Pulling When Walking

[TC001]

sorry for a silly question...how do you correct a 5 mth lab walking too far ahead? He's on a check/slip chain, when he pulls & the leash get tensioned, I stopped. He either sit or turn to look at me. I walk , a few metres later he's too far ahead again. He doesn't get it and I have ran out ideas. I also tried walking the opposite direction but that also didn't work.

[persephone]

Are you going to any obedience classes?

You may find it really useful to see/talk with others learning the same things

With a check collar- did someone show you how to use it properly?

if NOT.. then incorrect use will not be helpful to you or your pup.

If you have not been taught how to walk properly, then you cannot teach your pup

[aussielover]

How long have you been using this technique?

I found with my lab it took a few sessions of really dedicated training before she got it.

Sometimes we would literally only walk for 20 meters and then back again.

You can also use a martingale collar or check chain or even on a normal collar and when he goes to surge ahead, give him a quick check, give the heel command and reward after a few steps of good walking the the right position.

If you're not sure of the timing (hard to explain over the net!), perhaps consult with a trainer who can demonstrate for you or even give you some other techniques to try.

It is best to get a labradors walking under control before 6 months though when they start getting very large and strong, which is another reason to perhaps get a trainer to help you out

[TC001]

been going to 3 obedience classes before resuming after xmas break, have been shown how to use the check chain. My Lab is very energetic and very excited when walking, sniffing and greeting everyone, everything and every dog. Yes, growing stronger by the day. The trainer suggested turning and changing directions...means we might be walking in a very small circle!

[abed]

sorry for a silly question...how do you correct a 5 mth lab walking too far ahead? He's on a check/slip chain, when he pulls & the leash get tensioned, I stopped. He either sit or turn to look at me. I walk , a few metres later he's too far ahead again. He doesn't get it and I have ran out ideas. I also tried walking the opposite direction but that also didn't work.

A check chain is a correction tool TC001, it's not designed for the dog to lean into it for it to tighten up. The check chain is designed for a sharp on off application so before the dog reaches the end of the leash whilst the leash is still loose, you correct with a sharp tug on the leash and let it off. The jolting action is what alerts the dog to alter it's path, not pulling forwards on the choker until the dog coughs and splutters. The same as direction change, you change direction before the leash is tight which applies a sudden jolt and done correctly, the dog will follow.

[TC001]

sorry for a silly question...how do you correct a 5 mth lab walking too far ahead? He's on a check/slip chain, when he pulls & the leash get tensioned, I stopped. He either sit or turn to look at me. I walk , a few metres later he's too far ahead again. He doesn't get it and I have ran out ideas. I also tried walking the opposite direction but that also didn't work.

A check chain is a correction tool TC001, it's not designed for the dog to lean into it for it to tighten up. The check chain is designed for a sharp on off application so before the dog reaches the end of the leash whilst the leash is still loose, you correct with a sharp tug on the leash and let it off. The jolting action is what alerts the dog to alter it's path, not pulling forwards on the choker until the dog coughs and splutters. The same as direction change, you change direction before the leash is tight which applies a sudden jolt and done correctly, the dog will follow.

awesome advice Abed! many thanks. We went for a little walk this morning, the sharp tug & release works well.

[dee lee]

sorry for a silly question...how do you correct a 5 mth lab walking too far ahead? He's on a check/slip chain, when he pulls & the leash get tensioned, I stopped. He either sit or turn to look at me. I walk , a few metres later he's too far ahead again. He doesn't get it and I have ran out ideas. I also tried walking the opposite direction but that also didn't work.

A check chain is a correction tool TC001, it's not designed for the dog to lean into it for it to tighten up. The check chain is designed for a sharp on off application so before the dog reaches the end of the leash whilst the leash is still loose, you correct with a sharp tug on the leash and let it off. The jolting action is what alerts the dog to alter it's path, not pulling forwards on the choker until the dog coughs and splutters. The same as direction change, you change direction before the leash is tight which applies a sudden jolt and done correctly, the dog will follow.

awesome advice Abed! many thanks. We went for a little walk this morning, the sharp tug & release works well.

