# Help with walking to heal



## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

Hi, Woody is 8 1/2 months old and is nightmare on the lead. My fault i know. We live backing on to fields and facing fields. The entrance to where i walk him is just 100 yards. So we dont do any road walking as i do like to see him off lead and running around free in the field and socialising with lots of other dogs. But..... here comes the but, i know he needs to learn to walk nicely on the lead because we do take him other places. What is the best way to teach him not to pull and what do you recommend using ie; holtie, harnesses, choke chain.

All tips and hints will be gratefully appreciated, and if anyone wants to pop round and train him they can:doh:


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## Rosco's Mom (May 1, 2007)

I'm curious to see everyone's answers, since i have this problem also. We NEVER use a lead on Rosco because we don't take him on any Roads. Everything is fields and our own little dirt road behind our house. Whenever i DO use a lead on Rosco he's like a fish outta water and he does there 360 degree turns! Whenever i take him to petco to get groomed i have to park in front of the building do that way we don't have far to walk because he drags me everywhere!!


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## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

Hi, love your pic!!!! He does go out on his lead and his fine with it, we go and watch my daughter play football alot. But he just pulls me, and makes me look stupid, i think people are thinking look at that dog taking her for a walk. Every golden i see walking on the lead around our town is just trotting beside there owners. How Do They Do That


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## rusty02 (Jun 14, 2007)

My Rusty when I walk him on a regular leash he pulls like crazy. We got him the pinch color and he's like a new dog. I keep him close to my side and correct him when he starts to pull a little. He soon realized that it will be way more confortable to not pull and just walk at my pace. Also, I've heard that the Gentle Leader is great! Try either....good luck


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## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

What is a pinch colar? Is that what we call a choke chain or is the colar with sticking out prongs? If its the latter is this not cruel, i know everyones going to shout at me for saying that. I sore Cesar Milan explain how it works but i still think ouch.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

I read on here I believe about lead training with the lead around you. Instead of allowing the dog the full length of the lead (I'm assuming a 6ft lead) you loop the lead back thru the handle making like a cinch belt and put that around your waist like a belt. Put the cinch part about the small of your backso it tightens around you but keeps the lead right next to your side. It gives about 2-3 ft of lead for the dog, frees up your hands to shorten the lead if needed, and keeps them on the left side. Rusty had some training before I adopted him, very good at sit, stay till called, down, etc..., but still had the old "nose-in-the-grass" bulldozer routine when on a full lead. After reading about using the belt-fashioned lead he is much better at staying next to me, head up, and not pulling so hard. It also freed up both my hands so I could at least enjoy a cup of coffee on our morning walks.


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## Rosco's Mom (May 1, 2007)

haha that's what people think when i take Rosco to Petco. He's practically dragging me down the street. and everyone looks at me and laughs! I'm trying though....i'll taking him out on the leash even if we were just going to play in the field. and everytime he pulls or freaks out i stop and make him sit by me until i think he's ready again....


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

And there are quite a few members that do recommend a prong collar - I've never had any experience with one and am afraid I would go about it all the wrong way.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Do you have a fenced in area to train?


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## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

Yes I have a 180 ft garden which is completely fenced in.


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## JLJ (Nov 18, 2006)

Having no success myself on the regular collar (pulls like crazy!) and also having tried the gentle leader with no good response, I am finding the prong collar to be amazing!!!

I have also started a training class that does not use treats and relies partly on corrections (done properly of course) with a prong collar. For three weeks now my pup has not pulled ONCE on the leash. Walks perfectly next to me! It is absolutely amazing and I swear by them now. It is literally like I have a brand new (already trained) dog. I know some people do not like the prong collar but if used correctly I can see many benefits. I used to think it looked like this horrible mid-evil torture device but really it does hurt or negatively affect the behavior of the dog. 

