tasha's mum Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) My girl, Tasha, is a very bad lead puller, it has always been a stressful task just trying to walk her I have tried many ways, choker chain, dog trainer, anything you name it and it never stop her pulling. She is okie with my DH, it's just me when I walked her, she does the pulling. It was recommended by my vet to get her the Sporn Training Halter which will stop her pulling. Has anyone tried this before and how was it effective in counteracting this pulling behaviour? Thanks Edited May 28, 2009 by tasha's mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 My girl, Tasha, is a very bad lead puller, it has always been a stressful task just trying to walk her I have tried many ways, choker chain, dog trainer, anything you name it and it never stop her pulling. She is okie with my DH, it's just me when I walked her, she does the pulling. It was recommended by my vet to get her the Sporn Training Halter which will stop her pulling. Has anyone tried this before and how was it effective in counteracting this pulling behaviour? Thanks The sporn harness is excellent for a pulling dog. It is gentle and doesn't pull the dogs head or choke around the neck. It pulls from under the front legs which takes the power away from the chest and front of the dog. I have seen them work on anything from a small white fluffy to a lovely energetic staffie. You should be able to take your dog to the shop where you buy them and try it in store. Get the sales people to show you how to use it correctly. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I've found it really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I've seen dogs pull like a freight train on a sporn harness what have you tried so far with her? PM me before you go buy more stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickasyoucan Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I've seen dogs pull like a freight train on a sporn harnesswhat have you tried so far with her? PM me before you go buy more stuff Me too. Anyway IMO you are not really solving the issue, surely it is just lifting the dogs legs up so it can't get traction. I would be worried about chafing too. How about looking at some loose leash walking training? I did it with my staffy x from about the age of 4 and he will now walk low distraction absolutely no probs and even high distraction only requires minimal corrections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 My border collie came with one in lieu of the old owner actually working on her pulling like a freight train. It does not work. In fact I think it makes pulling more comfortable for her as the leg parts are padded. I'm sure it depends on the dog, but in my experience the only sure fire way to fix it is consistent training and a hell of a lot of persistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 What methods have you and the trainer tried? Maybe someone here has had results with similar methods, and will share? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasha's mum Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Thanks for the reply. The trainer whom I took her to had me dropped her off for a week and she was taught the basic commands, such as sit, drop, stay and heel. When I went to pick her up, I addressed the issue that she is a puller and a jumper. He showed me to go in the opposite direction from where she was pulling to. It was going really well at that time when he was there and she was doing the heel really well. After we got home, both my DH and I took her for walks and she was staying close to DH who was holding the lead. But the problem appear when I took her alone for walks and she started to pull me. I tried stopping and be a tree but she just bulldoze ahead. When I tried training her to walk in the yard with DH watching, she was doing fine. But the moment he turn his back, she starts pulling again. I spoke to friends who thinks it's because she don't see me as an alpha dog that's why she is doing that I first use the choker chain when we first started(I am not good at this and end up didn't correcting her pulling) and she rather pull and choke then to stop I just hate to see her choke everytime I take her out for walks. She does the same on a normal flat collar as well :D I was researching about the different types of aids and spoke to my vet who then told me to give the Sporn a try. I did consider the clicker training as a alternative after reading the book by Karen Pryor, but because she is overweight, the clicker training does involve giving treats which will add up to her calorie intake..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Tashasmum, a good trainer will show YOU how to walk her without her pulling and will instill confidence in you to handle her. I am always dubious about boarding and training facilities because often they train the dog but not the owner, which is a the most crucial aspect of dog training - training US to train the dog properly. Where are you located? Maybe we could recommend a more reputable trainer or training club for you to try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasha's mum Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Tashasmum, a good trainer will show YOU how to walk her without her pulling and will instill confidence in you to handle her. I am always dubious about boarding and training facilities because often they train the dog but not the owner, which is a the most crucial aspect of dog training - training US to train the dog properly. Where are you located? Maybe we could recommend a more reputable trainer or training club for you to try Hi Huski, I am located in Mundoolun, suburb next to Jimboomba. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Have PM'd you some suggestions, TM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasha's mum Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Have PM'd you some suggestions, TM Thanks, Huski. I will email her now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I agree with huski- For YOU to control your dog- it is YOU who needs to be taught - not the dog :D Hopefully you will now get the help and education you need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasha's mum Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Thanks all for your suggestions I totally agree with you that I should be the one to be trained. Hmmmm... do you think the boarding trainer will take me in for a week?? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 surely it is just lifting the dogs legs up so it can't get traction. I would be worried about chafing too. If the dogs legs are coming off the ground then you are using it wrong. The padding is to stop chafing though I've heard it sometimes happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Tried a halti? Worked brilliantly on my puller - she used to pull until she choked and just keep pulling and keep choking. Halti on - problem solved instantly. Without it she would never have got walked she was awful. Some people seem to think they're harsh but I've never understood why. But then my puller only weighs 11 kgs so perhaps on a 40kg dog it's a different issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Some people seem to think they're harsh but I've never understood why. Because dogs are not horses and their necks are not designed to take any kind of force. The pulling and jerking that happens can cause serious neck injury. I would NEVER use any type of head collar nor recommend them for this reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Some people seem to think they're harsh but I've never understood why. Because dogs are not horses and their necks are not designed to take any kind of force. The pulling and jerking that happens can cause serious neck injury. I would NEVER use any type of head collar nor recommend them for this reason. What ML said I also wonder what happens when people take the head collar off, most dogs I see revert back to pulling so I also question just how much it teaches the dog - they are more often than not used as a quick fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelpie-i Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Personally I don't mind the Sporn harness, only because it does eliminate about 30% of the dog's pulling capacity and in some cases that can be a great help for those who just want to walk their dog each day without all the 'hoo haa'. Those dogs who continue to pull on the sporn are doing so at a minimised capacity and not at their full potential, therefore it is not a bad tool if you can keep that aspect in mind. The Sporn is a much better tool than the head halter IMO as there is no risk of neck or head injury with it but can be a little fiddly to put on initially. Short term, I recommend spending the money on a Sporn to at least enable you to walk your dog with a little more control than you are currently experiencing. Long term, seek the services of a trainer who can show you a few techniques on stopping the pull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Short term, I recommend spending the money on a Sporn to at least enable you to walk your dog with a little more control than you are currently experiencing. Long term, seek the services of a trainer who can show you a few techniques on stopping the pull. This is what I recommend to my puppy buyer who had a problem puller. The Sporn allowed her enough control over the dog to continue to exercise him while the pulling was worked on separately. Without adequate exercise the training to not pull was not working, the dog needed to be calmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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