How did they teach you to use it at the obedience class?

[B-Q]

It took Quinn a while to catc on but she's easy to walk now. I used "be a tree" and lots of reward when she was in the right space, short, low distraction sessions a couple of times a day and she's started excelling. I also used kikopups videos as a reference.

[persephone]

How did they teach you to use it at the obedience class?

That's also why I asked if the OP had been shown how to use a check chain.... the technique used seemed a bit odd

[Amerykus]

use a clicker... i swear this works...

[abed]

sorry for a silly question...how do you correct a 5 mth lab walking too far ahead? He's on a check/slip chain, when he pulls & the leash get tensioned, I stopped. He either sit or turn to look at me. I walk , a few metres later he's too far ahead again. He doesn't get it and I have ran out ideas. I also tried walking the opposite direction but that also didn't work.

A check chain is a correction tool TC001, it's not designed for the dog to lean into it for it to tighten up. The check chain is designed for a sharp on off application so before the dog reaches the end of the leash whilst the leash is still loose, you correct with a sharp tug on the leash and let it off. The jolting action is what alerts the dog to alter it's path, not pulling forwards on the choker until the dog coughs and splutters. The same as direction change, you change direction before the leash is tight which applies a sudden jolt and done correctly, the dog will follow.

awesome advice Abed! many thanks. We went for a little walk this morning, the sharp tug & release works well.

Excellent To further condition that, you can then reward the dog when he has responded to the check train correction with a random treat, but always verbal praise when he complies, "good boy" in a happy voice. When he does begin to surge ahead just prior to a leash correction a firm "NO" works well and he will learn that a correction comes next if he doesn't comply. You will find done with consistancy that corrections will not be neccessary as the dog learns the behaviour you want from him

[Leema]

I highly recommend the methodology recommended by Sue Ailsby, as described in her training levels:

http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20dogs/Leve.../TL15Leash.html

Really, there is no better way for me to explain this, so I'll just leave it at that.

[aussielover]

How did they teach you to use it at the obedience class?

That's also why I asked if the OP had been shown how to use a check chain.... the technique used seemed a bit odd

I found that technique, when used with a flat collar only, was very effective in stopping pulling.

If there was any tension on the leash, we stopped and did not move until she was back in the correct walking position. When she was in position, she was rewarded, intially with a treatie and then just with praise.

I found this easier becuase it was totally obvious when to stop and what to do. Also with the thick lab neck, the corrections have to be pretty sharp to get them to even realise whats going on lol. And you don't have to worry about mis-timed corrections as much.

I can appreciate that different methods work for different dogs though.

I would NOT use that method with a check chain though as it would result in a "choke chain" effect

[TC001]

I am quite happy with the walks now, most of the time the leash is loose and I only occasionally have to tug/release when he's too far ahead. He's about a body length in front of me most of the time ie tail on my leg. How do you get him to walk besides me? ie his head parallel to my leg? thanks.

[GoldenGirl85]

use a clicker... i swear this works...

Care to elaborate? I have Lexi walking nicely now in the sense that she doesnt pull, but she does walk ahead of me on a taut lead, Id like to try and bring her back a bit but nothing Ive tried really works

Edited December 24, 2010 by GoldenGirl85

[Amerykus]

I bought the clicker book by Karen Pryor ( GREAT book to get started on clickering ) and looked clickering up on Google.

you first have to "charge" the clicker by just clicking and treating.

