rangermad Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Now that our pup, Griffin is fully immunised and can go out for proper walks, I'm after a suitable restraint to help with teaching him not to pull. Last time I had a pup, choke chains were the norm but it seems that's not so these days... Would a harness, halti/gentle leader, martingale style collar or a regular old check chain be best? He has his moments when he's great walking beside me but most of the time he's an eager beaver and wants to check out all the new smells. Ta :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCC Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Check out the new thread in general about puppy training gear Here I would not use a check on a puppy, if he chokes himself on a flat collar I'd try a martingale :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 This poll I started today may help you :) CLICK HERE training classes will also help. No matter what your pup wears , it is YOUR knowledge of how to teach him which is most important . :) My choice is a good quality flat collar . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCC Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 SNAP Perse!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I type slow ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangermad Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 I didn't see that thread. I just went and had a look - thanks for pointing me in the right direction. We did puppy classes and I'm looking at going to our local dog training too. They only take newbies every fortnight and due to work I won't be able to start him till mid October so I'd like to get going with it ourselves. He's currently 16wks. The hard part is I can't always walk with my attention fully on him. I'll often have btwn 1 and 3 kids with me. When he's good on the lead and not distracted by stuff, I'd like them to be able to hold his lead too (they continually pester us about it and he's only going to get stronger...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangermad Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 He doesn't choke himself so much, he just pulls. Constantly. He doesn't care for treats when we're walking. I've tried offering him treats when he's walking in the correct spot but he sniffs them and then goes back to whatever he was looking at / sniffing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 This poll I started today may help you :) CLICK HERE training classes will also help. No matter what your pup wears , it is YOUR knowledge of how to teach him which is most important . :) My choice is a good quality flat collar . I never ever use flat collars. Too easy for a startled puppy to suddenly back out of one. I always use a martingale collar that can never slip over their head. Teaching them to walk without pulling has nothing to do with the collar, it is about training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 This poll I started today may help you :) CLICK HERE training classes will also help. No matter what your pup wears , it is YOUR knowledge of how to teach him which is most important . :) My choice is a good quality flat collar . I never ever use flat collars. Too easy for a startled puppy to suddenly back out of one. I always use a martingale collar that can never slip over their head. Teaching them to walk without pulling has nothing to do with the collar, it is about training. YES YES YES!!! :) Agreed 100% If you are having difficulty getting your puppy to walk alongside you without pulling, YOU need some training that you can then practise on your puppy. Good luck with it. It's not about the tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluff1234 Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I am at 2 training schools at the moment (in transition) One says a flat collar for training (however I dislike the flat collar as my old dog used to slip them) but they also recommended the Infin8 Halter blackdog for walking when I needed it. ( have ordered one) The other recommends a halti, so hoping the one I have already ordered is good enough :) I like my Martingdale collar personally. I also havea harness but all it does is help him pull stronger! We are also struggling with walking training, he has little interest in the food treats when walking ....( the only time, he is very food orientated normally) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliwake Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Maybe I'll get flamed, but I've had a lot of success using a halti on our boy. He was the same - just super excited and wanting to check out everything. It was reaching the point where he was getting too strong for me to control, so against my better judgement I tried a halti. You still have to be consistent with your rules and rewards, and he can still pull a little, but he is 100% more manageable, and walks are so much more enjoyable for us both. He also seems more focused on me and responds better to commands when he's wearing it. It's made a big difference for us, and I hope that as our training continues, we will reach a point where we will be able to walk him on a flat collar again. Having said that - he still doesn't like wearing it much, and will still attempt a nosedive every now and again :) I'd suggest walking on roads or pavements until he get used to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YvonneM Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 This poll I started today may help you :) CLICK HERE training classes will also help. No matter what your pup wears , it is YOUR knowledge of how to teach him which is most important . :) My choice is a good quality flat collar . I never ever use flat collars. Too easy for a startled puppy to suddenly back out of one. I always use a martingale collar that can never slip over their head. Teaching them to walk without pulling has nothing to do with the collar, it is about training. YES YES YES!!! :) Agreed 100% If you are having difficulty getting your puppy to walk alongside you without pulling, YOU need some training that you can then practise on your puppy. Good luck with it. It's not about the tool. Yep - I need the training too!! My pup is just 7 months old and we have just started obedience training at the local kennel club .... they recommended a martingdale collar which we are using, and he does ok at training each week, but when I am out walking he pulls all the time .... it's getting to the point that walking is not enjoyable for either of us! And he's a Maltese ... I can only imagine what it would be like with a larger breed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 He doesn't choke himself so much, he just pulls. Constantly. He doesn't care for treats when we're walking. I've tried offering him treats when he's walking in the correct spot but he sniffs them and then goes back to whatever he was looking at / sniffing. It isn't the tool you use but the method you use that will help you here. Simple tip - if