Am I doing this right? (Leash training)

[GovDeacon]

Deacon is 4 1/2 months old. I'm trying to get him to learn not to pull when on his leash. Near our house we have a lake with a walking track around it that is 3/4 of a mile long.

This is how I've been going about it.

Every morning we head over there and start our walk. Every time Deacon pulls on the leash (Which is about every 3rd step) I stop and tell him to sit. We remain stationary until he settles down and there is slack in the leash. Then we continue on, usually make it about 3 or 4 more steps until we have to stop again and wait for slack in the leash

When we encounter another person walking around the Lake I tell him to sit and try to get him to remain sitting until they are passed. I'm hoping that by doing this he will learn to behave himself a little better around other people and dogs when they pass us on our daily walks.

It takes us right around an hour to go that 3/4 of a mile. And I know his poor neck has to get soar from all that pulling. I picked up a harness for him, but I'm still not sure if that will just make him want to pull more. I don't really believe in the chain choke collars so that's not an option.

Am I on the right track with this? Or should I try a different approach?

Thanks

Deacon's Dad

 

[jray]

That is exactly what we did with our baby Oskar. But we started leash walking from day one when we brought him home at 8 weeks. Now he is very good on walks doesn't pull and if he does get excited and pulls we stop and his butt hits the ground.
(unless it's cold and then he keeps his butt just about an inch from the ground!)
Keep it up! It will pay off!!!

Jenny & Oskar

 

[mkull]

My trainer recomended a gentle leader for Lola. We have used it for a week while learning to heel and it is great. It used to take quite a bit to hang on to her, but with the leader it is no effort at all. I just give her the amount of slack that I want her to have make her heel, and then just walk at MY pace.

If she starts to pull I slow down quite a bit and the leader takes care of it. When she equals my slower pace I go back to normal walking. If she decides that she wants to stop I keep going at MY pace, she gets the clue and re-joins me at my pace.

I had her out for a walk the other day and left the leader at home. I was very happy to see that even with the leader off she was walking right by my side like a champ. When she felt the leash get tight she slowed right down.

I don't think that I am ready to give up the leader yet, but it has made a HUGE improvement in her pulling on the leash.

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

What you are doing is ok. It will no doubt train the dog to walk better.

I suggest to my clients another method, which I believe helps the dog understand not only the proper walking position but, helps to keep the dog focused on YOU and not the distractions around you.

When training my dogs, if they got ahead of me I would simply turn around and walk in the opposite direction. This automatically puts them behind me (not pulling me) and keeps their attention on me since they think I don't know where I'm going .

Same if they get distracted and start to pull to the left. . . I go right. No popping of the leash, just turn and walk the opposite direction the dog is going.

When the dog is walking next to you properly I quietly whisper to her "good girl, good girl, good girl. . . " to let her know that she's doing the right thing and to keep her further focused on me. I don't give them much eye contact as they signals them that you want them to lead. So I keep my eye on the prize, as it were. . . where we are going and what distractions may lie ahead.

Once that is established, then when they get too excited and started pulling, all I had to do was slow my pace a bit or stop and they would stop and get back into position and we'd continue our walk.

Also, on those days when Maggie was being totally uncooperative, I would sometimes have to end the walk if she would continue to pull me after a couple of corrections. She learned very quickly that way as well, that if she doesn't want to walk properly with me, she won't get to walk at all.

Good luck.

 

[GovDeacon]

Thanks for the replies everyone

I tried the "walk the other direction" method this morning and it seemed to have some effect.


Deacon's Dad

 

[Hadley's]

I have had similar troubles with Hadley and have been trying the same method as Deacon's Dad (stopping when they pull). It works okay but as he pulls so hard sometimes I think it is really hurting his neck. He doesn't complain but I can tell it's pink when we get home.

My question is how do you walk the other way without pulling them, especially when they are interested in something the direction they were heading, i.e., a squirrel? When squirrels or other dogs are around I have a hard time getting Hadley to listen to me. Any suggestions? Or is this when I should turn around and go home?

