# Loose leash walking?



## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Rocco just doesn't get it. He pulls and pulls and pulls. He's practically chocking and still won't stop pulling. It's exhausting and I'm worried about his throat; but I don't want to just let him "be in control".
Ideas, suggestions?


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

teach him to heel on either side with
or without a leash. i like usuing a short
leash or shorten a leash for teaching heel.
with the short leash the dog doesn't have a chance
to pull or get in front. when i was teaching heel
i didn't wait untill it was time for a walk to train.
i trained indoors and outdoors. i held a lot of brief
sessions during the course of the day. if your training
isn't working think about finding a trainer.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Another thing we use in class is when the dog starts to apply pressure on the leash is when we change direction, we also say their name so they look up and know you're changing direction. 

Example: Dog starts to pull, as you change direction, say dogs name and keep walking. You will have to be consistent with this in order to see results. You dont really want to jerk the dog around when you change direction because it can cause damage if done incorrectly. By saying the dogs name, they have to check in with you. If they see you're changing direction and being unpredictable about, your dog is more and more likely to keep a closer eye on you and check in with you.


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

This is a bit of oversimplification, but for me, (and I started the day he came home, but I still do it) the second the leash tightens, we stop. At first he whirled around and jumped a bit, but I didn't move until he was sitting down calmly. Then we started again. Some times we'd only go 2 feet in 15 minutes.  

Now, at 7.5 months, he only pulls if he sees something REALLY exciting like another dog. I do the same thing, and he does get it eventually. I've only ever used a flat buckle collar on him, and on walks, he's mostly perfect. If he's really raring to go, we have to run a bit to get some energy out, but he IS only a pup. 

Anyhow, that's what worked for me. I know Cassidy's mom has some GREAT links to some awesome websites...."silky leash" is one.


----------



## marshies (May 18, 2011)

I've taught heel, but during regular walks she's still pulling.
A part of the pulling is that they're JUST puppies and life is too exciting for them. She only stops pulling when she just woke up and it's first potty, or she's about to die from fatigue.
That said, every time she pulls, I try to not move so that she EVENTUALLY learns pulling gets her no where. Also look up loose-leash walking on the Sophia Yin website. There's a video and some training tips on how to slowly train for it.

Finally, you can get one of the front-latched harnesses if you're desperate. Those turn the dog around when they pull ahead. 

I've also been recommended a pinch collar to help the dog correct itself. But my puppy doesn't pull that hard, she just walks straight ahead. If he's pulling and ignoring you completely, I'd be worried about injury, like yous aid.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

another thing is called Penalty yards. Dogs pull because they learn that if they pull hard enough, it gets them where they want to go faster. With penalty yards, the second the dog starts to pull, you change direction and walk the opposite way. When the dog loosens the leash, usually giving you a questionable look like HEY! WHAT THE HECK?!?! you praise for the instant the leash is loose and turn back around. Its how i trained Shasta to walk nicely on leash. It was a 5 minutes walk to my mailbox and sometimes it took a good 20-30 minutes to get down there because we kept changing direction until she let up on pulling and we turned around. BUT the perk, she's beautiful on leash, with the exception seeing another dog and she forgets herself a bit. I can also go from our front door to our car either in the driveway or the street with her in a perfect heel off leash so the work you put in does pay off.


----------



## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Get a small pinch collar for the puppy so that it can learn to self correct. There are hundreds of thousands of them being used every day and I don't read in the papers or hear in dog circles about dogs being injured because of something the dog did while using it. (I assume you as owner are not going to use it cruelly, so the only way it is harmful would be the dog do it and it doesn't happen. Believe it or not the pup has the wherewithall to figure out that his pulling is causing the discomfort.) It works....that's why it popular and recommended. Especially for people that aren't dog trainers. Most opposition to these collars are out of emotion, based on a projection that rarely if ever happens.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Angelina03 said:


> Rocco just doesn't get it. He pulls and pulls and pulls. He's practically chocking and still won't stop pulling. It's exhausting and I'm worried about his throat; but I don't want to just let him "be in control".
> Ideas, suggestions?



I have Boxer that does this. She would literally be choking and frothing at the mouth and still keep pulling. I put a prong collar on her and she walks quiet nicely now. I never corrected her, just let her figure out that pulling meant discomfort.

Cliff - at what age do you think it's acceptable to use a correction collar on a puppy? I've seen 6 months as a minimum age. Do you agree with that?


----------



## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> I have Boxer that does this. She would literally be choking and frothing at the mouth and still keep pulling. I put a prong collar on her and she walks quiet nicely now. I never corrected her, just let her figure out that pulling meant discomfort.
> 
> Cliff - at what age do you think it's acceptable to use a correction collar on a puppy? I've seen 6 months as a minimum age. Do you agree with that?


I'd like to know that too. My hubby keeps wanting to get one of these and I keep saying no, no, no. But, if it will correct him quickly, I might consider it. The problem is that, although I can practice and practice with Rocco at home, he is with my dad all day Mon. through Fri. while we work. My dad just lets him pull. I've told him no to let him; but my dad is an old man (83 yrs) and does not have time nor patience to train him. He wants to walk him let him get tired and then put him inside to sleep. :shrug:


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Then I would put a prong collar on him. He's going to be a powerful dog and eventually is going to pull your dad right off his feet.

How old his Rocco? Do you have other training plans for him?


----------



## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Rocco is four months next week. He has just complete basic puppy training at PetSmart. I am looking for more training. I would like to find someone that specializes in GSDs, but what I have found is just way too expensive for me. I'm still looking, though. I'm also looking into Dog Scouts.

Anyone know about that?


----------

