how to stop him from dragging you

[Koa Chambers]

Koa is 7 months old. depending on his mood of the day, he'll pull on his leash so that he can jump on people or pets. he never barks, he just tries to charge them. when i tug his leash and tell him to sit, he'll act like i'm not even talking to him. how do i get him to listen in the moment of hype?

 

[ehayes21]

Yes. Train him to walk properly on a leash. Here are some training articles to help:

ClickerSolutions Training Articles -- Loose Leash Walking

ClickerSolutions Training Articles Contents -- Walking on a Loose Leash

 

[CrazyCharlie]

Charlie like to pull when he was a puppy, so what I did was when he started to pull I would stop and he would have to stop because I wasnt going anywhere. I would wait until he came back and stood next to me and then we would walk again, eventually he figured out that if we walked next to mommy we got to go places, if we pull mommy we dont go anywhere. He walks nicely and I hardly have to hold the leash, in fact I can place it on his back and he still walks next to me now.

 

[LILYLARUE]

We have 2 boxers that we have had major difficulties with walking them on the leash for a long time now, and just recently we have been working really hard to try and correct this behaviour. What I find has worked for us is when one of them starts pulling we give a sharp tug on the lead, say "Wait" and then we stop on the spot and make them settle down, once they have settled and they are not pulling any more we praise them a lot, lots of pats and saying "good girl/boy" and we also give them a treat. So then they learn that pulling they get a yank on the lead and when they are calm and not pulling they get praised! Usually this works quite well, sometimes they will see a bird or something and start pulling ridiculously, and then they get a sharp yank, a loud "No" and also a small smack, and then we stop and do the whole praising thing over again! We find this easier in a park where there is less distraction, rather than on the side of the road with other dog in their yard and cars going past etc.

Anyway, this is what works for us, and it might not work at all for you, but our dogs were the worst of the worst, and they are slowly getting there, so there is hope for you!!

xx

Please don't yank or jerk the leash. This is a bad practice and can excelerate their behavior. Also, don't smack the pup, this can teach them to fear your hands. Just like a child that gets smacked, they soon expect the smack and will flinch at a hand coming close.
The best thing to do, is to redirect them by turning and walking away from what excites them. Read the training links from above. Using negative training techniques like hitting or jerking collars only creates behavior issues later that are even more difficult to un-train.

(If you are watching Cesar Millan for training tips - only watch for entertainment. Methods such as he uses not only has been debunked, but also has caused many dogs to react towards their owners, some causing major damage or death. Instead, study up on positive reinforcement training - Patricia McConnell, Ian Dunbar, etc.)

 

[TyTysmom]

Tyson was a HUGE puller; someone told us to try a "gentle leader" like a Halti. It works great! Now whenever my husband or I see someone walking a dog that is pulling we always suggest the Halti.

 

[ouesi]

Koa is 7 months old. depending on his mood of the day, he'll pull on his leash so that he can jump on people or pets. he never barks, he just tries to charge them. when i tug his leash and tell him to sit, he'll act like i'm not even talking to him. how do i get him to listen in the moment of hype?

The key is to get him to listen before the "moment of hype" :D

Basically he has spent 7 months getting rewarded for pulling on the leash - he gets what he wants by pulling, so he continues to do it.

First order of business is to make sure Koa NEVER gets rewarded for pulling. This is where equipment comes in. I like front clip harnesses for the leverage, with minimal risk of injury, but be careful as some dogs get quite adept at backing out of them. Paired with a martingale collar is probably your best bet for a squirmy puppy with poor leash manners

Once you have control, now teach the dog what to do instead of pulling. Teach him that if he walks nicely on the leash, you will go in the direction he wants. If he starts pulling you will go in the opposite direction that he wants to go.
This is going to take some time at this point because he has been rewarded for pulling up until now, and don't be surprised if you get a massive hissy fit at the new rules too - AKA "extinction burst", but be consistent and stick with it, and you will eventually see a huge improvement.