I have just got a 1 year old Chocolate Lab, he is so bulky and pulls so much on his lead, how can train him?

Question

I need him to stop pulling when i walk, he is so so strong and i find it hard to control him without getting tired pretty quick. How can i train him to stop pulling away from me when i walk him. Also how do i train him to heel? He learnt sit pretty quick and i am getting him to do down now a bit too. He has a harness that goes around his legs and back which i walk him with. Any tips would be well appreciated.

Thanks

Anna

I have a harness, it says that in the question. Thanks.

Answer 1

I work for a vet. clinic and when we have a big dog that pulls we try as best we can to yank back... this sounds cruel but it's not, you may want to use a choke chain. it teaches them that when they go to far they get "chocked". It makes them learn a lot faster, and they get the picture better. I hope that helps!!

Answer 2

I'm 4ft 9in and weigh 6st 10lb (94lb) and pulling any dog around is a waste of time for me, but I own German Shepherds and train them all.
The only way I can do it and it's the most effective is to change direction as soon as the lead tightens. This not only teaches the dog not to pull it teaches it to pay attention to you and not to everything that is going on around it. I tried the stopping method but with most big dogs you can get very tired as unless you are strong enough you get pulled off balance. All my dogs have been a lot stronger than I am. LOL. As I also 'rescue' adult dogs who always seem to arrive with little or no training, most try to pull me.
You should take the dog out at a time when you are not going anywhere in particular. It should be a training session from the minute you leave the house. Every time the lead tightens you turn and walk the other way. Or you turn left or right suddenly and you don't speak or look at the dog. You just keep doing it and most dogs quickly understand that the best place for them to be is at your side. I don't use the heel command at first, I find it better to get the dog to start walking at my side first. When they are doing so and on a fairly loose lead, then I start pulling them back slightly into the heel position and when there I say heel. They soon associate the word with the correct position and I very rarely need the command but still use it occasionally so that the dog doesn't forget it has to obey.
I have a very powerful 3 and 1/2 yr old who I can walk easily and with or without a lead, and she had never been on a lead at all till she was 3! If I can do it anyone else should be able to, and it actually annoys me when people say I can't control him/her they are too strong. It's not strength it's lack of training!
I've never used a harness myself as I feel that as most dog's trained to pull a cart or sled use them they encourage the dog to pull.

Answer 3

The recommendations about treats and choke and prong collars are spot on. The dog will Not hurt himself; he'll stop pulling first. The prong collars look mean, but please trust your dog Not to hurt himself.

Another thing you can do to ensure your own safety when he's pulling is to use a 6' leash; hold the "loop" of the leash in one hand, thread the leash behind your back and hold along the length of the leash with the other hand (on the same side of your body as the dog is walking) so that your body is added leverage when you need to stop any forward rush by the dog. It's much easier to dig your heels in with this method as well. Once you've trained your dog, I recommend using a "sidewalk leash" which is about 2' long. You have a tall dog, and the short leash will keep him close to your side at all times but not uncomfortably close.

Answer 4

Hello Anna. Labs are easily trained but as with all dogs it takes patience. Buy a choke lead. This is a loose fit lead that goes on over the head. If he pulls on it it will choke him and he will soon get the message that he should not pull. Initially when he pulls then jerk back the lead/choke chain and say firmly HEEL. He will then get to know the two things as being linked. Also to start with have a few little treats to give him after you have corrected him. Praise him and stroke around his ears.This to will focus his brain on doing right. Best of luck.

Answer 5

What kind of a collar do you have him on? You're probably going to need to use a choke collar or even a prong collar for training him. If you don't know how to use either one correctly, you need to be shown how.

When you start walking, have the dog very close to your left side, on a short leash. Say heel as you step off with your left foot. Have a pocket full of treats along, keep talking to him, pat your leg if he starts to wander, call him back to heel, give him treats for all good behaviour.

When he pulls, you stop dead. Get him back in position and start again. If you're very consistent, he'll soon learn that when he pulls, he's not getting his walk. Your first several sessions won't be getting him much exercise, but he needs to learn.

You might want to consider taking him to classes with a really good trainer who can teach you how to train your dog. It would benefit your dog in the long run because he'd also be getting socialized.

Answer 6

Getting him a harness will actually cause him to pull more. Harness trigger the opposition reflex in dogs...it is what makes a husky pull a sled.

Instead, you need an Easy Walker harness. They are about the same price as a regular harness. The Gentle Leader is another great item to own, it helps you train loose leash walking.

Obedience class is a must as well.

