Stop dog from pulling on the lead

NorfolkEnchants

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 July 2010
Messages
95
Visit site
I Have A Cavilier King Charles Spaniel, who i love to pieces, but pulls on the lead all the time! and it does my headin' - any advice to stop him?

Thanks :D
 
Canny collar-kinder than a halti, doesn't hurt them, stops them pulling, much nicer walks for both of you.

Alternatively, train it to walk properly on the lead.
 
Going to copy and paste here from an old post :p

Main reasons for pulling -

He isn't getting enough exercise
Dogs move faster on four legs than humans on two - he wants to get somewhere quicker than you can take him
He is pulling against an inhibitive force (the lead) - vicious cycle

As mentioned, you can use a tool like a headcollar or a half check (harnesses aren't great for pulling IMO, you're attaching yourself to the strongest part of the dog, more to brace against), or you can get to the bottom of it and train him out of it accordingly and make yourself more interesting to him.

It's better to make him want to spend time at your side than to use a tool, use food or a treat or a ball or praise, start in the garden and get him to look at you and praise and reward the more he does this. Do it in the house when you are watching telly, even.
Then take it outside. If a dog is looking at you and paying attention to you, everything else will come so much easier.

You could jog with him or bike him if he is over 1yo or not a geriatric, to get the energy out of him.
 
Haha, thanks.

I've tried one of them halter things, but he just paws if off continously.

He definatley gets enough excercise, because he's out on the yard all day with me, and then gets taken on a walk when we get home. when i'm at home/on the yard he doesnt pull and sticks to me like glue, its when its somwhere he doesnt know that well, then he's off on one, and 20 metres ahead.

couldn't jog with him as he sets into a full blown sprint, which means i just get pulled even more :)

spaniels eh? can't live with them, can't live without them :p
 
Then take him somewhere he doesn't know and start focus training/lead manners there, choose a different one every day, no quick fixes for this really :)

Other tricks to try are fast directional changes, stopping when he pulls (so pulling = not going anywhere) and going backwards or turning him in a circle when he pulls (ditto) it is time consuming and you will look daft but at the end of the day he is a small dog and I assume you are an adult :p so you will have to let him know that he either sticks with you or goes nowhere, by letting him pull, who is he to know that it isn't OK?
 
PS What's your collar/lead combo? For training it would be better to have a leather lead and a half check. Chain leads, flexis, are no good for this (you often need two hands on the lead) and nylon/webbing can give you a nasty burn :p
Keep the dog beside you, on your left hand side, when training him, don't give him the **opportunity** to pull out ahead. You're just letting him know it's OK if you do - he will never learn anything.
And maybe do some weights, you'll need to use your arm muscles.
 
I always use Halti's they are fab. They do NOT hurt the dog in any way but unlike harnesses etc they cannot pull back on them. I have used the Halti on my cocker spaniel, 2 Great Danes, Doberman and Husky and it has worked brilliantly every time with no pain to the dog. I would highly recommend this product!
 
For the naughty baby husky I adopted the every time she pulls to stand still ask her to heel and then walk on when she did this. Worked a treat. And that was just on an ordinary lead and collar.

That's my action too. Our rescue Lab, who was two years old when we got her and severely lacking in any form of training, pulled terribly on the lead. I did just this - every time she pulled, we just stopped - no words, no punishment. She soon realised that if she pulled, the walk came to a halt and she responded very quickly.
 
My other half deals with Chloe when she pulls, I cant cope with her shes too strong so if she gets excited he does it!

I've asked him, and he says that if she starts to pull, he yanks her back, makes her sit, then when she calms they walk on. The minute she starts to pull, he does it again. If shes being really bad and lunging at other dogs (she wants to meet EVERYONE!) then she gets pulled back and growled at.

They learn pretty quick its quite boring to be sat still!
 
Top