pulling on the lead

[montysmum]

Hi Everyone. Im seeking some advise about how to stop my working cocker spaniel Monty pulling on his lead. He is generally a fantastic dog within the house apart from stealing our clothes. However when we get outside he takes on this whole different persona and has bags more energy. I realise this is just being a puppy but would love some advise on how we can calm him down while we are out. Also when he sees another dog / human he instantly is their friend and bounds over for cuddles or playtime. He pulls constantly and zig zag all over the place. I've tried 'good boy' treats when the lead is slack. (hardly ever)! I also purchased a pet corrector and took that out. Although he stop pulling for an instant to look at me, a second later he was back to it. A lot of people say just give his lead a tug backwards and he'll soon get the message. I don't like doing this as I may hurt him but the odd occasion I have it doesn't seem to help. Any advise would be great. He's only 16 weeks. x x x x

[Blueberry]

I'm also having this trouble with Blue, who's now 6 months old, so I eagerly await helpful answers to this question.. 
Blue actually tripped me up and pulled me over a couple of weeks ago, and I was quite badly hurt.  It happened on a dangerous road and we could easily both have been killed.   I'm already worried about how I'm going to manage to walk him at all in winter if he can do that to me in midsummer., I am post menopause, so at high risk of breaking bones.
He starts out Ok, but as soon as he realises we're headed for home, he starts to pull like a train and he is really very strong.
The only thing I can say is that, after a couple of bad experiences with growly, snappy dogs, he has become much better at reading the signs with other dogs and can tell if they are not interested in play, or potentially threatening, and he will walk on by those quite happily now.  The pulling is a big worry for me though, we live in a steeply hilly area with busy roads and very narrow pavements.

[Mandymlc]

Effie at 7 months does the same - I blame myself for not doing enough lead walking when she was younger. She just wants to go everywhere right now and at top speed! I've tried giving treats but that just makes her jump up at my hand and look at me rather than walking forward and looking where she's going. A halti lead and harness has helped, but she still pulls like a steam train if she catches a scent or sees something mildly exciting. Tugging on the lead has no effect whatsoever.  My aim is to get her to walk nicely for a few minutes then let her off, but she anticipates this and just can't control herself!
I keep thinking maybe she'll be calmer when she's had her first season or when she's a bit older, but I also think if I don't get it ingrained in her when she's young, she'll never stop pulling! She's normally really quick at picking up new commands, especially if there's food involved, but just can't get her head round why she has to walk soooooo slowly!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with this problem, and am looking forward to the rescue squad coming to our aid! 

[montysmum]

sounds very similar. I try to head to fields and wider foot paths. Im starting to dread the walks which is a shame as its something I looked forward to. I'm just hoping its cause he's still young but want to nip it in the bud asap. x x

[Londongirl]

Are you using a collar or a harness? Harnesses are better because it causes less damage to the dog when they do pull, and you have more control.

A front-lead harness really helps. The Walk Your Dog With Love harness is brilliant at reducing pulling and ideal for street walks, although I don't like it when Henry's off-lead as it's not very robust and the front piece makes him walk with a funny hitch when the lead isn't on! When I need a more robust harness for fields and forest, I use the Perfect Fit with both front and back rings and a double ended lead. He still pulls, but I have much more control and can use two hands if he really seems like he wants to take off.

The harnesses reduce pulling but don't teach loose-lead walking which is your ultimate aim. I have started retraining Henry with this as he has suddenly got interested in squirrels and pulls me all over the place if he sees one, which has progressed to pulling in general - sometimes he just seems to forget all his training and totally regress. I am teaching him with treats fed behind me and with the clicker, and I think the clicker is really helping. Google 'Kikopup loose leash training'. Simple method but seems effective. I'm about a week into retraining loose lead walking and making some progress - keep at it. And don't blame yourself if things go south for a while. I'm learning that it's two steps forwards, one back with these flibbertigibbet dogs.

