pulling on leash on way home from walk

[Tara]

on the way home from our after work walks, which are usually about an hour, roxy starts jumping up and biting on the leash. this usually happens about 2 blocks or so from home. during the walks she never pulls and walks great. it's just when we get close to the end. i guess she doesnt want to go home yet.
i try "popping" the leash like the trainer said. or putting her in a down stay. i do this for 5 min or so until she appears to be calmed down but as soon as we start to walk again it starts up again. she used to be good with the out command, what we used when she would put the lease in her mouth. then the 2 months without her she didnt get that training and doesnt listen to it. my mom said she would do this when they went on their walks too. i've been trying to reinforce it now, but....it hasnt worked.
i have also tried to get her to hold something in her mouth, lke a stick. she usually picks up a stick somewhere along the walk. but when i try it now she puts it down and starts jumping and biting her leash.
the only other time she EVER puts the leash in her mouth is when i try to run with her, and i'm not a fast runner and she seems like she wants to pull me along and make me go faster. so we dont usually try this.
she doesnt do this in the mornings on our walks, just the after work.
what other things can i try?
we are not in any obediance classes right now. we start her basic obediance (again) in april. i do practice commands though with her everyday. is there something else i can incorporate into our daily sessions?
Thanks!
Tara

[buffymeadow]

I have the same problem......I think its my fault because as we head up the driveway I let her take the leash and run to the house.......when she gets a little crazy on the walk I usually shorten the leash and place my hand low near her mouth --she tends to back off--otherwise--I do what you do--but you have to do itover and over until she backs off---sit --wait---sit --wait etc--that does work---also---if you can get her distrated by someone or a bird or squirrel or blowing leaf--that also works for me.

[Habs]

Put a pinch collar on her, as soon as she starts to act up, correct the collar and go in the opposite direction, then turn back to go home and repeat as many times as nessesary.

You may get advice to buy a iron leash, they typically will not bite on these, but this will not solve your problem of bad behaviour.

Believe me she will learn really quick what is exceptable and not exceptable behaviour.

We'll your girl heal on command?...just wondering....this excercise can help this as well...I won't bother going into the details, let me now if you want more info on this.

Habs

[Tara]

she usually is on the pinch collar when i walk her. havent really done much on the heel command. she was in basic training back in dec, finished half of it, but then we had to quit, restart it again next week though! :D :D
i have tried working on her with it, but we definitly havent mastered it!
thanks for your help!

[niche]

You're probably not correcting properly. Make sure you have the pinch on really snug. About one finger size between the tip of the prong and the dog's skin. Next take her to the sidewalk as soon as she starts walking ahead of you, and you still have some slack on the leash, don't "pop" her, don't walk the other way, but RUN the other way.

She'll get corrected and might yelp, but that's okay. As soon as she's next to you praise her. IF she gets ahead a little repeat the exercise. She'll get the picture really quick the she better be paying attention to you because you might run opposite of her at anytime. This'll work, guaranteed if you do it right.

[Marchie]

The optimistic pace getting out of the house is almost forcefully mastered at this ten months still baby, but once tiredly coming home (the park is 1.5 mile away so twice is 3 miles plus the extra mile walking and running in the park) he is walks calmly at my leg location. Is your walk mayby too short? Isn't this why she does not like coming home "too soon?"

[Tara]

thanks for your suggestions, we will work on these.
i do not think our walks are too short. we walk a good ways, either around a lake nearby or all around the neighborhood, and play fetch for awhile, and usually see some other dogs and they run and play in the woods together. if they were any longer, it would be pitch black outside, and walking through the woods just isnt appealing when it's dark, plus, if we did walk much longer she wouldnt be eating until like 8:30-9:00 and we go to bed around 10:00 and she probably wouldnt have her after dinner potty. plus, after we get home, she lays down and kind of dozes for a bit while i'm making dinner or cleaning.
i do take her on another smaller walk before we go to bed.
she is getting better though! when i try to have her run with me, she starts jumping up to put the leash in her mouth and pull me, so i stop and walk for awhile, then try it again, usually by the second or third time she stops. just starting to work on it though and i have seen remarkable improvement.

[aky]

same EXACT thing happens to me... my girl is 6 months... can some one explain this pinch collar??

thanks

[K9-man]

http://www.flyingdogpress.com/prong.html

[Judi W]

Re: Flying dog press. I just spend a day at one of Suzanne's seminars. She says, isn't it interesting that dogs never pull when they are off the leash:D

Why do they pull? Because it works! Quickest cure according to Suzanne, is to instill that it will not work. She does this by simply remaining quiet and not moving. When dog turns it's head to see why you are not with the program, you say "good dog" . Repeat immediately when the lead tightens from the pulling.

Now this does just seem too easy doesn't it?

So, .........

I only have one dog that pulls. My tough older (almost 10) bitch who walks nicely under command, but is a real pain without putting in some corrections or making her heel.

Off we went. By halfway around the block, we were having a pleasant and companionable walk! Next night it only took two of my stopping dead still and the rest of the walk was soooo wonderful. This clever lady has a million little things that are working "with" the dog. I'm a pretty savvy lady and have a large pocketful of tricks myself, but am always quick and ready to add to my baggage of useful things.

Anyone having an opportunity to attend a seminar of Suzanne's would be well-advised to take advantage of it.

[Judy Chrusch]

OMG Judi this is what I did with Czar back when he did the pulling:D . I tried other things and thought, you know what, I'm just gonna stop and see what happens. I had to do it about 3 times and after that he thought this isn't fun, SHE'S, meaning me, is being a real pain, lol. Anyway when I did it the 2nd time he had this funny and surprised look on his face then he did it again and after the third time I guess he figured this wasen't getting him anywhere plus it didn't put him in POWER, lol and Czar always wanted to be in power, well you know that:D . Sooooo no more pulling, acting stupid or grabbing my legs as we were walking and it always seemed to happen when he didn't want to do what HE wanted to do. It does work, honest!

Wow I thought of that on my own and here a professional says it's a good thing:D . I just started doing it bc he ticked me off and I got tired of correcting him and it not work so I thought I'd show him, we we'll just stand here for as long as it takes .

Thankyou Judi for sharing your wisdom once again.

Judy

[Miabella]

Originally posted by Judi W
Anyone having an opportunity to attend a seminar of Suzanne's would be well-advised to take advantage of it.

I'm a huge fan of Suzanne Clothier's, and I want to attend her seminar when she comes to Maryland in February. She is so insightful, and most of her stuff should be so obvious that when you read it, you slap your forehead and say, "Duh, why didn't I think of that??!!??":D

[Judy Chrusch]

Laurie, let me know when she comes to Md. bc I only live a few hours away and it would be worth it. I'd love to hear her:D .

Judi how do I find out the different areas where she will be?

Thankyou!

Judy

[Judi W]

she has an area on her web site where she lists her schedule.

[spidey]

Quickest cure according to Suzanne, is to instill that it will not work. She does this by simply remaining quiet and not moving. When dog turns it's head to see why you are not with the program, you say "good dog" . Repeat immediately when the lead tightens from the pulling.

I've been using this method (I call it "red light/green light", since that's what it was called when I read about it in, I think, one of Jean Donaldson's books) since the first time I put a leash on Rakki (I started with a dead stop and stand still if he pulled, and now, depending on how hard he pulls, I either stop or slow right down - he occasionally needs a reminder that pulling has the opposite effect from the one he's pulling for). He hardly ever pulls now. As with most things, if you're 100% consistent with this, it works like a charm. I have never used a method which worked better than this one.