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Pulling on lead driving me to despair!

83 replies

LumpySpaceCow · 06/08/2023 09:21

Hello,

I know this topic has been covered many times (I've read them all), but wanted to see if there were any other nuggets of wisdom for me!

We have a 1 year old Black Lab. Inside the house, he is pretty chilled - great with the kids, engages and trains well (he does bark if anyone walks past the house or rings the bell but I need to sort the walking first!).

Outside the house is a different story. He pulls on the lead, can be quiet reactive and we can't let him off the lead yet as his recall is hit and miss in the real world with all the smells and possibility of meeting other dogs.

From being small, we did the loose lead walking as described in the Easy Peasy book - he would basically just come back for a treat but then if a smell took his fancy, would pull like crazy and not come back for anything - he is a big dog and pulled me over once so we sought help from a recommended dog trainer (one to one rather than the puppy classes we had been attending).

The trainer specialises in gun dogs. He advised us to use a short slip lead, be firmer with the dog and sort of pull the lead with a noise to get his focus back on us (hard to describe but if you have watched the dog whisperer, similar to that!) The dog is perfect during the training sessions, but again when out with me just chokes himself on the slip lead. I just can't seem to keep him engaged - the smells and other dogs/people are more interesting!

I want to be able to enjoy walks and not dread them. I need this sorting for Winter as I fear I will end up breaking a limb if he tugs me over!!

Thanks 😀

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 06/08/2023 09:25

How is he when other people take him on a walk? Could you get the trainer to join you on a walk and give you tips? If it works at home it’s about reinforcing it (easier said than done) on the walks. Can you get his attention before he starts pulling?

LumpySpaceCow · 06/08/2023 09:31

Thanks for the reply.

He is the same for both my husband and I. We do try to get his attention with a noise or food - sometimes it works but he will come back look at me and then go back to pulling and where he wanted to be - is it there that I am missing the reinforcement? I would offer praise or give him a treat.
Good idea about asking the trainer to come on a walk.

OP posts:
Blueskiesforecast · 06/08/2023 09:32

Try reading the training book by Caesar- helpful advice on dog psychology.

AtlasPine · 06/08/2023 09:34

Does he have a harness? We use a T-Touch with the lead attached to the harness ring under his chin. He can’t pull in the same way at all as he does with either a lead to collar or lead to back ring on harness.

YourNameGoesHere · 06/08/2023 09:37

I'd definitely recommend a harness with a front ring. That's what our trainers recommend to those with freight train dogs.

LumpySpaceCow · 06/08/2023 09:44

@Blueskiesforecast thanks, I'll order it now. I do really like watching his shows.

@AtlasPine @YourNameGoesHere we don't. He had one when younger but it didn't have the D ring. Will look into this. Thanks.

OP posts:
Shadowchaser · 06/08/2023 10:19

Dogmatic headcollar- best thing I ever bought!

fullbloom87 · 06/08/2023 10:29

He's a Labrador he absolutely has to have off lead runs. He can't manage on walks round the block.
My old lab would only ever pull if he was desperate for exercise but we would take him in the car every day and let him off down the beach or in the forest and open fields.

CatchMeQuick · 06/08/2023 10:38

I have huge sympathy. We have a 3 year old working cocker who has been to loads of training but in certain situations he just cannot stop pulling. At least he's a bit lighter than your lab.

He was also trained on a slip lead but we can't use one in most situations as he would kill himself.

Impulse control is key and keep going with the gun dog trainer as that's the most progress we made. But if all else fails, it's worth trying a figure of 8 for a while to see if it corrects it. We can't use them with ours as his nose is v sensitive.

Ours knows exactly what to do and will do it on the way back from a walk perfectly but just cannot stop the excitement on the way there!

Uncooperativefingers · 06/08/2023 10:41

Our lab is similar but improving.

Stopping religiously every time he pulled and adding in circles when he spots something interesting to bring his attention back to us has really helped. You need to be really consistent though and get used to the fact you might not get very far on walks at first.

We supplemented with games in the garden and mental exercise at the early stages when external walks were short!

KnackeredBack · 06/08/2023 10:44

We use a dogmatic head collar when we need control. It's comfy for the dog too. Obviously continue with the training in the hope that you won't need it in the future, but we have had to continue with ours (our boy is a huge hound, so will chase anything small and furry that runs - recall, schmecall at that point!)

FatNoMoreSue · 06/08/2023 11:30

Blueskiesforecast · 06/08/2023 09:32

Try reading the training book by Caesar- helpful advice on dog psychology.

