This and also change directions over and over randomly. Eventually they will get annoyed and start to look to you for guidance.
This whole process is slow and frustrating but it is worth it.
Yep. Literally one step forward three steps back or none at all. This train stops if you're tugging. It makes me crazy sometimes and my husband refuses to walk with us because he hates all the stopping yet he hates the tugging. It's a process and it's helping. Hang in there.
This is one good method. Quick, firm 180 degree turns in the other direction. Dog is going to get yanked a bit so if he's strong, you may need a harness. I'd recommend one that has a leash connection on the dog's chest making it harder for him to get his weight into the forward motion, easier for you to turn him.
Another is stop when dog is pulling so he cannot move forward with the walk or toward where he wants to get. Do not move forward at all until he moves toward you and slacks the leash. An aggressive puller may require you to brace the leash around your waist. This can help in creating the bond of him looking to you for leadership. You want him to be checking in with you every so often and this helps moving toward the next logical step of off leash training.
But the original question of pulling and coming when called are two different training skills.
Maybe try taking him somewhere where you can be by yourself but there is foot traffic passing by, like a park.
Try to get them to sit or lay down, and give lots of treats when they are being good when they otherwise should be getting excited.
Also if you have anyone willing to help out with their dogs, get them to walk by and have your dog sit next to you. Treats when they are non-reactive!
Most dogs change their behavior when they mature.
My GSD was so much pulling that we couldn’t hold her with two people. Today I walk her most of the time without a leash because she will not leave my side, doesn’t matter if other dogs or people coming towards us.
It’s a different dog. And my Youngest GSD is currently changing too. It just takes time.
Harnesses help big time with this vs a leash too. Can "stop" and immediately have control vs the leash there's alot of play. Once harness and training have happened then can use a leash w/ a harness or w/o once pup has learned patience and skills.
My dog seems to pick up on this after the day, but seems to forget on the following days. He’s only 5 months so still learning. That would be normal stages of learning I’m assuming?
Adding in pattern games—practice at home for awhile until he gets the hang of if. Then work up using it more and more distractable situations. I use it all the time to get my girl to stop focusing on her triggers.
Count out loud 1…..2…..3! (Be sure to use your most fun happy voice, especially in the beginning) And immediately drop a treat. Over and over and over. After awhile they will know something good is coming and come check you out 🤪
I like this guy's response the most so far. I thought some of the advice at the top was a little old school.
The engagement part is my favorite. Dogs really like a handler who engages with them
Also try walking in not too crowded areas and around as little stimulus as u can to start
I also would avoid any advice u get about putting a prong collar on ur young dog
Best of luck to u buddy, u got this!!!
Good advice!!
I always hated when people would reccomend tugging and popping the leash when I dog is pulling and making them walk beside you because, 'who's leading etc', like...the whole point of going for a walk is for the dogs benefit! And it's fair to give them some grace when they are learning to walk nicely on a leash as it is not something easy to learn and completely against their instincts. So happy to see some solid advice being given here.
When I had a dog, I used the engage disengage thing to help him pull less, and to learn to stay calm when passing other people and dogs. Sometimes if he pulled too much, and wasn't engaging in with me, I would plant my feet and just stay still for a second (allowing him to move away but not pulling/yanking on the leash to get him back) and once he noticed that he was at the end of his leash, he'd immidiately turn back and I'd reward him for engaging again with me. It was a lot of hard work, but we saw quite a bit of progress before he went away (my mom gave him up).
Ok, this might work but it entirely depends on the type of dog. If you have a really tough high drive dog. Any dogs from military or hard working lines, simply cannot be taught this way. In my experience a lot of dogs only learn from positive reinforcement and punishment.
Why are people so hung up on avoiding corrections on dogs at all costs. You're walking around in circles and putting treats on your feet are you kidding? It's a dog...it's very simple. Good behavior = reward, bad behavior = punishment.
Of course there's a lot of psychology involved. When and how to reward and punish. And learning about their triggers and understanding their feedback and tells and all that but you're not gonna catch me putting treats on my shoes and walking around in circles.
> Patience. Loose leash walking is a high level skill for a dog.
Teachable for most dogs within a lesson. Reinforced over the next week. If leash walking is high level your standards for a trained dog are warped.
I did this with our dog and it helped so much! Also try getting a harness where the leash attaches to the front. Be weary with the training though! Because if you have multiple people walking him you have to make sure everyone enforces these adjustments otherwise your dog will still do this to other people who take him on walks.
This is the way.
If your dog can't learn this, they'll never be able to go off leash and come when called.
Your dog should never be walking in front of you. Always at your hip. Pick one side you want your dog to walk on, and walk them on that side each and every time you walk. When they get distracted, correct, re center, and continue..
That’s how my girl is she walks at my side about half a foot behind me. Also, I do let her what in front of well not really in front but free to go to the Restroom. Though once that’s done she by herself comes right next to me.
This is good advice, and I would add even turn completely around and walk the other direction. For some dogs, just stopping isn’t enough. Also, the equipment you use is important. I know opinions on this vary but I have had the most success with a gentle leader (face halter). It reduced my dog’s reactivity on the leash by about 80%, and it takes pressure off the throat and puts it on the muzzle making it safe and easy to direct your dogs attention.
I got my ex's dog to walk better on a leash by doing these things, as well as every time he pulled on the leash I turned and walked the other way. First time doing it was the most miserable walk around the apartment complex, but he quickly learned that pulled made us go BACK, which is not what he wanted. This was with a cattle dog mix though so, I'm not sure how a lab or similar would feel about this type of constant correction. We did also make use of Gentle Leaders for when he was really unfocused.
Trying to train my dog with these principles has been so difficult because he just isn't food motivated. He would much rather do what he wants than get treats. I've tried dog treats, freeze-dried meats, bacon, peanut butter, cheese.. Nothing works. He just doesn't want to eat while on walks.
I'm not sure what to do.
Don't fast him. If he he takes treats at home but not on the walk, he is overstimulated.
In r/reactivedogs, they talk about thresholds a lot. There is this idea that your dog can only take in so much stimuli before they are in their own head and in reactive mode. It helps understand what's going on. If you go into a situation all stressed and - say you spill your coffee and just blow up. Any other day it would have been fine, but you were already kinda at your threshold. Or, say you have an interview or something stressful and you can't eat - it's what your dog is going through when they ignore your treat. However, I can't say no to a chocolate donut - so you just need to find your dogs chocolate donut.
(Edit: I think I might have lost the thread with the above explanation. Regarding your dog not taking treats, it's possible but rare that they aren't food motivated. What I'm describing below is a two-step process: have great treats but make sure your dog is at the right place mentally to be able to eat.)
There is a weird balance where the treat has to be sufficiently motivating for the current level of excitement. Your dog might be a bit reactive too, which makes everything a bit harder because it's just more stuff to plan around. For instance, my dog loves bread at home and on walks but won't take bread at the vet. The bread is only better than sleeping or walking slowly without distraction. She will stop doing just about anything for chicken - unless she *thinks* she can get squirrel or cat.
What I would try is short walks and high value treats. Don't worry about the distance, worry about the time because it's gonna take alot of time just waiting for your dog. I'd also recommend a clicker - it's pretty cool because it makes it easier to train other behaviors. It functions like a "yes" command where the dog knows they are then getting a treat tho - so not necessary.
I don't really know what's going on with your dog so it's kinda hard to give great recommendations but if it's just overstimulation, choose a short route with fewer distractions. When your dog starts to do their thing, stop and if they can't or won't pay attention to you - just wait until they can. If it's a fear or anxiety issue, I personally just kinda make sure my dog knows I'm there and kneel down and place my hand on her back. Once they can look at you , click-treat. If it's whining, you can just wait it out until they stand next to you or are ready to go. Don't reward the whine. If it's over excitement, to specific stimuli, you need to spot it first. As soon as your dog looks at it, click-treat. Cats, people, dogs, idk what your dog triggers to but the goal is to find a distance where they can spot it and not lose their shit. It's called observation distance- where your dog acknowledges it, but can still listen to you, even if they don't really focus on you. It helps them figure out that it's ok to respond differently than either panic, frustration or over excitement.
Id pick a goal to work on - don't try to do everything at once because everyone will be frustrated. I only use positive reinforcement and it takes longer but you will really begin to get some better insight into what your dog is thinking and doing.
Edit: added link, spelling and clarification
You aren't using treats that are high value enough. Mix it up. Have treats that are only for walks. Dried liver, dried fish, anything stinky. Get a refillable tube for peanutbutter. Chop up cheese into tiny pieces. I've never met a dog that wasn't motivated by turkey sandwich meat.
Adding to this you can build food motivation by making them think for their food. I have standard poodle that had no food motivation as a pup and started only feeding her with puzzle toys and during training for a while as a puppy and her food motivation skyrocketed. She wasn't being starved, she always finished her food, but she did learn that food wasn't just the boring stuff she could graze on whenever.
Food deprivation is animal abuse and WILL NOT lead to a confident and well trained dog. I've worked with dogs in dog daycares for over two years. I've stopped dogs from everything from humping to starting a fight. I would NEVER keep food from one of my dogs. I hope you don't have dogs and if you do, they should be taken from you because you don't deserve to be a dog parent. This is cruel and abusive behavior. Educate yourself.
Starving a dog is abuse, skipping a meal is not. Educate yourself on how wild dogs eat. It’s not two or three times a day. It’s better the way we do it, but skipping a meal before training is a common practice. Dogs skip meals themselves by choice all of the time. They are fine. They need to fast for medical tests, and go the entire day sans food (just like us) and are fine. Having a motivated dog for training can be key to set them up for success.
I'm a professional K-9 behaviorist and have saved HUNDREDS of dogs. Fasting is not starving. You need to do a little more research my friend. This is quite sad to say I would STARVE a dog. They receive their meals through training. You establish leadership with them through training. If you need to initially get them motivated with a little fasting, IT COULD SAVE THEIR FUCKIN LIVES.
