[Retri]

Just realised this will be better off posted here

My biggest peeve with our two at the moment is pulling on the lead, they aernt so bad when walking alone but when the two of them are together it seems to be a competition to get out in front, have tried taking them on my own or with the mrs but its never a comfortable walk, I'm so jealous of the people I see walking with both thier dogs trotting along paitently next to each other

Individually I have tried stopping when they pull and waiting for them to sit before moving off, also tried changing direction when they pull, but they still carry on charging forward as if I'm just some inconvenience they are dragging along with them

Is there any other techniques I can try to put a stop to the pulling? Is this likely to calm down as they age, or am I going to end up having to buy a new wardrobe with longer sleeves?

 

[Buzzard]

We have the same trouble with our pup. It is getting better slowly. I stop, walk back and treat when loose leash. He starts off great then after 10 mins or so loses the plot and keeps pulling.

 

[8tansox]

You won't be able to train both dogs together to walk nicely on a lead, it needs to be done individually.

Have your dog sitting at your left leg, hold the lead across your body in your right hand, have an edible treat in your left hand and hover it slightly above your dog's nose, as you set off, give him his name and the command heel or close (or which ever command you want to use). Allow him to take the treat gently and replenish it with another quickly; don't ask your dog to sit, give him the treat for taking one or two steps and gradually, increase the number of steps you take before he gets to eat his treat.

Heelwork is probably one of the hardest exercises for pet owners to master, perseverance is the key, little and often, if he pulls and the lead goes tight then you're not doing it right in the first place, the key is to not let the lead tighten up in the first place. Keep your dog around your knee area, don't allow your dog to dictate the speed or allow him to stop and sniff either. Walk quickly and he'll learn to enjoy heelwork.

You could also try enrolling in a dog training school where such techniques and tips are shared, you meet other people who have the same problems - and many others. There are plenty around so it's worth asking around or talking to your vets.

Good luck.

 

[Retri]

Thanks, when CJ was younger he would heel really well when I used this technique, but after a while he would take the treat and then zoom off infront, tried withholding the treats for longer but would either get bore and speed up of would wait for treat then go, I'll give it a go again and see how it works now

 

[Dogless]

Thanks, when CJ was younger he would heel really well when I used this technique, but after a while he would take the treat and then zoom off infront, tried withholding the treats for longer but would either get bore and speed up of would wait for treat then go, I'll give it a go again and see how it works now

How does he like toys? I sometimes get Kilo to work for his toy, going longer periods of time before playing tug with him or giving him his squeaky ball, then taking the toy again and getting him to walk to heel or do some other work for it again.

 

[GingerRogers]

You won't be able to train both dogs together to walk nicely on a lead, it needs to be done individually.

Have your dog sitting at your left leg, hold the lead across your body in your right hand, have an edible treat in your left hand and hover it slightly above your dog's nose, as you set off, give him his name and the command heel or close (or which ever command you want to use). Allow him to take the treat gently and replenish it with another quickly; don't ask your dog to sit, give him the treat for taking one or two steps and gradually, increase the number of steps you take before he gets to eat his treat.

Heelwork is probably one of the hardest exercises for pet owners to master, perseverance is the key, little and often, if he pulls and the lead goes tight then you're not doing it right in the first place, the key is to not let the lead tighten up in the first place. Keep your dog around your knee area, don't allow your dog to dictate the speed or allow him to stop and sniff either. Walk quickly and he'll learn to enjoy heelwork.

You could also try enrolling in a dog training school where such techniques and tips are shared, you meet other people who have the same problems - and many others. There are plenty around so it's worth asking around or talking to your vets.

Good luck.

You make it SOUND so easy 8tansox :mad2:

Retri we have the same problems total lack of interest really, I don't know how to be more interesting I already sound like a complete plonker. Actually Ginge will heel very nicely when we are walking in the wrong direction as soon as we turn back she is off again. Doesn't matter where we are going or where she thinks we are going, whichever is the wrong direction in my head is the way she will do it well, and it doesn't matter how long we keep going in the wrong direction either.

 

[Retri]

You make it SOUND so easy 8tansox :mad2:

Retri we have the same problems total lack of interest really, I don't know how to be more interesting I already sound like a complete plonker. Actually Ginge will heel very nicely when we are walking in the wrong direction as soon as we turn back she is off again. Doesn't matter where we are going or where she thinks we are going, whichever is the wrong direction in my head is the way she will do it well, and it doesn't matter how long we keep going in the wrong direction either.

Yeh I think that's it, he isn't too bothered a out toys, he will want it till he has it then loses interest very quickly, he will follow you round if you have food, but again will get impatient and move off.

I think my other issue is (somehing I am really trying to change) I use his name too much and he now seems deaf to it, unless you have a great in your hand u usually get ignored, were going for a long walk in a bit so ill take a bag of treats and see if we can get him following for a bit

 

[Dogless]

Yeh I think that's it, he isn't too bothered a out toys, he will want it till he has it then loses interest very quickly, he will follow you round if you have food, but again will get impatient and move off.

