Re: Help with socialising I am glad he has been better for you since then. I don't think I can be held up as any example of good training technique, and had found it really useful using a figure of 8 lead which I know other have frowned upon before too. My best solution was working on the reverse walking and stop-starts. So as long as you don't "have" to get somewhere on a walk this is fine. If you take a few steps, then stop as soon as your dog pulls and wait until they stop pulling before you walk on again. Repeat when the pulling starts. You might only cover 20yards in your half hour walk, but it is a good way to get started. I combined this with just walking a few yards without pulling then "turning into" my dog to go 180degrees back the way I was walking, and repeating again. So I cover the same 5 yards over and over, extending the distance for no pulling. I'm not sure if I have explained this very well. If you are worried about the strain on his neck from pulling, then do this with a harness or head collar until he gets the message. At the minute he is self-rewarding with his pulling. jac
Re: Help with socialising Yes I have used a clicker since early days with Luka with great result. He loves clicker training. I have done start stops and basically tried most methods but since this one session using the p collar it really has made a change. We do circles, stop sit, and he is looking up to me to see where we are going not where he is going! I want to build on this now as it is a big positive change. I love Luka and want him to be the best dog he can be. He is even bilingual!
Re: Help with socialising You could now use your clicker and some really tasty, smelly treats to reward Luka when he looks at you to see where to go. (Sorry if your already doing this.) You can use your positive clicker training to build and develop this new behaviour and maybe put it on cue.
Re: Help with socialising Yes great idea and we are doing this. I want to build on this positive change. He is such a good boy and loves sardines!!
Re: Help with socialising Hi Laura. I've remembered something I read about teaching dogs not to pull. Some dogs actually like the pressure pulling on a lead creates. Dogs are pressure sensitive. They like pressure for example when a dog leans against you. For some dogs the pressure of pulling on a lead can be self rewarding. If Luka starts to pull again, hopefully he won't, you could try pulsating the lead. Dogs have opposition reflex they lean against any pressure. When a dog pulls on a lead our automatic response is to pull back but this can make the dog pull more as it leans into the pressure. If instead of pulling back constantly on the lead we pull release, pull release in a pulsating action it's not as comfortable for the dog. It will usually stop or look at you to see what's going on, you then stop the pulsating. You can also reward this with a click and treat. The dog works out to stop the annoying pulse it has to stop pulling and so rewards itself. The pulsating should be quick and only a slight pull back. You aren't trying to pull the dog back off the end of the lead you are just trying to stop it being a constant pressure. Hopefully Luka has now got the idea but I just thought I'd mention this method just incase.
Re: Help with socialising Thank you Jen. Your post is helpful and makes good sense. The pulling has honestly been our only real training 'issue' aside from needing dog socialization. We have been doing fun clicker training since being together, 17 months ago. He has an excellent recall but has a return sped of a rocket so are working on getting him to stop as he reaches me so to not mow me over in his excitement! Thanks again.
