Walking On A Lead

[Jed]

That's great Alfie, and once he understands a little what he is supposed to do, he will be a much happier and controlled dog.

Wasn't going crook at you about him not being trained. It's easy for them to grow up feral. I've retrained some I bred - big boys who pulled like trains, yet the owners thought that was normal, or they'd done obedience, or gone to a trainer, but the dog still didn't really understand. I don't think desexed or not desexed matters much as far as this is concerned either.

They don't actually need a hell of a lot of exercise. They are happy chasing a ball, or a toy in the backyard, or doing some training, or going for a ride in the car. Or sleeping on the bed ;) His problem is that he is over excited about all the stimulating things, and he doesn't know how to behave. A daily walk will be wonderful for him, and the mental stimulation will do him so much good.

"uh" has another function too - once he understands that it means "no", or "look" - you can get his attention when he is about to get up to something (jumping on little dogs in the park?). The more you take him out, and the more gentlemanly he becomes, the better he will be. And he'll love being a good dog. Once he understands, he will stive to please you.

Yep, Aidan, you're right, the op could have found out about clicker training, information is everywhere.

She asked know how to stop the dog pulling on walks.

I've probably retrained about 100 older boxers, and quite a few rescues of various breeds, and this method works every time, and it works for the owners when they go home, because it's simple for both dog and owner to understand, and the owner doesn't need to be particularly fast with commands or rewards. And that's why I posted

If it isn't working, ask again.

It also occurs to me that once he is trained, his owner will be able to walk him, he'll stroll along beside her.....you don't believe that, but he will!!

Edited May 6, 2010 by Jed

[persephone]

He is desexed , and yes the three walks a week was not very good at all, hence me taking him everyday so he can get all that energy out, which he really really needs .

;)

[Alfie02]

Thanks so much guys for all the support! .

Jed, I tried doing the 'uh' noise when out walking and he responded quite well which was excellent, as i didnt want to use his name for reprimanding him, so thats awesome

And your right, I would love to see his owner being able to stroll with him one day, its hard to see it now but with hard work it will happen! Yay!

PS. What a beautiful picture you posted! Lovely boxer ;) !

Edited May 6, 2010 by Alfie02

[Jed]

So pleased you are having success, Alfie, well done. You'll be amazed at how good he is in a few weeks.

Keep going, and his owner WILL be able to walk him. Might take a little while, and she will have to learn to keep him at it, and not let him backslide. But it wont be hard.

I am using a check chain for this big guy as myself and his owner agree that a dog of his size and at his level of training needs one to be somewhat controllable However, the lady who come and walks him 3 times a week does not 'believe in' check chains so she walks him on a harness and lets him do whatever he wants.....so we are now trying to undo this and get him to walk nicely

I think the chain is the right way. They need to learn and at that age, they are not at their most receptive, because they aren't mature. They tend to pull you along on a harness - it's nothing for them to pull, and they have such strong necks, pulling on a flat collar is all too easy. A little pressure helps them to understand what you want, where a continuous pull doesn't - added to which, they soon relate the rattle of the chain with the coming command, and "uh" gives them warning pre-command.

Chains have had a bad rap, mostly undeserved. Used properly, I think they do much less damage than constantly pulling on a flat collar.

You can transfer "uh" to other stuff as well. Maybe the lady who walks him 3 times a week could have a little holiday?

Someone mentioned food rewards. I found this worked with a lot of breeds, but I have more success with boxers with verbal praise. They seem to really appreciate that, and some of them get over-excited about food rewards, so you lose the aura of quietness and concentration you need.

PS. What a beautiful picture you posted! Lovely boxer !

Gee, thanks, I think so! I posted it so you could see one not pulling on a chain whilst hiking along, but all compliments gratefully accepted, specially when I agree with them .

Edited May 6, 2010 by Jed