[Blueberry]

On the occasion Blue pulled me over we were having our first outing with the WYDWL harness, which I'd bought in the hope of reducing the pulling! 
For us, unfortunately, it works no better than his Perfect Fit harness to reduce pulling. 
At our puppy training class, I was 'told off' by the trainer for using a harness at all.  The trainer insisted that a collar and lead is the only way to go with teaching to walk without pulling. 
I'm very reluctant to do this as he is clearly causing himself respiratory distress when pulling and I don't want him to hurt himself.
Someone locally has recommended a Halti.  I'm reluctant to go buying yet another device, just on the off chance it will be the magic solution 

[Mandymlc]

Blueberry, the reason I got a halti was so I could have the double lead attachment - one on her collar and one on the halti harness. It does give a bit more control and I can 'steer' her slightly better - although the the downside is I don't have a free hand for treats and it makes my own walking slightly awkward!
I tried the wydwl and it had no effect - she just pulled through it and yanks her sideways, but she still keeps going 

I'm starting to think when the issue is over-excitement and enthusiasm, the only solution is patience and time!

(And chocolate and wine) 

[Londongirl]

Our trainer advocated collar and lead too, and the 'flick' method. Makes no difference to Henry's walking except that he choked himself. Many vets and no-force trainers say leads on collars cause real damage.

It's very boring, but I'm taking Henry on non-interesting walks and just not moving when his pulling. I stop, or turn, walking in random directions, and I'm clicking and treating the minute he's at my side, even if I've put him there by turning. It now takes about ten minutes of that for him to settle into heel walking, while constantly looking for a treat by my leg. I then start to stretch out the number of steps we take before he gets the treat. He's not geting to go to his favourite parks or woods until we've got this. In the past I kept undoing my good work by letting him pull in certain circumstances but not others. I'm determined to get it right this time. If we spend an hour out and barely move, so be it.

[lescef]

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/541

There are so many different ways to try and teach loose lead walking and I think you have to find one that suits the dog and you! Kiko pup has very good videos but after trying a few I found the one above worked for Maddie. She found it fun which is half the battle. She's now slipping back into bad habits again so it has to be reinforced often.
I've come to realise that you need the patience of a saint - the walk has to be slow and calm starting from the door. And really the walk should just be short so that you just concentrate on the training and don't relent so that you can walk for longer as they go back to pulling.
In terms of wanting to be everyone's friend I try to distract them as much as possible.  Get him to focus on you or throw treats in the grass so that he's learning an alternative behaviour.

[bizzylizzy]

I have come to the conclusion that cockers just are meant for loose lead walking! 
I really have tried just about everything in the book, we've done the turning round, the stopping, the foot in front shouting Sssshhhhhush (which causes great frivolity and raised eyebrows in the neighbourhood), the clicker, etc etc. The WYDWL is really good but we've had some problems with it over the last week, as even now I've ordered a bigger one, Humphrey doesn't seem to like it anymore, so I've decided to just use it for situations where there are a lot of distractions and I need him under control, like crowded places etc. If he's relaxed and there're no strong smells around, he's definately improving but on a bad day, (like at training this morning   ), he's off in his own world and nothing will work.
Having said all that - he's just walked home with me, OFF lead, to heel for about 500 yards, despite the neighbours two GSD barking at him from the behind the fence!!!My jaw is still hanging open!!! 
 Its a paradox, but I feel sometimes that I have more control off lead than on but I'd obviously not risk it in traffic etc.
SO - What is the answer? I don't think there is a one size fits all and there's no one fullproof method. What has helped me the most, is having finally accepted that he probably will never walk perfectly without pulling in all situations. I've learned to be a bit more relaxed about it now and stop worrying about him doing everything right, - we still keep trying,,everytime we go out, but I try not to get so stressed about it now and funnily enough Humphrey seems to respond better. My advice is Never give up but relax, be patient, celebrate the successes and ignore the failures!!! 

[BonnieScot]

I'm with BizzyLizzy.

Bonnie is 16 months and I spent the first 14 of them trying to get her to conform to this angelic heel walking ideal that I'd built up in my mind. Not only is it really hard with a cocker as they're not built like that in my view, but it's so boring and unrewarding for them. About two months ago, I popped her Perfect Fit harness on, long line clipped on the back, and we went for a wander round the estate. She would weave about sniffing all the good stuff, get to the end of the line and I would stop. Always a treat for being at my side, and for checking in when we got to a corner. We'd change direction if she was too excited or just for the hell of it. After two months of this, we pootle around happily together, our bond is better, we're outside for longer, she gets the enrichment she needs from scenting everything and I'm relaxed. She's not perfect, and neither am I. But I'm much more in tune with her, know when she's too wound up and we can back off. She's better with all sorts of distractions- I think because she's more exposed because we're outside longer, and because repetition eventually gets through. We are widening the walk to new places, we do 'find it' treats in the long grass, we have a giggle when we pass some poor dog out on a march.

And the funniest thing? When I need her to heel, she does it with a spring in her step, and when I let her off her recall is better. I can get her attention easier when in a new situation too and am noticing her checking in with me for direction when she's unsure. Instead of steam coming out of my ears, I'm much more likely to be heard telling her how good she is.

If I get another puppy, I'm going to skip the torment of trying to get a great heel and do this from the very start.

[Blueberry]

All very well and good, as long as none of us is killed by a car, steaming over the crest of a hill, as nearly happened to us. 
In winter, I think I will have to drive somewhere to let Blue out for a walk, as I can't see anywhere locally that will be safe for both of us..

[Koslg]

Humbug took ages to learn these with very good treats. I use the word close for walking to heel. Treat in hand when learning. If he moved away or pulled we stopped. I waited til he was near me again or moved off in the opposite direction. Some days we didn't get very far in terms of distance!
Aged six he mostly walks to heel on a short lead on a harness but not so good for my mum who walks him week days. Just for his mummy. 

[hoover]

God, it's a nightmare isn't it? I'd love to say it gets better at adulthood but I can't say that's been our experience!  I'm sure if we were more consistent in training that would help but it gets so embarrassing when all your local walks take half an hour to go 500 meters because you spend most of the time standing still until the lead goes slack     Ollie has now perfected a very quick sit down on these occasions, as he believes it is this action that will get us going again!

The thing that I have found best (but also the most embarrassing to do) is to modify my speed according to the pulling.  So if Ollie starts to pull a bit I slow down a bit, if he starts to pull a lot, I slow down a lot, if he pulls very hard I stop altogether.  As soon as his lead is relatively slack I pretty much power walk with him to show him I am happy to go at a fast pace as long as he is not pulling, and I keep this up until he starts pulling again, when I slow down accordingly.  When I do this it does seem to work with him as it seems a more precise relationship for him to recognise between loose lead and speed of getting to where he wants to go. However I must admit I am not consistent about applying it and I often drive Ollie in the car to parks because it's all such hard work!

[Londongirl]

Henry always sits down if I stop because the lead is taut. As soon as I step forwards, he's off again. So always ahead. But now I've started the clicker plus treat, he is beginning to turn back to me to get the reward. I taught him that he gets a click and a treat for being beside me in and around the house, with no lead at first. Just a game. Got him to follow me as I turned and moved. If he walked around me or in front, no reward.  If he came up to my left (where I want him), there's the click, then the treat. Did this for a couple of days, then did it with the lead, but just in the garden. Now he's beginning to make the connection when we are out lead walking in the street. It takes a lot of treats to do a twenty minute walk, but it does work. He gets to stop and sniff as long as he doesn't drag me to get there. Just one week in, but I'm cautiously hopeful. I don't want him marching like a robot, but there has to be a compromise betweeen his desire to pull and mine to have a shoulder that doesn't hurt all the time.