Pulling On The Lead

[Tazwick]

Originally posted by Mattweiser
This is My Opinion

If you use a Gentle Leader/Halti.. you will deffinately be able to easily control your dog while walking... However Comma, what you will never get from this, is teaching the dog leash manners.

I have to disagree with you here, sorry.:) But I have found that once the dog learns leash manners with the Gentle Leader that you can start using it less. But that is just from my own personal experience.

But KaiserNLisa, you should ask your trainer what would be the most effective to use. If your dog doesn't respond well to the Gentle Leader, then maybe the Prong collar is the last resort.

I am not against the Prong, but I just feel that there are other options.:)

[Judi W]

Regardless of the type of collar used, first define the problem. Is it that the dog leaves your side, or is it the amount of pulling on the leash? Most of us do not expect the dog to do actual "heeling" for a pleasure stroll, but we do expect the dog to walk without trying to drag us. Expecting heeling position from a dog that does not yet know what that position is, is unreasonable. (btw, he can't get 3 feet off to the side of you unless you give him 3 feet of leash).

Now, as to the amount of pressure on the lead. From the very beginning of training, the handler should decide in advance, exactly how much pressure they are going to allow on the lead, whether training or a leisure walk. For myself, it is what I can comfortably hold with two fingers through the leash handle. If my arm is being pulled out, that is too much. You decide for yourself and determine to be consistent in this. Start out teaching this in less stimulating places. Just a bit of the "give" exercises. The lightening/giving becomes a way of life. Neat thing is you just practice it around the house. Dog learns to give to pressure. Now, giving to pressure is not something you want for a dog that is going into sport. It is something that is desired for a dog that is going to be herding and for regular leash manners.

When the dog applies pressure, this means pushing against your
pressure instead of giving in to it. If that is pressure on the leash, you should stop your movement against it, and either correct the dog towards you, or step quickly towards the dog with frontal position and then correct and always accompany the correction with a verbal (I use "aawk"). The verbal correction is important as you will quickly move to using only the verbal. The second the dog gives (releases the pull) you must praise. Timing is important. You never proceed walking with the dog applying the pressure. You might reverse direction while doing this. Off lead, when you are moving into the dog, the dog gives up its space to you. You will see this around the house in general moving around, in doorways, the dog "gives" its space to you. You might only get 10 feet covered in 5 minutes while teaching this, but it is the goal that is important, not a destination. The dog is not allowed to be successful in pulling you. Dogs repeat what works for them and learn to discard what does not. Dog applies pressure, everything stops until the pressure is released, dog is praised, repeat, repeat, repeat. Dog then will make the association. This is tricky to describe and best demonstrated. It is not training per se, but creating a psychological state between dog and handler. Many dogs can heel beautifully, but the minute they are not under formal command they pull like crazy. You will learn a great deal when you get in formal training classes, but in the meantime, you can start teaching the dog to "give" to you.

I find "teaching" preferable to "controlling".

[WorkinDogz]

Super explaination, Judi!!!

I agree with every word of your post. (big surprise, huh! :D)

Whatever training tool is used to "control" in the beginning (be it a prong collar (which incidently is my choice) GL, Halti.....whatever) the training (conditioning) is necessary to make the tool a tool and not a crutch.

It's not "training" to be ABLE to take a dog for a walk without having to visit the Chiropractor and have your arm put back in the socket.....

The prong, GL and Halti are often looked at a "miracles". How wonderful that the dog can now go for a walk. Great. Now you have "control"....go ahead and train the dog. :)

[niche]

This is so easy to fix.

1. Properly fit a pinch collar. That means snuggly with about a finger space between the tip of the prong and the neck.

2. Wrap the leash around your hand and hold it about waist level in front of you. You're other hand place under the first so that you're holding the leash with two hands.

3. Take your dog for a walk as soon as he starts to get ahead of you, but before he hits the end of the leash, RUN the opposite way.

That's it. He'll yelp the first couple of times, but in less than 10minutes he'll be practically heeling. Of course once he's being good he gets nothing but praise, treats, etc. However, if he starts pulling... make that 90 degree turn.

The choke is really bad. And for some dogs who go nuts when they see squirrels or other dogs the halti is also bad because it throws their neck out when they lunge. Depending on your dog you may not even have to run the opposite way, but walk briskly the opposite way.

Trust me this will work FAST. And it won't hurt him much because he won't let it happen more than a couple of times... if done right of course.