# Stop pulling



## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

I really want to be able to walk my dog and take him places, but he always tugs and pulls while walking. I have tried standing like a tree and waiting until he stops pulling, but he just starts right back up when we start walking. It's not fun at all!! I have a Sporn Harness, but he still pulls with it on, and I have to wait for our trainer to open back up. Another trainer I know had said to get a Pinch Collar, but I can't have it live yet. I have to wait 2 weeks, so that I can eventually not have to use it on him anymore.


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

The standing like a tree method takes endless patience. It’s a tough one. Have you tried turning and walking in the the opposite direction when he pulls, and when he catches up to you, hand him a high value treat? I’m a big fan of using food to reinforce that position of walking beside me In conjunction with standing still when there’s tension on the leash. Some dogs are set in their ways or simply don’t get it, and turning on a dime and walking _away_ from what the dog wants sometimes clicks better. Whatever method you use, it’ll take a lot of consistency and reinforcement.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

Pytheis said:


> turning and walking in the the opposite direction when he pulls, and when he catches up to you, hand him a high value treat?


Okay, thank you, Pytheis! This is the method I'm using right now.


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## Jorski (Jan 11, 2019)

First, I would get off of the harness.
Second, I would do a lot of changes of direction.
Check out Larry Krohn's videos of his leash work.
Here is one: 



He has a bunch of them.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

Jorski said:


> First, I would get of of the harness.
> Second, I would do a lot of changes of direction.
> Check out Larry Krohn's videos of his leash work.
> Here is one:
> ...


Okay, thank you. I'm about to check out the video.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Empty parking lots are awesome. Or any open space. Figure eights. Lots of them. Give him lots of slack and start walking in a figure eight pattern. Walk like you have a plan and just keep walking. If he gets in your way walk through him. The figure eights are effective because he will be on the outside and the inside. Eventually they learn to watch you and stay beside you because it's were they don't get bumped.
But, always remember that the walk is for the dog not you. So teach him a cue that allows him to sniff and wander a bit. 
Shadow can do as she pleases on walks as long as she isn't yanking me on my head and if I ask for a heel or walk with me she must listen.


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## Jorski (Jan 11, 2019)

Here is another one from his fb page


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3321246474581528&id=100000886256403&d=null&vh=i


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

Sabis mom said:


> Empty parking lots are awesome. Or any open space. Figure eights. Lots of them. Give him lots of slack and start walking in a figure eight pattern. Walk like you have a plan and just keep walking. If he gets in your way walk through him. The figure eights are effective because he will be on the outside and the inside. Eventually they learn to watch you and stay beside you because it's were they don't get bumped.
> But, always remember that the walk is for the dog not you. So teach him a cue that allows him to sniff and wander a bit.
> Shadow can do as she pleases on walks as long as she isn't yanking me on my head and if I ask for a heel or walk with me she must listen.


Thank you, Sabis mom! There is a parking lot that we can do this in that is close by.


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

Sabis mom said:


> But, always remember that the walk is for the dog not you. So teach him a cue that allows him to sniff and wander a bit.
> Shadow can do as she pleases on walks as long as she isn't yanking me on my head and if I ask for a heel or walk with me she must listen.


This is exactly what we do too. Archer has been taught to walk on a loose leash so that he actually can have more freedom. He’s also been taught to heel on both sides and does so when I ask, which is usually just when people, bikes, or dogs are walking past. Then he’s released to smell and be a dog again. He would get practically nothing out of walks if he had to walk lazily at my side.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

Jorski said:


> Here is another one from his fb page
> 
> 
> https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3321246474581528&id=100000886256403&d=null&vh=i


Thank you for the second video! The first one didn't help much because the dog was already trained pretty much. Thanks again🙂


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

Pytheis said:


> This is exactly what we do too. Archer has been taught to walk on a loose leash so that he actually can have more freedom. He’s also been taught to heel on both sides and does so when I ask, which is usually just when people, bikes, or dogs are walking past. Then he’s released to smell and be a dog again. He would get practically nothing out of walks if he had to walk lazily at my side.


