recommending pinch collars - I personally don't like them. I have never used one and I don't think I will ever use one!
I have heard too many stories about pierced or torn necks when used improperly. I think most people have enough trouble with the regular choke chain.

Make sure you know the correct techniques for using these collars. Make sure you know the correct commands and corrections to teach heeling. If you aren't sure - sign up for a class!

Oh, yeah! Remember the 3-P's! Patience, Praise and Practice!!! Practice regularly - once or twice a day for 10 minutes. Do this for two weeks --- I guarantee you will see a major improvement!!!!

GUARANTEED!!!

Good Luck

 

I had the same problem with my Lab x, she would pull in every direction and my arm used to hurt like mad by the time we got back home.

i Then started using a harness aswell as her collar i got a double leash clipped one to the collar and the other to her harness you have better control.

When walking if he pulls turn round and walk back towards home if he pulls again turn back the way you were going this will start to make him think.

Also what i found helped was having favourite treats, Once he stops pulling and walks at your side give him a treat saying good boy he will then associate walking by your side with getting a treat and will hopefully stop pulling.

If he spots something he wants to investigate try taking his mind of it with some sort of game or say oh whats this and show him a ball or treats anything to take his mind of the other distraction..
My Lab x now walks by my side without a leash on if i stop she stops and waits for me to move again...


I dont like choke chain collars i have used them in the past and she nearly choked herself and still pulled on her leash so i dont recommend these with a dog that will not walk correctly on a leash...

Sorry i could not be of more help...

Mike

 

I found carrying treats at my side works well. If Nala starts to forge ahead, I'll make a little clicking sound with my tongue or pat my leg. When she comes back to me, I dispense a treat with my hand down at my side, so she has to be right next to me to get it. It's not perfect, but I need to spend more time with her to train her properly.

The technique I always hear about is to stand still until the dog comes back to you to see what's up (could take some time to begin with - even 10 minutes or more) and then you give a treat and start walking. Then you stop again if he charges ahead. There's also the frequent change of direction thing. Make it a game so it's fun and he starts to watch you to see what you will do next. Your neighbors might think you are totally nuts, but who cares!

It's going to take a while and you may have several walks where you never get past the end of the driveway, but if you want him to stop pulling you need to stick with it.

Also, if you do the double collar/harness lead thing that Mike suggested - when the dog pulls, pull back gently and then release, alternating between the collar and the harness leads. The dog is unable to pull if you do this. The Tellington Touch people rightly point out that a dog can't pull if there is nothing to pull against. A dog must learn to stay in balance when he walks and not be bracing against the leash the whole time. Move slowly and help him to learn self control.

 

Jamiya made a good point about pulling and releasing on the leash.

That is how the choke collar is supposed to be worked. I don't think people should train with them if they don't know how to use them.

The choke collar is supposed to be loose and when the dog needs a correction - there is a snap (or a tug) motion and then a release!

The collar is supposed to be loose until a correction is needed.

If the dog is that difficult to walk with - make the training session only 2 or 3 minutes and do that 4 or 5 times during the day.

I had a lot of problems with my berner pup. He just loves to pull and is completely full of puppy energy. Well, at 100+ pounds --- I did't have the strenght to hold on! It took me about two weeks of working with him MANY times during the day for just a quick walk either in a circle in the garage, around the inside of the house, up and down the driveway, around the yard. Lots of Patience, Lots of Praise, and Lots of Practice.

The little guy is heeling well enough for a child to handle him. I still don't trust him (he is easily distracted - puppy stuff!) for a child to take him on a longer walk - but there is absolute progress - and I believe I am on my way to possibly seeing another therapy dog in my family.

 

That's another good point - start teaching loose leash walking somewhere with less distractions. Begin in the house. Some people even start this without the leash - just practice having the dog follow you around the house about where he would be if he were heeling. When he gets that, put the leash on and keep practicing in the house. Then the backyard, then the front yard, then the neighborhood, etc.

 

Well said. Ive come under fire a few times because I use choke chains...my response is usually that I would no sooner give a choke chain for someone to use that didnt know how to use it as I would give the car keys to an 8 year old and expect them to know how to drive.

What I go for is for the dog to respond to the sound and vibration, once theyre responding to that it shouldnt even tighten.

All good advice from everyone, quick left and right turns will get the dogs attention, if hes a little too far ahead then a quick left turn, dont stop or wait for him...your in charge. If hes not too far in front or out to the left (assuming your walking him on your left) then a quick left turn into him, just watch you dont fall over him, with the left turn its a bit of a surprize....like "where did you suddenly come from" :shock: . Also what Ill do is scuff the ground with my foot as Im about to turn (better on gravel) gives them an idea your about to turn/gets their attention and then appropriate praise when the dog is right where you want him to be (too much praise will make some dogs a little overexcited but you know what works for your dog, you want enough to keep him interested and motivated but not too much to let him think its playtime). If he gets just a little ahead of you then a quick left turn, your kind of blocking him and should make him stay back a little (I sometimes do a couple of complete tight circles in training) Use a specific word....'heel' and then when your praising him use 'good heel' dont use his name or say anything else just repeat the same thing, that way he will learn what 'heel' is.

Oh...I meant to add, you could try a Halti, takes them a bit of getting used to but they do work.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that your dog needs "play time" while on a walk as well. I have heard it suggested that you start off heeling. Then after a while you release the dog ("go be a dog" or something like that) and then you let him sniff and meander more, as long as the leash remains loose. Then it's back to heeling to end the walk.

I used a Gentle Leader or Halti when training Nala. Then when she was keeping a loose leash, I would take the leash off the Halti and snap it onto her collar, but leave the Halti on. If she was still doing well, I'd take the Halti off. If she then went berserk, the Halti went back on.