Does your dog pull on the lead?

No, no and no.

Walk beside or slightly ahead of me on a loose line/dead choke or flat collar when in a control situation like traffic/pavements.
If I want him beside me, his shoulder to my knee, I say 'follow' with no requirement to focus on me.
If he is on a flexi, I say 'easy' when he is coming to the end of the line so neither of us get jolted.

I do focus heeling in training which requires the dog to be in a constant position, looking up at me, it is quite specific so I don't use it for everyday walks in case he falls down a manhole or something :p I do short bursts sometimes to keep him on his toes or when there are distractions though.

Can't abide a pulling dog, not good for it or the owner, and can so often be cured with the right training and collar/lead combo, nearly all the dogs I see are going sideways.

ETA - my older dog was a terrible puller but does not pull anymore thanks to Mr Slip Lead and lots of work and now walks on a loose line and a dead choke also - I had him in a Lupi 'anti-pull' harness (which was as much use as a chocolate fire guard) and he ended up pulling ligaments in my back and the harness carved an X in his chest, he was bracing himself so hard against it.
 
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I have 4 greyhounds, which are always walked together - no they do not pull on the lead, no I do not let them pull on the lead, and no they do not walk to heel.

I have trained them to walk parallel to each other, on my right side, keeping pace with me - just as I would walk with a single dog, it is just that there are four of them :D I get so many comments 'oh you have got your hands full there' when I walk them, it always makes me smile as I usually have the dog leads in my right hand and leaves my left hand free :) So no, my hands are not full :D

If I see people walking dogs which pull I always think it is a shame they havent taken the time to train their dog properly, it would surely make for a more enjoyable walk for them and their dog :confused:
 
A dog that pulls on the lead has no respect for its owner. And how can the owner stand it? I can't see there is any pleasure for either in walking about like that, dog choking and owner hauling.
All of ours walk to heel, either on or off a lead.
 
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Not any more due to our new trainer and a choke chain. I was a bit worried about using it, but they walk on a loose lead, no choking now. Took about three days of just walking to the park, no pulling now. :)
 
One does, one doesn't. It's a little complicated by the fact that my dogs are always on some sort of lead outside of certain safe spaces and are a breed famed for their pulling ability, so it's more a case of where they are permitted to pull and where they are not. Typically that means tarmac/pavement/busy spaces = loose lead, cross country = free rein to pull, swap sides, mooch about.

As on a recent thread one is a very anxious dog who is only happy when he is on the end of a harness and loose lead walking was very hard won with him. He gets to fulfill himself by working in harness so I don't think it wrong to expect him to walk to heel from time to time when required.

Pet hate of mine is sibe owners who insist that they cannot or should not be trained to walk on a loose lead - fair enough if you've a pack of dogs solely for working and the facility to exercise them that way but the majority of people claiming this have only a few 'pet' dogs and the thought that they permit them to pull them around absolutely everywhere makes me itch. :p
 
On his 'normal' walks no, not normally - I use the Stilwell turn around method until he and I are so dizzy both of us are walking to heel :p

On exciting walks, and new places - yes he can pull like a trooper. I have a gentle leader which I haven't used since the first weeks of having him, so can use that if needed. He will heel off lead, but doesn't seem to pay much attention if there's something more interesting going on, unless I nag and nag him, anyway to make this to a single command then a release instead of the nagging? Does food help the situation?
 
My mother was doing that a long time before anyone had heard of Victoria Stilwell :p

Food helps with a foody, hungry dog, but it needs to be taught at home and then built up to more exciting places. I find the 'follow' then 'free' command has worked very well for my dogs because they will work hard for the opportunity to have a hoon...I will still do lots of recalling, ask for a follow or a heel and reward with food or a 'free' sporadically during the walk.
 
Maybe stocking up on cheapy hotdogs at the supermarket later then! He is good at the heel, when he's concentrating, just need him to focus on me a bit more, or on the verge/cats a bit less!

I'll see if I can change the command to follow if that works better - I tend to use a 'go on then' as a free command, he certainly knows that one! :D
 
I started retraining the focus heel a few weeks ago with a ball and food (held in a certain position) and a dash of compulsion :p it helps to do these commands everywhere, not just at class or on green spaces because they can learn the associate and the dis-associate very quickly!
 
blackcob said:
One does, one doesn't. It's a little complicated by the fact that my dogs are always on some sort of lead outside of certain safe spaces and are a breed famed for their pulling ability, so it's more a case of where they are permitted to pull and where they are not. Typically that means tarmac/pavement/busy spaces = loose lead, cross country = free rein to pull, swap sides, mooch about.

p
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really similar to Dexie- although he does not pull when on his own (as in not out and about with his mates)
 
Yes! He pulls ferociously! He is in a slip lead atm until I can afford a head collar or harness, the pressure on his neck seems to get him more excited and it really makes him stop listening, so if you don't have him listening in the beginning it's going to be hard. He also pulls in a rhythm so if you can stop that (usually by tripping him up) then he walks to heal. It sucks walking like that but he is getting better.
 