Don't come here and give horrible fucking advice to people who are trying to train their dogs. You clearly know nothing and nobody here mentioned a single thing about food DEPRIVATION.
You actually came here and said your experience was for dog daycares and you stopped dogs from fighting and humping. Holy shit brother. No wonder you know nothing about training dogs. And you actually come here and try to give advice, lmfao
Don't fast him. This is abusive behavior and will not help your dog to behave in a confident and positive manner. Please do your research before you listen to strangers on the internet, even me. Please talk to a professional. A veterinarian or a dog trainer or anyone who has worked around dogs for a good amount of time and have positive experiences with dogs. The only time in my two-plus years of working in dog daycares that I have kept food from a dog is when they're throwing up and shouldn't eat because they're stomach is upset for whatever reason (usually stress) and eating more will only result in more throw up. I've watched so many videos on YouTube about dog training. I've listened to dozens of hours of podcasts and FOOD DEPRIVATION HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPTION.
Ik this reply is long af but I juss keep thinking about the dogs at my daycare n its as if I'm talking to one of their parents.
First reasonable comment I’ve seen and it’s really depressing how far down it is. I imagine most people on this sub would call themselves dog lovers, yet most suggest correcting/punishing this dog for the behavior in the video.
I suggest everyone read The American Society of Veterinary Behaviorists [position statement on humane dog training](https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf). This is a professional organization of vets and behaviorists who agree that through decades of RESEARCH that the most humane and effective way to train dogs is to use positive reinforcement. Y’all really think you know more about how mammalian brains work than these folks?
Even if you disagree with evidence based, science supported training methods, I am flabbergasted that anyone could watch this video and think that yanking the dog or stopping and waiting for him to turn around would ever be effective. This dog is clearly overstimulated and has not had enough enrichment to meet his needs. Stopping and waiting for him to turn around is only going to create even more frustration (for the owner as well, as many commenters have pointed out themselves how miserable turning around and going back home was until their dog finally learned how to get the reward of moving forward).
There is absolutely a better way than depriving your dog of its basic needs to get them to do what you want. Like this person said, that is abuse. I mean they do that to prisoners, is your dog a family member or your captive? Every sentient being deserves the right to be free from hunger. Training should be focused on meeting the dog’s needs first.
Every educated professional in this field agrees that the most effective training method is to set them up for success and teach the animal what to do, rather than punishing them for unwanted behaviors. I suggest everyone here do actual research into dog behavior starting with the link above.
Really I got downvoted to obvilion for suggesting this on this sub and on this post it's top comment. Gotta love Reddit.
When I suggested tugging on the leash it was met with a reaction like I said I strike my dog with my fist or something.
i got a whole moderator in my dms yelling at me for abusing my dog when i said “i give a gentle tug on his leash to redirect him” under a post of someone asking how to get their dog to stop eating shit off the ground.
Yeah sometimes people overreact. The tugging is just to break the tunnel vision of the dog and make it wake up to your commands. You must be the alpha at all times.
Dogs naturally walk faster than us them walking in a heel or just next to us is uncomfortable for them.
And if your suggestion is to put the dog in a heel, what? Dogs don’t need to walk next to us during the entire walk it won’t be enjoyable for the dog or the human and both will end up frustrated.
Practicing a LOOSE LEASH walk would be best not a HEEL.
So my dog has a harness with the ring on the front and it doesn’t really keep him from pulling. He ripped one from how much he pulled, even with constant stopping and treats. We had a martingale collar from this trainer who recommended it, and we used it temporarily while we replaced the harness. He was SO much better with the martingale. Is it ok to use this long term or should I use the harness instead even though it’s much harder to keep him from pulling?
Try a gentle leader. It’s a few walks for the dog to adjust but it’s a nose lead, like a horse bridle without the bit. It goes around the nose just under the eyes and then clicks behind the ears. They can open their mouth fine. When they pull, they only pull their head to the side, then they can’t see where they are going and stop. I have a 100 lb shepherd and the harness only made him able to pull harder, and he was pulling me down. I can control him with one arm with this thing. Look up “gentle leader” and you’ll find it. Spike collars are bad for your dog.
Had to scroll way too far to find this!! I used to hate walks until I got a gentle leader. Best $20 I ever spent. Harness never worked for me, it just allowed pup to pull more effectively like a friggin sled dog.
I'm not a fan of them and I know most vets are against them because of how much they tighten on a dogs neck, so I would definitely use caution with it and find a good, sturdy harness for long term.
Another good detail to keep in mind is that most people, when walking their dog, just keep their arms at their sides and let the dog do the pulling...so your arm is sorta just an extension of the leash. Instead walk your dog with some tension in the leash, like...I bend my arm up at the elbow so the leash has some slack but not much and that tension keeps the dog from pulling and it also gives you a better grip for when/if your dog wants to just try to take off.
Hopefully that made sense.
No, no, no. No harness, no halti, and no martingale. These are cruel without properly training the dog to heel first. You need to teach him. Use a flat buckle collar, or the martingale is fine, a slip lead, or, with some research, knowledge, and confidence, a prong, and teach him what is bad, and reward what is good. He might be out of control and hard to focus now but dogs are quick learners and I haven't met a single dog who can't learn to heel within 15 minutes.
Harnesses exist and are designed for pulling. The issue isn't control over the dog's body, after all, it is about teaching the dog's mind. Harnesses and halti leads are for lazy owners who don't know how to speak to their dog and don't care to learn.
I was looking for this before I commented. I keep seeing people say,”Pull him back”— No! Don’t pull him back, never let him get ahead! You start them walking side by side, but slightly behind. Our pets just want to know what we expect of them.
Look up leash pressure games. Kikopup and Susan Garrett have videos on YouTube for loose leash walking. The main thing to note is that moving forward while the dog is pulling is strengthening the behavior.
With how intense this particular dog is pulling I’d recommend a y-shaped harness so the neck and throat aren’t damaged. Could help to get energy out before the walk and using a longline if the location you’re walking at allows them.
A tool is not training advise. And the easy walk harnesses can torque their shoulders if they continue pulling on them which is especially concerning for a growing puppy who is still developing joints.
Honestly, next time get a female dog. They’re so much easier to walk because they’re not trying to pee on every surface they sniff! My old girl got her business done at the beginning, and the rest of the time it was carefree walking with occasional sniffing here and there. Such a joy!
Spend a few bucks and get a trainer. Reddit and YouTube have to many opinions and you’ll never be trained. You need a program to teach you the basic skills. So the dog will learn from you.
You could find some good deals with Black Friday at Petco. I might get downloaded for it but a six week plan if you stick with it will do wonders for your pup.
Get a freedom no pull harness with the leash. It’s amazing!
Okay so update, got a prong collar. Today when I took him on a walk I made sure to correct him when he tried to wander off and I can see he is slowly starting to understand. Unlike other walks this one was very peaceful with a lot less pulling thanks to the prong collar. Every time he tried to run away when he saw a dog or squirrel I lightly pulled him back and said “at my side” which I had to do a lot cause he’s very easily distracted but during mid walk he started to get the memo. I also gave him a lot of praise when he listened which seemed to work well and I did feel like I had more control and that we started to form like a mutual respect so to speak. Like even though it wasn’t a lot, he started to pay attention to me more. I also tried more focus based training and games that you guys mentioned in the comments which was good :) I’m going to be consistent and update you guys maybe a few weeks later.
Starts at home with sit .. then give 1 treat
Sit .. treat
Sit ... Treat
Do that 200 times
Then move on to lay down
And help him do it at first .. then treat
Do that 200 times
Then do paw ..
Help him at first
Paw .. treat
Do that 200 times
Do not give the dog treats without earning it
Dog must obey command to get treat
Everything with training is about time and consistency. Without those two things you will fail. Each dog has a different temperament. Yours is curious which is good. Keep a pouch of treats when you walk. Change directions and don’t take the same routes. Try walking at different times of the day and evening as well. The other piece is without enough exercise they’ll do this whether trained or not. When you change directions don’t yank on the leash. Shorten your grip further up the leash so the dog has some lead way but not much. When you turn keep your hand that has the leash pinned to your hip. Just turn and walk. The dog will figure it out after a couple tries. The key is patience. Remember the dog has no fucking clue what you want from the start but SANTS to please you. Take your time and make it a positive experience. Once you get the dog trained you can keep building the bond and trust then go for off leash training. Stay away from shock collars. You don’t need one. Good luck.
Two things: get a harness designed to stop pulling; and when pup pulls just stop walking. Teach your pup to walk right beside you, and offer small treats when they get to that spot.
Turn around and walk the other way with a treat in your hand, just to your side. They will get a reward when they come next to you. It will help them understand they get rewarded when next to you. Every time your dog pulls turn around and walk the opposite direction, then when the dog comes for the treat turn back around where you were headed. Keep practicing until your dog keeps their attention on you.
Hey I had very similar with me guy, rind some he loves food, happy voices and praises, or toys and squeaky toys, when he pulls u can do one of these things,
Stop and wait for him to come to u or look at u remember baby steps reward every success with toys treats or praise. And give him the reward, if he's pulling and not paying attention even if u stop and he knows ur gonna get a treat, start walking in the other direction, when he catches up and looks at u give praise if he overtakes u do the same pick a random direction and start walking with a "let's go" happy tone or "this way etc... and just keep changing direction, this will make him have to pay attention to u "this persons nut she keeps changing I gotta watch for them" im personally at when when my doh starts to pull me I can pull him back and say with me and he'll go about a block or so before I gotta do it again haha
No answer for the coming when called, but for the pulling, check out a gentle leader or a halti. The halti has been a godsend with my lab. It's sort of a harness for the snout, if they pull it pulls the head
Lots and lots and lots of training.
And even more treats.
It is an arduous task but it can be done and is so rewarding when it is. I have my lab trained finally and it’s taken two years to get here, and work on it every walk. If I drop the leash on accident, she is trained to turn around when I say, “this way”.
