# Training not to pull



## tking (Oct 18, 2008)

I have a 4 1/2 month old female GSD. The problem I am having is with her pulling when she is on leash. I have tried several methods wit her. I've tried stopping when she pulls and waiting until she relaxes to start again. I've tried changing directions when she pulls ahead. As far as collars I have used two different types of no pull harness. I tried a chain correction collar. I've had GSD in the past and never had this much trouble. I'm looking for help not criticism.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

You may just need to persist a little longer. Especially if they have a fair amount of "practice" pulling, THEY persist knowing it will work eventually. Sometimes it is a lot of repititions.

Also try to give her stuff she wants for NOT pulling, like bring her to sniff the mailbox as a reward when you finally get loose leash, don't deprive the dog of whatever they want, use it as a reward.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I agree wtih Thecowboysgirl, it does take time and also about rewarding. Stopping when she pulls is a good start, but I suggest taking it further with a second step. Make a sound, when she turns to you, promptly turn around- when she comes up to you - reward. It helps to practice off leash in the house with your sound - when she follows you, turn, and give her a reward when she comes up to you. This method by Turgid Rugass in her short book: My Dog pulls, what do I do. http://www.dogwise.com/authpub/pulling_ex.pdf 
and a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCStWBwPaO0


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## annabirdie (Jul 3, 2015)

Someone sent me this and I found it helpful for the same issue. Time, time and more time, and loads of patience.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

May also want to practice teaching the dog to yiekd to pressure in low distraction. Get small yummy treats, collar and leash. Wherever the dog is aiming, put steady pressure on the collar, left to right is usually easier than straight back, as soon as the dog turns to follow where they are being pulled, praise and treat. Many repititions

Then when you are walking and resist being pulled by the dog, it has any idea what the correct response is to leash pressure (go toward it)


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## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

tking said:


> I have a 4 1/2 month old female GSD. The problem I am having is with her pulling when she is on leash. I have tried several methods wit her. I've tried stopping when she pulls and waiting until she relaxes to start again. I've tried changing directions when she pulls ahead. As far as collars I have used two different types of no pull harness. I tried a chain correction collar. I've had GSD in the past and never had this much trouble. I'm looking for help not criticism.


tking. At 4 1/2 months my dog was pulling so hard I could hardly manage him om walks.

I took him for a consult with the guy in my area who specializes in GSDs and he asked if I'd object to trying a prong collar.
I had no objection to trying the prong.
He fitted my pup for the H Sprenger prong collar and showed me how it's used on walks and during training.

I signed up for basic obedience training with that same guy and what I noticed on the 1st day of class, was that all of the GSDs in the class were wearing prong collars.

I think you will find it a very effective tool. 
You will also find it to be useful when training your pup to ignore distractions while walking in public ie other dogs, people running, baby carriages etc.
The prong needs to be properly.

Search the forum. There's tons of info on the prong collar.
Good luck.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

I am really in awe of this thread and all of its "do it at home" EFFECTIVE techniques that actually TEACH a dog not to pull!!! 

Throughout the years I have used some of those techniques to teach some hard headed adult dogs to walk nice on a leash using nothing but a FLAT collar and these methods work!!!

Patience is key!!!


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I think this dog may be a bit young for a prong collar yet...mentally and physically. 

I might try a front clip harness or head halter for awhile if you cannot get control of the dog through behavior mod alone.

Just my opinion, I am sure people do put prongs on 4 month olds but I don't think I would


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> I think this dog may be a bit young for a prong collar yet...mentally and physically.
> 
> I might try a front clip harness or head halter for awhile if you cannot get control of the dog through behavior mod alone.
> 
> Just my opinion, I am sure people do put prongs on 4 month olds but I don't think I would


:thumbup: 
That's my opinion too. And also to take into consideration that puppies have short attention spans and get overtired. With my Sting, when he was a pup, when he was overtired, that is when he pulled, so I learned to shorten the walks and also to allow him plenty of sniffing time on a loose leash. I use a front clip harness, with behavior mod. Both work together so the pup or dog learns to walk nicely.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

All the treats I could stuff in my dog did nothing for leash pulling and I think made it worse. I use this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vn1c2aHv10

I also like walking my dog in an area where we have room to move and turn, like a park. If he pulls, I hold the leash in both hands anchored to my body, give him the full 6' and walk away from him, using a prong. When he reaches the end, he can't go anywhere so he runs back to me. We do left, right and about turns. I walk as if I were alone and he is along for the ride. At first, he was confused, he tripped me, he went every direction but eventually, he realized he got a better walk if he stayed next to me. We aren't perfect but we are better.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Good video! I like that he trains the dog and does not just put a prong on it. ^


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## annabirdie (Jul 3, 2015)

I think so too workingline! He has a lot of nice videos on his utube channel. He has a beautifully trained dog. I like the prong too but you definitely need to address the psychology of the dog and not rely TOO much on tools.


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## J-Boo (Mar 5, 2015)

LuvShepherds said:


> All the treats I could stuff in my dog did nothing for leash pulling and I think made it worse. I use this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vn1c2aHv10
> 
> I also like walking my dog in an area where we have room to move and turn, like a park. If he pulls, I hold the leash in both hands anchored to my body, give him the full 6' and walk away from him, using a prong. When he reaches the end, he can't go anywhere so he runs back to me. We do left, right and about turns. I walk as if I were alone and he is along for the ride. At first, he was confused, he tripped me, he went every direction but eventually, he realized he got a better walk if he stayed next to me. We aren't perfect but we are better.