Thanks in advance,
Robyn

Originally posted by Tulsa-Dan
What you are doing is ok. It will no doubt train the dog to walk better.

I suggest to my clients another method, which I believe helps the dog understand not only the proper walking position but, helps to keep the dog focused on YOU and not the distractions around you.

When training my dogs, if they got ahead of me I would simply turn around and walk in the opposite direction. This automatically puts them behind me (not pulling me) and keeps their attention on me since they think I don't know where I'm going .

Same if they get distracted and start to pull to the left. . . I go right. No popping of the leash, just turn and walk the opposite direction the dog is going.

When the dog is walking next to you properly I quietly whisper to her "good girl, good girl, good girl. . . " to let her know that she's doing the right thing and to keep her further focused on me. I don't give them much eye contact as they signals them that you want them to lead. So I keep my eye on the prize, as it were. . . where we are going and what distractions may lie ahead.

Once that is established, then when they get too excited and started pulling, all I had to do was slow my pace a bit or stop and they would stop and get back into position and we'd continue our walk.

Also, on those days when Maggie was being totally uncooperative, I would sometimes have to end the walk if she would continue to pull me after a couple of corrections. She learned very quickly that way as well, that if she doesn't want to walk properly with me, she won't get to walk at all.

Good luck.

 

[GovDeacon]

I have a couple methods.

in the case of him just wanting to pull ahead and me wanting to change direction I make him sit. Then give a couple C'mon Deac!'s and a light tug and he comes. Depending on how hard he is pulling sometimes I wont need to make him sit.

When he wants to get after something I choke down on the leash (move my hand lower on it) and extend my arm out as I move around in front of him so he has to look at me and not whatever he wants to run towards. Then I get his attention and make him sit. We sit there for 30 to 60 seconds of calm down time then I do the "Cmon Deac!'s" and he will typically follow

When all else fails I do the C'mon's and I shuffle my feet as if I am about to start running, Deacon ALWAYS turns immediately and starts running the direction I'm heading.

Deacon's Dad

 

[binxsmom]

Similar problem, a little different.

I'm not sure what to do with my 10 week old. Since we don't have a fenced yard, walks to the park across the street are going to have to be a regular thing.

Sometimes Binx will just sit and stop, no budging at all. I try to have some kibble or treats available to entice him to start walking again and encourage him with words, but many times he just stops dead in his tracks and sits!

I also wonder like Hadley's, when they do pull and you turn to the opposite direction, how forceful should you be with your walk? Binx seems just as adamant about going his way and I don't want to yank or drag at him.

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Remember this is a TRAINING EXERCISE. This is not a leisurely walk in the park.

You need to work this exercise at a brisk pace. You don't allow the dog time to dawdle or become too distracted; you have an agenda and YOU, as Leader, must attend to that agenda and that is to walk down the sidewalk with the dog at your side with a loose leash. ONLY YOU know where you are going, not the dog so the dog has to be motivated to keep up with you. If you act as if you are strolling along without an agenda, the dog will take over and lead the "hunt" as it were.

The dog will follow you if you keep your pace brisk. If the dog pulls ahead, simply make a circle and reverse direction. Remember that YOU are in control of the walk, not the dog. As said, slide your hand down the leash close to the dog's collar and control the dog's movement and arc him around and make sure he is beside/behind you again and not pulling. Don't STOP before going the other direction, just turn and go. The dog will follow and you won't hurt him if you don't "pop" the leash as you turn.

The watch command is quite helpful too. If you have worked this command (basic first course obedience) you can get your dog's attention and do a quick turnaround.

 

[binxsmom]

Gotcha!

It makes more sense when you make it a training exercise.

Since we're trying to work on a few different things (he already does well at sit, but we're working on come and stay, etc) and kindergarten doesn't start yet, I'm wondering if we do a training session, I know we keep it short (how short at 10 weeks old?) and do we only work on one behavior per session?