# Walking.... Pulling....



## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

Hey everyone,

My wife desperately needs help, because our 5 month is only going to get heavier and he's pulling on that leash on walks and is hurting my wife's hands, she suffers from bad carpel tunnel...

Any advice on how to get our boy to calmly walk with us without all the straining and pulling?

We have him on a martingale collar but he chokes himself through it in anxiety!


Thank you...


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

I went through something very similar. What I found out the hard way was that I had to stop walking the dog until she was trained. By that I mean that walks were always a struggle, but we NEEDED to go for walks, so we, my dog and I, were essentially working at cross purposes.

What finally worked for me was to realize that if I stopped the idea of walking somewhere, and concentrated on actually training the puppy instead, it was pretty quick to resolve the pulling problem.

Here's what I did. I used a collar similar to a martingale. I worked to teach my puppy to heel both on and off leash at home, without distractions. Then, when we walked away from the house, I would stop whenever the pup got out of position. I would, without saying anything, use my hands to put her back into the correct position, but then continue to stand in that spot for another full 2 minutes...without a word and without ever looking at the dog. Then we'd start again. The second she moved out of a proper heel position again, stop, move back into position, then stand still without a word for 2 more minutes. It literally too us 20=30 minutes to go 30 yds. But at the end of that 30 yds, she was actively looking at my legs to be sure she was in position. For loose leash walking, I did similar, but honestly, once the heel was working, she stopped pulling on the leash ever. It does take some time, and you have to view it as training, not walking. But I guarantee you if you do this, your dog will learn to stop pulling.

Good Luck!


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

EDIT 2: Tim pretty much covered what I said, but I'll leave it up so you can read my version of his method and maybe it'll clear up a question if Tim seemed vague on an explanation 

***

Training is going to be frustrating for both you and the dog

I've tried a few methods and this method is what works best for me. My pup turned 5mos earlier in the week

Take pup for a "walk." Remember that the idea is training. You are not trying to get to a destination. A 5min walk can turn into a 20-30min training session

Every time pup pulls, you stop. Gently pull pup back to your side and put in a heel position at your side. If you wish to add a "heel" command, you can. However, be consistent. I don't bother with a command. Stay stopped for 1-2mins (member I got this from waits 2-3mins!). No joke, sit there and just relax. Look at your watch if you need to

Start walking again and every time your pup pulls, stop, move him back into position, and wait for 1-2mins

This ultimately teaches your pup that he doesn't get to go where he wants when he pulls

You pup WILL become frustrated eventually and possibly whiny or nippy or whatever he may do. You just have to push through it. He will learn

When he is not pulling and walks by your side, you can praise/ give treat (I would have to stop when giving treat or my pup would then go back to pulling and choke on the treat, so I just don't give treats)

I've only done a few sessions, and she's learning. There're times when she'll walk next to me for 20' and then get distracted and want to pull. A 15min+ going to the park was prob cut down to less than 10min on the way back

Also, if you do some hard playing with your pup beforehand to burn off energy will help. There's a big difference in my pup going to the park vs going home because she was able to run and play fetch and get tired while at the park

I think my method is from @tim_s_adams. He may be able to cover anything I might have missed

***

EDIT, Looks like Tim beat me to the punch, HAHAHA!


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Armistice said:


> EDIT 2: Tim pretty much covered what I said, but I'll leave it up so you can read my version of his method and maybe it'll clear up a question if Tim seemed vague on an explanation
> 
> ***
> 
> ...


First, I'm glad to hear this is working for you! Second, I like your explanation of the process better than mine! I've written this same thing now so many times that I find myself taking shortcuts and not explaining enough, so thank you for elaborating! I do think it's more of a owner/handler perspective than anything. This is the stop or turn around method mentioned by so many others. The thing that didn't make those suggestions work for me was the idea that you can actually train a good LLW or heel while trying to walk the dog...because you can't! It's got to be viewed as training...so that you're more focused on getting the point across to the dog, than you are concerned about getting in your 1 or 2 miles. >


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

tim_s_adams said:


> First, I'm glad to hear this is working for you! Second, I like your explanation of the process better than mine! I've written this same thing now so many times that I find myself taking shortcuts and not explaining enough, so thank you for elaborating! I do think it's more of a owner/handler perspective than anything. This is the stop or turn around method mentioned by so many others. The thing that didn't make those suggestions work for me was the idea that you can actually train a good LLW or heel while trying to walk the dog...because you can't! *It's got to be viewed as training...so that you're more focused on getting the point across to the dog, than you are concerned about getting in your 1 or 2 miles. >*


Welcome!