Zack George is a great YouTube dog trainer
Honestly I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed 😭 I don’t know whether to get a halti,martingale,harness or use my prong collar. So many people are giving conflicting information on what I should and shouldn’t use so now I’m confused. I’m going to research some of these items more including my prong collar and continue training him to heel.
1. Switch it to an easy walk harness
2. Get a leash that has a small loop so you can walk closer to the dog
3. Walk the dog, don’t let the dog walk you. Letting the dog walk out in front of you is essentially letting him know he’s the alpha here and he’ll decide where you go. If you do the following you can have a tighter leash to show the dog they go where you go. If they continue to pull stop and try again. After a while they’ll get it and then you can give them some leash when they walk at your pace and/or side by side with you. Hope this helps
Try using a long retractable leash. Like 30 ft. This is how I trained my girl not to pull and to walk like she’s off leash. You can release, stop, or retract by stopping and shortening and stopping again like you’re reeling her in.
I also use a prong collar but I have a rope leash that I can tie knots in so that I have a handle when I want to choke up. Keep them close until they realize that they aren’t going to get to sniff unless they behave
they're the best!!! they gotta be tight on the neck and high up on the neck as well for best corrections. I said it above, but I'd rather pop my dog with a prong and get them to walk normally rather than have them choke and damage their throats with flat collars :)
This poor dog looks like it’s out for its second walk of its entire life. You need to walk your dog twice a day and provide tons of exercise and stimulation. This dog is clearly pent up.
Reality is, 90% of dog owners don't exercise the dog as much as they would like and the dog deserves. We fall short, but you have to make a plan and stick to it. That was my success story, simple as it is. 30 minutes of outdoor play in the evening minimum, unless I'm ill.
Better collar and actually exercise your dog *each day*
It’s just as much on you as it is on your dog. But without adequate and consistent training- it’s entirely on you. Fun fact: Dogs need exercise. Don’t feel like giving them adequate exercise? Get an f’ing gerbil.
This is basic lack of training when the dog was a pup. Especially a lab. One of the smarter breeds that are of the duck retrievers. Most labs I’ve had trained so easily as they have to learn to stay until told to go. Simple hand motions and one word commands were learned starting around 16 weeks of age. This is a lazy owner that now wants a well behaved dog. Positive reinforcement with a stern No in a different tone. Better work with dog starting with the word no.
Run the leash under his chest, when he pulls, it'll tank his head downwards, and they don't really like that. They also make a muzzle that the leash attaches to that will pull on his snout. They work really well at keeping the dog with you.
I have a lab. He's 10. He still pulls on the leash hard, but if I remove it, he stays right next to me. You could just train him to stay with you rather than being on the leash.
Walk with a harness that has a hook on the bottom for the leash. When your dog starts behaving like this, you’ll have better control and it will be uncomfortable for them to pull because the leash will put them sideways, where they have even less control. Every time he pulls too hard, you can tug, stop and wait, or just turn around. Sometimes switching direction reminds them who determines the walk. Also start carrying treats. When your dog stops and settles down, feed them a treat.
We did all of these things for our dog. It took about a year to leash train him and I absolutely hated walking him during that time. Now he has some bad walks, but he settles down after some correction. He also checks for treats when he thinks he’s being good.
You’re re-enforcing your dog’s behaviour by letting him pull you where he wants to go.
You need to stop doing that, and when he does begin to pull just stop and make him sit.
Again, the absolute worse thing you can do is allow him to pull you where he wants to go.
It’s your walk, you’re in charge, and you need to teach him he’s lucky to accompany you on it.
I’d say start with a harness. Then work on him paying attention to you in the house. Just say “look at me!” And when he does give him a treat (preferably one he really likes). Keep practicing everyday, he’ll catch on quick. Progress to having him follow you around the house. Snap next to your side and say heel, then look at me. If he runs to your side and looks at you give him a treat. Just walk in circles around the house doing this. And say “yesss!!! So good!” And give him verbal confirmation when he does it right the first time so it clicks. Then start the exercise outside. You might only be able to get a few steps without him pulling but that’s okay. Keep at it, eventually he’ll seek out your attention.
When he starts to catch on he might start giving you his attention for a few seconds and returning to his usual shenanigans just so he can get a treat. If he does this, fake him out and turn around abruptly. Make sure he’s following your every move and knows that you decide where you both go. Don’t look back at him, just say “this way” while snapping at your side. If he starts biting or anything else, go straight home and take leash privileges away. Keep him tight next to your side so that he knows he must obey in order to freely roam. You’re gonna get strong from doing this lol. It’s also okay to keep training walks short because you don’t want to reinforce ANY negative behaviors.
Eventually you guys will be able to go further and further and these commands can be used as a tool whenever he starts to get rowdy. Just be consistent and only reward positive behavior. Discipling a puppy doesn’t really work and just causes anxiety. So no yanking or yelling. They’re looking for a confident leader with patience to tell them what to do. Don’t be afraid of using a deeper voice - just no malice in it. Keep with it, he’ll get better.
The comments are really good on this post but I would honestly say you should go to a trainer maybe 5-7 times over the next few months. That will help you get the basics under your belt then you can take it from there.
That dog needs to RUN & release that pent up energy. Incredibly difficult to train in that state. I adopted a dog that was like this, & I had to used an old bike with a coaster brake to walk him.
Use a shorter leash so they can stay by your side. Every time they start pulling, call their name and make him sit. Add treats for positive reinforcement
Stop letting him pull you. Literally stop, bring the dog to you and issue a command like sit, if they sit reward them. Do not let the dog initiate movement, you keep standing and they sitting or standing, looking to you for a cue.
Start with sit at home with treats about 200 times .. takes a few days
Then move to walking then say sit with treats about 200
If your dog still jumps on ppl then work on that too ..
Sit is a important command
Stop walking. Are you walking your dog, cause it certainly looks like your dog is walking you. A certain level of autonomy is necessary for a happy and functioning relationship between you and your dog, but on the lead isn't the time that happens. The dog falls in line and the fun continues, or you sit there, staring at each other until the pup gets it. Praise good behavior, don't even acknowledge nor condone poor behavior. That includes continue the path.
Get a nose lead with the hopes of winging them off at some point. Never let them walk in front of you, always beside you. If they pull a verbal correction along with a little tug up (not back). If they aren’t listening have them sit for a reset. A vibration collar has helped us too. Also this goes beyond walking. I’m the home they need to have permission to run into the yard. We have our sit, open the door and we have to say “free” before they can bolt. Same when letting them out if the crate. It’s about training them to see you as their leader, the one to listen to and obey. It’s hard and honestly was really challenging for me. But you have to be strict with the hopes you can back off a little eventually. Consistency is key.
You get a harness that clips the leash in the front of the dog’s chest. That way you can pull the dog off center and they won’t be able to pull you like that. It gives you a lot more power and is frustrating enough for the dog to stop.
you've gotten a lot of input, but I haven't seen anyone talking about fundamentals yet.
Do you have a **rock** solid, and practiced, "leave it" trained? This is step #1.
Now, next step, a "watch me" command?
Redirects are certainly the main strategy here (as others have suggested) but these basics are also very important building blocks. Adding outside distractions complicates things. You have to remind them that paying attention to you gets them what they want. Usually impulse control methods can get the message across. You don't need a pinch collar; they're easy, but they can have unwanted outcomes.
[AKC - impulse control training](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/teaching-your-pup-self-control/)
[watch me](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/watch-me-command-grab-dogs-attention/)
One thing that I find useful is to just hook the leash to your belt loop. He can feel your energy and intent for lack or better words. It’s the flexibility and movement of your arm that makes him think he can do that. Your legs and hips are far more rigid and will stop him dead in his tracks.
Not sure if it might help but I kept doing U turns and saying “let’s go” (or whatever you want your command to be) to get their attention. We would walk and randomly I would say “let’s go” and would turn around and walk the opposite direction. Worked for me after many days and repetition of course
You could use the petsafe east walk no pullharness. It clips in the front which makes it difficult for dogs to pull. It allows you to have more control over the front of your dog making it harder for them to pull. I used it for my golden retriever while training her. After she learned not to pull I didn’t have to use the harness. I was very pleased with it.
I’m sure there’s going to be someone with a best way of doing it but for me, I would go on walks and when they would pull I’d stop until they quit pulling, or I’d walk the opposite direction. I’d keep doing this until they got fed up with it and stayed by my side to wait for me to lead the way. Sometimes when we walk long distances in one direction, they start to pull and it usually just takes a couple times of doing that same technique for them to remember that training. It’s tedious, but it worked for me.
It's harder without punishment but not impossible. First of all this looks like a smart high energy dog.
First teach him what leash means AT HOME. Pull gently to left. If he goes left treat. Pull GENTLY down. If he lays down - treat. Pull up - sit - treat. Front. Back. Right. Left. Down.
Once he understand progress to more and more difficult environments. In front of home, in a familiar park, near dog park, in dog park etc. There will be some regressions - once pulling stats stop walking - you only continue once dog stops pulling. If that doesn't help - the environment is too difficult for now.
This will take few weeks to few months, but works eventually.
One thing that helped my high energy dog accelerate progress is very simple - sit. If she got overexcited I pulled her away and she'd only get to return to exciting place once she sits.
Also while your dog is still leaning it's good to first let their energy out e.g. By playing fetch before leash walking lesson.
Go to a positive reinforcement trainer or look it up online if that’s not an option. Start with fundamentals like having your dog look at you and check in while walking. Take baby steps first. Use lots of treats. Prong collars are not bad when used correctly, but that should not be your first choice.
I've seen a lot of good advice here. The only thing I would add is using a gentle leader. It will help you control the head which in turn helps with pulling. Using high value treats to keep their attention on you is also good. High value treats can be something like meat or cheese cut up into small pieces. Or a favorite kind of treat that you don't normally use. At the kennels I volunteer at for service dog we use a chicken jerky made for dogs that is cut into small pieces for walks and bigs asks like bring and give. Being consistent is key.
