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Pulling While Walking


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I have had my 6year old bitch injure a patella ligament, so we have been recommended to try and build up her muscles by getting her to pull while walking. Needless to say as a pup she was a crazy puller, so have spent the last 6yrs conditioning her NOT to pull :rofl:

How would you go about training her now to pull. Not sure how shaping would work, as the clicker brings her back to me. So far I have put her on her flyball harness and just let her wonder but as soon as she hits the end of the lead she stops and waits for me to catch up.

I asked about using the bike, as she has not been trained to be on a loose lead, but for the moment walking up hills is the desired treatment. Just need to work out how.

So any suggestions would be great.

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Have you got a harness with a clip on the back - should help engage the opposition reflex and then maybe do some restrained recalls - using the clip for restrain and something really yummy to drive to.

You may have to start small and build up with the pulling. ie reward for pulling against a harness, but maybe not for pulling against a collar. Is there any thing that she will chase or lunge after to get her started...

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Whilst in harness .. really gee her on ... get excited and use a command word .. maybe get someone to go ahead of her ... then lots of praise for pulling IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE ;) She will soon learn that harness plus ***word = PULL :)

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What about having somebody she really likes lay a short track. So go and hide behind a tree or something. Then have her find them. On fresh tracks if the dog is really keen they pretty quickly pull into there harness. Or even lay a track yourself with food at the end.

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Could you get her to pull against an object, rather than away from you? Attach a harness to a box or somthing, and stand in front of her and call her to you? Hopefully that way she will see it as different to leash walking and it won't sabotage your loose lead training in the process

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You can totally shape this. Flyball harness in one hand, heap of food in the other, hold the food juuuust out of her reach, and as soon as you get the slightest lean into the harness, jackpot. It won't take long at all for her to catch on to the game and then you can put pushing forward on cue. I teach my dogs to push back against my hand this way as a secondary reinforcer. Started teaching the hare to do it as well, actually. I never got around to putting it on cue, but I was using it to get him used to more firm contact.

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A harness might be good and might not, I have a dog who pulls but never on a harness

Do you have a 2nd dog, having the 2nd dog out in front a bit might encourage her to speed up a bit.

Do you know anyone with a dog cart? I wonder if pulling a cart would have the same exercise affect?

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