Pulling!

[Maria Casanova-Richards]

Any suggestions on how to stop the pulling on walks? When we are headed out the door, she is very excited and wants to run out. I make her sit and wait with the door open. She's ok at that but the minute she sees the grass - we're off! I usually let her run around a little, on leash, to get her past that first few minutes of excitement. Then I shorten the leash and walk with her on my left. She is really good at walking along but wants to be ahead of me. When I make the correction, she moves back. Two seconds later, she's pulling again. She stops pulling halfway through our walk because she's tired. The problem is compounded with the fact that I live in Naples, FL (hot right now) and I can't take her on long walks.

I've tried the harness (several kinds), jerking on the leash, stopping and turning at the first sign of pulling. Today I'm going to try a stick. No, I'm not going to beat the dog! I'm going to lightly push her back when she gets ahead of me.

I'd appreciate suggestions. Thanks!

[Samia Blaine]

whenever my dogs used to pull, i would immediately stop walking until they felt uncomfortable with the tension on their collars. once they backed up a bit to ease the tension i would start walking again. i lived in florida (8 years in boynton beach & 5 in sarasota) for 13 years and we would walk at night or very early morning in the summer. we also practiced in the house. good luck.

[Maria Casanova-Richards]

Thanks, to both of you. I'll keep trying. I"ll try anything to make the walks more enjoyable and to keep my arm in its socket. It's hard to believe that such a little bitty thing can be so powerful.

Right now, the only way to keep her from pulling is to walk at a really fast pace. Of course, after a quarter mile, she's tired and plops down on the grass.

Thanks again.

[Beth Sarachman]

I have the exact same issue. I've tried everything, even putting her on her back to calm down and be submissive. She goes straight back to pulling and I'm afraid she's going to strangle herself. She starts breathing very hard and it sounds horrible. Standing and waiting doesn't work, walking the opposite direction doesn't, treats don't, yanking, harnesses, NOTHING!

I'm looking for something that has worked that isn't standard training. And the weird thing is, she's only alpha on the walks!

Beth

[Tatiana]

The ONLY device that works effectively is the Herm Sprenger pronged choke collar... The best and safest one to buy is the official one manufactured in Germany and not the cheaper knock-offs made in China. Depending on your dog's size and weight, I usually buy the smaller and lighter prongs (and buy extra prongs for adjustments) and use the medium-sized prongs for the bullier males.

The prongs are about an inch long... You measure your dogs' neck and add two to three extra prongs - enough so that your fingers can slip through between the collar and the dog's neck... There's also a slip chain that you attach the leash to the middle ring. INSTANT CORRECTION... The dog stops pulling. You set the pace and they walk by your side with you guiding the leash in a give-and-take motion...

It's a standard training collar that's been around since the 1950s. They were designed to feel like the mother hoisting her puppies from the scruff of the neck... One only uses the collar for walking dogs and never leaves it on the dog when indoors or roaming off-leash. It's strictly for walking and training.

Halters are NOT intended for training... As a matter of fact, working dogs are only issued special harnesses when they've mastered their training and have proven their perfect behavior. They're ideal for dogs that are well-behaved and walk at a lesisurely pace next to their master, but totally ineffective otheriwise.

Leather and nylon collars actually pose more of a choking hazard to dogs because they don't correct the dog... Even grosser is the fact that dogs can literally pop their eyes out accidentally from the strain of pulling so a proper training collar is far more humane and effective in getting immediate results.

Cheers!

[Samia Blaine]

beth, the alpha roll is an outdated, archaic mode of training. in fact, the alpha roll has proven to do the opposite of what is intended. it tends to make the dog frustrated and thereby, going against what you are trying to accomplish.

here are 3 wonderful articles on the outdated alpha roll

http://www.helium.com/knowledge/163768-dog-training-the-proper-way-...

[Maria Casanova-Richards]

Thanks for all the input. I think I may have found the answer for Lexi. I bought a harness which lifts her front legs off the ground when she pulls. The first couple of times she pulled and her legs were pulled up, she looked totally confused (very funny). After that, she figured it out and has been walking by my side instead of pulling.

I had tried the pronged collar but found that, on one occasion, she pulled so hard that one of the prongs actually pierced the skin. That was the last time I used it.

If this keeps up, I see a lot of long walks in our future. Of course, they will take place at 10 pm. I can't wait until season begins and the temperature drops.

Thanks again.

[jill]

Maria, I'm curious..is your harness called a "ProStop" gentle restraining harness??

[Beth Sarachman]

What is this called? I would love to try it!

Beth

[Maria Casanova-Richards]

I'll check - I took all the tags off already. I bought it at Wal-Mart (of all places) and was not very expensive. Anyway, it's not the kind with the neoprene covers. It is just the narrow straps which go around each front leg and one around the tummy. When she pulls, it literally lifts her two front legs off the ground.

[Beth Sarachman]

I would love to try it. If you can't find the name, I'll cruise Walmart and see if I can find it! Thanks!

[Eric]

our little guy was doing the same exact thing when learning to walk properly on a leash, a good harness is the only way to go to avoid any serious injury to the little guy. One method we learned at training classes was when the dog began to pull you should stop, take a couple steps back until the dog comes to a rest and even make him sit...once calm continue on your walk, we did this technique for a week and the results were awesome, he loves to go on walks so stopping every 30 seconds became very annoying to him so now I can walk with a loose leash almost all the time

[Maria Casanova-Richards]

I love that picture of your baby sleeping on the gf's shoulder. Who wouldn't love that face!