How can I stop him pulling ??

W

Wasrandyra

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My Patterdale (now 10 months old) is a law to himself the little bugger.


He will not stop pulling on the lead, I have checked him. Kept changing direction when he pulls and he just wont pay any attention.

I put him on a harness thingy but he pulls just as much. He litterally walks along on both back legs scrabling at the front half strangling himself.

he was pulling soo hard at the weekend when I took him to a show that he started gasping and was sick three times (just foam). This is on a collar.

I know Patterdales are naturally bloody minded but he is a sod and is sooo strong he makes my arms ache.

Ideas please people??
 
You could try using a halty head harness, and that way every time he pulls it will turn his head to you, and so stopping him from pulling, if he continues to pull, all he will end up doing is walking in circles. I used one on my lab and it worked a treat!!
 
Second for the halti, used it on my boxer when he was younger! He used to pull when he got exited and make him self sick. Haven't had the problem since.

I only used it for about a month and then went back to normal, using it as a reminder if he gets a bit strong now and again.

fantastic invention
smile.gif
 
Thanks guys for all your advice. For some reason I didn't think of a headcollar as I thought they were only for larger dogs.

Not very expensive so I will pick one up. Does anyone know about their sizing and how they should fit? I dont want it to dig him in the eyes.

Cheers
W xx
 
Normal harnesses are for bugger all if you want him to stop pulling and a normal wide-ish collar will press against his windpipe and yes, will make him retch, choke and be sick.

If you have the time and inclination I would go back to basics with a slip lead, correctly fitted, up behind his ears, keep him on your left, use both hands and have a bagfull of treats, get going in the garden and teach him to walk to heel.

Make him focus his attention on you, before you do anything, hold his gaze for longer and longer periods and treat him accordingly with food or a ball.
Gradually introduce the training outside of the home after he has gotten good and you maybe won't even need the headcollar after a while.
 
I would agree with Hacking_Hack.

My Springer has been a bugger for pulling (in fact most bad behaviour you can think of!), but the Halti just masked the problem, it didn't teach him to behave.

We use a rope slip lead and A LOT of patience! Treats don't work with him, neither does shouting, yanking, stopping, circling or changing direction!

This is what we did, and it may sound cruel, but this is the only thing that worked with him and trust me, I tried EVERYTHING!!

The lead was kept loose (basically just there in case he tried to run off) and he was told to heel, everytime he went to pull (or even just step ot of where I wanted him) I stepped in front of him and knocked my heel into his chest (I did NOT kick him, just made contact!). When he walked where I wanted I told him good and walked normally.

He walks pretty perfectly now, and also walks perfectly off the lead (in fact better than he does on the lead!!)

Also, and this goes for training him anything, I may as well not bother unless he has had at least a 20 minute run first. His mind will not focus unless he is at least had the edge taken off his energy.
 
I am confused now
crazy.gif


I know he needs more training, but he is just not receptive to it. I have tried stopping and pushing him with my heel but he just encirlces my legs and keeps pulling. I have stood on his feet when he does this (by accident!!!) and he doesnt even flinch - feels no bloomin pain!!

He isnt interested in treats when he has his lead on and isnt very easy to 'make' listen. Maybe its the breed and the age, but he is so stubborn and bloody minded.

Perhaps I need to try it in the garden without too much distraction and see if we can improve it a bit.

He is a master at selective hearing also and his over-excitement makes him go deaf.


My concern over the head collar is that when he had a poo eating habit (getting better) I used to muzzle him. He would refuse to move with it on, and used to just plant his head on the floor with his bum in the air and sulk until I took it off. I wonder if anything around his head will just make him back off completely??


He is a lovely dog and I have him to work, he's just so tough!!!!!
 
Isn't he quite young still? I 'fought' with my lad for a year. The first time he walked to heel off-lead a few months ago, I nearly cried.

It wasn't easy and I tried everything but it did come.
You have to make yourself the most interesting thing in his whole world, you have to make him tired of fighting you and you have to be consistent.
There were days when I would just give up, my arms and my back were in agony and my voice was hoarse, but that made him think 'YIPPEE!' I won that one today, I bet I can do it again tomorrow'.

I PMed Cala in tears as I couldn't sit straight because I pulled something in my back trying to hold him.
But I stuck at it - he is not perfect yet but we are getting there.

You need to find something, anything, that will do it for him. I used chorizo, he went mad for it, when he got bored of that it was bacon bits, then cooked chicken.
Even the method of praise - I was a bit lacklustre in the beginning, but he will respond really well if I jump around like a loon and call him a 'goooooood pupppeeeeeee!' at the top of my voice.
As a terrier, would a ball on a rope or a lure on a long line interest him? Allow him a good play with it when he obeys?

Off lead, in our field, I would run backwards and run away from him, acting like a loony, calling him and give him loads of fuss when he followed me - it was more fun when he was beside me.

Then is basically a matter of repetition, repetition, repetition, I actually started wearing my MP3 player because of the monotony of walking a few steps, making him sit, walking a few steps, turning round, for days on end.
A combination of him knowing you are in charge and that life is so much better when he listens and obeys you was what worked for me.

Sorry for the essay, but that's our story, anyhoo!
 
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