Absolutely do NOT take any notice of anything Cesar Millan says.

EdithStourton · 06/08/2023 12:41

If you have a slip lead, put a loop around the dog's nose and tighten the lead at the back of the dog's head. It's not more aversive than most head collars, but it will largely deal with the pulling. Encourage heel walking with plenty of rewards and practice most days, and eventually you'll be able to stop using the loop. Your dog will settle into walking at heel - I have one who is now 3 and somes she just puts herself into heel off-lead - I think in her mind it's a safe place where she gets told what a good dog she is.

If in doubt about how to go about it, return to the gundog trainer or try another.

Brumbies · 06/08/2023 12:44

When our puppy strained at the lead we walked him with a stick in front of his nose, he soon learnt to keep behind it.

Twelvefiftysix · 06/08/2023 12:56

What worked with my working cocker was a combination of things. Firstly, we did the Absolute Dogs Sexier than a Squirrel course, then we also did another of their courses which was focused on loose lead walking, I can’t remember the name of it though.
The other thing was that when she was spayed we could only do short walks. We did lots of brain games in the house to tire her out and just did the same boring walk up and down the same road every day. When she pulled we turned around and headed in the other direction, not with a yank just a gentle c’mon. We gradually upped the excitingness of where we walked and didn’t move on until she’d cracked that.
In a new exciting environment she can still lose her head and pull but now if she pulls we just stop dead and she kind of goes “oops” and backs up til her lead is loose again so we can continue.

DominoRules · 06/08/2023 13:35

I have a mega puller OP so you have my sympathy! He’s a 19 month old Springer and it’s our biggest challenge by far…..

I use a harness and double ended lead when I know he’ll need to be on lead for a while as it gives me much more control and then he can’t hurt himself.

I do train him with a slip lead, only ever short sessions and in low distraction environments. I do a lot of just walking around in a big figure of 8 and lots of changing directions so he doesn’t get a chance to steam ahead.

He is much better after a decent off lead run, thankfully he has fantastic recall. So walks are often harness on way out and then slip lead on way back.

Randomly he walks to heel significantly better without a lead on (no idea why!!) so I practise that a lot too but obviously I can only do that in fields/woods and not along the road. And lots of games that encourage close proximity etc

We are making progress but it is slow and frustrating at times.

Shannith · 06/08/2023 14:03

Censer's methods have been widely debunked by the dog community and there is much better advice available.

Your dog is a teenager and they all go a bit daft for 3-5 months where it will feel like you are going backwards or getting nowhere

The trick is to persevere, be patient, be consistent and to some extent be relentless. The work you put in now is never wasted - even when it feels like you are getting nowhere.

I've got a 3 year old lab - who is as most labs are - extremely food motivated. Like most labs would be fat as butter if I let her so this l is what works.

She works for her food - at least half her daily food allowance of it is fed on walks or I. The house by hand as a reward.

To start with you reward for attention. I tend not to use her name (because she hears it all the time out of context).

Non pulling and recal starts in the house - not outside.

My word is "here". To start with just a short "here" - she looks at me = and I say "YES" and piece of kibble. You need to get your timing right and say YES when you get there attention and then reward.

Do this 100 times in a couple of days just as you wander around the house/garden and you've got a dog that now has a very solid association that that word means pay attention to me and good stuff happens.

You can then start with calling heeerrreee when the dog is not in sight in the house/garden and do exactly the same reward YES and kibble.

You don't need to do training sessions as such - just have a bag/pocket full of the bag sat worth of kibble

Do this 50 times a day for a few days - just as and when you remember and you basically got 50% of the recall training done.

By a long line off Amazon 20 -30 foot and that is now how the dog goes off lead until you've got the same instant reaction out and about. Do t let the dog spend the whole time at the end if the lead - you reel it in an out as toy walk along.

Same recall came 20/30 times on every walk with a hereee/yea/kibble every time

It may be months - up to 3 of doing this - eventually letting go of the lead as you get more confident - it might be a long process because your dog is a teenager and it al is just a bit too exciting. You and your food and praise has to be more exciting.

Do t just hand feed the kibble - throw it up in the air to catch, throw 3-4 pieces at once, run backwards when you throw it. Make you fun.

I look like a nutter when I'm training recall BUT my labs is perfect - I can recall her from mod play/deer/anything.

And here's the think I still recal train her on every single walk 3 years in. At the start and at random points in the walk I recall her for a YES and treat - 5-10 times every walk. Because then when I need her to come - I can 100% guarantee she does. It means she has a lively life and is off lead 90% of the time.

