Pulling On Lead While Walking

[Pawprints]

For the OP.

When I went to training to teach mt dog to walk on a loose leash, not necessarily heeling yet I was taught the following.

Have about a meter long lead. This lets the dog be able to reach trees on naturestips etc for a sniff and is sufficient length.

The trick is to remind him that YOU are directing the walk and that he is not, and by pulling, he doesn't get to go where he wants.

Let him have almost the full length of lead and once it starts to tighten ever so slightly, a quick pop on the lead followed by an immediate change in direction for a minute just keeps him on the ball.

I have found this has worked wonders with my 4 month old.

[poodlefan]

Vickie:

I think it is because it is as natural for us to apply pressure to a leash as it is for an animal to reflex against that pressure.

It's interesting that with a dog the expectation is that the dog will resist the pressure whereas with a horse the horse will yield to pressure.

Predator v prey response I suppose.

[Vickie]

Vickie:

I think it is because it is as natural for us to apply pressure to a leash as it is for an animal to reflex against that pressure.

It's interesting that with a dog the expectation is that the dog will resist the pressure whereas with a horse the horse will yield to pressure.

Predator v prey response I suppose.

I'm pretty sure that horses have an opposition reflex just as dogs do.

Edited February 22, 2007 by Vickie

[poodlefan]

Vickie:

I'm pretty sure that horses have an opposition reflex just as dogs do.

They probably do but many training methods focus on the horse yielding to pressure, not opposing it.

[Lablover]

Vickie:

I think it is because it is as natural for us to apply pressure to a leash as it is for an animal to reflex against that pressure.

It's interesting that with a dog the expectation is that the dog will resist the pressure whereas with a horse the horse will yield to pressure.

Predator v prey response I suppose.

I'm pretty sure that horses have an opposition reflex just as dogs do.

Changing the topic, sorry. Did someone mention horses LOL? A past time which interested me greatly years ago.

Is hardmouth caused by poor training, or is a horse born with hard mouth?

I used to have dressage lessons by international trainers, during fundamental training, we all had to listen for seemingly hours on the use of avoidance/compulsion, using tools like spurs and whips. Many a lecture would include, "riding a horse without tools is like a ballet dancer without shoes."

Back to topic. To the original poster...............dogs do what works for them. Does your dog pull, when practicing in your yard with no distractions? How often is your dog walked?

[poodlefan]

Lablover:

Is hardmouth caused by poor training, or is a horse born with hard mouth?

Poor training... basically the horse becomes desensitised to more subtle aids and accustomed to being 'yanked around' by the reins. Only in extreme cases does the mouth actually have any damage but that can also be done.

The perfect example of a desensitised horse is a riding school horse. It gets used to being kicked to go so doesn't respond to a squeeze of the legs. It is accustomed to people using pressure on the reins to "hang on" and ignores any more subtle rein aid.

Riding a riding school horse after a well trained horse is like driving a shopping trolley having gotten out of a sports car.

Horse training aids are like dog training aids. A spur can be a very subtle cue or an item of abuse. Same for bits, whips etc.

Edited February 22, 2007 by poodlefan

[Lablover]

Riding a riding school horse after a well trained horse -------------Thankyou!!!

I liked high horses ( I used to buy mine straight of the track - fun, sometimes), just like a prefer high dogs.

[Tonymc]

lablover,no Horse unless born with a deformity is born with a Hard Mouth.Two of the major causes of Hard mouths are poor or ineffective Mouthing methods and poor Horsemanship.

Horses,do have an inherent oppositional reflex that Dogs and other Animals carry.Run any unbroken Horse in and ask him to do certain things.What will you get?A Fight!!!He will resist and fight till he is shown where to go and how to release the Pressure.His fighting is all about him trying to get relief of Stimuli or Pressure.

Yes many Horse Training Methodology"s are based on yielding,but that does not come naturally but has to be taught. Tony

[Lablover]

Thanks again. Tony. I agree with you and PF. I apologise once more, for changing the subject matter.

[Pit Man]

one way i have learnt to walk my dog without letting him pull is ...

1. walk the dog near a straight wall... or along a fence

.

2.Keep your dog walking and sitting to the left of you.

3. start to walk really really really slowly using left foot first , make sure leash is kept really loose in your left hand and between you and the dog.

if dog wont walk .... gently use your left thigh to pull the lead to make him walk. Or use your command "lets go" or "walk"

4.the minute your dogs head goes past your left leg while walking .stop and tug the lead with a firm tug. Then lift the lead up so the dog sits and dont say anything to him or look at him. And stop for a few seconds.

5.pull the dog back behind you , near the left leg. Make him sit again or give sit command . And stop for a few seconds.

and start again. remember keep walking slowly, . I learnt this from my trainer and in 30 min my dog didnt pull on the lead.

Make sure that the tug is quick, to catch him asap when his head moves past your left leg. And dont tug so that the dog is choking to death. firm quick tug.

keep trainning him in back yard ..... then gradually go outside to a feild with out any walls and do the same. Once he starts walking slowly with you introduce him to other distractions. Like walking around your area and do the same.

Sounds quite reasonable. Will have to try it in the future.

[sidoney]

On the topic of horses, briefly, if you push the hindquarter sideways of an unhandled horse, before you have taught it to yield, it will push back against you. They may almost fall over in resisting the pressure of your hand. If you pull against its head, it will pull back. Foals are sooner to give as they are weaker but you take a hefty big thoroughbred weanling and you learn about resisting pressure if you don't train them to yield.

Horses must be taught to yield to pressure since they are so large you can't just drag them around.

Dogs are mostly small enough to drag around and physically push around and I think that's why many people don't ever get to training them to do any differently.

A horse can be trained to take any pressure on its mouth. I rode a horse owned by my sister, who trained with Judy Dierks. He was ridden with a VERY firm rein, but was able to respond to changes in pressure. (The racehorses I rode were also trained to work into firm rein pressure under most speeds - so firm that you had to bridge the reins across their neck in order to retain balance when standing in the stirrups.) In contrast, I worked for a French dressage guy, trained at the Cadre Noir, and his horses were trained to work on a much lighter pressure. "Hard mouth" IMO would most likely refer to lack of response to changes in pressure.

Edited February 22, 2007 by sidoney