my dog thinks he's a horse!?

[kiwirottie]

Hi crew, I hope you all had a safe and happy xmas and new years!!! ....its been a while!! Well Zed is now in obedience training and just in time really he's 9 mths now and I've had to stop walking him with my baby in her buggy as he's just to unpredictable and strong to cope with both. He's turning out to be such a great dog and really well behaved (well most the time) until a distraction comes up....mainly other dogs, he gets so excited he rears up ahead of me on his lead trying to play with the dog (great natured never once growls just wants to PLAY) so I had a slip collar and I'd be saying ZED then jolting the lead to get his attention to NO avail, last week at his 3rd obedience class he was terrible just ignoring my commands, the teacher said I had to put more of my body weight into the jolt so Im like stepping into him and jumping back with all my might...still nothing I actually stopped the class for about 20 mins while they were both trying to help me , so they leant me a choke collar to try, my husband took him for his walk the next day (I had pulled every muscle in my upper body and couldnt walk him ) they mentioned the prong collar which Id read about on here before, apparently we cant buy them in NZ but after searching through some old threads this morning they sound like what I need.....I need have control and respect from Zed in ALL situations not just when he feels like it and he misses out if I cant walk him with my daughter as I could walk him more.
SO sorry for the long thread but do u think this is the answer? And what size do i need if ordering online(if I can).THANX ALL

[Bastianboy]

For the prong, I was told use nothing larger than the medium prongs. The huge ones do no more than the smaller prongs. I bought one and had to buy 2 additional packs of 3 prongs. The normal comes with 8 I think and then I added 4 more.

[Judi W]

Find an instructor who knows how to place the slip collar high on the neck and learn to keep it there and quit trying to train by jerking the dog's head off with the collar down on those large neck muscles. Might as well hook your leash to a light pole as to try to work that way. Place the collar high behind the ears. Hold the dog to your side with your hand by the collar and don't allow him out front so he can leap forward. Work him calmly and with praise. Make that you habit whenever you are around distractions. Teach him responsiveness to the lead under quiet circumstances gradually expanding that as it gets solid.

Well, basic leash/collar stuff really needs to be taught in person, so make an apt with your instructor and tell them you need something a bit more clever than trying to jerk the dog's head off.

[kiwirottie]

Well before obediance i would keep him close and either stop sit then heel if he pulled or tell him HEEL then jerk on the slip if no response(food reward used through out)....but at obedience we are taught "loose lead" theres big emphasis on this and there has been a improvement in our walks with this until he decides to ignore me...yes jolting his neck with all my might barely bothers him at all as Im sure you can imagine but nothing elso is working....maybe I'll have to go one on one training? Except he's so responsive when its just me I dont know if that would help either....at the moment we are using the check chain which seems to work better- I make sure it high on the neck. Do you not think the prong will help?

[Judi W]

well, since he is learning loose lead, proceed with your training except - when he ignores that, get him back at your side and that collar up behind his ears and some authority immediately.

[RottiMomCT]

I teach loose leash walking in my beginner obedience classes. the students are given a 3 foot lead on the first night of classes (something new this past session) and are told that until the dog can walk camly and politely on the 3 foot leash they should not have the dogs on the 6 footers they all get dragged into the building by. Loose leash doesn't mean all the way to the end and ahead of you (or behind you!)...it means loose leash - walking calmly and politely near you.

That said - loose leash or not, the dog shouldn't be so far ahead of you that an effective correction cannot be given if necessary. If you can't get the dogs attention with a verbal warning "HEY!", the dog is too far ahead of you.

If you continually nag the dog with corrections, he'll tune you out completely and you'll be yanking on his neck until the cows come home. I am being weaned off of MY dependency on the prong in my training with Ben - buckle collar only now that we're advanced students - what a difference, but Ben knows his stuff so *I* have to learn to trust him.

Will I use a prong when out for a walk? Probably, but only when we're out in the woods and I know people have dogs off leash....and probably at PetCo because, to be honest, people can be really really stupid there...

[kiwirottie]

Thanks for your replys, yes I turned up to obedeince with a 2 foot lead and had always kept Zed really close, but was told the lead was to short and bought a lead about 3-4 foot .... once he is more than about 2 1/2 foot ahead I say "ZED" once he looks at me (have his attention ) I praise as taught..which is pretty much what I've been doing, and say "heel", that said I do feel like I just naggn him sometimes and finding it hard to get a middle ground, i'm hoping its just going to come with repetition but if no improvement in a couple of weeks will try to import a prong collar.