Let's talk dogs.

[likemyorbs]

I have a really cool dog, his name is Bo. He's 3 and he's half lab half pitbull. I love him to pieces, but I have some problems with him. He was potty trained very quickly when we got him and learned all the basic tricks within weeks, and he was only 10 weeks old when we got him! Now, I've ended up with a very intelligent dog who prefers the indoors and is terrible at walking on a leash and he pulls. I want to be able to train him to the point where I can take him to a trail in the woods and not have him run too far from me. As soon as he sees another living thing outside, he wants to go play with it and he just yanks you with him. Does anyone have a similar problem and is there anyone with dog training experience who can help?

 

[basesloaded190]

Still a puppy. Things will change. Our family Brittany Spaniel used to tug and pull while on the leash walking. There are collars you can buy that have little prongs that pull into the dogs neck if they pull on the leash. Sounds very mean and harsh, but it doesn't really hurt the dog, but they learn quickly that pulling will not end well.

You just need to make it vocally and physically known, that it is not ok to be doing that to your dog. Things will change once the dog gets older.

 

[Koodauw]

You really should find a good trainer in your area. It will be a lot easier for the trainer to train you than us trying to give advice on the forum.

 

[likemyorbs]

You really should find a good trainer in your area. It will be a lot easier for the trainer to train you than us trying to give advice on the forum.

There are many trainers in my area, a summer program will cost around $1000 and I prefer to just do it myself.

 

[basesloaded190]

There are many trainers in my area, a summer program will cost around $1000 and I prefer to just do it myself.

Yeah, no need to hire a trainer. This is something that you can do yourself.

 

[abijnk]

We started out using an anti-pull chest harness with my lab. It was useless. Then we got one of the no-pull halters. That was better, but she eventually figured out she could pull on it, too. Now we use a prong collar to keep her manageable. She still pulls, but not so much that she can pull me around.

However, these devices are just to help make it so that she can't or won't physically pull me around while we work on the actual problem at hand.

It's one of those issues that takes a lot of patience and a boat load of time. Unfortunately, at least for us, it has also been one of those things that her youth has made extremely difficult to curb (she's not even 3 yet) . She's a lab, so naturally she wants to greet or eat everything that we pass.

What I have found is that teaching her how to behave in the situations that create the pulling to begin with has been more effective than trying to just get her to never pull. She knows that if she wants a stranger to pet her she needs to be sitting and at my side. When we are out, if someone asks to pet her I just step between her and the person casually and ask her to sit, then encourage the stranger to pet her. It works great because the petting is the immediate positive reinforcement and I don't have to carry a clicker or treats for that aspect. She's getting much better and starting to recognize that being close to me is the way to get pets from strangers, not the opposite.

For the pulling to get at things to put in her mouth the "leave it" command has been great. I can see when she turns her focus away from the walk and to an object then correct with the command followed by positive reinforcement.

 

[CrickettGrrrl]

Consistency.

Yes, easy to say but hard to do, actually.

I've taken a couple of my dogs to classes at my local SPCA, they are very reasonably priced.

---And, the absolute easiest way to train a dog in my experience is to train the first one well (and be consistent), and then get a second dog. The next dog emulates the first and the first coaches the second, and it continues with each successive dog.

And have fun.

 

[OutThere]

Buy a book on dog training and follow it extremely closely, and make sure that everyone else who takes care of the dog is on board with the training program. The hardest part of training is the constant repetition and the discipline required to stick to the program and not slack off or give in. Mixed messages can defeat the whole training process.