What is the best way to train a dog (10 months old) to walk without pulling and panting?

Question

He does seem to get very excited, he also tries to jump up people when he meets them. Although he is always given a lot of attention.

Answer 1

FIRST

NO WEIRD HEAD HALTERS

NO FUNKY MARTINGALES

NO BIZZARE BODY HARNESSES

NO PINCH COLLARS AT THIS AGE (They are very severe and the last ditch resort. In the hands of an inexperienced person it is like giving a monkey a set of razor blades. Only try that with the help of an experienced and competent trainer. They have become far too popular as "the solution" with big dogs becuae they work and they work because of how severe they are. Not much left in the way of collars if you go to that and many dogs learn to ignore the pain and so what they want and then what do you do, eh??)

Problem with "quick fixes" like those ridiculous head halters is they DO NOT work in the long run and are useless for many things. Try teaching a dog "come" or 'down' in one of those things. Can you imagine trying to teach a 'drop on recall" or "fetch" or much of anything besides 'walk on the leash so you don't jerk me flat on my face" in one of those headhalters or body harness or martingale contraptions??? (And drop on recall is a concept I introduce at the end of my basic obedience classes.)

There is a reason why AKC shows prohibits those head halters and martinagle things and pinch collars from even being on the show grounds - and that is that the dogs are still basically out of control and shouldn't be out of their fenced yard; and AKC obedience competitons ONLY allows the use of two collars: flat buckle collars or slip/choke chains.

You need to learn to use the same equipment (collar and leashes) that the obedience competitors use. As his problem is pulling, that eliminates the flat collar as a choice unless you like watersking on dry land.


Go get him a slip collar (chain is best - the dog learns to listen for the rattle when the leash sways and make sure he is where he is supposed to be. Nylon don't work a 1/4 as well.) The collar should fit so that there is at least 4-5 fingers of space between his neck and the collar. At his age, I would guess a 20 - 22 inch. He will be on your left. Put the collar on so the ring that slides back and forth through the other ring will come acoss the back of his neck in a line straight towards you - you do not want it sliding to his left and then bending back towards you.

Learn to use the collar. Do NOT ratchet it up tight with the leash and keep a steady pull on it. It is a snap - a pop, release. It gives him a bump without a lot of pressure. Put it on your own wrist first and and pracitce the between a pull and a snap. Any peice of equipment can be ineffective or harmful in the hands oof someone who doesn't take the time to learn how to use it.

(As for all those who wail "CHOKE CHAINS ARE CRUEL" , well it doesn't occur to these uneducated people who have read a book that maybe those who spend the time training and competing their performance dogs know more than them or the "trainer" at Petsmart who never sets foot in a competition ring to prove their skills against others. They are real free with their superficial opinions based on insufficient information and experience but can their doggy do a drop on recall, retrieve work by sight and by scent, hand signals for all commands, go-outs; directional patterns; hold a sit or down stay off leash in a line of dogs with mass confusion for 5-10 minutes, heel off leash through crowds out in public; track someone or something with no known starting point .... Hmmm, didn't think so. Doubt they noticed what collars Service Dogs wear in addition to their harnesses. They can take a guess and here is a hint: it is not flat buckles, it is not a head halter, it is not a body harness; it is not a martingale thing; it is not a pinch....now what is the answer??)

Now to make him walk NICELY next to you, first get him on your left. He should be not more than 8-10 inches out from your leg. The junction of his neck/shoulder should be even with your leg.

The normal position for the leash is the end is in your right hand, your left hand supports the excess and there is slack between your left hand and the dog - a loop of 8-10 inches on each side of the loop. Once he stops pulling, you can use that position.

Right now he needs to stop pulling like a freight train.

IF THE DOG IS PULLING FORWARD AND TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF YOU

Hook the leash on the dog's slip collar. Get the dog on your left side. Take the leash and run it behind you over your hips to your right side. Hold the end of the leash in your right hand. With your left hand, take up the leash so there is some slack between your hand and the dog's collar - maybe a loop of 6-8 inches on each side.

