Dog pulls on leash - Answered by J. Sansregret

Just needing some suggestions on my Golden retriever puppy who from time to time pulls on the leash during our walks, particularly when we are heading home. I immediately stop when she pulls, but I've already trained her to sit when I stop, so the last leg of the walk has her sitting every other step.

Now what?

Make it clear that you don't want her to pull.

When she pulls, snap the leash and say no. If that doesn't help, use a gentle leader when she pulls. If she pulls, imediatly put the gentle leader on her and leave it there for a few minuts. Also when she pulls, start going the other way, or back up quickly.

Here are 2 things you can try

1- Instead of stopping you can just immediately change direction when she pulls. This lets her know you are the leader. Try this when she first goes out that way on your return home hopefully she will learn not to pull and you will eventually get home.

2 - Use a head halter like Genle Leader or Halti. When the dog pulls flip the nose part on. When the dog is good flip it off.

For more info. on these types of head halters see:
http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-doghalter.htm

Good luck

Julie Sansregret - AHT, Dog trainer
Guides Canins
1313, rue PineRidge,
St-Lazare-de-Vaudreuil, Qué.
J7T 2M7 (450) 424-1469
www.guidescanins.com

I figure the word CHOKE will get someone's attention.
I have one of those strong willed, do or die pullers whose life is not complete unless he is pulling at a lead.
You can talk training or whatever but he is an Alpha Dog and must be in the lead when we walk in the forrests of our property.
I have found a halter arrangement that fits under and around his front legs and when he pulls it tighens around his front shoulders area and not his neck thus causing him to quite pulling almost at once. The lead is connected just above his front shoulder area to a hook that transfers any pulling force to the front legs and shoulders. He actually looks like a well trained dog walking on this device. It is not for a lack of training that he acts this way he is just one stubborn dog that is otherwise a great companion and has an acre run to play in with his buddy but when we take our daily walk in the woods he likes to lunge ahead and this halter keeps him from dislocating my shoulder and allows him to walk in comfort also.

1- Instead of stopping you can just immediately change direction when she pulls. This lets her know you are the leader. Try this when she first goes out that way on your return home hopefully she will learn not to pull and you will eventually get home.


That seems fishy to me. I said those things in the first post I made. It seems like petdr just reworded my answer.:rolleyes:

2 - Use a head halter like Genle Leader or Halti. When the dog pulls flip the nose part on. When the dog is good flip it off.

And this one to.

Do you think its fishy sweetie, or is it that your just getting too damn smart? :) ;)

Not sure;)

Maybe Petdr didn't read my post?

I've had experience with a Golden before. They can really be pullers.:D

Believe me, the 'Halti' is really useful for stopping your dog pulling. The only adivce that i give is to attach the lead both to the halti and the collar, cause sometimes the halti can come off, by mistake.

Any dog can pull not just a Golden and it seems the advise is good. You're learning well from us Spoiled. Have you considered taking courses to be a professional dog trainer. It sounds like you have some interest in this field?
I know you're young but maybe in a few years time?

Don't worry Spoiled! Julie Sansregret is a certified, highly qualified, excellent and well-known trainer in my area. I don't think she would steal your advice. ;)

You're learning well from us Spoiled. Have you considered taking courses to be a professional dog trainer. It sounds like you have some interest in this field?

I knew that bit of information before. But your right, a lot of things about BYBs, sicknesses, especialy Pitbulls, and a bit about training I have learned from you. I am working with a few different dogs right now, and I do have an intrest in dog training.

What do you mean working with a few dogs right now? You mean you are training them? Hmmm is that without certification? And you'd better check the legalities of that situation. If you're interested in training dogs you must educate yourself through extensive training programs. It's not enough to merely read books and do research. One on one and classroom time with certified teacher trainers.

In many areas there are minimum age requirements to even enter these certification programs.

If you are currently training dogs without the proper education Spoiled I suggest you stop NOW! Thats a friendly suggestion by the way.

It's not enough to merely read books and do research. One on one and classroom time with certified teacher trainers.

Hi Luba! Do you know where one can find classroom time with certified teacher trainers here in Ontario - other than that school in Ottawa (forget what it's called, but it's several $1000 to enroll) and Guelph University (which I believe is where PetSmart trainers are trained)? Thanks! :)

Geepers in Guelph huh, none that pop to mind. BUT you may want to contact Guelph Humane Society they may know or even the vet that you deal with.

Some of the courses are pricey but make sure you get to look through course guidelines, get a brochure and compare what they teach, hours of time and so on. Make sure you get your money's worth:D

Hi again Luba. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I'm not in Guelph - I'm actually 1km south of Barrie. I had checked PetSmart's web site and read (although I can't find that reference any more :o ) that their trainers are trained by a professor from Guelph University (I think they're the only University who offer any Animal Behaviour courses?). Being in Cottage Country (almost), I'm a little adverse to travelling all the way to Guelph or Ottawa for training. Talk about a commute! :eek:

I think I also read somewhere (might even have been on this site??) that there's no such thing as "training for trainers", and that lead me to believe that the place in Ottawa might be not 100% legit ( :confused: )?