I think this is the biggest issue. People don't really view it as training and become frustrated. I know I did. Once you view it as the training and not the destination, all the frustration goes away and is much easier on yourself

Maybe you should write a detailed thread about it, then redirect people to that thread when the question comes up  Then you don't have keep writing it


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I prefer changes in direction and circles. Standing still is boring and the attention wanders. Changing direction quickly forces the dog to focus on you. No talking, no tightening the leash, no warning. Pup moves ahead do a quick about face and move in the opposite direction. They very quickly learn to keep their eyes on you. If pup continues to move in front of you, circles with the dog on the inside. If the pup starts lagging behind in protest circles with him on the outside.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I have to admit I don't have the patience for standing still especially in the cold, so like Sabis Mom I keep moving, changing directions and circling but I use treats and a soft sound like a whistle. Whenever the pup pulls, I stop and whistle, when the pup turns to me, I quickly turn so the pup follows then when he approaches, I give a treat. This is the method in Turid Rugaas's book : My Dog Pulls, What Do I Do? If my pup gets really excited like when he sees a squirrel, I do have him sit, have him focus on me by taking out a treat, then tossing it ahead and we go in a different direction. Since he tends to pull and lose focus more when he gets tired, I keep the sessions short and take different routes.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

JLla84 said:


> Hey everyone,
> .
> My wife desperately needs help, because our 5 month is only going to get heavier and he's pulling on that leash on walks and is hurting my wife's hands, she suffers from bad carpel tunnel...
> 
> ...


What also might help your wife's hands and your puppy's pulling is to use a front ring harness on your puppy. The front ring harness and how it works to deter pulling is explained here:

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/20_4/features/Best-Dog-Harnesses-2017_21622-1.html


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Mary Beth said:


> I have to admit I don't have the patience for standing still especially in the cold, so like Sabis Mom I keep moving, changing directions and circling but I use treats and a soft sound like a whistle. Whenever the pup pulls, I stop and whistle, when the pup turns to me, I quickly turn so the pup follows then when he approaches, I give a treat. This is the method in Turid Rugaas's book : My Dog Pulls, What Do I Do? If my pup gets really excited like when he sees a squirrel, I do have him sit, have him focus on me by taking out a treat, then tossing it ahead and we go in a different direction. Since he tends to pull and lose focus more when he gets tired, I keep the sessions short and take different routes.


The only real issue I have with treats is that for some dogs food is the whole world and they stop complying when the food stops, then you have the dogs who will never choose food(or you) over that a$$ hat of a squirrel that keeps taunting them.
The key to the way I use is that the dog teaches itself that if it takes it's focus off you a sudden direction change is in cards.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Sabis mom said:


> The only real issue I have with treats is that for some dogs food is the whole world and they stop complying when the food stops, then you have the dogs who will never choose food(or you) over that a$$ hat of a squirrel that keeps taunting them.
> The key to the way I use is that the dog teaches itself that if it takes it's focus off you a sudden direction change is in cards.


Yes, I understand what your point is and I didn't make mine too clear but after the first few sessions and Turid Rugaas also mentions this her book, it is important to space out the treats and not to give them everytime or the result will be what you said.


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

This wil certainly be challenging but thanks to everyone for pitching in trying to help...

We first tried the harness but felt that gave him more leverage even with the keyring in the front of the harness....

I figured the martingale would give him incentive not to pull but he chokes himself through it!!!



Another headache i get during walks is constant zig zag, side to side wandering, going for leaves, and mulch! hes a handful during walks... he goes to patches.... sometimes he does the mentioned above and sometimes he walks slowly by my side....


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I use a martingale on Shadow. It will be fine. 

The directional changes need to be quick and not communicated. These dogs take work, they are worth it.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

JLla84 said:


> This wil certainly be challenging but thanks to everyone for pitching in trying to help...
> 
> We first tried the harness but felt that gave him more leverage even with the keyring in the front of the harness....
> 
> ...