I think my other issue is (somehing I am really trying to change) I use his name too much and he now seems deaf to it, unless you have a great in your hand u usually get ignored, were going for a long walk in a bit so ill take a bag of treats and see if we can get him following for a bit

Squeaker? I have squeakers from murdered toys that are a great attention - getter. Also the toys I use to train him are only for training and prized by Kilo...so he really wants them.

 

[Bagrat]

I know this is really tough and we were lucky in a way in that we haven't got as far as long walks yet because of Jackson's anxiety, but we didn't move an inch unless leash was slack. I wouldn't say it is always the perfect"J" shape but he doesn't pull when walking unless he "sees" something - leaf,bag, dog
If he pulls we stop ( or turn with "lessgo" command). This is a long protracted boring process and we sometimes don't get far but things are improving. No, this is not what we expected from previous dog owning experiences and the neighbours think I have a screw loose!!

 

[smokeybear]

Have a look here for help from qualified, reputable trainers and behaviourists.

Yes when you have two or more dogs it can become a race.

You can minimise this by

Not having dogs on couplers
Not having the dogs on the same side

So have one dog on your left and one on your right.

Individual training is required.

When BOTH can walk nicely on the lead on either side, then start walking them together.

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/loose_leash_diagramed.doc
http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/letsgoforawalktogether.pdf
http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/strolling_on_lead.doc
http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/walkingyourdogwithheadhalter.pdf
http://www.apdt.co.uk/documents/Looselead_000.pdf
http://www.cleverdogcompany.com/tl_files/factsheets/Pulling on the lead.pdf
How to Teach Loose-Leash Walking | Karen Pryor Clicker Training
Leash Walking « Ahimsa Dog Blog
http://www.pawsitivelydogs.co.uk/LLW.pdf

Look under loose leash walking here:

ClickerSolutions Training Articles Contents

Books:

My dog pulls what do I do?
By Turid Rugaas
Help, my dog pulls on the lead
by Erica Peachey
Can't Pull, Won't Pull
By Alison Rowbotham

DVD

Your Clever Dog: How to stop your dog pulling on the lead
Sarah Whitehead

Why dogs pull: the secret your dog doesn't want you to know; How to stop pulling instantly; What you need to do before you even attach the lead; Why the type of walks you go on matter.
Includes: Training DVD, training manual, clicker, tote bag.

Dogtrain.co.uk

 

[8tansox]

You make it SOUND so easy 8tansox :mad2:

Retri we have the same problems total lack of interest really, I don't know how to be more interesting I already sound like a complete plonker. Actually Ginge will heel very nicely when we are walking in the wrong direction as soon as we turn back she is off again. Doesn't matter where we are going or where she thinks we are going, whichever is the wrong direction in my head is the way she will do it well, and it doesn't matter how long we keep going in the wrong direction either.

Why are you ":mad2:" at me? I was only trying to help....

 

[BoredomBusters]

Thanks, when CJ was younger he would heel really well when I used this technique, but after a while he would take the treat and then zoom off infront, tried withholding the treats for longer but would either get bore and speed up of would wait for treat then go, I'll give it a go again and see how it works now

I won't go into full details because I train this as a speciality, but the problem here is you haven't been taught how to reward your dog correctly - treats aren't the only rewards and you need to pair them with verbal and physical praise, and we add in emotional praise too. That way you can wean them off the treats but your dog still gets rewards.

We reward the dog on a particular frequency no matter what it is doing the first couple of gos, then I usually have to teach the owners to stop pulling on the lead - they are so used to the dogs doing it and having to pull back they can't help themselves, but that's where having a trainer observing can help. I spend a lot of time saying 'put your hand down' as the hand is up and/or backwards pulling on the lead, even when the dog is doing exactly what we need (got loads of photos of owners doing this!). After that it's 'randomising' the rewards, ie which reward, how frequently and how many, but the main problem is teaching the owner never to reward a tight lead, which is the hardest bit as usually by that stage it's the owner pulling on the lead, not the dog. Which is hard to imagine, but true!

Teaching them one at a time is the only way to do it. Once they both can walk nicely alone on a lead you can start training them together, and expect to go backwards and start back at the beginning again - things should progress faster.

 

[GingerRogers]

Why are you ":mad2:" at me? I was only trying to help....

No, sorry, no offense intended, I just meant it sounds so easy in theory but feels like I'm banging my head against a brick wall in practice

 

[Sarah1983]

I mostly used a version of the choose to heel method with Spencer. I tried all sorts and nothing seemed to get through to him what it was I wanted so in desperation I decided to try the clicker. Hadn't used it before due to not having enough hands lol. Started off with him on the long line (garden would be ideal but we don't have one) and simply clicked and treated any time he came close to me. From there I refined it to him walking next to me for a few steps. It's still a work in progress but he's a million times better than he was. It's the first thing to fall apart when he's excited though, he can still sit, down, give paw, stay and all that but keep a loose leash? Not a chance!

Loose leash walking seems to be something a lot of us have problems with. It's so time consuming and so boring and given that dogs naturally walk much faster than we want them to on leash I imagine that plays some part in why it's such a common problem.