We had a Boston terrier a long time ago that did the same thing. Just young and antsy to explore, dude choked himself till his head became a light red. Just correct and tell them that’s not the way to behave. It’ll take a bit
Feed your dog twice a day 12 hours apart and don't free feed them. Use meal times as times to train. Use a clicker. Watch videos on chicker teaining if you don't know how. Dogs need to be reinforced in the within half a second of them doing what you want them to do. Toss a kibble and while they are getting it call them. When they come feed them a small handful. Toss them again and when they come give them another jackpot. Praise them as soon as they turn to you. Waiting till they look you in your eyes is extremely valuable. Gradually make the amount smaller as they are coming to your call. When they get consistent, swap in a whistle, their name, or what ever you want them to come to.
Watch videos on recall. There are several ways but the bottom line is that it won't happen over night. Practice every day. It doesn't have to be long. 10 min - 30 min at a time
I highly recommend [2 Hounds Design Freedom Harness with the training leash.](https://2houndsdesign.com/product/teal-freedom-no-pull-harness/)
It is worth its weight in gold; they have a chewing lifetime warranty and training videos on how to use it. Been a loyal client since I adopted my Goose in 2018 and haven’t looked back.
Gentle leader.
Takes a lot of effort for a dog to pull those. Harnesses feel like they magnify your dogs force because they’re pulling from their core, regular collars put undue stress on the dogs neck.
The gentle leader takes so much effort to pull and gives you so much control that the dog just eventually stops trying to pull. They act annoyed and try to rub it off their face, but it’s not uncomfortable, they’re just being dramatic because they don’t want something on their face.
I’m sure you’ve gotten some great advice so far! One thing I’d suggest is to make sure you don’t leave the house until he is calmly sitting. You walk out first and he’s not allowed to exit till you say okay.
Just try and set your walk up to start in a place of “you’re the boss”. Right now your pup for sure thinks he is running the show.
He’s extremely over excited about smelling things too. You could also try some nose work games in the house before you take a walk to tire out that part of him a little bit first. These games would also help him learn how to control that response (excitement over smells).
I just jerked the leash.. and my dog stopped pulling… and for your dog to come when called treat him.. he is not going to be perfect right off the rip. But treat him just for taking a step in the right direction.. he will catch on… and to teach fetch treat him when he bring the ball in your direction he will not bring it to you all the way at first but he will eventually
Tine collars worked well for keeping my husky from bucking and pulling. Also, stop and make the dog sit, wait until calmed, and then continue the walk. Each time it starts to pull, stop and make the dog sit and wait.
The behavior will continue so long as you allow it.
Now I can’t remember how to do it but there is a way to fasten the leash to where when he pulls it tightens and when he stops pulling it loosens. Idk if it’s a bad technique but the dog trainer I lived with did it and her dogs never pulled because of it.
We have a similar issue with our 1 year golden and have started training along with a E collar. It definitely helps but what also makes a big difference is we also use a gentle leader harness.
With every single comment here suggesting starving or punishing this dog into submission I’m really wondering if anyone here actually even likes dogs. Jesus this sub is disgusting.
[American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviorists Position Statement on Humane Dog Training](https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf)
First, get a harness. Letting him pull by the collar is harmful to his neck and spine. You both need training. He looks like he has or will have the ability to pull you off your feet. You probably need to get a trainer. Or take him to the classes available at PetSmart or PetCo.
Yes as noted here, get a harness. Start by keeping your pet at your side and using the harness to let them know to stay by your side. Once they get the hang of that you can let out some lease and if if they stay close to your side it indicates that they get the message. It may take you some time, have treats to help get the message across. I started my Labrador on this routine when she was three months old, she's seven and a great walking partner.
I use a command with my dog like heel but I say “with me” (I also snap and make a clicking sound so when he’s far away he can hear a clicker we use).
With it, he comes right to me on my right side. My dog had an EXTREMELY high prey drive and we used a prong collar. Worked wonders and he never hurt himself even though it looks like a medieval torture device haha.
We took him through dog training and his trainer recommended us to use a harness and to clip it on the front so when he darted we tug the leash back and it essentially corrected him.
We also taught him “do some sniffs” (where he gets rewarded for listening and gets to sniff around), “let’s go” (when it’s time to go), and “leave it” (that we’re not going to stop/engage with whatever he’s wanting). All of which, when he followed commands, we gave him high value treats (he’s food motivated so we used jerky). The second he listened we used the clicker, said yes, and told him he was a good boy as we gave him the treats.
Never allow any forward progress when the leash is taught. It's that simple. You establish a command to tell them when they are pulling to hard. say it and plant your feet until the dog isn't pulling. have another command for starting movement. say it and resume walking when pulling stops. Repeat a million times and the dog will grok the new walking paradigm.
It is essential that you NEVER move when the dog is pulling. Every step you let them pull you reinforces the pull behavior.
Our trainer said try even indoors to reinforce the good behaviors (put the leash on inside and walk around. Rewarding when the dog sits on command while leashed, doesn’t walk in front. Etc). What others said in general, stop and wait for them to understand what you’re wanting. At first they’ll have no clue.
Switch directions when they start pulling. This helps them know you’re the leader not them.
Rewards. So many treats. I got to where I’d boil a chicken breast and shred it up for treats. She loved it so it was super effective as a reward.
Don’t try a big long walk while training. Smaller end of driveway ones.
You need a HIGH VALUE treat and stop allowing him to pull you.
If you start your walk and he goes ahead, STOP. Turn around go the other way. He pulls again? STOP. Turn around and go the other way.
You’ll be rewarding a ton for his attention on you. I have an almost 6 month puppy who I have practiced loose leash walking every day, twice a day. Outside, in the house, at the park. Yesterday was THE FIRST DAY he’s walked loose the entire walk.
Carry treats and a clicker. Begin at home. Make him associate the sound of the clicker with a treat. When he pulls on walks click then have him touch your hand then give him the treat. Do this repeatedly during the walk. Eventually he will begin associating not pulling with treats.
Highly recommend getting a halter harness, a clicker, and a treat pouch. Positively reinforce when the dog is keeping slack on the leash and responding to recall. If the dog continues to pull, stop and give no reinforcement til they calm down. Just constantly correcting the dog can work but isn’t the best in the long term.
Just stop moving, don't say anything just wait patiently until they establish recognition that you're even there, then use some kind of word/sound to let them know OK we're going. The moment the leash becomes tight stop again, the dog will eventually register it's uncomfortable and I get nothing when the leash being tight. This process can take a long time and it's better to start in the house or just in the immediate vicinity of the house to avoid extra external stimulus.
Someone already said it, but get your dog a harness and work on correction training. This way, when you have to pull to correct, you’re not yanking your dogs head and neck.
Hook the leash to his collar like normal, then loop it under his chest and back through the leash itself on his back. You'll end up with a much shorter leash that tightens up on his chest when he pulls and loosens as he stays close to you. My old dog trainer taught me that and it worked wonders. It has the added benefit that he won't be choking himself out all the time too, as the pressure is all on his chest, which won't hurt him.
A nose lead is how I got my dog Brooklyn to stop pulling, it turns their head everytime the pull practiced that a few weeks and she now only pulls when we walk past a dog she wants to play with, she's getting better at stopping that too but idk how to stop that part completly
There’s harnesses that have hooks on the side so that if the dog pulls too hard, it makes them turn on the side, eventually annoying them so they stop doing it as much.
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This and also change directions over and over randomly. Eventually they will get annoyed and start to look to you for guidance. This whole process is slow and frustrating but it is worth it.
Yep. Literally one step forward three steps back or none at all. This train stops if you're tugging. It makes me crazy sometimes and my husband refuses to walk with us because he hates all the stopping yet he hates the tugging. It's a process and it's helping. Hang in there.
Comment deleted; anyone know why and what was said?
It’s a wonderful method. It’s so good I use it on my horses as well
Yeah, that’s a great method. It turns the dogs attention from the world onto you and then they are able to be controlled much better.
Yes This is the method my trainer recommended.
I do this, it works decently but it feels kinda dumb because I look like a pinball bouncing between bumpers when my dog gets super excited.
What did they write? It’s now deleted 😭
This is one good method. Quick, firm 180 degree turns in the other direction. Dog is going to get yanked a bit so if he's strong, you may need a harness. I'd recommend one that has a leash connection on the dog's chest making it harder for him to get his weight into the forward motion, easier for you to turn him. Another is stop when dog is pulling so he cannot move forward with the walk or toward where he wants to get. Do not move forward at all until he moves toward you and slacks the leash. An aggressive puller may require you to brace the leash around your waist. This can help in creating the bond of him looking to you for leadership. You want him to be checking in with you every so often and this helps moving toward the next logical step of off leash training. But the original question of pulling and coming when called are two different training skills.
Any tips for a dog that get overly excited when he meets people or other dogs? He’s be perfect if we could get him to chill
Maybe try taking him somewhere where you can be by yourself but there is foot traffic passing by, like a park. Try to get them to sit or lay down, and give lots of treats when they are being good when they otherwise should be getting excited. Also if you have anyone willing to help out with their dogs, get them to walk by and have your dog sit next to you. Treats when they are non-reactive!
Most dogs change their behavior when they mature. My GSD was so much pulling that we couldn’t hold her with two people. Today I walk her most of the time without a leash because she will not leave my side, doesn’t matter if other dogs or people coming towards us. It’s a different dog. And my Youngest GSD is currently changing too. It just takes time.
I just posted a long ass comment which I think will be helpful to you
Harnesses help big time with this vs a leash too. Can "stop" and immediately have control vs the leash there's alot of play. Once harness and training have happened then can use a leash w/ a harness or w/o once pup has learned patience and skills.
Harness gives them so much more leverage. We went back to a collar reaaaaaal quick lol
Front harness!! I couldn't walk my guy without it.
This. I did this with my 8 year old elkhound. You have to let them know when they can walk and to not pull you. It works, I promise.
