Pulling when on Lead

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by Bailey B, Dec 16, 2013.

  1. Bailey B

    Bailey B Registered Users

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    Hi, hope someone out there can help me. I have a 9mth chocolate Lab which is full of fun. We were struggling to walk her on the lead as she is so strong, so the pet shop recommended using a halti (which is great), however when she sees other dogs or people she turns to face us and pulls away from us so that the halti goes into her mouth and she bits it so is snaps. I have gone through 3 of them in less than 3 months :-\

    Does anyone know how I can get her to stop this. Ive tried taking out treats etc but they don't work when someone if there.

    Please help :(
     
  2. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Hi there Bailey B!
    There are quite a few threads on the forum about managing pulling on the lead and its various manifestations.
    Have you read this article on the main site?
    http://www.thelabradorsite.com/?p=2722
    Its a good starting point.
    Jac
     
  3. Tj

    Tj Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Have a look at the gencon range of collars. Far better than the halti
     
  4. Jen

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Hi

    I had trouble with haltis moving about. Scott ended up with a rubbed bald patch under his eye. :(

    I changed to a gentle leader it looks and works the same as a halti but They don't slacken off which sounds worse but the dogs find them more comfortable because they don't move about. They don't rub their noses to try to get them off like they did with the halti.

    I don't think she'd be able to get a gentle leader off and chew it as long as its fitted right.

    Jen :D
     
  5. Stacia

    Stacia Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Having tried many, I am with TJ, the best by far and do not ride up.
     
  6. Jen

    Jen Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    I've just been looking at the gencon and I was wondering from the pictures it looks like you are walking and controlling the dog from behind the ear rather than under the nose like a halti/gentle leader.

    The reason I use the gentle leader is because I'm 'in control' of the dogs nose and it reduces the strength of the dog. Does the gencon do the same or has the dog got the same strength as it has with a collar?

    My dogs walk very well to heel on their collar but I use the gentle leader for safety just incase they decide to try and go after something and they are nervous with strangers and other dogs so i feel it gives me more control if I need it. Two Labradors have a lot of strength ::)
     
  7. Mike

    Mike Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    We have a rescue 12-18 month fox red Lab retriever and over the 4 weeks we have had him it has been a challange to get him to walk to heel , not pull and control him in his over excitement on seeing other dogs .

    But with a training session today at Dogs Trust the trainer got us to try a Canny Collar which looks a little similar to a gencon collar but fastens differently . So if he pulls a little the strap over his nose tightens a little and this stops him pulling straight away as it presses on the bridge of his nose gently but firmly .

    The Canny Collar fastens at the back of the neck not on the side so avoids any neck injury to the dog also if he manages to get the strap of his nose which he did until he got used to it the collar is around his neck so is a fail safe were as a Halti he would be off and running free .

    I ordered ours today from www.cannydogcollar.co.uk were their is a good pic of the collar on a terrier he might just get it in time for xmas but until then the Dogs Trust have loaned us the one he wore today , Hope this helps a few people . Mike
     
  8. sc9470

    sc9470 Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    I have a puller as well! I started with a flat nylon collar and then a martingale. The Martingale seemed to work a little better but she started pulling again and now she pulled hard enough to be gasping for air. I was able to somewhat control her but she yanked my wife all over the neighborhood! Someone at a park introduced me to a prong collar. They looked so inhumane and I hated the way they look like an ancient torture device. For those reasons, I never really did any homework on them. Anyway, this person insisted I try and put their collar on my Luna and she INSTANTLY stopped pulling! It has been months now and she is really great. If she pulls a bit, it's totally manageable. Never has she cried, squeeled or anything like that when there was some pressure applied. She does not walk in a perfect heel position but I'm not even trying for that! She is not pulling and we enjoy our walks! I have done plenty of homework on the prong collars since then. If you read enough, you'll find plenty of arguments in favor of it and plenty against it. I am a believer though! Just my thoughts and experience. Hope it helps! Good Luck!!!
     
  9. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    [quote author=sc9470 link=topic=3692.msg45747#msg45747 date=1389306524]
    Anyway, this person insisted I try and put their collar on my Luna and she INSTANTLY stopped pulling! It has been months now and she is really great. If she pulls a bit, it's totally manageable. Never has she cried, squeeled or anything like that when there was some pressure applied. She does not walk in a perfect heel position but I'm not even trying for that! She is not pulling and we enjoy our walks! I have done plenty of homework on the prong collars since then. If you read enough, you'll find plenty of arguments in favor of it and plenty against it. I am a believer though! Just my thoughts and experience. Hope it helps! Good Luck!!!
    [/quote]

    Anything that has the effect to stop a dog with a bad pulling habit that quickly hurts - and hurts a lot. There is no magic to these collars, they inflict pain to punish a dog for pulling. While you may find people in favour of that, I don't think we should be under any illusion that is why they work.
     
