pulling constantly!

Bruiser is 15 months now, but still he continues to be a terrible puller on the lead! he had a harness at first which i thought he pulled more with but even 3 months on the collar hasnt changed him! the few seconds when he doesnt pull we praise him etc but he soon goes back to pulling- also if people pass he gets so excited he wants to jump up at them. He is quite a lump now so i really want to get him out of this bad habit. any ideas?
We cant really let him off the lead much in the areas we live as there has been so many people having their dogs attacked etc and recently he almost got attacked himself, however because hes on lead all the time we take him for longer walks so him pulling cant be because he isnt using enough energy! he pulls badly with anyone who walks him also.
any ideas?

Okay so firsty have u done the stop start training method? When he pulls u stop without looking at him no eye contact etc and dont start walking again till the lead is slack? Or....as soon as he pulls turn quickly around and walk in the opposite direction for a few seconds then turn back and carry on (all done on a short lead)? This method usually DOES work but will take a good few months of doing it on every walk to do so. If your like me and have done this still to no advantage (1 yr later) lol then i have bought a gentle leader head collar after Shon recomended it on here. I can honestly say it has worked wonders with my boys and has made walks enjoyable for me again. It takes them a while to get used to the head collar but once they realise its on and you wont be taking it off for any of thier walks they soon put up with it!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Gentle-Leader-Medium-Black/dp/B000A27NIU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328968490&sr=8-1

I have been using the stop method each time the lead is tight. I will say stop, and she comes bk to me and we then carry on, also a quick tug on the lead and a verbal correction is working wonders for us, she will walk with a slack leash and keep looking at me.

Diesel also wants to be loved by every single random passerby I have had to literally hold her off of ppl. Today tho soon as I saw someone approaching I made her sit and told her to leave once her attention was on the person, we will get there and u will to x

thanks guys yes the stop and start method has been tried for 7 months with no change!!! the head collar seems like the next stop although i dont like the look of it! but if it help then i will try it.

raverhayley wrote:thanks guys yes the stop and start method has been tried for 7 months with no change!!! the head collar seems like the next stop although i dont like the look of it! but if it help then i will try it.

They really are a useful training aid. I know they don't look nice but your dog will soon get used to it.

The turn around and go the other direction method has always worked for me. It's really just patience and consistency. They do have alot of energy at the beginning of walks though

blaze wrote:as soon as he pulls turn quickly around and walk in the opposite direction for a few seconds then turn back and carry on (all done on a short lead)? This method usually DOES work but will take a good few months of doing it on every walk to do so.

This is the method I would always start with. But you have to give it 3 or 4 months of constant work before you abandon it as not working!

Harness is this answer, I have the same problem. You should also get a smaller lead so they cant run as far.

i was toldat a collar high up on the neck stops the pullin i tried it with Lottie and it works but the trick is trying to keep the collar up there cos it keeps slipping down. Its ok for a taller dog but doesn work on Lemmy cos he's too short for me to get him in the right position so we are still doing the stop and start with him. Might work one day

Herman does the same thing. we had that fixed, be it ever so briefly, until he was injured ( not related ). his injury sidelined him for months, no walks, no anything. ( vet's orders ) since he's resumed his walks we had to start all over again. progress is slow, but we're making headway. hang in there.

DannyBurke wrote:Harness is this answer, I have the same problem. You should also get a smaller lead so they cant run as far.

A harness has already been tried & made the pulling worse! A small lead won't stop pulling.

_julie_ wrote:i was toldat a collar high up on the neck stops the pullin i tried it with Lottie and it works but the trick is trying to keep the collar up there cos it keeps slipping down. Its ok for a taller dog but doesn work on Lemmy cos he's too short for me to get him in the right position so we are still doing the stop and start with him. Might work one day

Yes, keeping the collar high up, just behind the ears will help. But it's easier said than done.

I know you said that you'd tried the stop & wait tecnique, but did you also try the turn-in-the-other-direction tecnique?

blaze wrote:as soon as he pulls turn quickly around and walk in the opposite direction for a few seconds then turn back and carry on (all done on a short lead)? This method usually DOES work but will take a good few months of doing it on every walk to do so.

With a real puller, the stop & start method rarely works, but the turning in the opposite direction often does.

agree with Caryll. i tried the stop-and-start method to no avail. turning and walking in the opposite direction has started to work. still, it takes some time and patience is the key.

Get a choker lead then...

Maisie was exactly the same when I first got her, both in the pulling and being convinced that every single person we saw had to be jumped all over

The stop/start has eventually worked reasonably well, and once we'd started training classes, the 'watch me' and 'sit' pretty much stopped the jumping up at strangers, she still does it with people she knows!!

Staffies are just convinced that everybody in the world loves them

DannyBurke wrote:Get a choker lead then...

There are many people who think a choke (check) chain is cruel & unnecessary!

Caryll wrote:

DannyBurke wrote:Get a choker lead then...

There are many people who think a choke (check) chain is cruel & unnecessary!

#
Fair enough, I dont use one my self but if you're desperate then...

yes i am desperate danny, but it doesnt mean i want to use that as i think irts unfair on my dog. some people will dissagree, but thats my opinion

Has his behaviour gotten any better and which training method have you been using?

Jibber pulls like he's entered a competition to pull a truck... I'm a big fella, so I just keep him on a short lead and outstrength him. He is 2 now and still hasn't let up.. it's fine for me, but my missus struggles with him.

Maisie and I are getting the hang of it with the Gentle Leader.
I was speaking to the man in our local pet shop who said after 3-4 weeks even bringing it out of your pocket should have your dog stop pulling as the sight alone will deter them.

How do you use your gentle leader pamela? Do you just put it on when she pulls or do you walk her in it all the time? x