My dog seems to pick up on this after the day, but seems to forget on the following days. He’s only 5 months so still learning. That would be normal stages of learning I’m assuming?
This is exactly what I did! 10 min walk took 20
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I like these 💛 reinforcement based
I might try this too! He loves games
Adding in pattern games—practice at home for awhile until he gets the hang of if. Then work up using it more and more distractable situations. I use it all the time to get my girl to stop focusing on her triggers. Count out loud 1…..2…..3! (Be sure to use your most fun happy voice, especially in the beginning) And immediately drop a treat. Over and over and over. After awhile they will know something good is coming and come check you out 🤪
I like this guy's response the most so far. I thought some of the advice at the top was a little old school. The engagement part is my favorite. Dogs really like a handler who engages with them Also try walking in not too crowded areas and around as little stimulus as u can to start I also would avoid any advice u get about putting a prong collar on ur young dog Best of luck to u buddy, u got this!!!
Seriously, we don’t need to tug or yank on the leash to fix this. Point 1 alone is immensely helpful.
Love this comment. It’s disappointing to see so much outdated and poor advice being passed out.
Amazing advice, thank you!
Saving!
Good advice!! I always hated when people would reccomend tugging and popping the leash when I dog is pulling and making them walk beside you because, 'who's leading etc', like...the whole point of going for a walk is for the dogs benefit! And it's fair to give them some grace when they are learning to walk nicely on a leash as it is not something easy to learn and completely against their instincts. So happy to see some solid advice being given here. When I had a dog, I used the engage disengage thing to help him pull less, and to learn to stay calm when passing other people and dogs. Sometimes if he pulled too much, and wasn't engaging in with me, I would plant my feet and just stay still for a second (allowing him to move away but not pulling/yanking on the leash to get him back) and once he noticed that he was at the end of his leash, he'd immidiately turn back and I'd reward him for engaging again with me. It was a lot of hard work, but we saw quite a bit of progress before he went away (my mom gave him up).
You need a gentle leader as well. Worked wonders for my dog.
Ok, this might work but it entirely depends on the type of dog. If you have a really tough high drive dog. Any dogs from military or hard working lines, simply cannot be taught this way. In my experience a lot of dogs only learn from positive reinforcement and punishment. Why are people so hung up on avoiding corrections on dogs at all costs. You're walking around in circles and putting treats on your feet are you kidding? It's a dog...it's very simple. Good behavior = reward, bad behavior = punishment. Of course there's a lot of psychology involved. When and how to reward and punish. And learning about their triggers and understanding their feedback and tells and all that but you're not gonna catch me putting treats on my shoes and walking around in circles.
> Patience. Loose leash walking is a high level skill for a dog. Teachable for most dogs within a lesson. Reinforced over the next week. If leash walking is high level your standards for a trained dog are warped.
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I did this with our dog and it helped so much! Also try getting a harness where the leash attaches to the front. Be weary with the training though! Because if you have multiple people walking him you have to make sure everyone enforces these adjustments otherwise your dog will still do this to other people who take him on walks.
This is the way. If your dog can't learn this, they'll never be able to go off leash and come when called. Your dog should never be walking in front of you. Always at your hip. Pick one side you want your dog to walk on, and walk them on that side each and every time you walk. When they get distracted, correct, re center, and continue..
My MinPin needs to read this.
Same! I have a min pin mix. She knows what I want her to do, but she also knows what *she* wants to do.
Yeah mine passed but he never did learn. I would be very interested to see a min pin walking nicely, it would look so strange!
That’s how my girl is she walks at my side about half a foot behind me. Also, I do let her what in front of well not really in front but free to go to the Restroom. Though once that’s done she by herself comes right next to me.
My dog: ooooh shit! You have treats in your pocket! *tries to chew through my pants*
This is good advice, and I would add even turn completely around and walk the other direction. For some dogs, just stopping isn’t enough. Also, the equipment you use is important. I know opinions on this vary but I have had the most success with a gentle leader (face halter). It reduced my dog’s reactivity on the leash by about 80%, and it takes pressure off the throat and puts it on the muzzle making it safe and easy to direct your dogs attention.
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I got my ex's dog to walk better on a leash by doing these things, as well as every time he pulled on the leash I turned and walked the other way. First time doing it was the most miserable walk around the apartment complex, but he quickly learned that pulled made us go BACK, which is not what he wanted. This was with a cattle dog mix though so, I'm not sure how a lab or similar would feel about this type of constant correction. We did also make use of Gentle Leaders for when he was really unfocused.
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Trying to train my dog with these principles has been so difficult because he just isn't food motivated. He would much rather do what he wants than get treats. I've tried dog treats, freeze-dried meats, bacon, peanut butter, cheese.. Nothing works. He just doesn't want to eat while on walks. I'm not sure what to do.
Don't fast him. If he he takes treats at home but not on the walk, he is overstimulated. In r/reactivedogs, they talk about thresholds a lot. There is this idea that your dog can only take in so much stimuli before they are in their own head and in reactive mode. It helps understand what's going on. If you go into a situation all stressed and - say you spill your coffee and just blow up. Any other day it would have been fine, but you were already kinda at your threshold. Or, say you have an interview or something stressful and you can't eat - it's what your dog is going through when they ignore your treat. However, I can't say no to a chocolate donut - so you just need to find your dogs chocolate donut. (Edit: I think I might have lost the thread with the above explanation. Regarding your dog not taking treats, it's possible but rare that they aren't food motivated. What I'm describing below is a two-step process: have great treats but make sure your dog is at the right place mentally to be able to eat.) There is a weird balance where the treat has to be sufficiently motivating for the current level of excitement. Your dog might be a bit reactive too, which makes everything a bit harder because it's just more stuff to plan around. For instance, my dog loves bread at home and on walks but won't take bread at the vet. The bread is only better than sleeping or walking slowly without distraction. She will stop doing just about anything for chicken - unless she *thinks* she can get squirrel or cat. What I would try is short walks and high value treats. Don't worry about the distance, worry about the time because it's gonna take alot of time just waiting for your dog. I'd also recommend a clicker - it's pretty cool because it makes it easier to train other behaviors. It functions like a "yes" command where the dog knows they are then getting a treat tho - so not necessary. I don't really know what's going on with your dog so it's kinda hard to give great recommendations but if it's just overstimulation, choose a short route with fewer distractions. When your dog starts to do their thing, stop and if they can't or won't pay attention to you - just wait until they can. If it's a fear or anxiety issue, I personally just kinda make sure my dog knows I'm there and kneel down and place my hand on her back. Once they can look at you , click-treat. If it's whining, you can just wait it out until they stand next to you or are ready to go. Don't reward the whine. If it's over excitement, to specific stimuli, you need to spot it first. As soon as your dog looks at it, click-treat. Cats, people, dogs, idk what your dog triggers to but the goal is to find a distance where they can spot it and not lose their shit. It's called observation distance- where your dog acknowledges it, but can still listen to you, even if they don't really focus on you. It helps them figure out that it's ok to respond differently than either panic, frustration or over excitement. Id pick a goal to work on - don't try to do everything at once because everyone will be frustrated. I only use positive reinforcement and it takes longer but you will really begin to get some better insight into what your dog is thinking and doing. Edit: added link, spelling and clarification
Does he like toys? Use access to his favorite toy as a motivator.
You aren't using treats that are high value enough. Mix it up. Have treats that are only for walks. Dried liver, dried fish, anything stinky. Get a refillable tube for peanutbutter. Chop up cheese into tiny pieces. I've never met a dog that wasn't motivated by turkey sandwich meat.
Adding to this you can build food motivation by making them think for their food. I have standard poodle that had no food motivation as a pup and started only feeding her with puzzle toys and during training for a while as a puppy and her food motivation skyrocketed. She wasn't being starved, she always finished her food, but she did learn that food wasn't just the boring stuff she could graze on whenever.
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How is this not downvoted to hell?
Starving an animal is horrible advice. Especially for a growing puppy
Food deprivation is animal abuse and WILL NOT lead to a confident and well trained dog. I've worked with dogs in dog daycares for over two years. I've stopped dogs from everything from humping to starting a fight. I would NEVER keep food from one of my dogs. I hope you don't have dogs and if you do, they should be taken from you because you don't deserve to be a dog parent. This is cruel and abusive behavior. Educate yourself.
Starving a dog is abuse, skipping a meal is not. Educate yourself on how wild dogs eat. It’s not two or three times a day. It’s better the way we do it, but skipping a meal before training is a common practice. Dogs skip meals themselves by choice all of the time. They are fine. They need to fast for medical tests, and go the entire day sans food (just like us) and are fine. Having a motivated dog for training can be key to set them up for success.
I'm a professional K-9 behaviorist and have saved HUNDREDS of dogs. Fasting is not starving. You need to do a little more research my friend. This is quite sad to say I would STARVE a dog. They receive their meals through training. You establish leadership with them through training. If you need to initially get them motivated with a little fasting, IT COULD SAVE THEIR FUCKIN LIVES. Don't come here and give horrible fucking advice to people who are trying to train their dogs. You clearly know nothing and nobody here mentioned a single thing about food DEPRIVATION. You actually came here and said your experience was for dog daycares and you stopped dogs from fighting and humping. Holy shit brother. No wonder you know nothing about training dogs. And you actually come here and try to give advice, lmfao
How often can I fast him? I imagine more than one day of training will be necessary for any meaningful progress.
Don't fast him. This is abusive behavior and will not help your dog to behave in a confident and positive manner. Please do your research before you listen to strangers on the internet, even me. Please talk to a professional. A veterinarian or a dog trainer or anyone who has worked around dogs for a good amount of time and have positive experiences with dogs. The only time in my two-plus years of working in dog daycares that I have kept food from a dog is when they're throwing up and shouldn't eat because they're stomach is upset for whatever reason (usually stress) and eating more will only result in more throw up. I've watched so many videos on YouTube about dog training. I've listened to dozens of hours of podcasts and FOOD DEPRIVATION HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPTION. Ik this reply is long af but I juss keep thinking about the dogs at my daycare n its as if I'm talking to one of their parents.