Walk off. When the dog lunges forward to drag you, halt FAST and step backwards with your left foot while taking the dog's lunge with your body and throw your hip and weight backwards against him. . (You are basically snubbing him off.) You can even take a complete step backwards if you are fast enough. Let him hit that slack and snap himself back.

As you do that yell "NO" in a deep stern voice, and then in the same voice order him back to your side with "Heel". Make him get back there and move off again. Grab him by the collar/scruff and haul him back if you have to. (Actually any words that you care to use work if your voice is authoritive, deep, stern and resounds with "NOT A GOOD IDEA MISTER". I tend to say "I Don't Think SO!" or "Knock IT Off" a lot.) Make eye contact - that is very important - and force him to look at you. A dog that won't look at you and keep eye contact isn't listening to you. Do not break eye contact first. Use your upper body to loom over him and get in his space as you get after him and insist that he comply.


I weigh 98 lbs and can stop a Great Dane with that move and get their attention.

Now the positive is very important.The minute he backs off , you say "okay - now settle down, that's my good guy". Then as you go along, make sure to give lots of praise and pets. I talk to them a lot - Okay, that's it, steady, uh-uh ,don't even think about it, all right!, da- da- da (warning toone) yes!.... - switching my voice from postive (encourging praising) to warning to negative (BIG mistake my friend) as I watch the dog working along and what he is doing or thinking about doing. My facial expression changes too - smile - warning/cautioning - stern - acting angry With big dogs - ones that I can easily reach the top of their head when they are next to me - I touch ther head and neck with the fingers of my left hand so try giving finger strokes and pats on their head as you walk if they are being good.

PRAISE

Using treats is silly because one day you will start to forget the treats or not have them or something, and the next time you call her, she'll remember not getting the treat and figure "why bother?" Or you have to spend the dog's entire life walking around smelling like a doggy deli with food stuffed in your pockets. And what happens the day the doggy decides it is more fun to chase the rabbit than do what you told him to do and get the treat?

Clickers are just flat stupid - they are for people who are too dumb to figure out how to quickly say "GOOD DOG" in a happy, excited voice.

When he is good, use a happy pleased voice and give pets and hugs.

You always have your hands and your voice. Use them

By the way, many women in particular, but men do it too, have a real problem with voice control, When they get upset or frustrated, their voice go UP. The dog ignores them. In the pack, the boss dog or alpa uses deep tones (rumble in the chest, growl etc) to express displeasure and get compliance from the dogs lower in the pecking order. A dog making a high ptiched sound (yapping, yelping etc) is not only not going to get compliance as they are percieved as ineffectual and the not-Alpha, not-the-boss but that it is giving an invitation to play.


STOP JUMPING

Stop jumping by any of these methods:

(1) A loud “No” and push her off and hold her down and scold her with “Bad, Bad Bad”. Then tell her “Okay,” let her up and give her a pat (if she doesn’t leap again.)

(2) A loud “No” and time it so that as she comes off the ground, you bring your foot forward and step on her back foot.

(3) A loud “No” and as she comes up off the ground, raise your knee so that she hits it with her chest and bounces off.

(4) If visitors are coming over, get the leash and collar on. When he leaves the ground, you snap the leash backwrads and halt him mid leap. Immediately grab him by the collar or back of the neck and put him belly down flat on the ground and read him the riot act in "The Voice" while leaning over him frowning - I tend to shak my finger right at the end of the nose too. Let him up with a "Be good...) and if he keeps all 4 feet on the ground, he can get petted, if not, repeat it until he does. Better his butt hits the ground than he knocks down an elderly woman with osteoprosis and she shatters a hip and you get sued.....or it is child who falls and cracks their skull.....


Now you both need a GOOD obedience class - and that is NOT Petsmart or Petco.