  10. drjs@5

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Sorry - I don't believe the use of prong collars is accepted by the majority of responsible or caring dog owners. Most of us who post on this forum support positive training methods and a prong collar is one of the aversives that we strongly object to. I don't think we could condone the use of such collars and would always encourage positive training methods to avoid the use of such devices. There are many resources on this website which will help train dogs NOT to pull on lead by using these positive methods.
     
  11. Oberon

    Oberon Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Yes, I certainly agree. Pain-based methods can produce a quick result because the dog's motivation to avoid the painful outcome is so strong. But, personally, I do not want to give my dog that kind of experience. I want to see him happy, free of pain, and not in fear of me or my methods. If that means I need to put in more effort, be more inventive or progress more slowly, then so be it. :)
     
  12. charlie

    charlie Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=3692.msg45773#msg45773 date=1389315216]
    Sorry - I don't believe the use of prong collars is accepted by the majority of responsible or caring dog owners. Most of us who post on this forum support positive training methods and a prong collar is one of the aversives that we strongly object to. I don't think we could condone the use of such collars and would always encourage positive training methods to avoid the use of such devices. There are many resources on this website which will help train dogs NOT to pull on lead by using these positive methods.
    [/quote]

    Totally agree. Very cruel :'(
     
  13. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Here I am ....no show without Punch on a pulling thread ;D

    Bailey B I'm a pulling survivor .....and I still have to concentrate and focus on Dexters walking now at 15 months....
    I've posted a lot...there's a Halti thread I started,I'll look it up for you,I'm actually only working with my first dog so im a bit clueless and I thought I was using a Halti when actually it was a Gentle Leader.....

    I won't get into all my experiences as I'll find the thread for you but in Summary and pretty much in this order the following happened (all with help of the articles you have been directed to and advice on the Forum:(
    His front fastening harness rubbed a sore patch on his chest so we couldn't use it.In going back to a collar and lead I realised I'd been relying on it to reduce pulling and stupidly had not been training loose lead walking.

    We went cold turkey on pulling....he was just not allowed to pull.I drove Dexter to all his walks and he had his excercise off lead while I re trained ,from the beginning,using new commands a Heel position by my left side and loose lead walking.If he had to be walked on a lead he wore a gentle leader head collar.

    We built up to gradually to where we can now manage a decent loose lead walk for an hour....I walk him on a collar and lead but he wears a back fastening harness as well as he will still pull very jubilantly if he sees a cat or a new dog.He does need reminders,rewards and praise,he can still have me pulling my hair out at times ;D but never once could I have taken the quicker route and used any kind of choke collar or prong collar to hurt him....that just wouldn't have been for us.My way has taken time ( which I'm lucky enough to have at the moment )and patience ( which I sometimes have a bit of a deficit of...but never with the yellow boy ;D) and it hasn't been the most enjoyable part of owning Dexter but I'm glad I've persevered and got to where we are.
    I'll nip off now and see if I can find my old posts( one day I'll make a note of them all because,I've had to go back for many a person on here ;D,you see ,the comforting thing about all this is,you aren't alone ;D ;))
     
  14. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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  15. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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  16. hd

    hd Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    I don't think you can say you've not had any patience. You've done a sterling job.
     
  17. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Ah thankyou,I appreciate you saying that,I haven't found it easy but I'm pleased with where are now and hopefully it can help others struggling to know that it can get better even when you haven't got much experience ;D
     
  18. Mike

    Mike Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    An update from December 22nd , Having used a Canny Collar this has now become redundant as despite some previous success it has become more of a problem with the canny collar due to Jake been so excited when seeing other dogs that he tries to get the strap off his nose and has scratched his nose 2-3 times .

    But at the weekend we went to a local weekly dog owners event/meet were all well behaved dogs are able to run free in a field and play and interact over 30 dogs on Saturday and our Rescue Fox Red Lab JAKE , Was in his element and very well behaved all his over excitment with other dogs faded away as he could interact as much as he wanted .

    So to the point one of the organisers who has trained Gundogs in the past recommended a slip lead he first used a long training slip lead , He set off with Jake walking paralell to him and every time jake got ahead he would turn on his heel and walk back up to 6-7 times in less than a minute .

    He has borrowed us a standard length slip lead and over the past 3 days we have continued this method when out walking and have seen a vast improvement from a dog who if allowed would gladly pull for miles . 95% of time he now walks with a slack lead yesterday i only expected to be a short while with him in order to train him but we were out over 90 minutes with just 30 mins of the lead . Mike
     
  19. Karen

    Karen Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Well that is fab news, well done! Keep up the good work. :)
     
  20. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Pulling when on Lead

    Well done, that's great news.

    The technique of turning when a dog pulls was researched in detail, and is set out very well, by Turid Rugaas - there are some additional tips that go alongside if you are interested in looking further, and it also works without a slip lead, on a normal flat collar. Her book is here: http://www.amazon.com/My-Dog-Pulls-What-Do/dp/1929242239
     

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