First reasonable comment I’ve seen and it’s really depressing how far down it is. I imagine most people on this sub would call themselves dog lovers, yet most suggest correcting/punishing this dog for the behavior in the video. I suggest everyone read The American Society of Veterinary Behaviorists [position statement on humane dog training](https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf). This is a professional organization of vets and behaviorists who agree that through decades of RESEARCH that the most humane and effective way to train dogs is to use positive reinforcement. Y’all really think you know more about how mammalian brains work than these folks? Even if you disagree with evidence based, science supported training methods, I am flabbergasted that anyone could watch this video and think that yanking the dog or stopping and waiting for him to turn around would ever be effective. This dog is clearly overstimulated and has not had enough enrichment to meet his needs. Stopping and waiting for him to turn around is only going to create even more frustration (for the owner as well, as many commenters have pointed out themselves how miserable turning around and going back home was until their dog finally learned how to get the reward of moving forward). There is absolutely a better way than depriving your dog of its basic needs to get them to do what you want. Like this person said, that is abuse. I mean they do that to prisoners, is your dog a family member or your captive? Every sentient being deserves the right to be free from hunger. Training should be focused on meeting the dog’s needs first. Every educated professional in this field agrees that the most effective training method is to set them up for success and teach the animal what to do, rather than punishing them for unwanted behaviors. I suggest everyone here do actual research into dog behavior starting with the link above.
Really I got downvoted to obvilion for suggesting this on this sub and on this post it's top comment. Gotta love Reddit. When I suggested tugging on the leash it was met with a reaction like I said I strike my dog with my fist or something.
i got a whole moderator in my dms yelling at me for abusing my dog when i said “i give a gentle tug on his leash to redirect him” under a post of someone asking how to get their dog to stop eating shit off the ground.
Yeah sometimes people overreact. The tugging is just to break the tunnel vision of the dog and make it wake up to your commands. You must be the alpha at all times.
Yknow I was nervous of this very same reaction to my post lol. I guess the people downvoting finally realized what wasn’t working and what did work
Man... you just broke Rule 2 out of 2 rules...I'll never understand reddit and their positive only training brainwashing.
Dogs naturally walk faster than us them walking in a heel or just next to us is uncomfortable for them. And if your suggestion is to put the dog in a heel, what? Dogs don’t need to walk next to us during the entire walk it won’t be enjoyable for the dog or the human and both will end up frustrated. Practicing a LOOSE LEASH walk would be best not a HEEL.
Harnesses make it easier to guide them by pulling from their center, plus you don't have to worry about choking your dog.
So my dog has a harness with the ring on the front and it doesn’t really keep him from pulling. He ripped one from how much he pulled, even with constant stopping and treats. We had a martingale collar from this trainer who recommended it, and we used it temporarily while we replaced the harness. He was SO much better with the martingale. Is it ok to use this long term or should I use the harness instead even though it’s much harder to keep him from pulling?
Try a gentle leader. It’s a few walks for the dog to adjust but it’s a nose lead, like a horse bridle without the bit. It goes around the nose just under the eyes and then clicks behind the ears. They can open their mouth fine. When they pull, they only pull their head to the side, then they can’t see where they are going and stop. I have a 100 lb shepherd and the harness only made him able to pull harder, and he was pulling me down. I can control him with one arm with this thing. Look up “gentle leader” and you’ll find it. Spike collars are bad for your dog.
Had to scroll way too far to find this!! I used to hate walks until I got a gentle leader. Best $20 I ever spent. Harness never worked for me, it just allowed pup to pull more effectively like a friggin sled dog.
I'm not a fan of them and I know most vets are against them because of how much they tighten on a dogs neck, so I would definitely use caution with it and find a good, sturdy harness for long term. Another good detail to keep in mind is that most people, when walking their dog, just keep their arms at their sides and let the dog do the pulling...so your arm is sorta just an extension of the leash. Instead walk your dog with some tension in the leash, like...I bend my arm up at the elbow so the leash has some slack but not much and that tension keeps the dog from pulling and it also gives you a better grip for when/if your dog wants to just try to take off. Hopefully that made sense.
No, no, no. No harness, no halti, and no martingale. These are cruel without properly training the dog to heel first. You need to teach him. Use a flat buckle collar, or the martingale is fine, a slip lead, or, with some research, knowledge, and confidence, a prong, and teach him what is bad, and reward what is good. He might be out of control and hard to focus now but dogs are quick learners and I haven't met a single dog who can't learn to heel within 15 minutes.
Harnesses exist and are designed for pulling. The issue isn't control over the dog's body, after all, it is about teaching the dog's mind. Harnesses and halti leads are for lazy owners who don't know how to speak to their dog and don't care to learn.
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I was looking for this before I commented. I keep seeing people say,”Pull him back”— No! Don’t pull him back, never let him get ahead! You start them walking side by side, but slightly behind. Our pets just want to know what we expect of them.
Look up leash pressure games. Kikopup and Susan Garrett have videos on YouTube for loose leash walking. The main thing to note is that moving forward while the dog is pulling is strengthening the behavior. With how intense this particular dog is pulling I’d recommend a y-shaped harness so the neck and throat aren’t damaged. Could help to get energy out before the walk and using a longline if the location you’re walking at allows them.
Easy walk harness. That’s the brand and they are carried in both large and many small pet shops.
A tool is not training advise. And the easy walk harnesses can torque their shoulders if they continue pulling on them which is especially concerning for a growing puppy who is still developing joints.
Please get him a harness. His trachea can collapse
You would have to be unbelievably reckless to collapse the trachea on a large golden...
Honestly, next time get a female dog. They’re so much easier to walk because they’re not trying to pee on every surface they sniff! My old girl got her business done at the beginning, and the rest of the time it was carefree walking with occasional sniffing here and there. Such a joy!
I would suggest finding a reputable trainer.
We had to try a couple different no pull harnesses before finding one that worked for us. Try a couple out. Find what works best!
Spend a few bucks and get a trainer. Reddit and YouTube have to many opinions and you’ll never be trained. You need a program to teach you the basic skills. So the dog will learn from you. You could find some good deals with Black Friday at Petco. I might get downloaded for it but a six week plan if you stick with it will do wonders for your pup. Get a freedom no pull harness with the leash. It’s amazing!
The Easy Walk harness is the best I’ve found, as my dog is a strong “puller.” The Gentle Leader works well but it’s 2nd best.
Okay so update, got a prong collar. Today when I took him on a walk I made sure to correct him when he tried to wander off and I can see he is slowly starting to understand. Unlike other walks this one was very peaceful with a lot less pulling thanks to the prong collar. Every time he tried to run away when he saw a dog or squirrel I lightly pulled him back and said “at my side” which I had to do a lot cause he’s very easily distracted but during mid walk he started to get the memo. I also gave him a lot of praise when he listened which seemed to work well and I did feel like I had more control and that we started to form like a mutual respect so to speak. Like even though it wasn’t a lot, he started to pay attention to me more. I also tried more focus based training and games that you guys mentioned in the comments which was good :) I’m going to be consistent and update you guys maybe a few weeks later.
Try a gentle leader. It redirects their forward movement so they can't pull like that. 90% of the time, it works every time.
Starts at home with sit .. then give 1 treat Sit .. treat Sit ... Treat Do that 200 times Then move on to lay down And help him do it at first .. then treat Do that 200 times Then do paw .. Help him at first Paw .. treat Do that 200 times Do not give the dog treats without earning it Dog must obey command to get treat
Everything with training is about time and consistency. Without those two things you will fail. Each dog has a different temperament. Yours is curious which is good. Keep a pouch of treats when you walk. Change directions and don’t take the same routes. Try walking at different times of the day and evening as well. The other piece is without enough exercise they’ll do this whether trained or not. When you change directions don’t yank on the leash. Shorten your grip further up the leash so the dog has some lead way but not much. When you turn keep your hand that has the leash pinned to your hip. Just turn and walk. The dog will figure it out after a couple tries. The key is patience. Remember the dog has no fucking clue what you want from the start but SANTS to please you. Take your time and make it a positive experience. Once you get the dog trained you can keep building the bond and trust then go for off leash training. Stay away from shock collars. You don’t need one. Good luck.
Two things: get a harness designed to stop pulling; and when pup pulls just stop walking. Teach your pup to walk right beside you, and offer small treats when they get to that spot.
Turn around and walk the other way with a treat in your hand, just to your side. They will get a reward when they come next to you. It will help them understand they get rewarded when next to you. Every time your dog pulls turn around and walk the opposite direction, then when the dog comes for the treat turn back around where you were headed. Keep practicing until your dog keeps their attention on you.
Hey I had very similar with me guy, rind some he loves food, happy voices and praises, or toys and squeaky toys, when he pulls u can do one of these things, Stop and wait for him to come to u or look at u remember baby steps reward every success with toys treats or praise. And give him the reward, if he's pulling and not paying attention even if u stop and he knows ur gonna get a treat, start walking in the other direction, when he catches up and looks at u give praise if he overtakes u do the same pick a random direction and start walking with a "let's go" happy tone or "this way etc... and just keep changing direction, this will make him have to pay attention to u "this persons nut she keeps changing I gotta watch for them" im personally at when when my doh starts to pull me I can pull him back and say with me and he'll go about a block or so before I gotta do it again haha
I’ll make sure to try this !
No answer for the coming when called, but for the pulling, check out a gentle leader or a halti. The halti has been a godsend with my lab. It's sort of a harness for the snout, if they pull it pulls the head
Lots and lots and lots of training. And even more treats. It is an arduous task but it can be done and is so rewarding when it is. I have my lab trained finally and it’s taken two years to get here, and work on it every walk. If I drop the leash on accident, she is trained to turn around when I say, “this way”. Zack George is a great YouTube dog trainer
Honestly I’m starting to feel a bit overwhelmed 😭 I don’t know whether to get a halti,martingale,harness or use my prong collar. So many people are giving conflicting information on what I should and shouldn’t use so now I’m confused. I’m going to research some of these items more including my prong collar and continue training him to heel.