EDIT: Yanking back won't do you anything. Dogs pull because we follow. When you yank the dog back, he or she will only pull harder and you will probably end up injuring yourself or the dog.

To train your dog to walk on a loose leash, start first in the house (less distractions). As soon as the leash tightens up and the dog begins to pull, stop. Stand very still. When the dog turns to look at you, turn and walk the other way. Repeat over and over. You are teaching the dog that he or she can go in the direction that they want as long as they are not pulling. But when they do pull, they loose the opportunity to go where they want to go, thus punishing them humanely.

Answer 7

It doesn't matter what kind of leash or collar you use.Ever wonder how the people in dog shows get their dogs to walk with them. Take a regular rope with a ring on one end or a choke chain and pull it up right behind the ears and it also should be up on the farthest part of the neck. That is the most sensitive part of the neck. Also do you let him go first out the door or you go first. U need to go first. Also when you feed him do you put down food for all day or do you feen him 2 to 3 times a day.

Answer 8

at that age he should be well trained. buy a easy lead I think that's what it is called it goes over the nose and the the ring that the lead goes on is under his chin that will stop him from pulling he will not like it at frist but will get used to it. the harness is not that good as it is not easy to control him. getting him to heel you have to find a good place and safe away from cars and you need some one to be with you one at one end the other at the other end have treats ready then call him when he comes give him a treat then the other person dose the same do that for a bit then go on your own let him off the lead then call him make a fuss of him when he comes back good luck

Answer 9

never get a harness for a dog.....when you tighten up a harness across a dog's chest their first instinct is to pull. Go to petsmart or petco and get an easy lead....it looks like a muzzle but it isn't the lead is connected under there mouth so when they start pulling all they do is go in a circle and eventually they stop pulling. Good luck! I know how frustrating it is.

Answer 10

My dog also pulled. No matter what I did she pulled. I tried everything. Then I saw the Dog Whisperer - Caesar Milan. I used a collar - a harness makes it easier for them to pull. I did what he showed and instead of pulling back, I pulled to the side. No talking - no eye contact - just keep walking. She was so surprised, she actually forgot to pull and paid attention to me, so she heeled for a while. Kept at it everytime she tried to go in front and in no time, I had a dog that walks to heel. It is a pleasure to walk her now. Try watching the programe.

Answer 11

a body harness will not be of any use, you need a leather half check collar like these http://www.collienet.com/GLENWOOD/main1.htm

Initially you need to be in control before you even leave the house. A dog that pulls you to the front door is already winning the game! Put the dog's lead on and take a step towards the door. If he pulls you there, stop, take the lead off and go and sit down again. The consequence of the pulling was "no walk". Next time, try again, if he pulls just stand still. Do not move towards the door. Eventually, out of confusion, the dog will turn and look at you. As the lead goes slack, say "good dog" and take a step towards the door. You may only get one step before he pulls again. You must be consistent. If he pulls, you either take off the lead and don't go at all, or you stand still until the lead goes slack.

This exercise could take several days. That doesn't mean you shouldn't walk your dog at all in that time. Perhaps take him out in the car so that the walk is not dependent on the lead.

Once you have got to the point where you can get to the front door calmly you can open the door but- the dog must NOT lunge out of the door ahead of you. If he lunges, close the door, take the lead off again.

This all sounds very negative but, from the dog's point of view, the reward is going for the walk. He must behave in an acceptable manner to be able to get his reward. If you are consistent he will get the idea very quickly.

Once you have got out of the door you keep going with the principle of "slack lead" = "forward"; "tight lead" = "stop". You MUST be consistent. The reward is the moving forward so if you keep going when the dog is pulling, you are rewarding for pulling. You can also use treats to get the dog focussed back towards you. I often get through a whole pocket-full of treats on a lead training walk. When the dog pulls I stop, wait for the dog to turn back to me, take a step forward so that the dog is level with my leg, then give a treat whilst the dog is in the correct position.

This exercise is hard work and very frustrating. But it is worth the effort in order to avoid that dog-owners nightmare, the dog you hate to walk because of the pulling!

It would also be worth enroling in a local dog training class so he sees plenty of other dogs and distractions.

As far as a dog harness is concerned, if the dog is pulling, it puts unwanted pressure on the dogs chest and can damage its spine. Have you ever seen any dog obedience champions using a harness in order to train their dog to heel, I think not........they use a half check collar. A simple collar of leather or webbing with a four inch piece of chain that tightens when the dog pulls. Please do not use a prong/spike collar as they are dangerous and unnecessary, they are actually banned in the UK.