A quick dog walking session has taken me an hour and a half due to the stop/start method, it's not working!!!!

[Jennytailia]

Thought I would take my pup out for a quick lead practice session without the kids, so I could fully concentrate.

She just wouldnt stop pulling so I couldn't get home. She didn't get it at all. I have only been walking her for a week and she seems to be getting worse.

I always stop when she pulls, and dont move off again until her lead is slack. I say heel and praise her when she is good.

Treats don't work when she is outside As she is not interested.

Will this ever get better? I have also tried changing direction but she seems to enjoy that and races on even harder.

Arggggggggg I feel really frustrated.

[kid]

I've got our gentle leader but haven't used it yet. I put it on him in the house and then played and gave treats. He did pull it off twice so I guess it needs to be tighter.
I want to use it but am worried it will come off when we are walking along. I think
I'll have 2 leads on the first few times. One on the nose loop and another on his collar just to be safe.

[Jennytailia]

I was just coming on to say I have bought a halti and it's working great.

She has tried to pull it off a bit on walks but seems to be getting used to it now.

[MadameCastafiore]

The only thing that managed to control our dog was a haltie - not sur ewhat people think of them on here but our big labradoodle can be walked by my 11 year old with it.

[kid]

Thanks. I've been using a harness on him for the past 2 days and it's so much better than his usual collar.
He is a year old and will do anything for some cheese or hotdog!

[ExitPursuedByAKitten]

Kid - you are lucky if you have a food motivated springer. Mine is not in the least bit interested. He is 4 this year and still pulls like a bloody train. He is 25kg and he knackers my back. I use a choker chain on him for normal walks but have a thing that goes over his nose if we are going somewhere he cannot be let off. Good luck with your gentle leader.

[Tchootnika]

Jennytailia - not "Jennytalia".

[Tchootnika]

Jennytalia - this is quite standard for spaniels, but....
What time of day do you go for first walk? If she's waiting around until quite late, she'll have tons of excess energy, and any sort of learning will be much more difficult. Does she get to have proper exercise in the morning?

[kid]

My dog is about 24kg so pretty big too. I was recommended gentle leader or dogmatic by dog trainer after all other training methods have failed after months of trying. They only had a pink dogmatic in stock so I opted for the GL. An added bonus was the much cheaper price tag.
I plan to put it on him in the house and fuss him and give treats to distract him. After several times of doing this, I'll take him for a walk using it with some smelly, fishy treats. He is very food motivated so I hope it will work

[simbo]

Don't want to sound negative but, although the gentle leader takes the power out of the pull the walking is a pain with it, as (35kg) dog hates it so much that he spends all his time rolling on any patch of grass that we come to in an attempt to get it off. He lets me put it on but hasn't got used to it at all. I used a halti with him when he was younger but he managed to injure his shoulder trying to pull it off.

I want to try and continue the training but I fear he'll have died of old age before he truly understands what he's doing wrong.

[kid]

I've just ordered a gentle leader, I can't take the pulling any longer!

[KnickersOnOnesHead]

Yes, seriously. Walked round on field for 10mins with one at a time, and a trainer friend and, although they do pull now and again, on the whole they walk to heal.

[HopeForTheBest]

10 minutes flat?

[Piffle]

After my shoulder muscles were torn but my 34 kg girl I bought a headcollar
2yrs on perfect even on loose lead, always Clip headcollar to my belt though

[KnickersOnOnesHead]

HopeForTheBest, it isn't as bad as it sounds. If you don't like the idea of a chain collar you can get a half check, or a slip lead. Someone has already mentioned a sharp, quick pull back. On a normal collar that wouldn't work as well.

On a half, or full check, the dog learns to listen for the clicks of the rings, therefore stops pulling.

Dog on your left, lead in your right hand.

I have two very strong dogs so the checking was a must. It worked. They were not hurt, so where can you see a problem?

[KnickersOnOnesHead]

Why the

[HopeForTheBest]

[KnickersOnOnesHead]

6 weeks at least to get a dog to stop pulling? Seriously?

Mine were sorted in 10minutes flat. Both of them. They walk perfectly now.

Chain and check. If used correctly obviously.

[fruitshootsandheaves]

Think of the positives. Buy a harness, sledge and pray for snow

[dazzlingdeborahrose]

We bought an anti-pull harness and it worked brilliantly. Use one on your regular walks and keep the stop start technique for specific training sessions. We have a 8kg cavalier and it's still murder on the shoulder when they pull.

[kid]

My dog is still a nightmare with pulling on the lead. He is just over a year old and although we can probably walk a maximum of 10 steps with no pulling, he is still so strong and its almost as if decides which direction we are walking in and at which speed too!

I tried something new the other day. I took him on a completely new walk where he has never, ever been before and he was so funny. He didn't have a clue where he should go or where I was intending to go. He kept looking at me all puzzled and hardly pulled at all. Seeing as it worked so well, I intend to do that all the time so he won't have a routine walking route anymore. I am even going to change the route to the park, even if it means we have to walk for 20 minutes to reach the park instead of the usual 5 minutes. Its so worth the cute puzzled look on his face and the fact that he doesn't pull as much.

Spam you have experienced being pulled by your 4kg dog, you'll have to imagine what its like being dragged along by a 24kg 1 year old springer spaniel! Good job I am quite strong, my kids have no chance of ever being able to walk him unless he improves drastically.

[midori1999]

Hmmm, I'm not an expert, but I would probably hold the treat nearer her head level to eliminate the need to jump up and then drop the treat on the floor by her instead of giving it to her from my hand to help prevent the nipping.

Spam, take your DD out with the dog much more, the dog will soon get bored of it all!

[Happymm]

Hi midori. My bucking bronco, when she does calm down enough for us to walk round the garden then spends all her time jumping up at me and nipping to get the kibble I have in my hand to encourage her along. I've been giving lots of praise when she has 4feet on ground and then treating her but she still keeps jumping and snapping at me. Any ideas? (10wks old lab)

[Spamspamspam]

midori - interesting....I have had a few walks whereby I am angelic and smiling as dog is nicely trotting along beside me (she is knackered and there is no -on else to stimulate her) and other walks which are absolute carnage because daughter is running in front, running behind, splashing into puddles etc - dog is everywhere on lead but not where I want her.

She is pretty good if it's just me and we don't see anything however the minute distractions take place we are all over the place. Even a 4kg dog can give you shoulder and arm ache. I am not sure what to do because I know if I take her out on her own she will be good but the minute the lead goes on in any situation where there are distractions she is a nightmare.

Thing is, off lead she is angelic, sticks to me like glue, recalls perfectly (at the moment) and is a joy...

[midori1999]

It will work but how long it will take really depends on how reinforced the pulling behaviour has become. If you are extremely consistent then you'll start to notice some results quite soonish. (eg, you'll be able to walk several steps without stopping, not just one ).

It really helps to practice in the garden lots and lots first until the dog really understands what 'heel' means, otherwise you're just wasting your breath. I wouldn't pull on the lead at all, but taking a few steps backwards is fine. It's also fine if the dog sits down, just then use a treat to call the dog back to the heel position and then walk on.

Something else that can make life easier is to take the dog in the car somewhere she can o off lead and then get your DH or someone to drive the car back home whilst you walk the dog on lead and practice then. Tired dog that is going home is much more likely to be able ot co-operate than an excited one just on the way out for a walk.

[Jennytailia]

6 weeks!!! That sounds do-able.