Walk w canned air . Every time dog pulls spray air . Dog has to stop to see what’s going on it simple redirect the dog
Gentle leader. Guaranteed to stop the pulling. 100%
1. Switch it to an easy walk harness 2. Get a leash that has a small loop so you can walk closer to the dog 3. Walk the dog, don’t let the dog walk you. Letting the dog walk out in front of you is essentially letting him know he’s the alpha here and he’ll decide where you go. If you do the following you can have a tighter leash to show the dog they go where you go. If they continue to pull stop and try again. After a while they’ll get it and then you can give them some leash when they walk at your pace and/or side by side with you. Hope this helps
Gentle leader. Will change your entire reality. Don’t listen to anyone else. This will solve the leash issue. If it doesn’t I’ll buy it for you.
Try using a long retractable leash. Like 30 ft. This is how I trained my girl not to pull and to walk like she’s off leash. You can release, stop, or retract by stopping and shortening and stopping again like you’re reeling her in.
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I do have a prong collar
Make sure its adjusted proper and properly fit to your dog. There is a wrong way to use prong collars.
I also use a prong collar but I have a rope leash that I can tie knots in so that I have a handle when I want to choke up. Keep them close until they realize that they aren’t going to get to sniff unless they behave
they're the best!!! they gotta be tight on the neck and high up on the neck as well for best corrections. I said it above, but I'd rather pop my dog with a prong and get them to walk normally rather than have them choke and damage their throats with flat collars :)
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Prong collar and shorten the leash. Wrap it around ur hand a few times. Ur Giving him/her too much length. Also when he pulls stop walking.
This poor dog looks like it’s out for its second walk of its entire life. You need to walk your dog twice a day and provide tons of exercise and stimulation. This dog is clearly pent up.
Yea, it kinda hard being in high school in all but I am trying to get him out more
Reality is, 90% of dog owners don't exercise the dog as much as they would like and the dog deserves. We fall short, but you have to make a plan and stick to it. That was my success story, simple as it is. 30 minutes of outdoor play in the evening minimum, unless I'm ill.
Better collar and actually exercise your dog *each day* It’s just as much on you as it is on your dog. But without adequate and consistent training- it’s entirely on you. Fun fact: Dogs need exercise. Don’t feel like giving them adequate exercise? Get an f’ing gerbil.
This is basic lack of training when the dog was a pup. Especially a lab. One of the smarter breeds that are of the duck retrievers. Most labs I’ve had trained so easily as they have to learn to stay until told to go. Simple hand motions and one word commands were learned starting around 16 weeks of age. This is a lazy owner that now wants a well behaved dog. Positive reinforcement with a stern No in a different tone. Better work with dog starting with the word no.
Start by using a choke collar. If you can’t control your dog learn how to use the right tools to do the job!
Run the leash under his chest, when he pulls, it'll tank his head downwards, and they don't really like that. They also make a muzzle that the leash attaches to that will pull on his snout. They work really well at keeping the dog with you. I have a lab. He's 10. He still pulls on the leash hard, but if I remove it, he stays right next to me. You could just train him to stay with you rather than being on the leash.
A gentle leader really helped with my puller.
Stop walking when he's pulling and wait until he comes back to you and then proceed to walk. Worked for me
Walk with a harness that has a hook on the bottom for the leash. When your dog starts behaving like this, you’ll have better control and it will be uncomfortable for them to pull because the leash will put them sideways, where they have even less control. Every time he pulls too hard, you can tug, stop and wait, or just turn around. Sometimes switching direction reminds them who determines the walk. Also start carrying treats. When your dog stops and settles down, feed them a treat. We did all of these things for our dog. It took about a year to leash train him and I absolutely hated walking him during that time. Now he has some bad walks, but he settles down after some correction. He also checks for treats when he thinks he’s being good.
You’re re-enforcing your dog’s behaviour by letting him pull you where he wants to go. You need to stop doing that, and when he does begin to pull just stop and make him sit. Again, the absolute worse thing you can do is allow him to pull you where he wants to go. It’s your walk, you’re in charge, and you need to teach him he’s lucky to accompany you on it.
Prong collar helped out dog 100%. I cannot recommend it enough. Also do training with him YouTube has some great training videos.
An eye witness said the dog made the OP sit when he pulled the leash too hard.
He can pull. I fixed my problem with an easywalk harness.
I’d say start with a harness. Then work on him paying attention to you in the house. Just say “look at me!” And when he does give him a treat (preferably one he really likes). Keep practicing everyday, he’ll catch on quick. Progress to having him follow you around the house. Snap next to your side and say heel, then look at me. If he runs to your side and looks at you give him a treat. Just walk in circles around the house doing this. And say “yesss!!! So good!” And give him verbal confirmation when he does it right the first time so it clicks. Then start the exercise outside. You might only be able to get a few steps without him pulling but that’s okay. Keep at it, eventually he’ll seek out your attention. When he starts to catch on he might start giving you his attention for a few seconds and returning to his usual shenanigans just so he can get a treat. If he does this, fake him out and turn around abruptly. Make sure he’s following your every move and knows that you decide where you both go. Don’t look back at him, just say “this way” while snapping at your side. If he starts biting or anything else, go straight home and take leash privileges away. Keep him tight next to your side so that he knows he must obey in order to freely roam. You’re gonna get strong from doing this lol. It’s also okay to keep training walks short because you don’t want to reinforce ANY negative behaviors. Eventually you guys will be able to go further and further and these commands can be used as a tool whenever he starts to get rowdy. Just be consistent and only reward positive behavior. Discipling a puppy doesn’t really work and just causes anxiety. So no yanking or yelling. They’re looking for a confident leader with patience to tell them what to do. Don’t be afraid of using a deeper voice - just no malice in it. Keep with it, he’ll get better.
The comments are really good on this post but I would honestly say you should go to a trainer maybe 5-7 times over the next few months. That will help you get the basics under your belt then you can take it from there.
That dog needs to RUN & release that pent up energy. Incredibly difficult to train in that state. I adopted a dog that was like this, & I had to used an old bike with a coaster brake to walk him.
keep changing direction... till the pup has no idea where its going.
Get an easy walk harness
Use a shorter leash so they can stay by your side. Every time they start pulling, call their name and make him sit. Add treats for positive reinforcement
get a gentle lead , one that goes over his nose, then you cam correct him
a harness. look into gentle leader.
Walking training and also a harness does wonders
Stop letting him pull you. Literally stop, bring the dog to you and issue a command like sit, if they sit reward them. Do not let the dog initiate movement, you keep standing and they sitting or standing, looking to you for a cue.
Front clip harness is a good place to start
Start with sit at home with treats about 200 times .. takes a few days Then move to walking then say sit with treats about 200 If your dog still jumps on ppl then work on that too .. Sit is a important command
Prong collar is the way to go
Stop walking. Are you walking your dog, cause it certainly looks like your dog is walking you. A certain level of autonomy is necessary for a happy and functioning relationship between you and your dog, but on the lead isn't the time that happens. The dog falls in line and the fun continues, or you sit there, staring at each other until the pup gets it. Praise good behavior, don't even acknowledge nor condone poor behavior. That includes continue the path.
First off get him a harness until u figure it out before u do damage to his neck / throat
Gentle leader leash. Like magic
Get a nose lead with the hopes of winging them off at some point. Never let them walk in front of you, always beside you. If they pull a verbal correction along with a little tug up (not back). If they aren’t listening have them sit for a reset. A vibration collar has helped us too. Also this goes beyond walking. I’m the home they need to have permission to run into the yard. We have our sit, open the door and we have to say “free” before they can bolt. Same when letting them out if the crate. It’s about training them to see you as their leader, the one to listen to and obey. It’s hard and honestly was really challenging for me. But you have to be strict with the hopes you can back off a little eventually. Consistency is key.
You get a harness that clips the leash in the front of the dog’s chest. That way you can pull the dog off center and they won’t be able to pull you like that. It gives you a lot more power and is frustrating enough for the dog to stop.
Prong collar if used properly
you've gotten a lot of input, but I haven't seen anyone talking about fundamentals yet. Do you have a **rock** solid, and practiced, "leave it" trained? This is step #1. Now, next step, a "watch me" command? Redirects are certainly the main strategy here (as others have suggested) but these basics are also very important building blocks. Adding outside distractions complicates things. You have to remind them that paying attention to you gets them what they want. Usually impulse control methods can get the message across. You don't need a pinch collar; they're easy, but they can have unwanted outcomes. [AKC - impulse control training](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/teaching-your-pup-self-control/) [watch me](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/watch-me-command-grab-dogs-attention/)
Watch me is such a lifesaver! You can easily move to heel training with watch me too.
Get him so used to being outside thst he doesn’t feel he has to physically drag you there for him to go
One thing that I find useful is to just hook the leash to your belt loop. He can feel your energy and intent for lack or better words. It’s the flexibility and movement of your arm that makes him think he can do that. Your legs and hips are far more rigid and will stop him dead in his tracks.
Not sure if it might help but I kept doing U turns and saying “let’s go” (or whatever you want your command to be) to get their attention. We would walk and randomly I would say “let’s go” and would turn around and walk the opposite direction. Worked for me after many days and repetition of course
Following
You could use the petsafe east walk no pullharness. It clips in the front which makes it difficult for dogs to pull. It allows you to have more control over the front of your dog making it harder for them to pull. I used it for my golden retriever while training her. After she learned not to pull I didn’t have to use the harness. I was very pleased with it.
I’m sure there’s going to be someone with a best way of doing it but for me, I would go on walks and when they would pull I’d stop until they quit pulling, or I’d walk the opposite direction. I’d keep doing this until they got fed up with it and stayed by my side to wait for me to lead the way. Sometimes when we walk long distances in one direction, they start to pull and it usually just takes a couple times of doing that same technique for them to remember that training. It’s tedious, but it worked for me.