he is pulling as you walk forward all he is basically learning is that to walk forward he needs to pull...... you need to teach him that the only way he goes forward is when the lead is loose....so...when the lead is tight you stop. and wait..... When the PUPPY loosens the lead, you praise the pup and walk forward :) Do this every time. IF you are consistent, your pup will learn that the only way it gets to walk is when the lead is loose If your pup has already learnt to pull, it may take a little longer and you may only go a step or two before stopping again, but if you are consistent, your pup will pick it up - pups are smart and soon learn what gets them what they want. your PUPPY will learn to feel when the lead is getting tight and will check itelf. And it wont matter at all what collar you use. You need to be consistent and remind the pup though...if the lead is tight, I stop. I use this method with all my puppies from day one. They learn from the beginning that pulling gets them nowhere. They learn how to get me to do what they want (which happens to be what I want them to do ...) I have taught it with pups on fixed collars, martingale collars, check chains and slip leads. Not the tool....but how you use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 (edited) I use this method with all my puppies from day one. They learn from the beginning that pulling gets them nowhere. They learn how to get me to do what they want (which happens to be what I want them to do ...) I have taught it with pups on fixed collars, martingale collars, check chains and slip leads. Not the tool....but how you use it. ..and it becomes learning a good habit , not restraint :) Edited September 24, 2013 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangermad Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 Espinay2, that was very very helpful. Thank you! I will aim to take him out every day without the kids and really work on it with the stopping etc. I will teach my husband how to do it too and make sure he continues it when he walks him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellske Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Espinay2, that was very very helpful. Thank you! I will aim to take him out every day without the kids and really work on it with the stopping etc. I will teach my husband how to do it too and make sure he continues it when he walks him. they do pick it up my quick my girl picked it up on our first walk when i started the method the other day, she still will stretch out but she isn't scrambling all over the ground as often anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 (edited) Yes, I agree, Espinay's post is what I would suggest. I kind of dislike the use of haltis most of the time because most people just end up never teaching their dog to walk on a lead properly, they just "manage" them with a halti instead of training (not everybody, just lots of people I see using them do this) For walking outside I would recommend a Martingale/limited choke to avoid slipping out. With my adult Weim I usually keep a very light tension on the lead so I can easily steer her or give a short tug to get her attention or cue her to slow down. Most people prefer to walk on a loose lead it seems but we only really walk on the main street to avoid loose dogs now (I live out of town) so I like to keep that connection, maybe it's because I ride horses, too? Either way, train your puppy to do whatever you are comfortable with. If I walk mine on a loose leash I feel like I need to keep looking at them to make sure they are not up to anything naughty lol ETA: I also like to randomly say their name and then give a small treat when they turn to you. This is great for gun dogs if you think they might be about to focus on something (bird, cat, whatever) because they will soon turn to you very quickly and this will stop them from going into a stare, stiffen, try to grab sequence. I would definitely try to walk the puppy on your own regularly while he is still learning so you can fully concentrate on him. Once he gets to a certain size he will also easily drag a small child around on a leash so make sure you know his signals for when he wants to go into hunting mode, since you don't want him to accidentally kill a cat or something while one of your children is holding the leash (happened to someone I know) Edited September 24, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Espinay2, that was very very helpful. Thank you! I will aim to take him out every day without the kids and really work on it with the stopping etc. I will teach my husband how to do it too and make sure he continues it when he walks him. This is such a good plan. It will likely take a few weeks - with whoever is walking him being absolutely consistent about expectations of not pullig (and he may need refreshers every now and then even as a mature adult :laugh: ) - but the inconvenience of juggling kids for a few weeks will be so well worth it in the long run. Be absolutely clear about what your expectations (criteria) are - you can use treats and/or verbal/physical praise for loose lead, and including you in the picture - but as has been said - the biggest reward he will get for loose lead is actually going forward. A technique I like to use if you've got some open space anywhere near you, is "doodling" ... walking purposefully in one direction, then without saying anything to the dog, changing direction and walk purposefully in another direction. Mark and reward for the dog changing focus back to you and slackening the lead. You'll find very quickly the dog will be paying more attention - probably because he thinks you've lost your marbles ... but hey - it certainly makes you interesting. Don't feel that you must take the dog for x distance walk every day - at this stage, training him to walk nicely is your priority. Learning that will tire him out better than any amount of just walking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 As others have said, your pup needs to learn to walk on a flat collar, but that doesn't happen overnight & I quite understand that in the meantime you will just want to go for pleasant walks. I can't speak highly enough of front attached harnesses like the SENS-ible one or Freedom No Pull, which up until today, Clean Run have had on their Free Shipping page for years They are magic No pulling on the dogs nose or throat, they simply turn the dog back towards you as soon as he starts to pull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 Teaching everyone to walk the dog and be consistent is very important. My dog behaves for me, but give OH the leash (or anyone else, really) and she knows it's a free for all and pulls like a freight train because my OH isn't confident or consistent. I need to train my OH, not my dog, but she doesn't respond to the clicker, or verbal praise, or treats when out walking so it's hard :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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