My puppy uis 4 months and he pulls me everywhere hes big boy lol what to do?

Question

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Answer 1

Get him to dog training classes as soon as you can..big dogs need to be properly trained...(well all dogs do but can be dangerous with a big dog)

Answer 2

My response is to actually combine most of the above answers. I have a 65 lbs boxer mix. He is a handful, and very strong. If he gets to pulling on a walk, my arm will actually start hurting from the strain. He was about 50 lbs when I took him to obedience classes at Petsmart. They worked great, and I highly recomend them.

He was always a puller, and especially so at class. He is so full of energy. A big part of the Petsmart class is teaching your dog proper walking techniques. They use clicker training, which I also recomend. Basically they teach that as you walk, you reward for him walking proper. Hold a treat near your hip so they follow more behind you. Keep praising them and periodically give them a treat. This starts the process. If your dog starts to pull, just stop. Do not yell, scold lightly, and then just wait. If they pull and you follow, you reinforce the behavior. Your dog wants to walk/run/chase. If you stop you are doing the opposite of what they want. Wait from the to come back and "see what is wrong". At that point treat and praise. That is the basic training process they teach. The class obviously goes into a lot more detail.

The Halti that one person mentioned is actually a brand of Gentle Leader. I have one as well, and highly recomend it. The previous person did not do a great job of describing it though. It loops loosly over the mouth, clips behind the head, and has an emergency clip to the collar. The leash then clips to a ring below the loop going around the mouth. When the dog tries to pull, it does more than just close the mouth. It also tilts the head back and to the side. This literally prevents the dog from pulling because every time it tries it starts looking backwards. It worked on my dog immediately. I highly recomend this leader system. Do not use choker collars. Even the best ones are cruel, and the ones with barbs are out and out evil. How would you like it if you had bards pulled into your neck every time you wanted to go check out something neat? They also do not work well. A dog that is really excited will pull until litterally they are coughing. Try those two things and see if they do not help a lot. Good luck.

Answer 3

There are a number of things you can do. First, get a good quality anti pull harness for him. This will help with training him. You may need someone who is stronger than you to help with training. When standing at the door, before you open it, the dog must sit, not be all jumping up and down. Calm, preferably in the sit position. Do not allow the dog out the door until he has behaved calmly and done a command (sit is a good one!). And then open the door and proceed out with him BEHIND or directly beside of you (better if he follows!). This established him as the follower and you as the leader. In pack mentality the leader of the walk is the pack leader. So don't let your dog think he is the pack leader (causes all kinds of other problems later too!). As you walk, he must remain at your side. If he starts to pull or lead, immediately STOP. Wait for him to look at you and stop pulling or leading, then proceed. This may take some time to do. Don't worry what it looks like, just BE CONSISTANT! Once he gets the idea that when he pulls you stop, he'll began to do it less and less, ditto on the leading. He will soon understand YOU are the pack leader. Go to the local library and pic up some books, or better yet, DVD's on dog training. There are number of good training DVD's and books there that you can chose from. I love Ceasar Milan, because he explains pack mentality and I have been correcting some of the things I thought were so cute at one time in my 7 yo IG and I learned some of his bad behaviour was from "allowing him" these actions that made him think he was the boss. I now have a very nice dog, who is well behaved and is much more relaxed himself (took a lot of pressure off him too!). I also recommend Train Your Dog the positive gentle method with Nicole Wilde and Laura Bourhenne. They have a number of tips that have helped with training the new puppy I have and easy ways to train a puppy right from the get go. Also, lots of advice for the new puppy, and helps to show you how a dog thinks. Ceasar Milan has great tips for looking at things from a dogs prospective and how to fix bad training or bad behaviour. Most of it is easy to learn and easy to teach your puppy, and is worth the investment of time. Makes for a happier pet who loves and respects you and is a joy to have. Good luck with you big guy!

Answer 4

Ignore those people who tell you to watch Cesar Millan. He is a quack using old school techniques that are no longer recommended by professional trainers. True he can take an incorrigible dog and reform it, but it is like sending a ten year old to boot camp. Unnecessary brutality, and dangerous to you as well. Positive reinforcement is actually more powerful than Millan's dominance games.

Your four month old puppy should be enrolled with you in a training class. Select a trainer who uses positive reinforcement rather than aversive training methods as Cesar Millan does. You need to learn positive training techniques because as he gets bigger you're going to need those. Four months is too young for you to be out of control.

