Dog Training

[Casey]

Hi guys and gals,
I need help with Roxy she loves to walk around the block
but my wife cant handle her she pulls my wife around the block she gets so excited when we say go for walk she jumps 3 ft in the air and barks when my wife puts her on the leash she pulls like a sled dog for one mile my wife cant take it her arm is sore now.How can we train her to not pull so hard and not bark at the other dogs she sees? any help much appreciated thanks.

[dobejazz]

The Halter type systems are supposed to prevent pulling I've never tried them. When my Mom took my 90 # Beauceron (French Shepherd) Thru an obedience class we needed to use a pinch/prong collar, because Blaze was so strong. Used correctly it's like power steering and much more humane than an improperly used choke/chain collar.

[Loverotties]

Well you can't give her any lead just keep her right next to you and stop and pull hard as soon as she trys to pull or bark at enougher dog and stay stop till she acts right and keep doing it.Try one of those collars that has a second hoop that goes around the snoot.They are supose to work good and if she pulls and it's to much for your wife to holdtell her to step on the leash so there is no lead to pull and just stand there till she kalms down.You also try carring a coffee can with pennies in it and when he acts up shake it near her and that sometimes startles them.Good luck!We took are new rottie thru puppie school and it did wonders that I could do myself because ther were 7 other dogs there at the same time,which got him trained and use to being around other dogs!

[dobejazz]

For jumping and barking on the walks try to distract her by asking her to sit or down and then heaps of praise/ cookies if need be to reward her for being attentive to you.

[Casey]

ok guys will give it a shot thanks for the tips.

[Loverotties]

Let me know hows it going and good luck!

[Casey]

Will do

Originally Posted by Loverotties

Let me know hows it going and good luck!

[Junkzoo]

Casey, hard to tell you here, instead of in person,,

6 ft leash, choke correction collar,,,(installed correctly,used when the dog is on the left side of you, the collar should release on it own,,if not flip the collar over, there is a right/wrong way to have this collar on)
You can practice in the yard, w/ no distractions,,
If you can , start with a "sit" command( also helps control the dog, since it is "doing" something you told it to,,IE: you have control of the dog)
starting with the left leg(yours LOL)start to walk forward, having your left hand on the leash w/ a lil slack in it,,at your left side.the right hand should have the rest of the leash,with about a shoulders length of leash between your two hands.
As you start with your left leg walking, at the same time give a lil tug forward,and give the command "heel".
[The CORRECT use of a choke collar is to give short,firm tugs on the leash, remembering to release right after, allowing slack again on the collar, the right use of this collar involves the vibration of the collar links as they move thru the ring on the collar, and a lil bit of the action of the tightening of the collar on the dog,,if the collar stays tight on the dog while training, you are doing it wrong,and not going to get anywhere in training, and prob teach the dog to pull harder.]
Try to keep the dog at your left knee, at best just a lil behind, (you are walking the dog, not the other way around)
If the dog pulls ahead of you,give the correction tug, while saying "No,Heel".
At best (after some time/training) the leash should be slack somewhat,and the dog at your side, like i said , at your knee, or slightly behind.
Biggest mistake is to allow the dog to do the opposite of what your command is,and continue ignoring what you want. if you tell the dog to heel, and does not respond, do the correction again(as needed) and the second and following times, pull with a lil more force(remember, fast/distinct pulls, and release immediately)and also using the verbal command at the same time, with a lil more firmness in your voice in second/more commands, until the dog responds.People i have worked with while training their dogs, are the ones that tend to give the dogs many commands, and do not have the dog listen,,,and on, and on. three attempts, with each one being more firming in leash tugs, and in voice should occur.
My cousin and I have trained many dogs,(He owns/runs a large training/boarding center) and having them respond to our commands, only to have the owners try what we just went thru,and have the dog not respond,,,(the dog is used to having the owner give commands , and not having to follow thru with them) we take the dog back ourselves, and the dog responds to our commands right away..wtih a confused look on their face, they ask, why does the dog listen to you, and not to us? we tell them watch what we do, and try to visualize what you do,,and in time,(hopefully , they get it)plus the dog knows he/she is not getting away with any non-compliance with us,,
Back to the heeling training,,,
The correction tug should be done with both hands, in a motion upwards across your chest.again , remember short tugs, bringing the arms back down after, and using a verbal command at the same time. 1,2 short and fast/firm.
Anything other than the direction you are going, receives a correction, to the side, slowing down, across the front of you etc...later on you can use your children to assist in training, having them in the yard either standing around and/or moving their arm or, even calling the dog. when anything other than the direction you are walking changes(going toward the distraction) use the tug/verbal, and continue walking,,,
You can also help this along "down the road" in your training, by taking a right turn (either direction) ,if a left turn, the dog should follow your knee, if a right turn,a lil tug/verbal as you turn to the right, keeping the dog at your knee. big figure eights, or any pattern while heeling will only strengthen the learning curve here.
You can add a "sit" command when ever you stop, and start walking again using the "heel" command. after a few training sessions getting the basic heel command hopefully working for you, you can mix things up with a start/stop,and varying your walking patterns in the yard.
When you think the dog gets the idea of what it is expected to do for you, then you can prob take it out on the sidewalk/park etc. and having the training it knows what to do for you work with new surrounding/distractions.
If the dog tries to pull forward, do the commands, and slow down walking a bit,or speed up a bit, that will get the dog learning it has to keep pace with you,instead of it creating it's own pace.

