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The doghouse

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Original poster

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:
alsopeggy · 06/08/2023 16:43

I followed the advice in Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson for our lab and would highly recommend.
We did start when she was a small puppy so you probably need to go back to basics and undo some things but the general principles will be the same
I also like her other book The Labrador Handbook, as first time dog owners these have been our most useful resources.

tedgran · 06/08/2023 16:49

I've had three Great Danes, the last two were rescues, they all pulled, got a Halti, really helpful. My stepdaughter has a Vizla, she's only 5 feet tall, but can manage him really well when he has the Halti on.

CantFindTheBeat · 06/08/2023 22:07

Definitely get a harness, OP.

Our lab was awful with a collar - much much better with a harness.

As a PP said - try him with balls and a ball thrower. You can train a lab really well with balls.

oobladay · 06/08/2023 22:19

A double ended training lead is the only way I can walk mine at the moment. I use a very short lead with this which is basically just a handle as I don't like just using the circular lead with nothing structural to hold on to. It is a bit of a pain and can get a bit lost under a front leg occasionally but he's getting very good at 'sort your paw'. I try to keep the half attached to the front of the harness looser but as a rule he doesn't pull anywhere near as much with both attached so this isn't really a problem.

This is giving me the space to work on loose lead walking and recall, which are both an issue. Before this I was struggling to walk him. We have a similarly aged dog who is part black lab and people and other dogs are the most exciting thing ever! Our first dog as adults and a rescue so it's been a steep learning curve. In every other way he is absolutely amazing - you could be writing about mine!

BrightLightTonight · 06/08/2023 22:21

You need to invest proper time training him.

oobladay · 06/08/2023 22:23

Also found that having a really motivating treat helped and getting him to 'touch' when pulling or playing 'find it' for a treat when over excited by other dogs can really help. Ours likes those jr pates cut into very small pieces. They can really help distract in reactive moments

Imnotmadaboutit · 06/08/2023 22:26

We trained our lab with a Halti head collar and firm ‘heel’ command. She got it in no time and walks to heel even off the lead if we tell her to. It might be worth a try for you.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Halti-Headcollar-Black-Size-3/dp/B004XNLCPC/ref=sr_1_4?adgrpid=53391463196&hvadid=606097390543&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9045255&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4620241571939257826&hvtargid=kwd-315263530030&hydadcr=7855_2282629&keywords=halti%2Bfor%2Blabrador&qid=1691357065&sr=8-4&th=1

Bessica · 06/08/2023 22:40

I have a lab who pulled until I got her a Halti head collar. Absolute game changer and she walks to heel.

LyricalGangsta · 06/08/2023 23:06

Lab here
He is 4 now and would pull like a steam train the first few years. He had a harness which only made pulling easier for him.
One day we just clipped the lead onto his collar and he walked like a dream - I think the sudden pressure of if he pulled being on his neck rather than comfortably spread across his shoulders kicked him into touch. I approached we may have just been lucky.
He is excellent on the lead now 90% of the time.
On the odd occasion he is being an absolute weapon I will simply turn his lead into a figure of 8 which he really doesn't like and he will walk for a bit then stop altogether after about 5 minutes so then we change back and he behaves 😂

LyricalGangsta · 06/08/2023 23:08

He also knows the wait command.
He will wait until he is told to eat his dinner and wait while we wait to cross the road.
That has been useful too if he is pulling.

LyricalGangsta · 06/08/2023 23:09

*Appreciate not approached

EmilyBrontesGhost · 06/08/2023 23:13

FatNoMoreSue · 06/08/2023 11:30

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

Show quote history

Why?

EmilyBrontesGhost · 06/08/2023 23:18

LyricalGangsta · 06/08/2023 23:06

Lab here
He is 4 now and would pull like a steam train the first few years. He had a harness which only made pulling easier for him.
One day we just clipped the lead onto his collar and he walked like a dream - I think the sudden pressure of if he pulled being on his neck rather than comfortably spread across his shoulders kicked him into touch. I approached we may have just been lucky.
He is excellent on the lead now 90% of the time.
On the odd occasion he is being an absolute weapon I will simply turn his lead into a figure of 8 which he really doesn't like and he will walk for a bit then stop altogether after about 5 minutes so then we change back and he behaves 😂

Harnesses are just useless for training.

My curent little doggie has a harness cos he's tiny, and this is the first time in my (long) life that i've used one.

He is so delicate he has to have a harness, but it is useless for training. You control what a dog does with its neck.

SingingFaLaLa · 06/08/2023 23:18

We have a springer who is pretty perfect at everything...except on lead walking. She will pull frantically on the lead and choke herself. And she's not even trying to get at anything, she's fairly aloof and mainly ignores other people and dogs, she just pulls for the sake of pulling.

We got a halti and it's the best thing we ever did. It fixed it instantly, now she just walks. Our 6 year old can easily be in charge of her on the lead. And I'm pretty sure she's comfortable in it, she has a constant tail wag on any on lead walks and happily shoves her nose into it as she knows it means going out.

QuestionableMouse · 06/08/2023 23:21

Buy a headcollar. You can't keep yanking on his neck. Properly fitted, it will make both of your lives so much easier.

QuestionableMouse · 06/08/2023 23:24

CantFindTheBeat · 06/08/2023 22:07

Definitely get a harness, OP.

Our lab was awful with a collar - much much better with a harness.

As a PP said - try him with balls and a ball thrower. You can train a lab really well with balls.

All a harness will do is give him something more to pull against!

EmilyBrontesGhost · 06/08/2023 23:29

QuestionableMouse · 06/08/2023 23:23

Show quote history

Is it?

Why do you think it's a good summary?

EmilyBrontesGhost · 06/08/2023 23:30

QuestionableMouse · 06/08/2023 23:24

All a harness will do is give him something more to pull against!

Show quote history

Exactly.

AnnieSnap · 06/08/2023 23:32

Try this. It’s simple, stopped my Weimaraner pulling instantly and best if all is really gentle. I was stunned at how good it is when we first used it!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005HNPCY4?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

CantFindTheBeat · 06/08/2023 23:38

@QuestionableMouse

Nope.

QuestionableMouse · 06/08/2023 23:39

CantFindTheBeat · 06/08/2023 23:38

@QuestionableMouse

Nope.

Can you be more specific as to what your "nope" refers to? 🙄

Whyohwhyohwhy123 · 07/08/2023 01:00

Haltis can work really well. Harnesses do stop them pulling in their neck but they do lean into them.
The more time he spends off lead the less he’ll pull in lead. Working labs are rarely in a lead and all have good recall and don’t pull on leads.
If you can walk him off lead with an older dog with good recall and he’ll come back. Or hire a dog field frequently.

stardust40 · 07/08/2023 01:07

Another vote for a halti! Our cross lab was a nightmare..... the day we put this in it was like we had a different dog!

Floralnomad · 07/08/2023 01:15

Don’t use a slip lead on a dog that pulls as it is very easy to damage their tracheas . I have a dog with a damaged trachea ( not from abuse but medical reasons ) and it is awful .