My dog has a way of getting out of her collar and sometimes even her leash will come loose what should i do!!!

Question

I have an australian sheep dog i got her from a neighbor.she was keept outside all the time except for nighttime. they said she use to listen but now she wont. she will listen to my husband, but will listen to me once in awhile.she very also very hyper. Im afraid to take her on walks in fear that she will get loose again because she knows how to get out of her collar and even her leash. i dont know what i should use as far as a collar or a leash goes. will a choker collar work??? should i get a retractable leash??? i dont really have the money to put her in a tranning school but i think im going to have to somehow unless i can train her myself. please can someone please help me. i dont want to get rid of her i really want this to work out. i have fallen in love with the dog. i need some good answers i hope i someone can help me. :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O)

Answer 1

The collar should fit so that you are only able to fit 1 or 2 of your fingers in between the collar and her neck. Personally I do not like the retractable leads. My dog (85 lbs golden retriever) likes to pull sometimes and I'm worried they are not strong enough to hold him. I have a 6 foot leather lead and that is perfect for him and myself. It's much easier to control my dog if he starts pulling or when people approach if we're on walks. I did start out with the retractable and it was very hard to reel him in if he got too far away. Rope burn!! Definitely invest in a strong, sturdy collar and
lead. Six feet is best for a lead, any more than that allows your dog too much freedom. I also highly recommend a gentle leader. This fits loosely around the snout and tighter up behind the ears. It's not a muzzle but helps greatly when walking.

As for training, consistency is the key. Decide what you would like your dog to do or not to do and keep with it. Do not let her do something one day and change it the next. She will become confused. You may need some kind of low fat treats to reward good behavior and lots of praise in a happy voice. Your dog may listen to your husband because of the lower tones in his voice. A firm strict voice will say it all. Also body language. Stand up straight when giving commands. This shows your dog that you are boss.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Right now -- forget about the dog park for a moment. Start teaching a "Recall" or a "Come". Just as you taught her a Sit and a Stay - you must now teach a reliable Recall/Come. For a younger puppy - I would use restrained recalls from 1 person to another. That is holding the dog by the collar and having another person call it - VERY excitedly, lots of "happy voice" , a big show of treats. Then when the puppy is lunging to get to them - release her and she'll race over to them. Reward, Praise and Pet!! Do that back and forth 6-8 times and then stop. Repeat in sessions 3-4 times a day. Always end on a excited note - if you see her interest flag then stop. This works well for a pup - your dog still could use it. Back to the Park.... she is obviously picking up on inadvertent clues that you are giving out as you prepare to leave the park. So - switch your departure ritual. Maybe you normally walk in the park, then play , then leave. So - do that. Then instead of leaving - walk further into the park and have her follow. Call her to you - then treat, release. do 1-2 times. You really need a GREAT treat or special tug toy. Now, call and leash her. DO NOT LEAVE RIGHT AWAY. She understands that you leashing her means no more fun. So, walk around a little more, do some training on leash with yummy treats and then leave. Next time - off leash play, then walk, then leash/train, then off leash, more play, then walking then leash, then leave. Keep varying your leaving ritual. You will have to change your timing of course - no waiting until the last minute to leash her. Even take her to the park on a long line (40 feet) and never let her off. You need to break the mold. And separately - keep working on a solid Recall.

Answer 3

Try changing the type of collar you have to a harness style or halter style...this should stay on better. Retractable leashes are only good for small dogs - a good 6ft leash is all you need.

If your dog pulls on the leash while walking - abruptly stop until she realizes the walk is over and comes back to you or loosens up on the lead. There should always be slack on your lead....never pulled to the end. The first few times you walk like this you may find you stop more than you walk but your dog WILL get the idea that if she pulls the walk is over. If she stays within her radius, the walk continues.

Good luck

Answer 4

Use a chain slip collar.

Fit it so that you can put 3-4 fingers between the dog's neck and the collar. Put it on so the ring on the part that slides is coming over the back off her neck and it slides directly towards you.

