Bungee Leads

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Tzara44

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Hello, Im new to this forum - but was wondering if any of you had any experience of bungee dog leads - I have a huge recently aquired 4yr old GSD that pulls like a train - especially if there is a cat insight! I was thinking of trying one of these as she destroy's haltis etc in 3 secs flat!

Any thoughts would be appreciated!
 
Have to admit have never heard of a bungee lead, but not a fan of any sort of extending lead. You could try a gencon headcollar, work in a slightly different way to a halti, and seem more effective. However, imo you can't beat using a good old fashioned check collar and some serious training. Evrey time she pulls, turn and walk in the opposite direction, you'll get some funny looks, but if you are consistent she will eventually learn that pulling gets her nowhere.
 
Do you mean like this?
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I have one for one of my collies, I use it with a harness.
I wouldn't necessarily use one on a very strong dog, they take up some of the resistance making it easier to hold a pulling dog but only up to a certain point.
I'm being very honest as we actually make them
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The problem is, is that if the dog suddenly lunges forward there is a bit of distance the dog can go that you can't stop if that makes sense!!
I would think one with a headcollar might work for you. As that will give you more close control.
 
Hi and welcome!
Another member of the GSD fanclub here, and I agree with everything MM said.
I have a 38kg male who, when he was younger, did not acknowledge my existence on walks and put my back out on several ocassions!!!

I spent weeks doing stoppy-starty heelwork exercises (use an MP3 player if bored!) changing directions, going backwards, etc etc. He got checked if he pulled or ignored me and rewarded when he walked beside me and kept his attention on me.
His heelwork is now pretty nifty. It is just a case of repetition, repetition, repetition.
You can also swing the lead in a circle in front of you, (keep her short on your left and the length of the lead in your right) so that if she charges forward she gets a switch on the nose from the lead. (But not if she is a nervous type, only really works on bolshy dogs).

You also need to make her focus on you. Reward her (fave food, ball) when she looks up at you and check her if she looks elsewhere. Keep her treats either in a bun bag or in a top pocket so she will be more inclined to look up at you.
She needs to learn that by your side is the best place to be!
If she is too wired when out, start in your garden or somewhere quiet then gradually start to move out into busier areas.


You can't beat a nice long leather training lead with a check or half-check, or a slip lead.
The collar must be quite high up around the neck near the ears, not the broad part where the dog is strongest.
GSDs love to think and learn, hopefully it won't be a running battle!

I personally don't like bungee leads, the ones I have seen are very slippy plastic and you wouldn't be able to get much of a grip if the dog did decide to charge off.
Not a big fan of Haltis either and harnesses are next to useless on big dogs, if the aim is to stop them pulling.

Also, part of your initiation ceremony is to post lots and lots of piccies of your new girl!
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Thank you for the information - apart from the arm extending pulling (and the stealing!) she is a lovely dog with a super nature - unfortunately she has been passed about a bit in her past and we are her 4th (and last) owners, I aquired her from a family member on 2 weeks trial and she has been here ever since! She is my 1st GSD and have had collies, collie x's & a springer in the past. I think in a previous life she must have been a labrador!!
 
Bless her, she probably doesn't know whether she is coming or going - that's why focus training is so important - once she realises that you are her 'person' then everything else will come about so much easier.
Even if you have a spare moment in the living room or whenever, just try and hold her gaze for as long as possible and tell her what a good girl she is and give her a pat.

Glad to have another GSD in the HHO pack, and don't forget about those pictures!
 
Will try and sort pic's - she is very big for a bitch(spayed) around the 39kg but not fat! - getting fed up with numpty peeps saying "does she bite ..............." etc ah don't we just love the numpty!
 
Unfortunately the numpty "does she bite " bit comes with owning Shepherds
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Sounds like the poor girl has had a bad start, well done for taking her on. I had a bitch who weighted 42 kg
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although oversize height wise she never carried any spare weight, and when she lost a bit of weight (sadly through cancer) she looked all out of proportion. Look forward to seeing pictures.
 
Hmm, hi welcome to the forum.

I got half my face ripped off as a child by a GSD. So now, I would be one of those 'numpties' who would ask you if your dog bites, if I had to go near it that is.

Try not to pigeon hole people. Thanks
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I am very sorry for what happened to you, W, but the problem a lot of people have with this question is that all dogs have the capability to bite.
I was bitten in the neck by a Rough Collie as a kid.

I grew up with GSDs and might as well have been a leper when I walked down the street with my dog when I was younger, because of the kind of person who was 'responsible' for the dog which attacked you.

If anyone should be pigeonholed, it is bad dog owners - and the OP clearly isn't, she is coming on here for help with her dog, and she was just blowing off a bit of steam.
 
Thank you for the support - I was not pigeon holeing any one - I have had dogs for many years and my GSD can be seen following my 6yr old son all over the park etc - if she was unpleasant a) she would not be in my house & b) no where near mine or anyone elses child - that is why I get a little annoyed with other people. I am going out tomorrow to purchase check chain type collar and will be seen changing direction all over the place until we can get some control!
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Be warned, you WILL look like a massive numpty
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Check should be not too thin, like those you would see on smaller breeds, and not one of the big thick clanky ones...somewhere in between, not too long but long enough so that there is definite tension and release.

PS W - how is your little steam-train getting on?
Did you try any of the exercises recommended?
 
Hiya HH! He's a lot better actually I have been a lot more firm with him and a lot more excercise - when he's tired pulling and leaping there is still half the walk left so he is learning to conserve his energy!!

Triggers are dogs, kids, sheep um any thing with a silloette lol!

I am going to get him that lead you suggested just trying to make do for now as had an expensive month what with the bitch spay and all.

Totally agree that all dogs can bite, small or big, any breed. It took me 27 years to have a dog after my accident aged 4. Took my ear off and my cheek just because he was off the lead and I ran.. he chased.

I obv has a lot of scarring but I still love dogs, its just sometimes people have a reason for their numpty questions.

Thanks for all your help HH I am by no means an expert and you have given me a lot of help xx
 
Sorry, I too was probably guilty of a sweeping statement too re numpties
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However it can get very annoying. When I was a teenager we had a JRT who was very nasty with children, we also had many GSDs as my mum bred them. If we were out with JRT and a GSD people used to pull their kids away from GSD and encourage them to stroke JRT, there was only one dog that was going to harm their child
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Ah, glad to hear you are getting somewhere W - I found that exercising the hell out of my boy and making him THINK were real key issues - his dog aggression, dominance and pulling pretty much disappeared when he had a job to do or he had something that he had to work out in his brain.
And I know what you mean about expense - nearly passed out on Weds paying for an ultrasound and antibiotics
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Well done for getting over that, it must have been very hard for you - I always remember my Mum yelling at me to stand stock still if there was a loose dog...hard to get your head around when you are a kid.

And thanks for the thanks - I am no expert either but I can empathise with anyone who has a wannabe diesel engine at the end of their lead
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