Some musings about pulling which relate to my own dog/dogs and some dogs who I have helped out with:

Disconnect between dog and handler

Dog's drive to hunt/chase/run/whatever is stronger than its connection with handler

Edge not taken off dog before walk commences

Dog walks faster and is stronger than handler

Attempted evasion of pressure on neck or head/face

Owner giving up and letting dog off lead when it pulls - hey presto, good result for dog.

Dog has never been given any incentive to walk on a loose line - see disconnect between dog and handler

Wrong equipment - bog-standard harnesses are attached to the strongest part of the dog, they enable a lot of dogs to pull, bungees are next to useless, Flexis encourage pullers to pull harder and get further away. Choke chains I see either too long, too thick, on upside down and on wrong part of neck. Chain leads need binning.
 
CaveCanem said:
Dog has never been given any incentive to walk on a loose line - see disconnect between dog and handler

Wrong equipment - bog-standard harnesses are attached to the strongest part of the dog, they enable a lot of dogs to pull, bungees are next to useless, Flexis encourage pullers to pull harder and get further away. Choke chains I see either too long, too thick, on upside down and on wrong part of neck. Chain leads need binning.
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Don't forget the short chain lead and arm at full stretch. I recently had someone come to meet a rescue with a 30kg dog on a harness and a poundshop chain lead. It was dragging them all over.
I put on a gundog lead and walked it around loosely with it watching me. Handed it back and the first thing they each did was wrap the lead around their hands. Showed them again & again they wrapped the lead -I didn't let them have another dog.

Actually my answer to the initial question is rarely twice!
 
Hattie walks nicely until a cat/squirel/bunny gets her excited and then it can take a while for her to calm down. Throp doesn't pull at all, but has some stubborn donkey moments.
 
Nope, can't abide pulling dogs. Must be terrible for their necks and makes walking miserable for the owner. I start all mine in the lupi harness then when they understand pressure and release I walk them in a normal collar. I walk my staff x, patterdale and labradoodle pup all together using one hand only. Patterdale does have a half check, because he used to reverse out of harnesses/ normal collar and bugger off. Doesn't bother now.
 
Took me many months with my rescue dog but we finally got there! Although the one thing I just cannot stop is when she sees someone she knows :(

Drags me along like a total numpty :rolleyes:
 
NO NO NO, I have 10 dogs and not 1 pulls, when they are on lead (not often) they are walked on a slip lead, I will not put up with dogs pulling, why? because I don't want to be dragged anywhere, I am walking too (its my walk) not the dogs and its my arm and back and that is all that I think about!

When I see others being pulled I think they accept it and don't mind being dragged around (what other explination is there)?:p:D
 
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s4sugar said:
Don't forget the short chain lead and arm at full stretch. I recently had someone come to meet a rescue with a 30kg dog on a harness and a poundshop chain lead. It was dragging them all over.
I put on a gundog lead and walked it around loosely with it watching me. Handed it back and the first thing they each did was wrap the lead around their hands. Showed them again & again they wrapped the lead -I didn't let them have another dog.

Actually my answer to the initial question is rarely twice!
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Snap^^^^ most of the time I also think "why on earth" are you walking that dog in that" and its usually a harness/chain lead, or some sort of hindrance on an already pulling dog :D
 
This is currently the bane of my life- my lab walls beautifully to heel at training and on way back from walks. Its so annoying as he knows what heel means as if i stop and say the word he drops straight back into place but he is just so eager to go on his walks. I think my problem is that he has a training lead for shooting which he heels with and waits for commands but his walking lead he thinks means play time- which it kind of does as that's his down time. He is walked on slip lead and to help control in New exciting environments he has it looped over nose which instantly gives control.
Its not fun tho having your arm hauled off!
 
Teal no he walks to heel all the time on the lead.

Buster goes in a halti, he is hideous on the way to a walk, he's ok on way back but can't stand it. He is lovely on halti. Buster is very rude unless told to sit for dinner or wait by the door or gate or to get in the car he will do what he wants. He's 6 and I think just always done what he wants....not in this house!!!!!!