All those funky headcollars, harnesses, martingale collars and weird leashes are ILLEGAL in AKC obedience competitions. You can only use a flat buckle (about 3% of the people) or a slip collar (97%). The people competing at the AKC Eukanuba OBedience Invitational on TV never fiddled about with such nonsene.

Can't teach a dog 'come' or down' or many other things with that weird stuff wrapped around its head or body; and the minute you take those contraptions off, the dog KNOWS it can do what it wants.

You do NOT keep constant pull on the collar ratcheting it up tight. You do a pop - snap the leash and release.


All the harnesses do is give her something to lean in to and drag you - and she still WON'T obey around the house.


Get a 6 ft leash. You keep control and she is not plowing about hithr and yon. DOn't maeke it worse than itis by letting her cruise 10 , 15 or more feet out in front of you.

Now you need more help than can be done here. If you have never trained a dog, you can NOT learn it from a book -like trying to repair your car when all you know how to do is start it.

Aussies are highly trainable - IF you know what works with them. Always loved to see one walk into my class - that was going to be my star performer.

Call the local humane society and see what obedience classes they know of. Many park services run low cost classes.

You can ask you vet but keep in mind vets are great at medicine but they didn't teach training in vet school and they may only know the names of those who advertise.

Only use Petsmart as a last resort - the watered down, 'fast food' version of training. They drag out everything over 4 courses each 6-8 weeks (greedy little devils) - and I would get the same things accomplished and more in 10 weeks in my classes.

Start here to find local Kennel Clubs and training groups. Dog show people are perpetually brokefrom their dogs and they understand the costs. (Do NOT pick someone from the phonebook. Toomany frauds out there who chareg HUGE prices and are utterly clueless.)

GO here to find contacts in you rarea that can help you locate and obedience trainer who works with all beeds and who does AKC obedience compettions:

http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cf...

http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cf... (set on all breeds)


http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cf...

Even it they are an hour or more away, they will know other people all over the state.

Answer 5

NO on the retractable leash and no on the choker collar. From my experiences, this is the best product you will ever buy that is humane and works for training. It is called the Premier No-Slip Martingale Collar. It will not slip off if put on properly. Each of my dogs actually wear two of them. You can also try a "leash wrap." Put on a leash as normal, take the leash and wrap it underneath her two front legs and then through the triangle part of the martingale collar that your leash is attached to the end of. It forms as a harness that is safe and she shouldn't be able to get out of. Please don't give up on her...there are all kinds of training resources you can find to work with her. You can also buy a normal harness from petsmart that could work.

Answer 6

Your dog can tell if you are a push over and will take advantage of this the same way a child will. If your husband is more firm then your dog knows she can't get away with things with him. Remember you are the person and she is the dog.
As far as the leash and colar...I have two large labradors and they each have a harness. The harness can not be pulled out of, and you attach the leash behind thier shoulders this takes the power away from their neck. Chokers are fine of your dog will respond to them. Mine just kept pulling and choking...it was terrible to see and hear.

Answer 7

She needs a harness. She won't be able to get out of it if it is properly fitted because it circles her body in two places, putting no pressure on her throat. You will also have better control of her on a harness. Choke collars are for training, and can be harmful to her throat. She may have learned how to get out of her collar because it's uncomfortable or just gives her the willies. Get a harness that is wide enough to be comfortable, and definately go by the weight on the tag. It's supposed to be snug against the skin, but not tight, you should be able to slip two fingers between the bands and her body. Check it often in case she grows and you need to loosen it up. Puppy Power!!

Answer 8

I used to have a border collie that did the same thing. I just adjusted his collar to where I knew he couldn't get out of it and then I started to train him myself. I did get him to relax and walk right next to me. It just takes time and a lot of patience. Usually its not the dog that needs to be trained its the person. I watched a couple of tapes on some training techniques and that helped me out a great deal.

P.S. I used a retractable leash, I found it a lot easier to train with that.

Answer 9

You might try a regular 6 foot lead with a harness. I would not recommend a retractable lead for a dog that is not leash trained.

Answer 10

I'm not sure how big an australian sheep dog is, but you could check into a harness leash. They fit around the dog kind of like a vest, so unless he's Houdini, he shouldn't be able to squirm out of it.