Sabis mom, Pytheis, what is your cue from heeling so that your dogs can go and sniff? I just use "release"


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

Shadow Shep said:


> Sabis mom, Pytheis, what is your cue from heeling so that your dogs can go and sniff? I just use "release"


Archer starts his walks straight away in a loose leash, not heel. That’s the default. So when he’s told to heel, I just give him his general release command, or for him, _free,_ when he’s allowed to do what he wants again.

He’s also not allowed to stop suddenly in front of me, cut me off, or dig his feet in to smell something longer than I want him to. I taught him that “let’s go” means we’re walking again and he needs to stop smelling and move on.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

Pytheis said:


> Archer starts his walks straight away in a loose leash, not heel. That’s the default. So when he’s told to heel, I just give him his general release command, or for him, _free,_ when he’s allowed to do what he wants again.
> 
> He’s also not allowed to stop suddenly in front of me, cut me off, or dig his feet in to smell something longer than I want him to. I taught him that “let’s go” means we’re walking again and he needs to stop smelling and move on.


Okay, thank you!😁


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Pytheis said:


> Archer starts his walks straight away in a loose leash, not heel. That’s the default. So when he’s told to heel, I just give him his general release command, or for him, _free,_ when he’s allowed to do what he wants again.
> 
> He’s also not allowed to stop suddenly in front of me, cut me off, or dig his feet in to smell something longer than I want him to. I taught him that “let’s go” means we’re walking again and he needs to stop smelling and move on.


Shadow also starts off loose leash. I allow pulling just not yanking or anything excessive. She knows the difference. Walk with me is her command for beside me on a loose leash, heel is heel. I us leave it for gross things she may not sniff, lets go when sniff time is up. Ok is her release. 
Shadow is a hunter so she is pretty much nose to the ground all the time. Digging feet in will get corrected, but she cuts me off a lot! Lol. Critters zig zag! 
I walk fast enough that she can trot so sometimes we crash a bit. 
Oddly she does know that she needs to stay on the same side of the poles as I do and she does it no matter how into her track she is.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

The results seems to quick on the videos with the Pointer. The demo Dobie was already trained. All places in the videos are free of distractions. Would be nice to show an out of control Goldendoodle on a regular street with a regular leather collar. I don't know this trainer but everyone can make a video. You just have to know your dog and not start with the first method you come cross.


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## Nscullin (Sep 29, 2019)

wolfy dog said:


> The results seems to quick on the videos with the Pointer. The demo Dobie was already trained. All places in the videos are free of distractions. Would be nice to show an out of control Goldendoodle on a regular street with a regular leather collar. I don't know this trainer but everyone can make a video. You just have to know your dog and not start with the first method you come cross.


You don’t know Larry krohn? He’s a very respected obedience trainer and he does have vids of his golden lol. The dobe May have already had training but he shows you how he did it. I’ve used this video and the method. It works. He even has a video on teaching your dog to understand leash pressure. Maybe start there. 


Edit: it worked on my dogs. All dogs are individuals. Can’t forget that. 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jorski (Jan 11, 2019)

Here is another Larry Krohn video where he starts with a new great dane client.....





By the way, he has dozens of videos all about solving this problem...Just search youtube for "Larry Krohn stop leash pulling"


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## Maria Dales (Jun 17, 2020)

As a member of a large GSD rescue group, I highly advocate for "prong" collars, providing that the user has been taught how to properly use them. There is a finesse to it--a quick snap and release correction works best. People look at these collars and think they appear 'barbaric', however they are actually much more humane than a traditional choke collar because the pressure on the neck is evenly distributed, not just all hitting the larynx. Think of them like a momma dog 'bite' correction of a naughty pup--she grabs the neck quickly and releases. But by all means, learn the proper way to use a prong collar. You will be astounded by the results. We use them on all of our high-drive rescue dogs.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

A prong collar used as described is a correcting tool. It doesn't teach the dog not to pull. There is a difference between management/control vs training and most people stop training once they put the prong on.