I'm using a martingale on my 6 month puppy. I used a front ring harness on my previous gsd but as an adult. The harness doesn't work well with loose leash walking as for it to be effective the pup needs to walk by your side. I did allow short sniffing periods of loose leash walking with the harness. The video on the harness i used is on this site and shows how it is done: https://www.dogwalkinsync.com/ 

But no matter what collar or harness, like the previous posters said, it is a training session. Better to keep it short and when you get to a free space like a park or switch to a longer line and let him sniff and pull. He'll soon catch on the different behavior required and also the puling will ease up on the longer line. I stop the zig zag by shortening the leash and putting a treat in my left hand so the pup walks on that side and I gave a command like heel. Then when the pup again tries to go right, I stop and get him back in position, throwing a treat on the ground on the left side helps. For the sniffing, sometimes I do stop and let him sniff and I say "what a good sniffer" in a happy tone, he looks up, and start walking ahead, he follows and sometimes gets a treat. If I don't want him to stop, I turn sharply. 

I have not used a thunderleash, but it may help. This is a review: ThunderLeash: Review and Observations - Epic.Reviews

If you have a trainer in your area, you may want to consult with one especially given your wife's carpal tunnel syndrome.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

I just looked at that thunder leash vid. A person could make that out of a ring and a strap. It says it does not always work. Maybe it would work for the carpal tunnel lady until the dog is being better trained to heel.


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

Ive noticed if hes not full of energy, he will naturally walk by my side.... totally just at my knee, leash has a few inches of slack, martingale not tight... wont even bother trying to grab mulch or leaves in his path...

if he hasn't been walked in a while, or is due for a park day, his walks include constant zig zags, pulling, wandering for leaves and stuff to eat or chew on, it becomes far less straight forward...

tale of two dogs here, however, however convenient theres a dog park literally 15 minutes walk down the block, or 2 minutes driving, i cant bring him every day because he will end up black... i took him on monday and i had to go straight to petsmart for a puppy bath... 

i haven't figured out a method to do a quick clean down albeit with a brush or a spray with the hose....


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## GSDchoice (Jul 26, 2016)

A white shepherd!  

Yep, we went through this - 
our dog seemed like he had never been walked before - he zigzagged, he sniffed, he pulled (very hard!!) in any direction he wanted to go. 
My shoulder also started to bug me. 
One night when he (74 lbs) dragged me into a ditch, I decided, that is it. Time for Leash Walking 101!

So the "Stop when Pulling" method posted here, worked for me just to keep a loose leash. He got it within several walks. ( I didn't really think I needed a Heel at the time - but now I kind of want to train it.)
The "Turn & Follow Me" method was what was taught in obedience class.
These methods are tried and true! 
Should work! 

Your dog is young, maybe has tons of energy, so if he can get some of his enormous energy out first, maybe that would help...

( Re front-ring harness - I heard that if they are not adjusted properly, they don't work right. Fit has to be fairly tight (our teacher said, so the dog's skin moves with it?) but not too tight. I confess that I never could get ours adjusted right - it kept gapping and slipping...before I could figure out how to adjust the harness correctly, I had taught him not to pull... )


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Prong collar and change direction without looking at the puppy, the puppy should self correct and pop pop when the puppy forges ahead from your side. And/or stop walking. Consistency and patience. It's taken me 2 years to get my dog to stay 'with me' by my side on a loose leash. I was so worried about my pup getting exercise that I created a terrible leash walker, had knee surgery because I was pulled downhill all the time, ex girlfriend broke her finger hanging on to the leash, and just plain used to dread leash walks.


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

OK, ****, well, Ghost doesn't sound that bad after all!!!

Knee surgery and broken fingers? Yea, no, maybe hes not so bad on the leash after all!


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

GSDchoice said:


> A white shepherd!
> 
> Yep, we went through this -
> our dog seemed like he had never been walked before - he zigzagged, he sniffed, he pulled (very hard!!) in any direction he wanted to go.
> ...


Great advice! Just wanted to followup on the harness. For the front-ring harness, it should be fitted correctly and also so that 1-2 fingers can fit under the straps. The more adjustment points the harness has the better fit for the dog. For example, the new balance harness has a video on their website to show how to fit the harness: 

https://www.blue-9.com/products/100000000000063-balance-harness-buckle-neck

That is the harness I've ordered for my puppy because of the 6 adjustment points and also the rear and front rings so I can use it as a regular harness and also to attach to the Direct to Seatbelt tether in the vehicle. He's a strong persistent puller and the harness will make the walks enjoyable.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Correction! The harness should be adjusted so that you can fit 2-3 flat fingers under the straps so it is comfortable for your dog.


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