This post could get long so sorry but on a choke collar or a regular collar the dog is pulling and straining which cannot feel good to them. With the prong collar it is a short correction and then when the dog walks next to you like he will, there is no harm being done to the dog. It does not hurt the dog unless he is pulling, which he will learn quickly not to do. 

My trainer said the collar should be loose and hang so go for a big size(rather than tight which is how I see some people using them). When the dog steps out in front of you, give a low "aghhh" and a quick snap and full release of the tension. The dog should retreat back next to you, when it is heeling be sure to remind the dog it is being good and doing what you want(i.e. Nice puppy, way to go, Thank you) 

My trainer also said that whenever moving in a forward direction with the dog, that you should enfore a heel. If you want the dog to have free time or sniffing/potty time, you should stay stationary and give a release word. Do not move forward again until the dog is in heel position. 

Hope this is helpful. Good luck with your training!


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## JLJ (Nov 18, 2006)

P.S. I forgot to mention...One main goal in training with a prong collar is to eventually move away from them and not have to rely on them for proper walking. We haven't gotten that far yet so I am not quite sure how to do it but apparently I will eventually not have to use it. 

One other thing... make sure to not always walk in a straight line. Zig Zag, turn and go the other way, and speed up/slow down. The dog should follow your lead. I do not give any corrections right now with the collar, it is on, but I only need to say "aghh" as a reminder and then she will fall into a heel. 

When you give a correction, it is supposed to stimulate the mother of a puppy biting the dogs neck like they naturally do to tell them, "hey you're out of line and I don't like it!"


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## riddle03 (Jun 9, 2005)

I guess it depends all on the dog. I have friends who have had great success with the prong. I have had great success with the gentle leader. It is built on the idea that it works like a halter that a horse has. It uses the pressure points behind the head and the bridge of the nose. Also a place where mom would do her corrections. You just have to be careful as to not do a snap correction like you would with a choke chain. You have total control of their head, they can still eat, drink, etc. When I taught puppy training classes we would give the gentle leader out to all to try, some liked it some didn't, just depends on the dog and the handler. One thing is for sure no matter what you decide to use, use it properly. Good luck.


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## JLJ (Nov 18, 2006)

riddle03 said:


> I guess it depends all on the dog. I have friends who have had great success with the prong. I have had great success with the gentle leader. It is built on the idea that it works like a halter that a horse has. It uses the pressure points behind the head and the bridge of the nose. Also a place where mom would do her corrections. You just have to be careful as to not do a snap correction like you would with a choke chain. You have total control of their head, they can still eat, drink, etc. When I taught puppy training classes we would give the gentle leader out to all to try, some liked it some didn't, just depends on the dog and the handler. *One thing is for sure no matter what you decide to use, use it properly. Good luck. *




Well said- I am no expert on training but I couldn't agree more! I am realizing from this current class how important it is to use these tools correctly and how effective they can be when used properly. My trainer has taken some off prong collars and moved to gentle leaders due to different dogs responding differently. It is a matter of finding what works for your dog, Well worth any investment you might make trying different things and finding out what is best for your pup.


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## GrandadRob (Feb 27, 2007)

We are struggling to teach our two 5 month olds to walk nicely on the lead. Is this too young ? Also are they too young for a halti, we have used these before with good results.


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

I thought Abby was a puller, but really after taking her to a training class and trying a couple of different harnesses, I found one that she would heel reasonably well with. But Finny, good heavens, the more I tried to control him, the worse it got. I'm sure some of it was walking both dogs at once, but I was seriously thinking my shoulder was going to pull out of the socket. So Finny, my darling 5 1/2 month old lab, got to experience the prong collar this week. I looked up all the info I could to make sure I was doing it right, and what I saw was that it was supposed to be tight, not hang down. This didn't seem like such a good idea to me, so I let it hang and be a little loose, when he isn't pulling, so I was glad to read here that JLJ's trainer agrees. To make a long story short, his pulling is much less, we are still practicing heeling and nobody has heard me mutter "goddammitt finny" at the park this week. The picture is to show how big he is going to be, so I really have to get him under control.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

When using a prong rememeber they can come apart - so have a backup collar attached (like a slip )to your leash at the same time....

