Teaching Small To Medium Dogs Not To Pull On Lead

[Stitch]

I am going through a big rethink on how I teach my pups to walk calmly on lead.

For some reason which I can't pick up, several of my mine over the last 12 months have ended up as pullers which I find is very difficult to change.

Does anyone have a good method for training a small to medium dog to walk on the lead without pulling?

I find it is way to hard on my back to continually bend down to them holding a treat - which is what has been suggested to try.

Not all are pullers but I want to make sure I am not setting myself up for this problem and inadvertantly teaching them to do the very thing I don't want them to do ie. pull.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

i turn around and go in the opposite direction every time they pull. i did a lot of circles for a while

[B-Q]

With Quinn I would stop everytime she put tension on the lead and wait for her to make it slack. I would take every oppurtunity to C&T when she wasn't pulling but was distracted. You could teach them to catch a treat and just throw it down to them.

[Stitch]

Yes, I do exactly that but there are times when I have them on the lead that I can't do the change of direction thing.

When I train which is probably 10 minutes per day when they are youngsters, I can do the change of direction training but it is not always possible in all circumstances especially when moving a dog around on a lead for short distances.

It is particularly difficult if I have to move say a young dog and an older dog at the same time on leads. The young one invariably plays up, pulling to catch up to the older dog, which is really just an age thing.

I am beginning to question my skills/abilities in this basic training!!

[corvus]

I generally use going forwards as a functional reward and just go nowhere if there is tension on the leash. But nothing really beats rapid-fire treats right next to you. For my current two dogs I taught them on a long line. My reasoning is it gives the dog more practice walking without tension on the leash. I would just shorten or lengthen it to suit the surroundings. Being consistent is really important. It's hard for them when there's exciting stuff going on, though. My boys need reminders sometimes. I use "hold up" as a kind of conditioned punisher meaning they have to slow down if they want to keep going forward. Then I use "hang about" as an informal heel cue to tell them to walk at my side. That one was taught entirely with treats.

[The Spotted Devil]

If training with food is working for you, perhaps try a long wooden spoon to which you can apply an appropriate treat??? Peanut butter, fish paste, cheese spread or something??? It would save you bending down.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

The other thing I did was to teach her to heal off leash in the hall (I have a long hallway) then in the garden.

In the hall I dropped treats onto the floor a little behind where I was walking and on the side I walk her so she never went ahead of me in case she missed a treat

She then didn't pull on the leash. I also vary the speed that I walk so she really needs to pay attention to me when we are walking.

She never pulls on the lead now and at one stage I thought she would never stop pulling.

[Stitch]

Many thanks for all your ideas - I will try them out.

I seem to be going through a bad patch where I am doubting my abilities and consistency is difficult.

Every dog is different and produces its own challenges to overcome.

[Zug Zug]

Yep - turn around and walk the other way suddenly.

Also use a clicker and throw a treat - saves a lot of bending.

[Dxenion]

Is

the sort of thing you're after?

[Stitch]

Ooooo - that was a great video clip - that is just what I needed - thank you sooooo much Dxenion!!!

[tigger000]

I know many people dont like using correction-chains, but they do work wonders if used correctly.

I used one on my dog for social walking and it worked really well.

Each time he pulled on the lead, i gave him a short, sharp check on the chain along with "ah-ah" and quickly changed direction. Each time he was walking near me and was not pulling on the lead, i bridged and rewarded him.

After one obedience class he was walking really well

[Stitch]

I don't have a problem with using check chains - I will use whatever works best for the dog - however I have found that they don't always work on all dogs as you would expect and want them to.

I have a pretty headstrong and stubborn breed and using a check chain (correctly) have actually made pulling problems worse because it can desensitise some dogs with of the number of corrections that have to be given.

If you had said that to me 10 years ago I wouldn't have believed it but I have found it to be true with some dogs - not all.

I have now realised that the important thing is to start off really slowly when they are little - that is why that video seems like a method that would work for my lot.

I have started practicing already although I am debating whether I should use a clicker or just a voice marker???

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

I don't have a problem with using check chains - I will use whatever works best for the dog - however I have found that they don't always work on all dogs as you would expect and want them to.

I have a pretty headstrong and stubborn breed and using a check chain (correctly) have actually made pulling problems worse because it can desensitise some dogs with of the number of corrections that have to be given.

If you had said that to me 10 years ago I wouldn't have believed it but I have found it to be true with some dogs - not all.

I have now realised that the important thing is to start off really slowly when they are little - that is why that video seems like a method that would work for my lot.

I have started practicing already although I am debating whether I should use a clicker or just a voice marker???

I use a voice marker as it means one less thing to carry and manipulate

[corvus]

I rarely used a clicker when I was leash training my boys, but these days I nearly always have one in my hand when I'm out with the dogs. I can hold a clicker in ready-to-click position, a leash, a small toy, and a little meatball ready to break off a bit and feed all in one hand. I usually end up putting the toy back in the dog training pouch, though. Anyway, it's not terribly hard to do clicker and leash. If I were doing it again today I would use a clicker. I think it's clearer. I'm yet to find a verbal marker that is as clear and attention-grabbing as a clicker.