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## New pup mom (Apr 7, 2020)

Shadow Shep said:


> I really want to be able to walk my dog and take him places, but he always tugs and pulls while walking. I have tried standing like a tree and waiting until he stops pulling, but he just starts right back up when we start walking. It's not fun at all!! I have a Sporn Harness, but he still pulls with it on, and I have to wait for our trainer to open back up. Another trainer I know had said to get a Pinch Collar, but I can't have it live yet. I have to wait 2 weeks, so that I can eventually not have to use it on him anymore.


 Della is four months and excited. I’m getting drained. We just want her to learn basic for now. She pulls plenty. She’s 27 pounds already.


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## Jw00094 (May 20, 2020)

Shadow Shep said:


> I really want to be able to walk my dog and take him places, but he always tugs and pulls while walking. I have tried standing like a tree and waiting until he stops pulling, but he just starts right back up when we start walking. It's not fun at all!! I have a Sporn Harness, but he still pulls with it on, and I have to wait for our trainer to open back up. Another trainer I know had said to get a Pinch Collar, but I can't have it live yet. I have to wait 2 weeks, so that I can eventually not have to use it on him anymore.


Had the same issue with my 2 GSD pups. Try harness with the first and never worked (available for sale) Prong collar is the ticket with training to correct quickly on pulling. Your call on which is better until shoulder injury.


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## davb47 (Nov 6, 2018)

I think our intention to walk somewhere with a destination in mind is what messes up our dogs. If our intention was to train this dog rather than get somewhere we could focus on teaching the dog by not allowing him to pull us somewhere.

The other issue is attention. My dog wants to sniff and explore and look around. He doesn’t want to pay any attention to me. I can offer high value treats. No interest. 


Shadow Shep said:


> I really want to be able to walk my dog and take him places, but he always tugs and pulls while walking. I have tried standing like a tree and waiting until he stops pulling, but he just starts right back up when we start walking. It's not fun at all!! I have a Sporn Harness, but he still pulls with it on, and I have to wait for our trainer to open back up. Another trainer I know had said to get a Pinch Collar, but I can't have it live yet. I have to wait 2 weeks, so that I can eventually not have to use it on him anymore.


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## MakoCheese (Mar 23, 2020)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> A prong collar used as described is a correcting tool. It doesn't teach the dog not to pull. There is a difference between management/control vs training and most people stop training once they put the prong on.


I agree, it shouldn’t be used as much as it is by trainers for leash pulling.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

New pup mom said:


> Della is four months and excited. I’m getting drained. We just want her to learn basic for now. She pulls plenty. She’s 27 pounds already.





Jw00094 said:


> Had the same issue with my 2 GSD pups. Try harness with the first and never worked (available for sale) Prong collar is the ticket with training to correct quickly on pulling. Your call on which is better until shoulder injury.


Okay, for now I use a Freedom Harness if I want to get out and walk with Sisko now, but I have been doing the figure eights too because your dog should learn not to pull you. I agree about the Prong Collar too, they're used too much and don't train your dog not to pull.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

New pup mom said:


> Della is four months and excited. I’m getting drained. We just want her to learn basic for now. She pulls plenty. She’s 27 pounds already.


I'm sorry you're going through leash pulling. It is such a pain! For right now I would get one of these for her Freedom No-Pull Harness | 2 Hounds Design but still train her not to pull. Let me know how things go! Good luck!


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

So, it's been a month since I posted this and have been working on leash manners. Sisko has gotten so much better. I stopped using the Freedom Harness and had only used the Prong Collar a few times (didn't work on him like I expected it too) and I think if you need something to control your dog than you need to go back and work on training. I have been working on having his attention and if he pulls then I keep turning directions until he stops.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Circles. Big circles, small circles, always circles. Use big circles to solidify positioning, small circles to correct it. If he forges ahead circle into him, if he tries lagging behind circle away from him.
It's why I said figure 8's, they force him to adjust to stay in position, teaches them to pay attention.
If he wants to be pulling ahead just keep circling into him. Use your body not the leash to move him. They weary quickly of being knocked around and start watching you.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

I have been doing circles too. Okay👍


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I didn't mean take the leash off him! 
Just don't use it to give him and direction.


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## Shadow Shep (Apr 16, 2020)

I know you were saying to still have him on leash, but use my body instead of his leash and collar to move him


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