I really liked this video, so I watched more by the same trainer. Come to find out he's not terribly far from me. And then that, not only did we attend the same college, but we were both there for the exact same 4 years!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

LOL a White Boxer in the Tylor Muto clip!! That's my Dawgs yo!! Basically fairly simply the OP can keep screwing around with the "treats" and stuff?? And let me know how that works out?? Or keep it simple and quit screwing around with collars and treats and KISS!

Tylor does a lot more talking and explaining but the very first thing I "packaged up is this:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/5296377-post8.html

The first clip in that link, I do believe that is "Doggy Dan??"And he is using a "FLat leash and Collar??" Pretty much what I did for years ... worked out fine! 

And then I used a SLL, worked out faster and better still! Pretty much once you have it figured out ... it's ridiculously simple to have "any dog" walk well on leash!

Details on that (Slip Lead Leash) are here:
Slip Lead leash - Boxer Forum : Boxer Breed Dog Forums

I like to KISS myself?? Works out fine. 

Welcome aboard.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

annabirdie said:


> I think so too workingline! He has a lot of nice videos on his utube channel. He has a beautifully trained dog. I like the prong too but you definitely need to address the psychology of the dog and not rely TOO much on tools.


I am not against prongs, it is a great tool for many things. I just don't think it should be used as an alternative to teaching a dog not to pull on lead.


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## GSD316 (Jan 5, 2016)

LuvShepherds said:


> All the treats I could stuff in my dog did nothing for leash pulling and I think made it worse. I use this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vn1c2aHv10
> 
> I also like walking my dog in an area where we have room to move and turn, like a park. If he pulls, I hold the leash in both hands anchored to my body, give him the full 6' and walk away from him, using a prong. When he reaches the end, he can't go anywhere so he runs back to me. We do left, right and about turns. I walk as if I were alone and he is along for the ride. At first, he was confused, he tripped me, he went every direction but eventually, he realized he got a better walk if he stayed next to me. We aren't perfect but we are better.


Been using this video as well. It's a work in progress thus far but getting better.


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## GSD316 (Jan 5, 2016)

Our pup is about 5 months old, we decided that pronged collar would be last option. Think part of our problem is she is still teething. Never really had issue with pulling until lately when about the same time her adult teeth started coming in.


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## SwifTst1 (Mar 27, 2016)

For my old shepherd mix Rosco ( the handsome fella in my avatar RIP ), I tried everything and all the different harnesses and collars did not work. Well, they worked while on, but go back to a regular collar and he would be back to pulling.

So I tried just putting on his regular collar and soon as he would pull, I'd firmly pull him back on his leash while verbally saying "Back". Then I'd make him sit, focus and we'd walk again and I would keep repeating this over and over and over.. Eventually, I stopped making him sit. I'd say back as I pulled back on his leash because he was focussing on me already. And after a few more days, maybe more than a few, I just had to say " Back" and he would stop walking and let me get beside him before continuing. Then he pretty much understood. If a stranger was walking him I'd explain that if he pulls, just say back. Worked perfect


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## SwifTst1 (Mar 27, 2016)

Another thing, to avoid getting yanked all over the place, put the leash over your shoulder like you have a rifle slung. American carry style. You will Dave a lot of energy and barely notice the pulling. Hope this helps,

Brandon


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## GSD316 (Jan 5, 2016)

tking said:


> I have a 4 1/2 month old female GSD. The problem I am having is with her pulling when she is on leash. I have tried several methods wit her. I've tried stopping when she pulls and waiting until she relaxes to start again. I've tried changing directions when she pulls ahead. As far as collars I have used two different types of no pull harness. I tried a chain correction collar. I've had GSD in the past and never had this much trouble. I'm looking for help not criticism.


Was having pretty much same issues with our 5 month old female GSD. Did all the same things you are doing and fortunately has been getting better lately so I think just have patience and should see some progress. Our dog has a flat collar, have not tried (or had the need to) a pronged collar.

I have a 4-foot leash to use while on walks. The flexi leash we had she seemed to pull a lot. Once I went to the smaller leash I was able to keep her by my side and felt like I have more control. If she is way out front seems like she doesn't pay attention to me. Anyway, normally she pulls out of our driveway but once we start walking, she is by my side with slack on the leash (at times the leash was dragging on the ground so no pulling).

I also carry one of those toy ropes (with 3 knots). Every now and then she may give me issues but i know she likes her rope so use that to distract her from pulling. I don't like to carry treats around when I am walking as why I use her toy rope.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

This method works too

The Domestics of Leash Walking | Naughty Dogge - Monique Anstee


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## tedchung08 (Apr 5, 2016)

I have a 3.5 month old female Husky/Shepherd mix. She would gets overly excited when we go out on walks. 

I have been stopping when she pulls and sometimes I will just change direction when she walks ahead without paying attention. After about 2 to 3 weeks of this, she seemed to have gotten better, but is not perfect. I have tried treats, but she completely ignores food when she gets outside. 

Any other things to try to expedite the process?


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