I tend to use a prong intensively for 2-3 weeks then move on to a flat collar asap...
I start off with straight line walking then move to about faces...then work large -small circles and finally doodles....
I keep the session short, very exciting and repeat them at least 4 times a day for 2-3 weeks...


If you dont want to work with a prong - you can teach heel positon with food...it takes time and patience and lots of repetition....
Dawn Jecs has written a heeling program called Choose to Heel....It goes something like....
Lots of little yummy treats....a fenced in yard with no other dogs...no toys laying around.... just you and the dog....and no leash....
The dog is free to sniff around - Just start walking with your left hand at your waist dont say anything to the dog...walk at a nice fast pace....eventually the dog will come to see what you are doing....as he comes to heel - drop your hand down and offer him a treat....if he walks along with you treat...treat frequently as long as the dog is in heel...
Then turn into his direction...as he scrambles to get out fo the way and then catches up with you reward him again.... Dont talk during this but do have a friendly expression on my face....Ive used this for dogs that are not leash broken....it has worked well....but does take time...
The disadvantage is that it does nothing to get the dog accustomed to actually being leashed...
The advantage is the dog has to figure out the puzzle on his own...great for dogs that go bonkers on a leash...


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## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

Great fantastic replies from everyone, as usual. I cant say im sold on the prong collar. It sounds fantastic, but looks so cruel. but i'm not being judgemental on anyone that is using it. I've never seen anyone in england using them, ive not even seen them in the shops. So i think i might get funny looks if i use it. I think its going to be a quick blast around the field to let off excessive steam, and then lots of road walking. I want to get stuck into it straight aways but have had kids home ill all week. So DH doing the walks while i play nurses.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Remember the dog has to learn 'where to be' but more subtly your body language too....he has to learn the nuances of how you move...how you shift your weight before you turn left, how you shift you feet when you move right...how you hold your arms shoulders and your head....and in addition learn how to use his own body...how to get his butt in and out of the way when turning a sharp left...how to increase his pace to keep up wtih you when you turn right...how to keep from getting stepped on ....
It is really hard!

Which is why I love to watch dog/handler teams that heel or walk together well - it is like a dance.... 

Before you go into heeling bootcamp with your dog, make up your mind where you want your dog to walk in relatioinship to your body....do you want a formal heel position or just near by without pulling on the leash....
For me I want my dogs in true heel positon...I have some balance/mobility issues so I want to be able to turn or pivot left and not have to get tangled in a leash....we walk in crowds and being too far away or too far forward is a big pain in the neck....Plus we compete...
But if I lived in the country and walked in uncrowded areas...then a loose leash would be perfectly acceptable and enjoyable...

I guess my point is - make a decision as to what you want... When you are clear about what you want it will make the dogs learning process easier because you will be giving clear and consistant feedback to the dog....

Do I ever let them walk out of heel - sure! I switch my leash to my right hand and tell them 'free'....then they can walk where they choose......


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## WoodysMum (Mar 13, 2007)

Thanks LibertyMe. Thats good advice. For now i just want him nicely walking to my side. But eventually would like him heal perfect. I just done my first heal training session in the house with him. He was brilliant. But there was no distractions. He was healing, turning and i was teaching him stop. He grasped it like he was a pro, his stop was so good that when i put some pace on my walk and asked him stop it was like a slide along the floor when he put his brakes on, most impressive. We then progressed to the garden:doh: To many distractions for a pup, like grass, flies and flowers. LOL. He was ok, but i stopped it short while on a high so as not to end on a low, if you know what i mean. Going definately do 20mins every day at home, then will try it on a walk. All the training was off lead and using treats and praise.


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