Walking to heel (or at least not dragging me under cars!!)

Mudbath · 26 October 2009 at 5:38PM

Hiya
I posted this elsewhere but it was suggested I try this board so I'm hoping you can help. I have two dogs - a twelve year old cross breed and an 18 month dalmatian - they are both rescue dogs. The problem is with our dally though I know it's more of a problem with me not knowing what to do than with her!

She is fantastic in the house. She's good at stay, sit etc. Her only vice is when I take her for her first walk of the day. Until she's had a good half an hour off the lead in the local park she pulls like crazy. I've tried a harness, a halti, a half check, a normal lead, food, a toy, stopping each time she pulls (but we get nowhere!). Does anyone have any advice?

We do go for training sessions but it's more about sit, stay etc than walking on the lead. I'm having massive problems as the ten minute walk to the park is pure pulling - i've tried different routes there and not taking her there till later in the day but she just pulls until she's had that mad run. She gets an hour and a half exercise a day broken into at least 40 minutes off lead and the rest on lead. Once she's had that run around she's pretty good on the lead....not perfect but only pulls once or twice in a walk.

Any ideas? Thank you.

Fire_Fox · 26 October 2009 at 5:57PM

Someone was asking a similar question just the other day, and the advice was to teach your dog to walk by your side in your home without a lead, before you tried with a lead and/ or out of the home. Try these:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1992245
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1866793
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1433903
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1888905

Paws · 26 October 2009 at 5:57PM

Oh no! It's one of the most annoying things dogs pulling on the lead! :mad::D

What training are you doing when you use the halti?

Have you ever tried clicker training? It's really easy and you'll get great results if you're consistent. This is a good guide on loose leash walking, if you really don't want to use a clicker you can use a word instead.

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/541

I just think your dallie would get a lot out of clicker training and it tires them out doing training, no bad thing for a dalmatian

:D

Start out at home and away from distractions, then move outdoors so the dog will learn to generalise the cue and not be specific to the area you're in. I would urge you that once you start with the loose leash training, you don't allow the dog to drag or pull at all and keep on training for it in all situations. They will soon learn that pulling gets nowhere.

G'luck!!

sarabe · 26 October 2009 at 5:58PM

I would drive her to the park, let her have her run and then put the lead on and practice walking nicely by whatever method works for you. Clicker is good but any reward based method will work.

The walk to the park is just not the right environment for learning. Once you have succeeded in getting her to walk nicely in certain situations then this will gradually transfer to the more difficult areas.

If you don't drive then I would go for a harness and a skateboard!!

Just kidding about the skateboard.

Mudbath · 26 October 2009 at 6:33PM

Thanks ever so much for your posts. I'm going to look at the links to the other threads tonight when the children are in bed.

I haven't tried clicker training but I do have a clicker so i'll give that a go. She's very good at walking to heal in the house / garden - it's just that first walk to the park when she gets her mad 'oh my goodness i've never been allowed out in my life and I want to see all my friends and smell all those smells - life is great' head on! Bless her - she is a sweetie!

Sarabe - I think you're right about driving to the park for that first walk. I didn't want to as I felt it was a cop out but you're right....as she gets better I can do that walk to the park again. At the moment the walk there is no fun....it's just frustrating!

Thanks again.

suki1964 · 26 October 2009 at 6:41PM

Once again Sarabe has hit the nail on the head

There really is no point in trying to train the dog as part of the walk to the park.

You need to do it separately and without another dog in tow

When I have more then one dog here, they get walked together as playtime but I do the training separately.

You can start just by using the hall of your house and then progressing around the house and garden - then around the block etc

Its a flaff at times, esp if cold and wet and tired but it really is the only way. 121 ON TOP of everyday exercise

Good luck xxx

moomin5 · 26 October 2009 at 9:06PM

I found this book quite useful http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Dog-Pulls-What-Do/dp/1929242239/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256587398&sr=1-1

Mudbath · 27 October 2009 at 12:45PM

Hiya
Today I became one of those people I've always frowned upon - I drove my dog to the park!!! It just shows that I shouldn't judge people....who knows the reason why so many dogs are driven there! She ran around for an hour by which time she'd really slowed down and was trotting rather than gambolling everywhere! We then left the park by a different exit and walked for about ten minutes before going back to the car. She was much better.

I think I just needed someone to tell that there was no way she was going to walk to the park nicely at this stage - I already knew that but I had to be told! Lol.

We then came home and then took both dogs round our estate (my daughter took the elderly dog). Again, she was much better. She's now fast asleep in her bed and will probably stay there until about 6pm tonight!

Thanks again for you help xx

devils_vixen · 27 October 2009 at 6:56PM

Hi Mudbath. I too have a rescue dog and whilst I haven't tried other methods of heel training I have been using a slip lead. It can double up as a choke lead when they pull. It seems to be working until she spots a rabbit but at least I had her on the slip lead and not the extension that time:rolleyes::D

Raksha · 27 October 2009 at 8:11PM

I walk my bosses 3 year old Dalmation. She has always pulled my boss and the dog walker and almost anyone else who walks her. She doesn't do it anymore with me, nobody else will listen to my advice, but here goes.......

Use a long lead, 6' minimum. My girly needs space and will walk happily on a loose lead, but only when she's ahead of me. Take a step, if the lead stays loose, take another step, and so on, as soon as the lead goes tight (because the dog has lunged, make sure it's not your hand pulling her back by tucking your hand into your waist) stand still and wait for the dog to look back at you, then pat your leg to encourage the dog back beside you. Then start forwards again. It's important that the dog NEVER gets where it wants to go by pulling, so never do this when you're in a rush to get somewhere (the school run in the classic way to teach a pup to pull in the first place, because you give up training half way there so you're not late at the school gate).

HTH

jazzyman01 · 28 October 2009 at 10:55AM

Help! hope you dont mind me adding to this thread.
I have a rescue terrier cross, she is now 3. Absolutely georgeous and looks like butter would not melt.
Until the summer I could take her out and immediately take her off the lead when reaching the fields (just across the road). She would take off but always come back when called.
Since the summer, every time I let her off she takes off and only comes back when she wants to - usually after 30 minutes but has been longer.
I have tried to take her on extended lead walk for an hour before I let her off, but she still takes off. As the fields are surrounded by hedges/trees it is not long before she vanishes and my shouts are totally in vain.
Practising in the garden, she is fine comes straight away. Any advice please??

Walking to heel (or at least not dragging me under cars!!)

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