Dylan walks to heel if told. If I ask for focus he is brilliant so I now take my clicker every where. If he see's something ie deer, pheasant even on the long line he goes to the end and sits and watches. It is hard sometimes to regain his focus as he is so easily distracted by things that run!!! He can heel while constantly looking left and right. It's like he as either a) voices in his head b) being 2 next month he simPly can't help him self
 
Rosie will pull if on collar and lead. I bought her a loftus harness (google it) from Burghley this year with the line of thought 'it costs just over a tenner and worth a try' half expecting it to make no difference... and it seems to have solved the problem, she will walk to heel now in it on a loose lead. Most of her walks are on the farm so off lead but when we go off the farm to the beach and around the dam she has the harness on and seems much more comfortable with it. When she pulls wearing it it will tighten so she seems to have worked out that not pulling = less pressure.
 
Twizzel said:
Rosie will pull if on collar and lead. I bought her a loftus harness (google it) from Burghley this year with the line of thought 'it costs just over a tenner and worth a try' half expecting it to make no difference... and it seems to have solved the problem, she will walk to heel now in it on a loose lead. Most of her walks are on the farm so off lead but when we go off the farm to the beach and around the dam she has the harness on and seems much more comfortable with it. When she pulls wearing it it will tighten so she seems to have worked out that not pulling = less pressure.
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I bought one two years ago at Badminton but used it there and threw away the tags etc, totally forgot what it was a I bought, worked brilliantly on Dylan. Still have it for big shows/ rallys/ if he goes to a busy place.
 
Only one of mine does, incidentally the only one we haven't had from a puppy upwards.

She doesn't do it all the time, she's fine if its just her, and she's not in an exciting place.

CaveCanem, Cayla or any other experts, what equiptment and training do you suggest. I do have a slip lead for this one, but she just blooming chokes herself if she see's other dogs/birds/rabbits/rivers/ponds. She's somewhat food orientated, but not in exciting situations, and the same with her squeaky ball, it has a marginal effect in busy situations. Where do i start, and how do i progress?

Can't be doing with a puller!!
 
If she is foodie, don't feed her before walks, use something high value and use a training session, or a walk in this case, to feed her, from your pocket.

If toy orientated, build the drive for the toy at home, LOTS of games with the high value toy, put it away, don't let her have constant access to it, always leave her wanting more and make it something she cannot live without so it becomes more of a draw.

If you are using a slip, and you are comfortable with it, make sure it is on the right way around and use the stopper to ensure it sits high up on the neck behind her ears.
It's not a matter of bracing yourself against her or vice versa, she needs to know the difference between tight and slack so it should be little niggles until she either pays attention or stops pulling then reward. Do this as you walk along, don't wait for her to start pulling, If and when she throws herself into it, stand still or turn around.

Start small, do lots of repetitions, gradually up the distractions. I spend a few weeks with the older dog on a slip lead just doing stops and directional changes. Pain in the bum and looked weird but it worked.
 
CaveCanem said:
If she is foodie, don't feed her before walks, use something high value and use a training session, or a walk in this case, to feed her, from your pocket.

If toy orientated, build the drive for the toy at home, LOTS of games with the high value toy, put it away, don't let her have constant access to it, always leave her wanting more and make it something she cannot live without so it becomes more of a draw.

If you are using a slip, and you are comfortable with it, make sure it is on the right way around and use the stopper to ensure it sits high up on the neck behind her ears.
It's not a matter of bracing yourself against her or vice versa, she needs to know the difference between tight and slack so it should be little niggles until she either pays attention or stops pulling then reward. Do this as you walk along, don't wait for her to start pulling, If and when she throws herself into it, stand still or turn around.

Start small, do lots of repetitions, gradually up the distractions. I spend a few weeks with the older dog on a slip lead just doing stops and directional changes. Pain in the bum and looked weird but it worked.
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Thank you very much!
 
using a normal collar and lead my girl will happily pull your shoulders out of your sockets and choke herself to death :-(

at training class she'll do a perfect curled round your leg competition heal tho.

I bought a perfect fit harness (dogs-games shop) and using a training lead on front and back loop my girl walks perfectly to heal .. I was always a believer in harnesses empowering dogs that pulled too, and was shocked when the harness stopped my girl pulling, I had originally bought it just for use when she had a flexi lead on but now we use it all the time
 
My collie pup pulls like mad and I really hate it! We go to classes once a week so we are working on it. On footpaths and fields he is quite good, but near the road his chase instinct takes over and he just wants to run at cars. It makes no difference what treats I have either. He isn't really interested in toys so that wouldn't really work either. I have discussed it at class and they are going to try some things with us next week. I may try the turning round technique - do I turn back the right way and continue when he has stopped pulling?
 
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