Pulling too much!

JencParker

I think the problem is you've just been to puppy classes. It takes time and effort to train a dog. The more time and effort you put in in the first year, the more you will gain. Sorry to be blunt but just going to puppy classes is not enough to get a trained dog. And to be honest, I agree with Babbawah aids are too easily used to replace training often at the expense of the dog.

Paradigm

Babbawah wrote: »

You can cure all this pulling on the lead within a few days without chucking hard earned money at Heath Robinson contraptions that have no place in a healthy dog/owner relationship.

So, how do all us unworthy owners cure this "within a few days"?

I'm intrigued & I'll bet the rest of the forum is too...c'mon, spill the beans

yorkshire_terrier_owner

I'm going to post something that might be a little controversial.

I wouldn't use a harness on a dog that has a problem with pulling.

The original purpose of harnesses was for dogs used for pulling (e.g. Huskies). I have found they actually encourage pulling rather than preventing it. I find I have less control of my dogs on a harness than I do with a simple slip lead.

The only equipment I use is a slip lead and some chicken.

I train mine with the loose lead method from tiny pups. Praise when they are walking to heel, check them when they start to pull.

After that, it's time, patience and consistency.

sheramber

yorkshire_terrier_owner wrote: »

I'm going to post something that might be a little controversial.

I wouldn't use a harness on a dog that has a problem with pulling.

The original purpose of harnesses was for dogs used for pulling (e.g. Huskies). I have found they actually encourage pulling rather than preventing it. I find I have less control of my dogs on a harness than I do with a simple slip lead.

The only equipment I use is a slip lead and some chicken.

I train mine with the loose lead method from tiny pups. Praise when they are walking to heel, check them when they start to pull.

After that, it's time, patience and consistency.

Harnesses with the d ring on the back do encourage pulling but one with the D ring on the front does not allow the dog to pull.

If the dog tries to forge forward the fact that the lead comes from the front means the dog is turned round to towards you- so defeating the purpose of the effort.

RE -training a full grown dog who has possibly successfully pulled its handler around for years is quite different to training a young pup.

Nobody is saying not to teach loose lead walking but there is no reason why you cannot train loose lead walking with a frony connection harness. However, for the owner having difficult holding a pulling dog it is an appropriate training aid which allows them to succeed.

Caroline_a

My two seem comfy and happy in their Dogmatics when I walk them. No pulling etc. However, for me it's a safety thing. No way could I hold 100kg of dogs if they saw, say, a squirrel across the road, yet I can with the head collars.

krlyr

yorkshire_terrier_owner wrote: »

I'm going to post something that might be a little controversial.

I wouldn't use a harness on a dog that has a problem with pulling.

The original purpose of harnesses was for dogs used for pulling (e.g. Huskies). I have found they actually encourage pulling rather than preventing it. I find I have less control of my dogs on a harness than I do with a simple slip lead.

The only equipment I use is a slip lead and some chicken.

I train mine with the loose lead method from tiny pups. Praise when they are walking to heel, check them when they start to pull.

After that, it's time, patience and consistency.

Some harnesses were designed for pulling dogs, e.g. sled dogs. However, if you look at the style of harness used nowadays for sledding, skijor, bikejor, etc. you will see they generally use an X-back style - one that spreads the pull along the dog's body, fixing far back (near the dog's tail) and criss crossing under the body, around the shoulders, etc. Like a harness someone would wear while climbing, for example, it's designed to minimise pressure being focused in one spot, it spreads the load.

However, there are many more designs on the market now that work in different ways, many to stop pulling or to at least make it more difficult for the dog to pull. The fairest kind (as opposed to those that work by making it aversive for the dog to pull - a slip lead is generally an aversive tool because the 'check' you refer to basically causes the dog discomfort or pain which makes them stop pulling to relieve or avoid the discomfort) are front-attaching harnesses, so like the Perfect Fit, the Mekuti harness and so on. The idea being that a point of contact on the front of the dog means if they pull, they end up pulling their front around towards you - instead of getting that forward pull that a rear attaching harness allows.

However, it's only allowing a dog to pull that encourages a dog to pull. It's a self-rewarding activity - they pull so they get places quicker, which is a reward in itself. You either teach a dog that it's more rewarding to walk nicely, or it teaches itself to pull, regardless of what equipment you use.

yorkshire_terrier_owner

sheramber wrote: »

Harnesses with the d ring on the back do encourage pulling but one with the D ring on the front does not allow the dog to pull.

If the dog tries to forge forward the fact that the lead comes from the front means the dog is turned round to towards you- so defeating the purpose of the effort.

RE -training a full grown dog who has possibly successfully pulled its handler around for years is quite different to training a young pup.

Nobody is saying not to teach loose lead walking but there is no reason why you cannot train loose lead walking with a frony connection harness. However, for the owner having difficult holding a pulling dog it is an appropriate training aid which allows them to succeed.

Only saying what methods I use with my dogs - didn't give advice to the OP :-)

yorkshire_terrier_owner

krlyr wrote: »

However, there are many more designs on the market now that work in different ways, many to stop pulling or to at least make it more difficult for the dog to pull. The fairest kind (as opposed to those that work by making it aversive for the dog to pull - a slip lead is generally an aversive tool because the 'check' you refer to basically causes the dog discomfort or pain which makes them stop pulling to relieve or avoid the discomfort) are front-attaching harnesses, so like the Perfect Fit, the Mekuti harness and so on. The idea being that a point of contact on the front of the dog means if they pull, they end up pulling their front around towards you - instead of getting that forward pull that a rear attaching harness.

I agree that check chains are an aversive method, but disagree re the slip lead. Proper use of the 'check' with a slip lead is not designed to cause discomfort, but to distract. As previously mentioned, my post referred only to what methods I use with my dogs. As I have 7 dogs, pulling is not an option. I can walk 7 dogs on slip leads (4 on one side and 3 on the other) with ease :-)

krlyr

How does it 'distract' though? And how does a slip lead differ from a check chain, other than in material?

meritaten

I used to have a Springer who pulled like a train too. I bought a Halti and thoroughly recommend them. BUT, we did have to go through the 'silly walks' stage for a few months. I found just stopping wasn't enough - I had to reverse direction completely! I bet my neighbours thought Megs walks the highlight of their day! some days we could be out half hour and didn't even get to the next street. Persevere! never give warning you are changing direction (that was my mistake in the beginning - it gave her chance to dig her paws in). make sure the Halti fits correctly too EVERY time you put it on. - if it loosens and comes off the dog thinks it has won.

good luck! despite the breed being as mad as hatters, they are lovely affectionate dogs. mine was always up for a good 'play', adored kids tolerated cats and was very sensitive to moods.