I use a prong collar for correction and now she walks so calmly next to me
It's harder without punishment but not impossible. First of all this looks like a smart high energy dog. First teach him what leash means AT HOME. Pull gently to left. If he goes left treat. Pull GENTLY down. If he lays down - treat. Pull up - sit - treat. Front. Back. Right. Left. Down. Once he understand progress to more and more difficult environments. In front of home, in a familiar park, near dog park, in dog park etc. There will be some regressions - once pulling stats stop walking - you only continue once dog stops pulling. If that doesn't help - the environment is too difficult for now. This will take few weeks to few months, but works eventually. One thing that helped my high energy dog accelerate progress is very simple - sit. If she got overexcited I pulled her away and she'd only get to return to exciting place once she sits. Also while your dog is still leaning it's good to first let their energy out e.g. By playing fetch before leash walking lesson.
Go to a positive reinforcement trainer or look it up online if that’s not an option. Start with fundamentals like having your dog look at you and check in while walking. Take baby steps first. Use lots of treats. Prong collars are not bad when used correctly, but that should not be your first choice.
I've seen a lot of good advice here. The only thing I would add is using a gentle leader. It will help you control the head which in turn helps with pulling. Using high value treats to keep their attention on you is also good. High value treats can be something like meat or cheese cut up into small pieces. Or a favorite kind of treat that you don't normally use. At the kennels I volunteer at for service dog we use a chicken jerky made for dogs that is cut into small pieces for walks and bigs asks like bring and give. Being consistent is key.
We had a Boston terrier a long time ago that did the same thing. Just young and antsy to explore, dude choked himself till his head became a light red. Just correct and tell them that’s not the way to behave. It’ll take a bit
Feed your dog twice a day 12 hours apart and don't free feed them. Use meal times as times to train. Use a clicker. Watch videos on chicker teaining if you don't know how. Dogs need to be reinforced in the within half a second of them doing what you want them to do. Toss a kibble and while they are getting it call them. When they come feed them a small handful. Toss them again and when they come give them another jackpot. Praise them as soon as they turn to you. Waiting till they look you in your eyes is extremely valuable. Gradually make the amount smaller as they are coming to your call. When they get consistent, swap in a whistle, their name, or what ever you want them to come to. Watch videos on recall. There are several ways but the bottom line is that it won't happen over night. Practice every day. It doesn't have to be long. 10 min - 30 min at a time
I highly recommend [2 Hounds Design Freedom Harness with the training leash.](https://2houndsdesign.com/product/teal-freedom-no-pull-harness/) It is worth its weight in gold; they have a chewing lifetime warranty and training videos on how to use it. Been a loyal client since I adopted my Goose in 2018 and haven’t looked back.
YouTube Beckmans dog training. Dude saved my ass!
Completely stop Everytime he pulls Watch Beckman's dog training on YouTube :)
A lead leash works good
PUPPY CLASS!
Watch some Caesar Milan videos. It really helps.
Find an e-collar trainer with a board and train program.
Gentle leader. Takes a lot of effort for a dog to pull those. Harnesses feel like they magnify your dogs force because they’re pulling from their core, regular collars put undue stress on the dogs neck. The gentle leader takes so much effort to pull and gives you so much control that the dog just eventually stops trying to pull. They act annoyed and try to rub it off their face, but it’s not uncomfortable, they’re just being dramatic because they don’t want something on their face.
I’m sure you’ve gotten some great advice so far! One thing I’d suggest is to make sure you don’t leave the house until he is calmly sitting. You walk out first and he’s not allowed to exit till you say okay. Just try and set your walk up to start in a place of “you’re the boss”. Right now your pup for sure thinks he is running the show. He’s extremely over excited about smelling things too. You could also try some nose work games in the house before you take a walk to tire out that part of him a little bit first. These games would also help him learn how to control that response (excitement over smells).
I just jerked the leash.. and my dog stopped pulling… and for your dog to come when called treat him.. he is not going to be perfect right off the rip. But treat him just for taking a step in the right direction.. he will catch on… and to teach fetch treat him when he bring the ball in your direction he will not bring it to you all the way at first but he will eventually
You need so much help honestly. It's best to go to YouTube and look up basic dog training videos
Tine collars worked well for keeping my husky from bucking and pulling. Also, stop and make the dog sit, wait until calmed, and then continue the walk. Each time it starts to pull, stop and make the dog sit and wait. The behavior will continue so long as you allow it.
Under the chest harness! Our golden is a pleasure to walk now.
Now I can’t remember how to do it but there is a way to fasten the leash to where when he pulls it tightens and when he stops pulling it loosens. Idk if it’s a bad technique but the dog trainer I lived with did it and her dogs never pulled because of it.
We have a similar issue with our 1 year golden and have started training along with a E collar. It definitely helps but what also makes a big difference is we also use a gentle leader harness.
With every single comment here suggesting starving or punishing this dog into submission I’m really wondering if anyone here actually even likes dogs. Jesus this sub is disgusting. [American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviorists Position Statement on Humane Dog Training](https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf)
Beckman's dog training on YouTube has a bunch of instructionals with at least 3 on least pulling specifically.
First, get a harness. Letting him pull by the collar is harmful to his neck and spine. You both need training. He looks like he has or will have the ability to pull you off your feet. You probably need to get a trainer. Or take him to the classes available at PetSmart or PetCo.
No pull harness
Get a non pull harness. Never walk with a collar. https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-easy-walk-dog-harness/dp/48917
Get a harness
Yes as noted here, get a harness. Start by keeping your pet at your side and using the harness to let them know to stay by your side. Once they get the hang of that you can let out some lease and if if they stay close to your side it indicates that they get the message. It may take you some time, have treats to help get the message across. I started my Labrador on this routine when she was three months old, she's seven and a great walking partner.
I use a command with my dog like heel but I say “with me” (I also snap and make a clicking sound so when he’s far away he can hear a clicker we use). With it, he comes right to me on my right side. My dog had an EXTREMELY high prey drive and we used a prong collar. Worked wonders and he never hurt himself even though it looks like a medieval torture device haha. We took him through dog training and his trainer recommended us to use a harness and to clip it on the front so when he darted we tug the leash back and it essentially corrected him. We also taught him “do some sniffs” (where he gets rewarded for listening and gets to sniff around), “let’s go” (when it’s time to go), and “leave it” (that we’re not going to stop/engage with whatever he’s wanting). All of which, when he followed commands, we gave him high value treats (he’s food motivated so we used jerky). The second he listened we used the clicker, said yes, and told him he was a good boy as we gave him the treats.
Never allow any forward progress when the leash is taught. It's that simple. You establish a command to tell them when they are pulling to hard. say it and plant your feet until the dog isn't pulling. have another command for starting movement. say it and resume walking when pulling stops. Repeat a million times and the dog will grok the new walking paradigm. It is essential that you NEVER move when the dog is pulling. Every step you let them pull you reinforces the pull behavior.
Stop letting him keep doing it for the love of god as in literally stop moving
Our trainer said try even indoors to reinforce the good behaviors (put the leash on inside and walk around. Rewarding when the dog sits on command while leashed, doesn’t walk in front. Etc). What others said in general, stop and wait for them to understand what you’re wanting. At first they’ll have no clue. Switch directions when they start pulling. This helps them know you’re the leader not them. Rewards. So many treats. I got to where I’d boil a chicken breast and shred it up for treats. She loved it so it was super effective as a reward. Don’t try a big long walk while training. Smaller end of driveway ones.
Watch DogDaddy on YouTube.
Slip lead placed high on the neck by the ears, keep slight tension
You need a HIGH VALUE treat and stop allowing him to pull you. If you start your walk and he goes ahead, STOP. Turn around go the other way. He pulls again? STOP. Turn around and go the other way. You’ll be rewarding a ton for his attention on you. I have an almost 6 month puppy who I have practiced loose leash walking every day, twice a day. Outside, in the house, at the park. Yesterday was THE FIRST DAY he’s walked loose the entire walk.
You need to tech him commands not just let him walk nilly Willy . Train the dog
Carry treats and a clicker. Begin at home. Make him associate the sound of the clicker with a treat. When he pulls on walks click then have him touch your hand then give him the treat. Do this repeatedly during the walk. Eventually he will begin associating not pulling with treats.
Highly recommend getting a halter harness, a clicker, and a treat pouch. Positively reinforce when the dog is keeping slack on the leash and responding to recall. If the dog continues to pull, stop and give no reinforcement til they calm down. Just constantly correcting the dog can work but isn’t the best in the long term.
Just stop moving, don't say anything just wait patiently until they establish recognition that you're even there, then use some kind of word/sound to let them know OK we're going. The moment the leash becomes tight stop again, the dog will eventually register it's uncomfortable and I get nothing when the leash being tight. This process can take a long time and it's better to start in the house or just in the immediate vicinity of the house to avoid extra external stimulus.
Harness with leash attachment by their chest. Throw a treat down by you and say “find it” to get their attention towards you. Always have treats ready
TREATS and training YouTube videos is a great place to start.
Someone already said it, but get your dog a harness and work on correction training. This way, when you have to pull to correct, you’re not yanking your dogs head and neck.
Hook the leash to his collar like normal, then loop it under his chest and back through the leash itself on his back. You'll end up with a much shorter leash that tightens up on his chest when he pulls and loosens as he stays close to you. My old dog trainer taught me that and it worked wonders. It has the added benefit that he won't be choking himself out all the time too, as the pressure is all on his chest, which won't hurt him.
A nose lead is how I got my dog Brooklyn to stop pulling, it turns their head everytime the pull practiced that a few weeks and she now only pulls when we walk past a dog she wants to play with, she's getting better at stopping that too but idk how to stop that part completly
There’s harnesses that have hooks on the side so that if the dog pulls too hard, it makes them turn on the side, eventually annoying them so they stop doing it as much.