I foster dogs of various ages from puppies to adults - all different breeds and do broadly the same process with all of them. It works on all dogs. Sometimes quickly, sometimes more slowly - but it works and it makes having a dog so much easier because you can completely relax when they are off lead and they get to have loads of freedom.

If you can walk off lead you can do shorter walks and both enjoy them much more.

If it seems like a lot of work -'it's not really - it just becomes a habit and it's worth it for the long term benefits. You have to remember you are trading your dog al the time - you just don't realise it.

Sorry that's a long one - I can give you equally long tips on getting loose lead walking if you'd like.

As I said, I have a lot of dogs over the course of the year and the main things I teach them all is recall and no pulling.

Shannith · 06/08/2023 14:05

Sorry typed that with super fat fingers on my phone.

To many typos to correct but I promise that I am sensible and literate!

KateJohns · 06/08/2023 14:14

My little Jack Russell was a puller, he still is if I'm honest, but it's nowhere near as bad. Gone from a 10/10 would pull a nan and her scooter under a bus like a homicidal Huskie, down to a 3/10 would pull a bread basket of beer to the neighbour at 31 for a treat.

I did like a back and forth method. Get him on a lead, walk, stop, turn about, say name, walk, treat if he got by my side and walked the way I was going. Repeat and repeat and repeat. Eventually he started looking at me to see where we were going instead of trying to lead me. Iyswim.
Not perfect, if he sees a squirrel he still wants to go and say hello... if it were ever a particularly slow running or stupid squirrel, well, I don't think he wants to make it a pet let's put it that way.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 06/08/2023 15:31

You have two issues here - poor recall and pulling.

Unfortunately they both feed into each other. Your dog has poor recall so (sensibly) never gets to go off the lead - however, this means he can't fulfil his natural instincts - which in turn means he's frustrated and more likely to pull.

You need to start recall and lead manners inside the house before you even consider taking them outside. Start indoors, then when you've cracked it there, move to the garden, and then slowly add more and more distractions outdoors until you have it "proofed". It's not impossible but it does take a lot of consistency.

But remember, you have a labrador - they are bred to be biddable and to please their owners. They also love food. Use this to your advantage. Take his meals out on walks and use it as a reward. Make him work for it. Give him tons of praise when he does the right thing and never, ever tell him off for not listening to you. He needs to learn that coming back to you (and listening) means he gets rewarded - every time.

LumpySpaceCow · 06/08/2023 15:33

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to reply. Lots of food for thought!
He got fitted for a harness today, bit its going back as i took him for a walk and he got out of it - it was the easy walk harness.

@Shannith Thank you so much. We need to do this again- as a young pup, I remember doing this but we have lost it over the months - we need to go back to basics and put the effort in. I would appreciate any lose lead walking tips! If I'm honest with myself, I'm expecting a quick fix with minimal effort and that isn't realistic! He's such a lovely dog and we need to put more effort into his training. Had a heart stopping moment today when we were in a field and thought it was safe to let off and he ran out of site - eventually came back for a treat. Would you recommend a collar and lead or a harness? Thanks again.

OP posts:
LumpySpaceCow · 06/08/2023 15:36

@cinnamonfrenchtoast thank you. I need to put in more work and not just expect miracles without any effort. I'm going to go back to basics and put as much effort in as I did when we first got him.

OP posts:
mynewname25 · 06/08/2023 15:43

How is his ball drive?

I have Mali's and German shepherds and treats are not enough. they will however do anything (and ignore anything) for a ball. This is ideal for training a recall to allow him some freedom to run. Use a long line initially until you have good recall.

I also spent a lot of time with one of my GSD lead walking, the minute he pulled I stopped walking. Yes it takes a long time and in the first few weeks on our walks I barely got out the street but they are smart and realise they aren't getting where they want to when pulling.

You have to be 100% consistent with this tho as a few times allowing to be pulled and you are back at square one.

Good luck 🙂

ThrappleApple · 06/08/2023 16:30

Does he get any off lead time at all, either with a harness and long line or by hiring a private field.

Our older pup still needs a lot of reminding and stopping when on a lead but I think she would be impossible if she got no off lead time. She's also not super food motivated, she'd choose a ball over chicken every day of the week. There's no way she'd work for kibble! She'll trot by my side for ages if she thinks I might have a ball about my person.

LumpySpaceCow · 06/08/2023 16:41

He is extremely food motivated and not too bothered about a ball. Already trying what @Shannith has suggested with his evening food and he is coming everything- even when out of sight so all his early training hasn't been forgotten!

OP posts: