Pulling on the lead

[HTP99]

A bit of advice please.

We have re-homed a 17 month old deaf, female French Bull Dog; I have posted on here already about her and also some of her issues, we have had her now a few months and I'm having real trouble stopping her pulling on the lead.

I have scoured the internet and tried various suggestions such as:

• Stopping dead when she pulls and carrying on when the lead goes slack, stopping again and waiting for the lead to go slack.
• Doing above however turning and going back in the opposite direction.
• Stopping when she pulls, walking backwards a few steps and gently pulling her to heel and dropping a treat at my heel, waiting for her to settle at my heel; which she does and she she will sit there with no indication or attempt to pull away, however as soon as I go to walk off she shoots off again so I do the whole process again but it's almost as if I'm doing 1 step forward and two steps back and not getting anywhere.

The problem with many soloutions is that they require verbal praise and instructions whereas she is deaf and getting her to make eye contact with me, particularly as she is so small is almost impossible.

Any other suggestions would be greatly received as currently I am just not enjoying walking her and I really want to get her out of the pulling; I'm not fussed on her being a few steps ahead and I don't at this stage want her to be stuck to my heel I just want the walking to be enjoyed by the both of us.

Thanks

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 4th February 14:48

[AngryPartsBloke]

The first two that you mention I found worked best when i had to train a quite highly strung golden retriver. The way i did it however was to hold the lead down low with my left hand, to give him enough room to walk a head of me a bit, with a slack bit inbetween my left hand and the end of the lead in my right. When they pull you let go with your left hand and they drop forward a bit and then you change direction.

I foudn that it didn't take long for him to stop pulling and didn't require anything in the way of verbal praise/commands etc.

[jeff m2]

Instead of turning around and going in the opposite direction, try doing 90 degree turns without stopping.
Both left and right.
You may have to time it just right so your leg/foot comes across infront of her at the right time.
A little contact is ok.

Her thought pattern should be WTF I wasn't expecting that !!!

After a few passes she should get the idea that hanging back a bit is safer (and it's what you want)

If she darts out ahead from the off you may need to start off from a sit position and do the turn immediately so as to reduce the chance of failure.

The more you allow her to do it the more she will think it's ok.

[Pints]

Are the words "choke chain" still frowned upon in these parts? It is used to correct behaviour, and verbal instruction may not be necessary. Consistency is the key.

[akita1]

What you need is a dogmatic very similar to a halti but better made of soft leather (google dogmatic )I have a 9 month old Akita who weighs in at 6 stone at the mo and pulls like a train my last Akita was the same but this device done the trick I used it as per instructions for a week but left it on unclipped if he started to pull again I just clipped it back up till he cottoned on.

[HTP99]

akita1 said:

What you need is a dogmatic very similar to a halti but better made of soft leather (google dogmatic )I have a 9 month old Akita who weighs in at 6 stone at the mo and pulls like a train my last Akita was the same but this device done the trick I used it as per instructions for a week but left it on unclipped if he started to pull again I just clipped it back up till he cottoned on.

That looks interesting; I guess the way it is fitted and where it is fitted just makes it impossible to pull, however I would want to try and wean her off it and to go back to her Puppia harness, I may get one.

The problem with Daisy is she is easily distracted and pulls for cats, foxes, people, bikes, leaves, rubbish, moving trees, birds, cars; you name it.

It is so difficult to keep her focused, every walk starts off ok and then she just gets over excited and distracted and you've lost it.

[illmonkey]

For Louis in puppy training we are told to use a harness for letting him do what he wants, and a collar for heeling.

To train for the heeling, we hold the lead in our right hand, left hand full of food and drop a piece down, walk slowly dropping food every step, after a while moving to a bit every 2 steps etc. If he runs ahead, show him food and get him to come back and do a 180, as if you're resetting him onto his path.

This may work well, as you don't use your voice, it's all about getting them to walk close to you for food.

Louis is very strong and can pull a lot, so our trainer suggested a different harness which tightens when he pulls a lot. This isn't to heal him, but to stop him pulling as much on his harness.

[Jasandjules]

Try a balance leash?

[Granville]

The turning 90 degrees works really well as they start to think about what and when you're likely to do it. Really keeps them thinking, though you may get a few odd looks off folk.

Praise and praise when she does it right, even if its only brief good behaviour, either a treat or a tickle / pat or something. Maybe find a hand action she can associate with being a good girl.

You say she starts off ok then gets excited as the walk continues. Maybe cut the walks right down, lots of little ones a day, pick a route, walk round the block or even to the end of the road and back that you know you can do before the excitement and pulling begins. Gradually build the distance up.

It wont be a quick fix, but well done for taking her on.

[Ryn36]

Liver cake in the hand holding the lead, just above her nose, coupled with the 90 degree turns...

Liver cake > verbal praise, anyway!

Whereabouts are the pics of her?!

[Granville]

His dog is deaf so verbal praise wouldn't work. She's also tiny so he may get a knackered back bending down that far with liver cake in front of her nose

Yes, and where are the pictures

[HTP99]

I gave the 90 degree turns thing a go last night and I just ended up in the road, as for holding food just infront of her; she is only a foot off the ground so I should imagine my back will probably not hold out for long.

I think I'm going to give one of those head harnesses a go.

[Ryn36]

It doesn't have to be on her nose!
The idea is that she smells it, works out that it's in your hand (which is loosely by your side, with a slack lead), and she'll lift her nose up and concentrate on the potential treat... A happy coincidence of this action is that she (hopefully) slows down the forward action as she's concentrating on something by your side, not 500m ahead...


She's lovely looking, OP. Looks full of character already!



Halti-collars/gentle leaders will work, yes, but it's not a behavioural change, that's all.

[Granville]

She's gorgeous.

Keep going on the 90 degree change. It will take time but she'll get the gist of it, especially if she knows there is a yummy reward in it for her. Keep her to your side, not ahead, so you can step safely across her path. If you cant do a 90 (because of the road or something) then go 180 and back in the opposite direction. It's easier with a larger dog at knee height, but if you keep her so she isn't ahead you should be able to do this without stepping or tripping over her. Maybe try a half halt just before you step across her path, she will hopefully begin to associate the half halt with a change of direction.

Halty / head things are fine, but you see so many folk using them with dogs still pulling instead of trying to improve the behavioural problem to start with.

[HTP99]

I'll give the 90degree thing another go tonight; after reading back it appears I was doing it wrong, I was letting her go ahead and then turning when she pulled, now I realise she needs to be at my side and to turn when she starts to pull away from my side.

[Granville]

as soon as she goes to pull ahead of you change direction. Don't always turn the same direction though, keep her guessing and listening to your body movements. Make it fun and lots of praise when she starts to show positive behaviour.

It wont be a quick immediate fix, but keep at it and hopefully she'll learn that pulling wont get her any positive reward

[HTP99]

Ive never understood why dogs pull as it can't be comfortable for the dog.

[Granville]

I love her ears

[HTP99]

Granville said:

I love her ears

Yes, they are great and extremely expressive with their movement; ironic though as they don't work.

I think they look bigger as she is a small French Bulldog, she was smaller when we got her as she was a bit underweight; not massively however she needed to put on bit, which she has done now.

[jeff m2]

HTP99 said:

Ive never understood why dogs pull as it can't be comfortable for the dog.

Not really some breeds have an incredible tolerance for pain.
That's why some people use the collars that nip, I don't like them myself

You do however need a chock chain, think of it as a way of communicating and as the little guy is deaf etc etc.
The choke collar is an on/off thing, a quick short correction.

One of my friends here owned a dog kennels and school, he was very good, unfortunately most of his instructors were "just OK' apart from on lady who was a zoo keeper, I always had visions of her with a whip and chair, later found out she worked in the reptile house
He would mostly deal with the competition dogs but would oversee a couple of sessions on every course.
Usually around week three just to make sure all was on track.

Occasionally it was a large unnueterd male that needed a bit of extra work, but usually it was the little ankle snappers. He said it was like training cats. (privately, not to the owners)
Often it was the angle of the owners pull that need to be corrected.
So, imagine you have a big dog....that's the angle you must administer the correction. Short sharp and release. Then you can stand up straight

Most dogs want to please, but they do need to know what you want and what is expected of them.

Once you get the walking bit sorted, I really suggest you use hand signals even just for sit stay and come, that's all you need for a pet. Lots of people use hand signals anyway.

Have you tried a clicker, it is possible he may pick up that type of sound.

Stick with it, your dog deserves it.

Super cute btw, but you knew that.