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Leash Pulling

6K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  Lucky Me 
#1 ·
For those of you who follow Cesar Millan can you tell me which video of his I should buy for leash pulling problems. I am not able to watch his show regular enough to know which video has this problem.
Denver has been to puppy school and while there he is great, but in the real world, well that is just a different story.
My pony LOL um I mean Denver is terrible when we start to walk as far as pulling, on the way back he is a piece of cake. I have tried a lot of tricks but I need some way to make him more consistent. This puppy is 80 pounds and he can easily pull me. At eight months old I would really like to fix this now. Help Help Help Please :)
 
#2 ·
Sue......Gentle leader!! It's a Godsend! Works wonders with Jonah. He rubs and jerks the first few minutes, but by the time we're at the end of the driveway....he's great! Took a couple of walks to get him used to it. He's great with it now. No pulling, do dragging, just nice walks! :wink:
 
#6 ·
We use the EZ walk harnass. Dexter doesn't love it, but he will usually tolerate it. I don't think he would behave if we put something over his mouth. The harnass pretty much eliminates 90% of his pulling. Once he hit 50 lbs, he would almost dislocate my shoulder when he started his bad pulling.
 
G
#7 ·
I also use the easy walk harness for Boyd and it is a God send. It makes our walks so much more enjoyable b/c he's not pulling me all over the place when he's on "scent patrol." I love this harness so much that I purchased it for my mother-in-law who has a 10 week old Airedale Terrier puppy. I told her she'd thank me when they start doing walks! :)

You can order the easy walk harness on line or go to PetSmart and they have it with their training tool center which is usually located near the training rooms.
 
#10 ·
we also use a prong or pinch collar. my fiance and i each tried it out on ourselves before putting it on kumo, because it looks pretty nasty. however, it truly only causes a pinching sensation; the prongs don't stick or poke into the skin. and, it doesn't tighten around the throat like a choke collar. kumo is pretty good at walking on a loose leash except for occasionally the first 5 minutes or so of a walk, or when we take him to the pet store with us. at those times, the prong collar is essential for enabling us to keep him under control.

-emilee
 
#12 ·
Dibgy used to pull. What I did was while walking put the collar (he has a nylon one with a chain on it - like they use on greyhounds but thinner) place it right behind his ears (sortof like what they do for show dogs in conformation when they ask them to stand) while walking if he pulls you pull up on collar - just a quick jerk - he should have your full attention now. Tell him good boy only after he has slack on the leash. It may take a few tries. You can also use a prong collar but only use the collar when you are taking him for a walk. And use a quick jerk motion up. He will associate the collar with the pain and will hopefully figure it out.

Also while on the lead make make him walk behind you that way he knows that you are the person in charge not him. Digby would also blast out the door (he has a retractable leash) that I take him out on to potty and run around. He is to walk or "heel" next to me and when I say "OK" that is the release work for him to have fun, but mind you he doesn't pull, if he has brain fade (which he has) I just "jerk" the leash and tell him a quick no. It works for me.
 
#13 ·
Regarding GENTLE LEADER - great! love it! Works wonders on both my Great Dane and Doodle. They just can't pull when you're controlling their head.

Regarding DOG WHISPERER - I just watched a bunch of episodes that I've taped over the past two weeks and he seems to address the pulling issue in every episode. I suppose because any dog will pull unless its in that submissive calm state and he's all about submissive calm.
 
#14 ·
Maddie said:
Don't hate us, but we use the prong collar. It makes a HUGUE difference.
Bailey has had 2 weeks of private lessons now, and we just started using the prong collar and it's worked wonders.

When wearing it she walks besides me perfectly at all times and is the most responsive dog I've ever owned (and she's not quite 4 months). And I barely have to tug on it - and when I do she responds to a very light touch. Even with it off, she's much more under control - I think it's because she now has a form of discipline in her life that makes sense to her.

My trainer explained that the prong collar creates the closest sensation to the way that a mother trains her pups - with a gentle bite around the neck. She gave Bailey a really nice one at our last session, and warned that if you look for them in the stores, lots of them have rough cut edges on the prongs. You want one with nice smooth, rounded edges.
 
