Best Method to Stop Dog Pulling on the Lead

bob2oo7

Hi guys

I'm just wondering what you think is the best method for this ?

I've been reading so many different ways of doing it on the net and would like to find the most effective way ?

Ave Sodalis

It's difficult to say the most effective way as every dog is different.

However with my dog, I found that if you stop walkin as soon as he pulls, he stops pullin. This takes a while and includes lots of reguler, long walks but eventually he got the message after a week or so.

elainepie

I have a lab cross and he was pulling the arm off me!! I got the halti collar and would recommend it to death!! now a gentle tug and he responds. I introduced it by giving hm a dog biscuit and getting him to put his own head into .. and now he stands there and lets me put it on. As i have control of his head he can't pull me and we can enjoy the walk a lot more. It is brilliant, seriously!

turtle21

Seconded on the Halti THEY ARE MAJIC!!!

peasant

Please be careful with the Halti. It is not a replacement for a proper collar/harness and lead, but a training aid.

Used properly, the Halti should be attached in addition to the normal lead, so that you have two leads in your hand: the normal lead to secure the dog and the Halti to steer and train it.

If you use the Halti as only lead, there is a danger the continous strain on the neck of the dog will do long-term damage ...particularly if the dog has a habit of running into the end of the lead and gets its head jerked round by the Halti.


The best method to train a dog to stop pulling still is the stop-start technique. As soon as the dog pulls, it's going nowhere, only when the lead is slack is it allowed to go on.
This is a long training process and takes patience. The Halti can be a good training help there.

ValerieR

I find my dog pulls much less with a harness compared to the standard collar and lead.
Might be worth a try.
ValerieR

daingeanrob

+1 for the halti, used one for a month as training along with vocal correction/praise when dog was in right/wrong position now i just use a harness as my dog knows what i want, i think it helps the dog focus.

Ulanzi

I've had terrible problems with my fella. He pulled on the halti and I had to stop using it because I was afraid he'd hurt himself.

I've found the following to be time consuming in the beginning but so far so good:

He gets very excited at the sight of the lead so I've been getting him to sit, and when he's calm I take the lead out. If he gets up, the lead goes back. (As I said, you need time but really this is working)

When the lead is on, he has to sit while I open the door, when he's relaxed - sitting, tail relaxed, not panting or whining - I walk through and bring him outside.

Here is the biggest key to the pulling though, I make sure the collar is at the top of his neck, behind his ears rather than at the base of his neck. I hold the lead so that it is coming up straight above his neck. This way, he walks beside me, not in front. It only takes small corrections once he cops on that there is no point in pulling. I just find this gives me more control.

Without the start ritual though, I don't think this would work, he would just pull and hurt himself because he just gets so excited. If you can start this at a weekend (when you can give a fair bit of time to it) and actually commit to it, I think it could be a good long term solution.

Good luck.

Little Miss Cutie

I have just finished dog training classes with my little fella. They recommend the start stop technique. It is a slow process but worth in the long term. Start by rewarding him for very step that is lose then move it to very 3rd step then 5th etc until you make good distances without him pulling. Also if he pulls you stop totally and wait until he come back to you and the lead is slack.
As said above if the dog is hyper going out the door you dont have muchhope of getting them to behave on a walk.

A friend of mine went to a special class on how to stop this. For the first week the dog didn't get walked once as she spent an hour a day trying to get him calm in the house. Howver after 3wks the dog has changed beyond belief and is a delight to take for a walk. Remember though if they aren't getting out for a walk they need lots of exercise/play in the back garden.

Hope this helps

Call me Socket

Ulanzi wrote: »

I've had terrible problems with my fella. He pulled on the halti and I had to stop using it because I was afraid he'd hurt himself.

I've found the following to be time consuming in the beginning but so far so good:

He gets very excited at the sight of the lead so I've been getting him to sit, and when he's calm I take the lead out. If he gets up, the lead goes back. (As I said, you need time but really this is working)

When the lead is on, he has to sit while I open the door, when he's relaxed - sitting, tail relaxed, not panting or whining - I walk through and bring him outside.

Here is the biggest key to the pulling though, I make sure the collar is at the top of his neck, behind his ears rather than at the base of his neck. I hold the lead so that it is coming up straight above his neck. This way, he walks beside me, not in front. It only takes small corrections once he cops on that there is no point in pulling. I just find this gives me more control.

Without the start ritual though, I don't think this would work, he would just pull and hurt himself because he just gets so excited. If you can start this at a weekend (when you can give a fair bit of time to it) and actually commit to it, I think it could be a good long term solution.

Good luck.

This is exactly how we trained our dogs. They walk like a dream now, either beside or behind, and if they try their luck at going in front a gentle correction is enough to get them back on track.
It did take a very long time though and a lot of patience....but it was so worth it in the end.
Haltis and gentle leaders are brilliant I agree, but they only stop pulling- they don't address the reason that your dog pulls. The above training Ulanzi describes gives the dog the clear message that YOU are the leader, and YOU decide where ye walk, and YOU set the pace....not the dog.

$lash

I find this to be the best way; when the dog pulls - stop and make them sit then once they have calmed down start walking again - they will soon learn that this happens everytime they attempt to pull forward !

Good Luck!

dungeon

Brilliant advice, Ulanzi. Thanks.

dungeon

btw, where would one get the halti and how much is it?

Durga

Any good pet shop sells them. It's been a few years since I had to buy one but can't imagine they would be over €20 but price will vary according to size. Bring the dog in have it fitted.

Also another useful trick is to learn to use the lead properly. To get more control, instead of just grabbing the loop with your hand, put your thumb in through the loop, then place your thumb in the palm of your hand and curl the rest of your fingers down over the thumb. This really only works on a regular lead than an extendable one, which I prefer anyway.

Whispered

I have problems on the walk too. I have tried the method described by Ulanzi but I'm have some trouble with it.

How do you keep the collar up that high? Do you have to close it tightly?

My OH jogs with him, I walk with him, but he seems to expect me to jog too and tries to go at "normal" pace. Should K stop jogging with him until he is walking properly?

I do have a head collar, but I don't like using it as it seems to irritate his eyes and I know he finds it uncomfortable.

Irishcrx

Couple of things you can try depending on the dog. heres what I did/do anyway.

I take him BEFORE his dinner, he's hungry and I carry food in my pocket so his attention is mainly on me when I need it to be, give him a treat when he is behaving or has followed a command.

As said get him to relax while the lead is going on and sit at the front door until relaxed then leave the house.

If he pulls, pull him back to your side and stop, continue when he is sitting and relaxed again. Can be tiresome I know but your letting him know YOU are leading the walk not him.

If he is still energetic try a few mins of tiring him out before the walk in the garden playing fetch.

I tried all these over a few weeks and it made a hugh differance, walking him is no longer a daunting task he is well behaved on them. A harness makes a huge differance with my fella, being a husky it's his instict to pull hard to train away from, when on a collar he was very bad, harness much much better.

Hope this helps.

Little Miss Cutie

I think the main point OP is that it takes time. I am in the middle of this still but I have noticed a big difference.
One thing they mentioned at dog training that was if you use a retractable lead it is very difficult to stop them pulling as they don't learn the lenght of the lead as it is always changing, just something to bear in mind.

wexford202

sup_dude wrote: »

It's difficult to say the most effective way as every dog is different.

However with my dog, I found that if you stop walkin as soon as he pulls, he stops pullin. This takes a while and includes lots of reguler, long walks but eventually he got the message after a week or so.

It might even take longer but will eventually work.

He is dominating you by walking infront and pulling.

He thinks you're his bitch!;););)