To be honest with you Casey, i can prob have your dog heeling correctly, or at least have you,and your dog, seeing a change in it's heeling on leash in prob 15 minutes.(i have a off day on Monday, and can fly out of O'hare,,,LOL)
Maybe you can check out on-line , or pick up a book somewhere to see pics, and kinda maybe back me up on what i posted here, in case i missed something. End result , you want to walk down the sidewalk , with dog at your side, with slack in the leash, and sitting whenever you stop walking, and starting heeling again, when you continue,,with not verbal/leash commands.
Walking with a dog should not be a tug of war, but a enjoyable time for both of you...
Same thing with the lunging/barking at other dogs,,,["no, heel"] the training with the kids in the yard(distractions) should help when you get the dog out on the sidewalk etc.
Hope any of this helped,,,let me know if you can use any more help,or fine tuning on things i wrote here,,,,
Keep us posted on how things are going!

[Casey]

wow thanks Jeff I printed your response and have 2 hard copies will keep ya posted.

[cath]

Wow! I knew you'd post a complete answer, Jeff. That kind of first class detail dwarfs a Tom report
If you can't fly down there to help demonstrate, do you know of any good training videos that are out? We have several at our library, but I don't know how good they are.

[Junkzoo]

I'll ask around Cath, Dunno of any off the top of my head,,,

There's a saying in the training biz:
" You get three dog trainers together, and the one thing they agree on, is two of them are
doing it wrong...."LOL

[Casey]

2 days Jeff and Roxy is better already you really know your dog stuff
She is gonna do great I can tell thanks again.

[Junkzoo]

Originally Posted by Casey

2 days Jeff and Roxy is better already you really know your dog stuff
She is gonna do great I can tell thanks again.

Ah,,,,the things i do for a frags,,,,,,
Glad to hear the positive news update Casey! It's a great feeling to have a dog that will be a breeze to walk with, and not a arm lengthening experience.
Keep up the good work ,and let me know if you ever need some "fine tuning" in any aspect of training, in the future,,

I swear my two Shepherds are thinking " go ahead, take a right/left turn, I'm ready,C'mon, smart guy,try to make me screw up," while i have them on leash,,
It's almost like it's a contest 'tween the two of us when we train.Since the one Shepherd is fully Police K9 trained, he really loves to be worked with,whether i bring out the ammo boxes with the pseudo drugs in them, so i can put it in the "scratch" boxes for him to find,or have someone put on the bite sleeve and use the starter pistol,and play the bad guy,or search the woods for a "fugitive/lost person",or even him running around on my 10 acres and having him sit/down/stay by using hand commands(i did the down command one time out in the pasture, and went to clean kennels, and forgot i did not release him,,til i was 20 minutes into the "down" .Zeik did not move a inch,or care that he was out there for that time. In his mind he was instructed to "down" and he did,,,until he was instructed otherwise.
same thing for heeling off-leash, he's right there, just behind my left knee, like a shadow, waiting for my next step/turn.Zeik can be doing bite work, either on arm bite sleeves, or a full suit,and he's the helpers buddy the second the sleeve/suit comes off,unlike some K9 trained dog, Zeik knows protection training is a "job" ,and he never holds a grudge to the helper he's just snarled at, barked at like a insane dog,or leaped towards a bite sleeve, or body if a suit is used,and sometimes has taken the "baddie" to the ground while still having a full mouthful of them, trying to rip the arm off, and releases completely with one command,,,and it's over,,protection comes off, and he's the nicest,happiest dog you ever have seen.
Sorry for the long spiel, Casey,
Again, glad to hear of the good news,,,,

[skeety]

Jeff couldn't have explained it better. Trained over a dozen dogs myself, and that's the exact technique.

Emphasis on never leting them ignore you. Hold them right at your left knee at all times in the beginning. You'll find your shoulder and forarms will be killing you by the end of a short 15 min training session! hehehe Each time, it should get easier.

Glad to hear it's going well, and yes...keep us posted!

[VWD]

Casey like I have been telling my wife for years, You can't teach an old dog new tricks.