Lead Walking
Hi

Does anyone else on here have problems with there springers on lead walking? Oscar was introduced to the lead at a very young age and still he nearly dislocates my arm. I tried this 5 step thing someone said about walking a few steps and giving him a treat when he does not pull but this does not work at all. I have tried it for a long time now. Also i have tried keeping him on a short lead. I have tried pulling him back saying HEEL in a low tone that does not work he just pulls all the time. It god that bad that i was walking him in a field the other day and he pulled my straight over onto my face and i was covered in mud he is getting very strong and i am not the tallest of people only being 5 ft.

I was given a body harness to use on him and this worked for a bit and i must say it does take the pressure from my arm but today when walking him he just pulled all the time and he was up on his back legs at one stage. I have tried also a water bottle and bottle with stones but he is not bothered by it. I am running out of ideas now as i do want to enjoy my walk with him but im just not over the past few days today was terrible. He seems to switch off when im walking him i have even tried praising him when he does not pull but this does not last long.

Can anyone help me he is very strong headed and he is not scared of anything he is 9 months now and i really want to nip this before its to late. He is very good off the lead though which is a bonus.

:cry:

This is my method for teaching the heel, if you follow the instructions to the letter it works.

You need a fairly large area with out too many distractions. It's important that you don't talk to your dog until he's heeling besides you. When you walk, walk at a brisk pace.

1. Attach a line about 5 or 6 feet long to your dogs collar, a harness is better to avoid any strain on your dogs neck

2. Start walking with your dog at your side and the line gathered up in your hands.

3. Let the dog walk a head of you if he/she wants paying out line as she goes.

4. As the dog reaches the end of the line give a short tug and turn smartly on your heel and start walking in the opposite direction taking up the slack in the line as the dog catches up with you, don't say anything at this stage.

5. Repeat step 4 as many times as it takes.

6. Very soon, and I mean very soon, the dog will start walking by your side, at this point , the dog comes up along side you, you can start praising and introduce the command you'd like to use "HEEL" or what ever.

All you need to do then is to keep practising.

I hope this helps, it's never failed me yet even with the strongest of pullers.

Yes kirstywrey, that basically the way i've done it with all my other dogs and believe me what Robert says does work you just have to stick with it :) :)

Very interesting!!!

Lead walking is a nightmare with Ruby.. she mostly walks on her back legs!!!
Off lead she is pretty good and doesnt stray off out of sight.

I will certainly be trying this technique...thanks Robert...
If I fail I dont suppose you live anywhere near the New Forest in Hampshire!! :lol:

Brill Technique
Hi I would just like to say thanks for the post on lead walking Robert i took Oscar in the field with his lead which is long and i did exactly what you said. He does pull like mad in the field so i thought it was a good place to start and after about three times he started picking it up. Its not perfect by any means but he did show some progress and its something that i will be doing with his everyday. He kept looking at me like he was confused so i thought it was brill!

I think its a great technique and it really does make sense. Thanks again i will keep everyone updated.

On the lead
Very interested to read Robert's idea's for training dog's to walk to heel on a lead. :!:
Benji will walk to heel off the lead (with the odd verbal reminder) but on the lead he still pulls like a train. We've tried all sorts. Do you think you CAN teach an old dog 'new tricks'? :?

I'm glad to hear the method is working for every one :)

You can teach any dog new tricks, it just takes patience :wink:

assert ur domanace over him. he thinks he is pack leader, in a dog pack they always follow thier leader, mine are not allowed in front of me,

how would being to 'top dog' so to be with my dogs cause aggression? i have never once hit any of my dogs.

i work on dog psycology, i use it and it works very well.

im leader of my dogs, not one of them so i have never had a problem with any of my dogs, i have 4 entire males house together with no drama as none fight for the top spot cos i already have it.

look up Ceaser Millian, im not sure if you've heard of him in the UK but he works wonders. he isnt a trainer but works of psycology

u think about a pack of dogs.. the leader, the one who is boss is ALWAYS in front..

just have a look into it ok

assert domanice i dont mean bash it i mean, make it sit and wait before you feed it, walk out the gate before it ect ect so many little things help in a great way

dogs are desinged to work, springers need jobs to do, maybe get one of them dggy back packs for her so she is doing something, work her mind, she'll calm and listen

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/

have a look.
ur methods work and thats great for u, just dotn be so close minded not to think anyones methods can work

Cesar Millan teaches that, in order to properly fulfill both our dogs and ourselves, we each need to become our canine's calm-assertive pack leader. A dog that doesn't trust its human to be a good pack leader becomes unbalanced and often exhibits unwanted or anti-social behaviors.

Cesar does not "train" dogs in the sense of teaching them commands like "sit," "stay," "come," and "heel" - he rehabilitates unbalanced dogs and helps "re-train" their owners to better understand how to see the world through a dog's eyes.

Cesar counsels people to calmly, assertively, and consistently give their dogs rules, boundaries, and limitations to establish themselves as solid pack leaders and to help correct and control unwanted behavior. He doesn't believe in "quick fixes." Though changing some behaviors can appear to happen in a relatively short period of time, none of those changes will "stick" unless the human acts consistently with his or her dog every day to keep unwanted behaviors from returning. In Cesar's opinion, no one should ever hit or yell at a dog to correct unwanted behavior.

In the wild, a dog's very survival depends on a strong, stable, and organized pack, where every member knows its place and follows the rules established by the pack leader. The pack instinct is perhaps the strongest natural motivator for a dog.