dee lee Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 (edited) I am going bonkers with my dog's pulling on the lead whilst walking!!!! She is nearly one now and its been months of me walking her with a check chain, stopping when she pulls, directing her to get "back", training her to heel, you name it i've done it and she STILL pulls!!! Im not worried about leadership issues- i've use NILIF, TOT, she will do pretty much anything i say at home, she behaves well if we stop for a coffee on our walk (she's a very cosmopolitan dog ), but she just will not pay consistent attention to me when we are walking- the slightest thing distracts her and she pulls pulls pulls. We dont go to obedience (not by choice but by circumstance), i have previously used a trainer and i am going to be using a behaviourist/new trainer in the next month or so but at the moment all i want is to walk her stress free! Help!! Dee Edited February 12, 2008 by deelee2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonymc Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Dee,you state from your posts that it has been months and the Dog still pulls.obvisouly the approach is not working and the dog is not getting the message at all. To often with Animal training one question is never asked and it should be the first cab off the rank.That question is,Where am I coming from?" In other words we must look at the part we are playing in any problem or difficulty.We need to ask,Am I doing exactly as the trainer suggested,am i truly being consistent,am I interpretating things in the same way the trainer meant?, We also need to ask around and see if the course of action suggested has been proven to be effective. Many times being Human we think we have things down pat but their is always room for improvement, so leadership needs to be checked upon and its best to get another opinion of our leadership rather then rely on our own. what was the suggestion or approach you were given to stop her pulling? tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 You need to be consistant with you criteria. Do you want her to pay attention to you the whole walk?, seems unrealistic to me so maybe you're nagging her. 'but she just will not pay consistent attention to me when we are walking-' Or do you want her not to pull on the lead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petmezz Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 with the TOT have you generalised it with your dog?? have you started doing it in other places? have you followed it properly? did you just read it on the web and give it a go, or did you have some one come and show you how to do it and adapt it to sute your dog better? you say you tried check chains, have you been instructed on how critical the timing and intencity is in this form of training? i would stop go back a few steps in training and start the basic training in front of the house, perform the tot their to and gradually expand the areas for training. your dog may miss out initaly on a walk now and then but that is ok as long as it is being mentaly stimulated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdude Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Hi deelee A Clear, consistant and effective message is the key to gettting a dog to walk on a loose lead. An experinced person will be of great help showing you how to acheive this. It is much better to have them there watching what you are doing rather than getting instruction over the net, timing is everthing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 Thanks guys, just logged on again. Tony- firstly I was told by a trainer i used a couple of times to use treats to encourage her to want to walk by my side, much like a heel. This works fine during training sessions but she is not interested in food under distraction so I have given up on this for general walks. For months now Ive been trying what many people on here have advised (and the trainer had touched on this too) which is to stop (engaging the check chain briefly) everytime she pulls ahead, wait for her to stop and come back to me, then move on- continuing this process constantly, with the occasional sit command to refocus her on me. I also add a "back" command occasionally before she hits her stride to remind her before the check engages. Pax- I just mean I want her to be aware that i am on the other end of the leash and not pull. I've read on here that that is the ideal case and thats what i'm after- I dont need her to be looking at me constantly. Petmezz- She does TOT easily in the backyard, in fact i was suprised (and proud) the other day when i put food down for her and went to walk away and she just sat there looking at me (i hadnt done it for a while). But I must say i havent done it outside our house- mostly because she is not food driven under distraction and there are CATS everywhere in our street!! Im a bit stumped as to how to do it due to that. Dogdude- Yep, looking forward to some professional help :D but in the meantime... Actually today she was a little better than usual, but i put it down to the heat . Essentially she is just SOOO dog and cat focused that i have no control over her when either one appears- hence the check chain, otherwise i would be pulled over. Also my husband or i take her for a jog once or twice a week- he wonders if this may be why, could she be expecting me to start running? I'm of the opinion she should be following my cue. She gets ALL her exercise on leash so everyday is a pain at present. Bloody hell WHEN will she get it into her head????!!!! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 What about some other tool while your waiting for the trainer- like a gentle leader? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 I once asked for some advice on here about other anti-pulling tools and got so many responses about needing trainer to show you how to use them that i decided to stick with what i knew and i'd used a check chain many years ago. Also from what i understand about these halter type tools (correct me if i'm wrong) there can be neck danger from pulling on them when the dog's head is turning- she is a real head snapper, she will turn and pull the other way so quickly if she sees a dog or cat. I really just cant see what i'm doing wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 You might find an infin8 from Blackdog Wear suitable for your needs and there is less danger of neck injuries. