pulling on leash

[icicle36]

what is the best way to train my puppy not to pull on his leash during walks? the trainer said to stop whenever he does it and wait until he comes back towards me and then praise and start walking again in the direction i want to go. the problem with this is that when i stop he doesn't turn around towards me. he just sits down and looks forward. any suggestions?

[tiffers]

Don't give him so much slack. Keep the leash short enough so that he is walking right beside you. Keep it this short until he no longer feels he must be at front. It may take a while, but he'll eventually get used to the idea that walking beside you is where he needs to be.

[toysoldier71]

I use a gentle leader on mine. I am not sure how effective it is on every dog but it works for mine. It isn't a harness but looks like one so some people have told me I was cruel for having it on her when I walk her or take her to a pet store. She can eat, drink, bark, or lick anything she wants. It doesn't restrict her but will make her not want to pull on the leash. She only needs to wear it when we go out in public where there are a lot of dogs or people that she is going to want to run and be friendly with. In those situations, she likes to lead us to whoever she wants. I am not an expert though but that's what worked for me.

[_Lisa_]

I agree with toysoldier, the gentle leader really helped my boxer mix too, and now that she knows better she doesn't have to wear it anymore.

[SweetPea]

how old is your puppy? and what kind of puppy do you have?

eta. how long is your lead?

[icicle36]

he is 6 months old and i think the leash is 6 feet. he is a lab mix (we think). that's what they told us. i think he has been a shelter pup most of his life so he has to learn all the things a normal dog would've learned earlier than 6 months. it is like starting again with a 3 month old!

[marg]

he is 6 months old and i think the leash is 6 feet. he is a lab mix (we think). that's what they told us. i think he has been a shelter pup most of his life so he has to learn all the things a normal dog would've learned earlier than 6 months. it is like starting again with a 3 month old!
This is really going to sound lazy, but I gave up on my shelter lab mix staying right beside me. When we walk she will pull for a little while and then she quits and we have a better walk. At first I was going to train her to heel, but I really didn't care that much so I just let her do her thing and we have a great walk.:)

[SweetPea]

his pulling now it's not too bad but when he is fully grown... youre going to wish otherwise! i'm pretty sure you realize that! at first when my puppy was being hard headed like that, it was annoying, but not "dangerous' on both our parts (imagine your dog being prey driven and going after a squirrel or something!!! not only will she drag you, but then cars and what not is a big danger! at least i have a small dog that no way in heck can drag me! lol)

anyways.

back on point. what "trainer" are you using? ie. is it at a chain store? and what methods is he using? i'm assuming strictly R+ (positive reinforcement.)

if you 'stopping, and/or changing directions' isnt changing his mind, you may want to move on to the next "level" and only you can decide this, as others may oppose.

i use both R+ and R- training on my dog...but dogs are smart creature and will realize how to not get the R- and only R+, so will learn real fast.

i didnt think it was "important' either to have my dog to be at a "heel" next to me.... but last week when she jumped after a toad and caught it (toads can be potentially fatal to dogs as they omit a poison when mouth by a cat or dog.) when I wasnt paying attention.... I realized that there are times in which I NEED her in a strict heel command.

usually when we're walking, i will use a longer lead, 6'+ and allow her at her leasuire pending it's "okay.' My walking rules are, she is NOT allowed on ANYONE"S yard (dont know what pesticide they use and how recently..and also I think it's rude for me to let her on anyone's yard) also she is not allowed to pick up strange things, so she knows the leave it command.

however, in order for me to teach her how to "heel' and to listen right away...my R+ methods were not working as I started not "rewarding' her, but bribing her to listen to me, and that's not really a trained dog. (you want a dog that when you tell her a command, she listens, regardless if you have something in your hands or not.)

because it didnt work for us, we moved on to the next level, a pinch collar. (at first i thought it was cruel and horrible...but i actually put the thing around my calves and "popped' myself... and it really only pinches, and evenly too...so safer IMO then a buckle collar where it only puts pressure on the trachea.)

we've only been in training classes 2x, and already, she is learning how to "heel' VERY well...so well that i'm so very impressed. I RARELY have to "pop' her collar either....just knowing that i CAN, is enough for her to listen on my very first request. When we heel, because we're still practicing, i will make her sit, situate her right on my left side, and walk briskly. i use a 6' lead, but when we're heeling, I shorten it so that she only gets about 2'-3' at MOST.

In order to use a pinch collar though, you have to get a trainer to teach you how to use it properly, otherwise, as with anything, it could be a dangerous tool.