#15 ·
Re: NOt sure

Doodlesville said:
but i think it only comes in last seasons pack,
or maybe im wrong thats how i bought it anyway
you can go to www.overstock.com
Nancy,
Thanks for the tip. I went to overstock.com last night and ordered the complete first season. I have never seen the Dog Whisperer show as I don't get that channel. However, I've read SO much about Cesar Millan here and other places on the web and he always gets great reviews.
So, I think we will enjoy it. GREAT PRICE there too...only $29 and $1.40 for shipping!!
 
#16 ·
The trainer I've been going to with Mia subscribes to the methods of Dr. Ian Dunbar he is the director of the Center for Applied Animal Behavior in Berkeley, California.

I have been watching his series of videos and find that his techniques do work. You can find out more about him and order his videos at http://www.training-dogs.com/ian-dunbar.html

On the subject of leash-pulling, although my doodle is a mini she's a keen puller -- especially when we're heading home from our walks. I have been using the Easy Walk harness by Gentle Leader and it really does cut down on the pulling. The other thing my trainer sold me on is a police leash. It's over-the-shoulder design allows me to have Mia close to me with both of my hands free. You can see more about them at this website http://www.leerburg.com/712-717.htm#leash you'll have to scroll down or click on police leash to get to the info.
 
#17 ·
Thanks Kathryn

I do have the over the shoulder leash along with a few others. I like it but when a 80 lb Doodle pulls he is cable of putting me on my behind.LOL
I used to use a harness when he was a puppy. I really do like the trainer you are talking about so I think I will buy his videos and go back to the harness. I have to say that Denver is getting a little better I just have to stick to the training.
 
#19 ·
We did use the gentle leader but when my dog was intent on something (a cat, for instance) he would start going wild and the gentle leader was really digging into his snout and causing sores. We switched to the prong collar and it was like having a new dog. He is much better at heeling now and i just have to be very consistent. An 80 pound dog really needs to know who is boss! We had the prong collar on him incorrectly at first, and now after doing a search online i found several photos of exactly WHERE the prong collar should be (up high right behind the ears!). We got ours originally at Petsmart, but found one online that has a quick release that is easier to get on and off. JBpet.com has them---it is the Herm Sprenger Pinch Collar with the snap on option. Make sure you measure the dogs neck up HIGH, under the ears, for the fit. Anyway, this has been the best thing for the walk for our 80 pound labradoodle. That, and letting him know who is pack leader, as Cesar would say. :D
 
#20 ·
I'm hoping that Bogie's obedience class gets to this topic really fast!
I don't have rouble with him walking the neighborhood. He doesn't pull to hard.........but he needs to do better.
I started using Cesar's "Tshhhhhhh" sound as I tug. He pulls, I tug and say......."Tshhhhh".
It works to a degree.................except for when he's in my office around people!! :roll:
 
#21 ·
Wally responds better to a harsher sound like "aah" (with the a pronounced the same as in "cat". I read somewhere that a harsher sound on their ears was better. Cesar said he uses the one that his mom did, but any one will work. But i do find that my more natural response of "aah" in a sharp tone works pretty well.
 
#22 ·
I have to say that I went back to basics and the gentle leader
and Denver is pretty good on a leash now. Every once in a while
when he forgets we stop and go and stop and go. Huge difference
for a couple of months now, and he has learned to heel.
Good thing cause he is a biggggggggggggg dog.
 
#23 ·
All of the options mentioned above will work. I think the key to sucess from this pulling issue is to recognize the reward.

Our previous dog spent the first 3.5 years of her life on a very heavy chain about 10 feet long. When we got her she pulled all the time.
I have used choke chains before but have realized that they are only short fixes. Most of the time the dogs learn to behave only when wearing the collar or they get so used to the tightness they ignore them.

For my dog, Lulu, I decided what amount of pulling was acceptable. Being mindful that if your dog is pulling even if there is slack in the leash.

Everytime Lulu "pulled" to far, I stopped moving forward. She then had to come and sit before we would move again. Her reward was to move forward.

After a while, I would reward if she slowed down when reaching the unacceptable zone. This takes alot of time with an older dog, but in the end I had a dog that was a pleasure to walk.
 
#26 ·
I use a very small prong collar on Abby, who is about 48 pounds and extremely strong :shock: I tried using a choke collar and it was worthless. She just turned 1 and I am running her on trails so the first mile without the prong collar I would probably be dragged in the mud :? The pet stores will sometimes try to sell you a prong collar that looks like it could fit a horse, so try the smaller ones because your dog just needs a "friendly" reminder to stay under control :wink: I barely have to tug on Abby, since she is very sensitive.
 
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