Basically every step she walked at my side Id click an treat ( 3 different kinds of treats ) if she got a step ahead of me id stop and as soon as she looked at me or turned my way Id click and treat , you can also say her name and again as soon as she looked at me or even turn my way id click and treat... I did this EVERY time I walked her.

needless to say she now walks beautifully next to me... there are still some days when she gets super excited and she will have a pull but I just have to say her name and she spins around and comes back to me... I make a huge fuss and get excited and she's back by my side again

She was a massive puller before , check chains, half checks, infin8 head halti's, id even tried the stop and be a tree thing, but she go right back to pulling again once I started to walk, nothing seem to work , then out of sheer frustration ( lets face it walking a dog that pulls your arm out is NOT fun at all ) I read up on clickering, saw my talented instructor use clickering and thought bugger it im going to give it a go... and what do you know.. it WORKS.

I now use clickering all the time, even my dogs recalls have improved 10 fold. So yeah im a HUGE fan of the Clicker

Edited December 24, 2010 by Amerykus

[sheena]

I bought the clicker book by Karen Pryor ( GREAT book to get started on clickering ) and looked clickering up on Google.

you first have to "charge" the clicker by just clicking and treating.

Basically every step she walked at my side Id click an treat ( 3 different kinds of treats ) if she got a step ahead of me id stop and as soon as she looked at me or turned my way Id click and treat , you can also say her name and again as soon as she looked at me or even turn my way id click and treat... I did this EVERY time I walked her.

needless to say she now walks beautifully next to me... there are still some days when she gets super excited and she will have a pull but I just have to say her name and she spins around and comes back to me... I make a huge fuss and get excited and she's back by my side again

She was a massive puller before , check chains, half checks, infin8 head halti's, id even tried the stop and be a tree thing, but she go right back to pulling again once I started to walk, nothing seem to work , then out of sheer frustration ( lets face it walking a dog that pulls your arm out is NOT fun at all ) I read up on clickering, saw my talented instructor use clickering and thought bugger it im going to give it a go... and what do you know.. it WORKS.

I now use clickering all the time, even my dogs recalls have improved 10 fold. So yeah im a HUGE fan of the Clicker

I used the clicker to stop my dog getting distracted by smells on the ground. When she would put her nose to the ground I would call "here" & as soon as she turned to look at me I clicked & treated, with the added result that she learnt that the best place to walk, when on leash, was right by my side looking up at me I still carry treats every time we go walking & treat occassionally.

[Leema]

I highly recommend the methodology recommended by Sue Ailsby, as described in her training levels:

http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20dogs/Leve.../TL15Leash.html

Really, there is no better way for me to explain this, so I'll just leave it at that.

This is also a clicker method. We C&T dogs ignoring stuff, starting off with few distractions and gradually increasing. We C&T the shape of the leash - i.e. a loose leash.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

I'm also a massive fan of the clicker.

I won't use punishment based training techniques - there is no need to once you plan what you want and how to get it.

I trained my 14mo to walk on a loose leash using a clicker to mark (and then provide a reward) every time the leash was loose. Yes, at first there are a lot of treats, but that's ok they just get fed their dinner while they walk if needs be. We also use a gentle leader easy walk harness. So when she did pull she would end up facing me - not the direction she wanted to.

As for walking in a heel position (where the dog is beside your leg and walkign looking up at you). An easy way is to keep food treats in your hand at the point where you want your dogs nose to be and treat them in that position as you walk.

I'm not so fussed about my girl heeling at the moment but I do want her to be able to walk beside me when we are in a busy environment etc. So I have been walking her on a short lead that keeps her very close to me (she can get about 20cm in front of my leg) and again clicking and treating her for walking beside me. She knows the leash needs to be loose so getting that sorted out first will help in getting them to walk close to you. That way they know no matter how long the leash is it just needs to be loose, so if it is a short leash they just need to walk closer to you.

Definitely have a look at the Karon Pryor clicker training stuff. I very honestly think both my dogs learn things at least 2-3 times faster using this method. My young one learnt a couple of new tricks (such as "Bang" - shoot dead) within 5 repetitions using this method.

Good luck - a dog on a loose leash is a joy to walk!!!

[TC001]

we have been walking well ie heeling but he's only good for 10+ mins, after that he gets excited and start sniffing, goes off in front but still loose leash. Do you try to get 100% heeling during a walk?