So my suggestion to you is to ask your trainer (in which i'm assuming is strictly R+ trainer) how to use a pinch collar properly.

because i'm the only one who attends these classes (which trains people 90% and the dogs only 10%) i am THE ONLY ONE who is allowed to "pop" her and the ONLY one who is allowed to even put the pinch collar on her...no one else is in my house.)

[marg]

his pulling now it's not too bad but when he is fully grown... youre going to wish otherwise! i'm pretty sure you realize that! at first when my puppy was being hard headed like that, it was annoying, but not "dangerous' on both our parts (imagine your dog being prey driven and going after a squirrel or something!!! not only will she drag you, but then cars and what not is a big danger! at least i have a small dog that no way in heck can drag me! lol)

anyways.

back on point. what "trainer" are you using? ie. is it at a chain store? and what methods is he using? i'm assuming strictly R+ (positive reinforcement.)

if you 'stopping, and/or changing directions' isnt changing his mind, you may want to move on to the next "level" and only you can decide this, as others may oppose.

i use both R+ and R- training on my dog...but dogs are smart creature and will realize how to not get the R- and only R+, so will learn real fast.

i didnt think it was "important' either to have my dog to be at a "heel" next to me.... but last week when she jumped after a toad and caught it (toads can be potentially fatal to dogs as they omit a poison when mouth by a cat or dog.) when I wasnt paying attention.... I realized that there are times in which I NEED her in a strict heel command.

usually when we're walking, i will use a longer lead, 6'+ and allow her at her leasuire pending it's "okay.' My walking rules are, she is NOT allowed on ANYONE"S yard (dont know what pesticide they use and how recently..and also I think it's rude for me to let her on anyone's yard) also she is not allowed to pick up strange things, so she knows the leave it command.

however, in order for me to teach her how to "heel' and to listen right away...my R+ methods were not working as I started not "rewarding' her, but bribing her to listen to me, and that's not really a trained dog. (you want a dog that when you tell her a command, she listens, regardless if you have something in your hands or not.)

because it didnt work for us, we moved on to the next level, a pinch collar. (at first i thought it was cruel and horrible...but i actually put the thing around my calves and "popped' myself... and it really only pinches, and evenly too...so safer IMO then a buckle collar where it only puts pressure on the trachea.)

we've only been in training classes 2x, and already, she is learning how to "heel' VERY well...so well that i'm so very impressed. I RARELY have to "pop' her collar either....just knowing that i CAN, is enough for her to listen on my very first request. When we heel, because we're still practicing, i will make her sit, situate her right on my left side, and walk briskly. i use a 6' lead, but when we're heeling, I shorten it so that she only gets about 2'-3' at MOST.

In order to use a pinch collar though, you have to get a trainer to teach you how to use it properly, otherwise, as with anything, it could be a dangerous tool.

So my suggestion to you is to ask your trainer (in which i'm assuming is strictly R+ trainer) how to use a pinch collar properly.

because i'm the only one who attends these classes (which trains people 90% and the dogs only 10%) i am THE ONLY ONE who is allowed to "pop" her and the ONLY one who is allowed to even put the pinch collar on her...no one else is in my house.)
You're right, I guess it depends on how big the dog is or how strong you are. Chloe doesn't really PULL, she is just on the end of the leash, way ahead of me. I'm sure it is best to train your dog.:)

[NewfieGrl]

The trainer in the classes I take Koda to also uses a similar technique as yours does. The difference being that when the dog pulls to turn and walk in the other direction until they catch up, then turn and continue walking in the original direction. You will find there are many different ways that people train for this, so if this doesn't work for you something else may.
I cannot recall what technique was used when I took Dublin to classes many years ago. He was never much of a puller. But Koda was definately a puller, and being almost 150 lbs now he cannot be allowed to drag me around.
Good luck.
Michele
owned by 2 Newfies, a cocker spaniel and 2 cats
RIP Bootsie-March ? 1988-April 22, 2007

[nibblerr]

My puppy 4 months German short-haired pointer pulls the leash very bad. I tried the way most people told me that stop walk when she pulls, when she comes back, give her treats. The problem is she will continue to pull after treats:p We usually walk only block in half hour... She is a hunting dog, and it is really hard to stop her sniff something when she is walking outside. My trainer suggested Halti. It is really works. A few weeks later, I left her Halti in my office, and the whole weekend, she pulled the regular leash like before... My conclusion is that Halti or gentle leader does not really resolve the problem. We cannot use a Halti for all her life.

We had off leash walking in a forest trail. She was so happy and she will run in front of us but not far away 10 meters. She will stop there and wait for us or run back to us. Maybe dogs are the same as teenage kids. They like to do something you do not want them to do..

[Husky06]

Depending on the dog I use choke collars or prong collars.