I'm here again !
Its a question about heel work. Now when i walk Meg, the park or woodland is about 5-10mins from home. Now to get there I obviously want her to walk to heel. Now I'm using the drop lead method (make sense?) but if we keep turning around we are never gonna get there. Problem is she is nearly 14wks and everytime she sees a leaf blow or a stick she instantly pulls, I am doing this too early?

I don't think it's ever too early to instill good manners!

I know how frustrating it is trying to get them to walk nicely on a lead, and I have major problems walking my two together.

I'd just keep up the good work and keep calm! Are you doing all sorts of directions every few paces or are you turning the same way all the time? I find that if I turn sharply to the left (even if it means they get a knee in the face - gently though) that gets them really looking to me.

Trouble with babies is that they are so easily distracted. But repetition and consistency is the key.

Good luck

Thats exactly where we are, so i will also be interested in any hints or tips.

Anything and everything sends Alfie into a spin and he pulls like mad on the lead. I haven't done the steps back if he doesn't not behave because like you say we get nowhere. I have tried pulling him to me at the same time as saying heel, getting him to stop and sit to calm down and then trying again, but again we get nowhere fast. Have even tried using my clicker with this method but he is so interested in everything else going on around him that he is ignoring or not hearing the click

Like you i do heel work prior to loose lead walking and i have realised that perhaps it would be better to do the heel work after because that way he would be tired and less manic.

Something else i have tried today, (not sure if its the way to go) is everytime he pulls i give a gentle pull back, so i am not stopping him as such, i am jst hoping that will help him learn not to pull.

Cathy

Are you practising this around the house and garden first ? no point trying to teach this in the most exciting places if they can't already do it in the boring places nice little treats in your hand will help walking to heel in the house and garden - give it a cue at the same time - close or heel, and lots of "gooooooood puppy"please

I still haven't managed to get Angel to stop pulling (hence the canny collar!) - what really frustrates me is if in a field and off lead she will walk to heel when asked and 99% of the time will do so until i tell her "off you go", but as soon as i clip the lead on the pulling starts - if i drop it she stops and walks to heel !

Can anyone explain why she does this just because im holding the end of the lead?


Sam

Good point, why is it the obvious is always the last thing you think of


Angel - What canny collar are you talking about?

www.cannycollar.co.uk - it works on the same principal as a halti, but with a halti the lead clips under the chin, the dogs still try to pull but the power/strength isn't there. The thing with a halti is Angel would end up looking like Cyclops with half her face on top of her head

With canny collar the lead clips to the back - as if it were attached to a normal collar so you don't get the wonky face effect!

I personally find it doesn't have quite the same amount of control as a halti, but its a lot more comfortable for Angel, and gives me a lot more control than a normal collar and lead.

Im not saying rush out and get a contraption of any kind - i really did as a last resort. It had got to the point where i was no longer enjoying walking with Angel, due to the fact of her strength and i have a seriously dodgy elbow with no strength. If your arms are being pulled out of their socket and you start to dread taking them out then it is worth considering!

I think it's fine to use a training headcollar or harness for the times when you just don't have the time to do lots of training - you just want to get to the walk and let them off so you can practise your recall training
I use a Gencon headcollar with Morris the wild pony-dog - for about 30 yds to the heath, then I let him off, he runs about 10 miles - and on the way home we do his "nice walking on a loose lead" training, with lots of little bits of sausage and gooooood boy. Eventually this will generalise and he will be able to walk nicely on the way out, but he is 10 months old and I'd be expecting too much to ask him to walk nicely all the time

I also noticed this little trait a while back I have my own ideas as to why they pull. If you're getting a good heel off lead or more importantly when you drop the lead you may be able to use this to your advantage. I used a long lead, a couple of yards long and a harness. You start her off walking to heel with the lead held short and if the lead starts to go taught stop, release the full length of lead and walk the other way. You may also find that if the lead held short goes taught sometimes just dropping the slack (whilst holding the handle) may stop the pulling. Also as has already been mentioned, when Meg is trying to break the heel position if you walk into her path gently putting your knee in her way and then progressing in "your" chosen direction and then moving into another direction this also seems to work. Basically remember that it is you taking her for a walk not t'other way round.....keep her guessing where you're going..... start in familiar surroundings with few distractions and help her build the habit of walking by your side. Most of all don't loose heart or your temper for that matter You should get there eventually

I have been there and even to this day we have to do occasional reminders of who is walking who but we are progressing nicely. What gets my lot pulling and forgetting their manners is new surroundings so we're about proving the heel walking at the moment. We've just got back from Cropton...great forests, loads of rabbits and grouse and phessies the bloomin things even walk yards away from the caravan all over the camp site....now just imagine me managing 3 springers on their morning walk........you may laugh

One other thing to try.....when Meg stops at the end of the long taught lead, call her back to your side..."Here" or "Back".....mine have all learnt this well and will stop their pull and about turn and wait by my side.

I've never tried Canny collars and the like but started with a semi choke collar adjusted to just tighten not choke (good to start for walks of low distraction) then harness (where lots of pulling is likely) and useful for holding a dog on a peg and now our regular walks and forays into the woods etc. a slip lead is all that is required.

Sorry to be a bit long winded, hope this helps

Steve

Thanks Steve, the thing that im really confused over is that when Angel was pup and we went dog training they told me not to use a harness as it will just increase the strenth in their shoulders and therefore the ability to pull, yet ive seen loads of pictures on the forum with dogs wearing them.

I don't know if it is just pure excitement with Angel, as on the walks home she is rather good. She knows the back command. With regards to varying the walk the problem is if i turn left when we leave the house she knows we are going to the woods and if i turn right we are at the field so she gets as excited either way i go .

I think when her recovery is over 90days+, i will more likely have to start back at square 1 with training anyway - i will definately try the long line.

What length is recommended?

Sam and Blue Angel

Not too sure how a harness would increase the strength in her shoulders it must be down to how you use it.....maybe the dogs in question have been allowed to pull and get rewarded by going ahead with a tight lead where they wanted to go. I only use a harness when I know that I'm going to have to enforce many stops and correction by changing direction etc. I'm no expert in dog skeletal and muscular structure but I was concerned at what effect such correction would be having if I used a collar, so we went with a harness. A good harness also allows a way of holding your dog too.

Steve