What Type Of Dog Walking Tool Is The Best To Train My Dog To Stop Pulling On The Leash During Walks? Thank You?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I am in the process of trying to get my dog to stop pulling on the leash during walks. Right now, I am using a regular flat collar. I don’t feel that a flat collar is going to help any. I believe that there must be a better dog walking tool. I will not use a greyhound collar, a prong collar, or a choker collar. Thank You!
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Two words: Prong collar!
As a weak woman (ha ha) trying to walk two black labs, I myself was searching for a solution to this problem because my arm was falling off. Prong collar has been a life saver. It only two about 2 good tugs on that thing for them to learn that when that collar is on, they are not to pull. After a few lessons, you’ll never even have to tug on it again.
The key is not in the collar or harness, it’s in your response when your dog pulls. Work with him in the backyard before you go out. Put the leash on him and when he pulls, turn around and go the other way. When he catches up and pulls again, turn around and go the other way. He will quickly get the hint and you give him a treat when he’s walked next to you for even 3 seconds. Walks correctly, stop and give treat. When you start walking again, if he walks ahead, turn around. Dog catches up and walks by your side, give treat.
I will also take the connected leash, divide in half, put across dog’s chest and grab both ends. This slows my greyhound down until she gets used to walking for the first 5 minutes then I can give her the entire length of the leash and she still walks next to me.
If you follow this turn around trick, your dog should pick up on it right away. Don’t forget to treat. This rewards him for good behavior. Just small bite sized pieces. Just a taste.
A martingale or greyhound collar is made that way because a greyhound’s head is smaller than it’s neck. It prevents them from being able to slip out of it and run off. It’s a great collar. I hate prong collars. Hate them. I understand the reason for them but prefer that owners teach their dog’s to walk properly instead of bullying them to do it. Choke chains are basically like a martingale but not as gentle.
i am not sure if you ever herd of the show called at the end of my leash but he teaches families about their dogs behavior…… for pullin dogs he gets someone in the family to do a certain exercise for about and hour a day with the dog…… you take the leash and attach it around your waist….. attach the other end to the dogs collar and then as you move around the house or go somewere the dog has no choice but to go their to…. this teaches the dog to stay by your side….. supposidly after about a week or so of this it actually works…. i have seen it a few times…….. its different but i hope it helps….. good luck!!!! oh and don’t get a harness since harnesses provoke pulling!!!!
Have you tried a gentle leader or ‘halti’. These fit around the muzzle of the dog and behind the ears and basically work by applying gentle pressure when dog pulls. None of the extreme gestures that choker etc entail. Not sure where you are based but in Australia these are available at pet stores and vets. Just ensure you have the right size for your dog
I’m a huge fan of Gentle Leader halter collars. I’ve used them for many years on my dogs, shelter dogs and student’s dogs with magnificent results. Like any collar, it’s a training tool and you may need instruction for it’s use.
use a Halti, collar. it is like a muzzle (but doesn’t prevent biting) it controls your dogs head, and if the head is under control the rest of the dog has to follow. Good luck
i think a harness is the best thing b/c some dogs are really energetic and choke themselves by walking eveywhere
and also the dog cant reach the leash!lol!
Try the Halti No Pull harness
I have also heard good things about this type if bridle for hard to manage dogshttp://www.k9bridle.com/
Gentle Leader head harness…..
a harness
a harness works well. it controls the dogs more and it cant hurt them =)
The problem is: You remove the tool, the dog returns to the previous behavior. Have you tried regular obedience training yet? That, more than any tool, will cure most behaviors.
You’ve really limited yourself in terms on training tools, if you honestly feel the need to use them. You could try a Halti or Gentle Leader but some dogs don’t respond to those as well as other tools (my dog, for example, gets worse on one than anything else.)
Harness DO NOT work. Honestly if you think about it: sled dogs wear harnesses. To pull. So yeah it may not choke the dog, but all harnesses in some way promote pulling behavior. Even the supposed no-pull ones. My dog was on one for a while and she just walked sideways (it was the frontal no pull made by the Halti company.)
Why are you so against the Prong, Slip, and Greyhound collars? Of the three the Slip collar is the only truly dangerous collar. The greyhound collar is just a regular collar that tightens to prevent the dog from slipping it. The Prong, when used correctly, mimics the bite of another dog (some believe dogs learn quicker via other dogs) and gives a little pinch that gets the dogs attention back onto you.
I’ve used quite a few training tools on my own dogs and on relatives dogs. Of the tools i used, only the Prong collar gave me the results i wanted. Any tool MUST BE USED along with obedience training or the dog never learns.
It’s not just your dog! It takes two to pull.
Dogs do not pull if there is no one dangling at the end of the leash! Both you and your dog need to break old habits.
“A Leash is to the Dog-Human connection like a seat-belt is to the car-driver connection. Both are safety devices and often mandated by law. Just as we never use a seat-belt to drive our car, we should not use a leash to “drive” our dogs. A leash allows us a safe and effective connection to our dogs in case of surprises, emergencies, or situations where attention is hard to get or keep.” ….- Lisa Edwards, CPDT, CDBC
Your dog pulls because someone, somewhere
at some time, took a step when he put tension on the leash.
He continues to pull because it continues to be a rewarding experience. He pulls, and he gets to the car. He pulls and he gets to greet that other dog in class. He pulls and the neighbor lady across the street tells him how lovely he is, even though he is now not JUST pulling but is also climbing up the front of her with his muddy dog paws, to which she replies, “it’s ok, I don’t mind!”
This is what loose leash walking looks like!
Photo courtesy of Cathy Fox
What gets rewarded, gets repeated.
Here is the elusive answer to the ever present question of HOW DO I TEACH MY DOG NOT TO PULL?? (Shhhhh – it’s a secret!)
Don’t walk forward if there is tension on the leash.
When the dog is about to apply ANY tension to the leash at all ….
Immediately stop.
Be a tree.
When the dog turns to see what happened to you, praise for his attention ….
and encourage the dog back into heel position next to you – if necessary, take a few steps backward.
As long as the dog is in the magic spot next to your leg, continue praising, give food rewards, make it the best possible place in the world to be. If he loses concentration and is about to put any tension on the leash at all, stop without warning and repeat the above sequence.
*gasp* Sounds way too simple doesn’t it?
Simply STOP every single time you note that the dog is about to put the slightest tension on the leash and the pulling will go away. (Yeah, right.) No, honest – It really, really works! The truth is, that if you tire your dog out first with a good game of fetch and then take him for a walk in a quiet non-distracting place every day this week with only ONE goal: to walk without tension and you absolutely refuse to take a single forward step when you feel tension on the leash, he will discover that pulling is “broken” and that the tension is a cue to slacken the lead. You will see the lightbulb go on when he realizes this. If you are consistent and don’t give up, he will learn it. He will have good days and bad, but if you are diligent he will figure it out.