One technique you can use to stop pulling is Red LIght-Green Light. If your dog pulls, plant your feet to stand still. As soon as the leash goes slack, walk forward. When the leash gets tight again, stop. Repeat as needed.

Get a Gentle Leader or Halti collar. These work like a horse's bridle allowing you to control the dog's head. (It has nothing to do with closing his mouth as one poster said.) If you control the head you control the dog. It is very hard to pull with one's head pulled back towards the shoulder. Get the petstore sales person to help you fit the dog because fit is important.

Be patient. Be consistent. Use rewards for the behavior you want.

Answer 5

Obedience classes help. I have a Great Dane. He is 7 months old and he is huge. I'm a small person and when he was a younger 3 to 4 months old he pulled me every where. I was told to get a special collar. I'm not sure what they are call but you will know it when you see it. It have all of these little metal prongs sticking out of it. I didn't want to use it and i cried the first time I put it on him. I thought it was inhuman to do to him. I did use it and he is so smart that he only pulled on it a time or two.

Answer 6

Watch Cesar Milan The Dog Whisperer on The History Channel

Answer 7

DO NOT try and recreate what you see on TV you need real training and experiance to train a dog from scratch, i spent 10 years of my life learning techiques i use with my pups. It is totally irrisponsable to try techniques you see on TV with a pup without supervision. You need to get yourself to a trainer wether that be in a class or on a one to one basis.
You may also in the meantime look at a gentle leader/halti or harness, if you have little experiance then stay well clear of choak chains or half choaks as they are dangerous. take expert advice face to face.... taking advice over the internet can be risky as we don't know anything about your pup other than he pulls and is big.... not much to go on! BUT you can get help locally, ask your vet for a recomendation of a trainer or class. Good luck.

Answer 8

You can't let him have his ways all the time... Gotto show him who's the boss.
Go for obedient courses is definitely the best choice. You may train him at home too. Under parental guidance of course.
Do not inccur any injuries or attempt to hit ur puppy as he will only be fearful of you. You want him to respect you instead of being afraid of you right?

Answer 9

Get a halti they don't hurt them and they can still open their mouth and defend them self's.

When they pull forward the halti closes their mouth so they automatically stop pulling.

I got 2 dogs and walking them was a nightmare they used 2 have me nearly running round the park on their walks.

I tryed harness no good,choke chain's no good got the halti's and they worked a treat.

Now i hold both dog's on 1 hand and i enjoy the walk almost as much as they do.

My friend takes my dogs 4 a walk and he don't use the halti's and he said they don't pull no more at all so the halti's have trained them.

Answer 10

I would say try finding a local puppy training class and get help there with basic puppy obed training.. Also you have to be careful when using other collars such as choke and pinch collars IF not used correctly they can cause more harm then good....Try using treats to distract him and MAKE him look at you so he isn't pulling you around and PRAISE him tons when he is doing what he is supposed to do...

Answer 11

I love pups, but because of life circumstances can not have one presently.

Several ways to go. You can get a shock collar, but dangerous in the hands of one who does not know training of a dog.

Secondly a different kind of collar. A spike collar will bring the pup to respect. A slight yank or more on a strong headed dog will bring them into line.

Spike collars of the leather kind which are very sharp need to be ground with a hand file just to take the point off in my opinion. A german spike collar which is a pinch collar can be used as is, but requires a little more pull.

I would also consider teaching this dog to heal. In hunting we train dogs to walk a few feet in front and side to side and I use a spike collar for that work or a shocker.

Heeling
Have pup at side with spike collar on and start walking and immediately when the pup starts to move out in front. If pup on right side and their ussually for a reason. Step with left foot in front of pup and turn in new direction saying heal.

Eventually pup will not lead, but stay back looking for direction and then and only then turn to your left and say heal with slight nudge on collar. Anytime pup trys to move ahead of leg turn left using left leg crossing over in front of dog and thereby turning in new direction.

Teaching a pup is a learning experience for both teacher and pup. If you do not have time then take to trainer.

Well your at it teach the pup to come. With 20' rope and collar described above. Call the dog by name and pull the pup to you with praise when he gets there. When he finally listens just a call will bring him in.

Note: In all teaching the timing is critical. Pull on the collar just shortly after one gives the command. Just enough time for dog to hear and react and be consistent. Pups like children learn very quickly where you will give slack at and take advantage of it. Secondly, like kids, make it enjoyable for the pup to do.

No training session should be longer then 15-20 minutes unless one makes it very enjoyable and fun to do.