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 (edited) You might find an infin8 from Blackdog Wear suitable for your needs and there is less danger of neck injuries. I believe not necessarily Mel. The axis of the leverage might be different, but it is still there and perhaps more than one might at first think. IMO, HeadCollars are not a style of equipment that should be 'toyed' with until one gets to see a trainer to understand how to train. Edited January 2, 2008 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILuvAmstaffs Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I would highly recommend trying a harness that clips on the front such as the Easy Walk Harness . We have something very similar & have found it to be fantastic... much better than a check chain or martingale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBella Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 (edited) I found this very frustrating as well until I got some help. What I would suggest in the meantime is to cut the lead walks down to say 15 minutes so it is easier for both of you to stay calm and work on your timing with the choker you use now. You could do this 2 or 3 times a day if you have time. One of the tricks I learned was to set yourself up for success. I find that making it as easy and enjoyable as possible helps a great deal as well. Also the dog needs to feel that they are doing a good job. My Bella is very soft so any time I tell her off she gets upset. To make her feel better I have to reward her for any good things she does. Good luck -eta - missing sentence from too much wine Edited January 2, 2008 by BellasPerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 It sounds to me like you really just need a trainer to go through absolutely everything you're doing to see if they can give you pointers. It definitely sounds like you know in theory what needs to be done! And I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but based on some of your posts about your dog it sounds like she's been more of a burdon than a joy most of the time. Sometimes it pays to mentally take a step back, breath deeply and laugh next time they do something silly. I know only too well how much of a challenge a strong, willful, easily distracted dog can be and it's easy to get caught up trying to make them "perfect", then get stressed when it doesn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Well - if it is going to be a couple of months before you see a trainer then you need a tool. If you have one booked soon- then you might as well wait for them. A lady at my club used the easy walk harness and it seemed to help her- if you are worried about the head snapping thing. I use a sporn harness (as I have to use a harness for Grover's health). They seem ok- can't be any worse from what you are describing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 (edited) Bella's person- good tip, keeping walks short til she improves may help her to appreciate them and be less distracted. In addition to this I have been thinking, as Petmezz suggested, that i need to expand my training area in the street outside the house, maybe that will help with many probs. I try hard to stay positive but i just get tired... must say though my dog is not soft at all and does not seem even slightly interested in doing a good job!! Positive praise is just ignored outside the house. Even at home during training she just seems to get more and more excited rather than seeming to want to please. Jaybeece- Yes i have found it hard to enjoy my dog (did my myriad of whingeing posts give me away? She has just spent a week at a boarding kennel and after this breather i have found it all a bit easier to step back as you say and appreciate her. She is a real sweetie and I have realised she is in fact quite well behaved- she just has a couple of BIG issues that make it tricky to leave the house with her. OH has not helped with the tension... Next week i'm calling a trainer i was recommended and we'll see what it is i am doing wrong- cant wait to get on the road to the perfect dog!! :wink: Just joking, I will be happy to settle for her to walk easy on lead and be less obsessed (and "defensive") around other dogs. As for using harnesses etc, I think i will continue as i am- i have been trying to ease off the check chain a bit and she behaves much the same on her flat collar now. By which i mean she still forges ahead then stops when i stop, the check i use mostly when i have my kids with me and i need to be assured of complete control. My wish is that she wouldnt forge ahead at all regardless of the tool. Edited January 3, 2008 by deelee2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Jaybeece- Yes i have found it hard to enjoy my dog (did my myriad of whingeing posts give me away? She has just spent a week at a boarding kennel and after this breather i have found it all a bit easier to step back as you say and appreciate her. She is a real sweetie and I have realised she is in fact quite well behaved- she just has a couple of BIG issues that make it tricky to leave the house with her. OH has not helped with the tension... Hang in there, it sounds like your really trying hard and I think it'll pay off sooner than you think :rolleyes: She sounds like she's improved based on your posts so you are moving forwards slowly but surely and one day you'll look back and feel proud that you did such a good job My boy was very much like your girl for a long time so I know exactly how you feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Thanks for the pep talk Jaybeece! Its good to hear a success story that started like mine. This has been a very tough learning process (having had an easy dog previously) and i've probably been beating myself up too much over it. I can see improvements- i've got to learn to accept them with grace no matter how small they are and not give up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Don't worry- the first six months we had Grover were pretty awful- it gets better as you get more and more issues sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 First 5 months with Dante were hell.....Although Taboo.....I'll say it.....I didn't like him and I couldn't bond with him because he was such a terror.....just had to change my perspective and see a challenge as a positive thing as I'd learn something and actually seek some help out....struggled to come to grips as to why I couldn't train this dog when I had no problem with previous ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 First 5 months with Dante were hell.....Although Taboo.....I'll say it.....I didn't like him and I couldn't bond with him because he was such a terror.....just had to change my perspective and see a challenge as a positive thing as I'd learn something and actually seek some help out....struggled to come to grips as to why I couldn't train this dog when I had no problem with previous ones. Bravo for your honesty Sas Zig was a bit the same for the first 6 months - I was so busy correcting and praising and correcting and praising It's so much work with some pups that you don't seem to have time to do the fun stuff! Even my show trainer confessed he'd never seen such a determined young pup He was an adorable looking lad but a complete ratbag! But persistence and consistency have well and truly paid off and I truly love him and enjoy his madness now....it's just a case of channeling all that energy and intelligence...AND training my OH :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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