GO here to find contacts in you area that can help you locate and obedience trainer who works with all breeds and who does AKC obedience competitions competing at what they claim to teach – no proof of ability like winning:

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 2

This is a method that has worked wonders!!!When walking your dog, if he starts to pull ahead, just turn around and walk the other direction. Keep doing this (you may have to go back and forth several times every 10 feet or so). This will teach the dog to pay attention to your steps and walk close to you. It also avoids unnecessary stress on their necks and throats. The panting is a result of the airway being restricted due to stress on it from the collar. As for jumping on people, that is another training issue. I know several people that have used clicker training. In your search bar just type in "dog clicker training" There are several excellent sites.

Answer 3

the best thing i found to stop dogs pulling is a harness and keep him on a short lead as he pulls his front paws will come of the ground so he will not be able to pull another good tip is as soon as he pulls stand still and if this doesn't work walk him in the opposite direction away from what hes pulling you towards and he will soon learn you just need to be patient with him.and if that don't work try a halti that just slips over his head and around his nose so when he trys pulling his head will turn so he cant go without his head but id try the harness first so i hope this bit of info was useful and good look

Answer 4

first of all, get into dog obedience classes. second, don't use a harness...it teaches them to pull. the lower protion of the neck and the chest are the strongest pulling parts on a dog. try a choker-type colar (metal or nylon) and it needs to be where there is only 2-3 inches extra length when pulled tight. this only works if you keep it up aroulnd the back of the head, like on a dog show. when he starts to pull ahead, stop walking and pull back quickly on the choker. when he stops pulling, release. this is done in a matter of about 3 seconds. that's why you need a trainer assisting you. as far as the jumping, he must sit before anyone walks near him.

get into classes; they will help you understand how to take dontrol of your dog.

Answer 5

I received my Bronze award for training my Border Collie last year and there are plenty of things to try but the one that worked for me is: if your dog starts pulling you need to sharply jerk the lead to bring your dog back to your 'heal'. When doing so you need to say 'heal' in your best authoritive voice and be very patient and persistant. Another good one that worked with other members to the dog training club: When your dog pulls on the lead its becuase of the excitment and the possiblility that he knows where he is going so when he pulls to much turn around and watch the confusion on his face. when he settles turn back again. The minute he pulls again repeat the process. Hope this helps. :) Oh plus a 'Half Check chain' will definately help. Good Luck

Answer 6

Keep him on a short lead right beside you as soon as he starts pulling do a small tug and stop everytime and within a week tops he will learn it usually has taken me 2 days to train a dog.It also helps to keep a treat in your pocket and when he listens after you tug and he stops pulling give a tiny,tiny piece of treat and just keep doing it over n over it will work it has never failed me yet.Sometimes its good to get someone eles to do it because they can be like kids you no how they can be better for someone eles or listen to someone else instead of mom .

Answer 7

you have to crack this problem as he is getting too old now and will start to take the lead if you let him.Tell him to heel. when he doesn't do it - Just stop walking. Don't move until he heels, then move off again. keep treats in your pocket, and give him one when he gets it right, and praise him by speaking nicely when you are walking along nicely, but the second he pulls, stop walking again and ignore him - unless he is really dominant, this should work. Go to obedience classes too -vets often run them

Answer 8

I've had great success with a pinch collar. It simulates the mother dog's bite to correct behavior. It's not painful but it gets the dogs attention, quickly.
A quick tug up on the lead with your command should do the trick.

Answer 9

Get a gentle muzzle leader. It goes around his snout kinda like a muzzle, but it's not. This is used to keep his head positioned up so he will not pull. You can also try this buy: when you are walking him pull up on the leash and see if he slows down.

Just take a look at the site below. It worked for my strong hyper lab.

Answer 10

Hold the lead in two hands. One on the end and the other half way down. The lead should go across your body in a diagonal from the hand on the end to the hand half way down the lead. Use a choke chain and when he pulls on you yank it backwards. Not to hurt him but to pull him back with a jerk. At the same time say sharply HEEL.
Then reward him with a choc drop and a good stroke but nothing very big.
In time start to cut out the reward and in time he will walk with you to heel.

Answer 11

Chocker chain lead. Ask the pet shop how to use it though. They go on a certain way round, depending which side you have your dog, and there is a right way and a wrong way to use them. Good luck