I'm taking Phoebe to her first obedience class on Thursday, so I'll see what they have to say about it (I'm sure they get asked about it all the time!). I'll let you know if I learn anything new.

Thanks for the excellent input, as always! :D

Oh big duh on my part :eek: You're just south of Barrie, gotcha!!!

I'd get a referral somewhere for sure you're really gonna want to invest your money and time wisely. Also go for a training program which suits 'your' beliefs on how a dog should be trained.

There are many 'old timer' methods that imho are obsolete now and thankfully so.

Spoiled, I do not mean this to be unkind, but you are NOT qualified to be training other peoples' dogs, and if you are calling yourself a trainer, and taking on clients you can get in trouble.

Here is a list of certifications my own trainer has. I suggest you get at one or two of these before you do anything with anyone's dogs.

• B.Sc. Degree Animal Science,
Iowa State University, 1968

• U.S. Army Veterinary Technician,
Walter Reed Army Institute, 1970

• Graduate Baltimore City Police Department,
Canine Instructors Course, 1976

• Certified member of Professional Dog Trainers
Association of Canada, 1982

• Training Director for Club Schutzhund Soulanges
– 8 years

• Certified and licensed D.V.G,
Schutzhund Trial Decoy, 1984

• Owner and Trainer,
TRI–L Kennels, January 1984

I don't know how young Spoiled is - is she young enough that she might have just thrown in that comment about "working with a few different dogs right now" just to earn a brownie point or two? That is hard to admit but easily forgiven.
Still, she sounds very mature in her text, not like a little kid......so....maybe she meant she's practicing with dogs that belong to friends, etc?

Spoiled.......what exactly did you mean by this comment? Please clarify.

I think I've had a bit of experience with training, but in NO way would I ever offer to train anyone's dog, as I simply don't know enough to do that and if you don't know what you're doing, you can make things worse or actually create a problem.

Someone called "CanadianK9Info" posted awhile ago about how to become a trainer and I think the advice is very good.:) (My bold letters, as I think that sentence particularly important!)

"The best way to become a qualified trainer is to get a dog and train it, go to dog shows and title it in obedience, tracking, agility etc. Title your dogs all the way (not just beginner level titles I mean advanced). I really feel that if you don't compete in obedience you have no business running classes. Title your dogs then ask a qualified trainer (another competitor) if you can audit their classes to learn more, work with shelter dogs to gain experience. Join professional organizations such as the Association of Pet Dog Trainers , go to seminars by trainers like Terri Arnold , Connie Cleveland..... it takes years to become qualified, please do not put the public at risk by giving out unqualified advice.

I forgot to mention earlier. You should also be reading a ton of books. Pick up books by authors like Terri Arnold (you can get her books on her website they are called Steppin Up to Sucess), Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor (Don't Shoot the Dog), Jean Donaldson (she is a trainer in Montreal... has written some great books including The Culture Clash etc.), Joni Andersen (The Latchkey Dog). Read everything you can get your hands on."

Great ideas LR :D

OK, sorry for the confusion. I work with a few different dogs. Yes. I work with my dog, occasionaly two other dogs while petsitting them, and with a friend's dog. No, I'm not qualified, but its not like I'm going to go to a huge school when I'm not through with high school and when I'm only almost 16. I do know much much more than the average person, though, and I think I have a right to help other people with their dogs. Yes, help them. I do it for friends and I don't charge money. Everyone has been extremely pleased with how I work with dogs, and say I should develop the skill. However, not while I'm much too young. :)

Oh, yes, and I don't deal with dogs that have behavior problems like agression or things like that. I help with the basic obedience commands and simple problems like pulling.

There is nothing wrong with that,kind of like people giving home remedies and advice on sick pets that are not vets..Helping like you do is a nice thing to do.

Agree with you. Myself, I wouldn't be qualified to give advice on training large dogs or correcting problem behaviors, but I do help my Mom with basic training, tricks, grooming, etc. for Corky. And I know how to say "Get him to the vet!" and recognize when he needs to go. I think we all try to help others by drawing from our own experiences. The key is to recognize our capabilities and know when to defer to someone with more experience and training.

Agree with you. Myself, I wouldn't be qualified to give advice on training large dogs or correcting problem behaviors, but I do help my Mom with basic training, tricks, grooming, etc. for Corky. And I know how to say "Get him to the vet!" and recognize when he needs to go. I think we all try to help others by drawing from our own experiences. The key is to recognize our capabilities and know when to defer to someone with more experience and training.

Exactly! :)