Distracted

:ermm: Hi I hope someone can offer me some advice. I have a 2-3 year old rescue dog which I have had for 10 weeks now, she is a black Labrador cross who has had pups at some point however I have no history. We can train in the garden & she will walk beside me on & off the lead & follow commands. However when I take her for a walk outside of the garden she is a different dog, totally distracted pulls badly & does not follow commands. I even tried using treats when out but she just turns away, it is as if she is not listening & only interested in what's around her.

Would you consider going to one to one training sessions?

You need to make the dog understand that you are the ultimate. Noting is greater than coming back to you.

Your dog also has to understand who the pack leader is. I don't think she has established this yet.

Please get in touch for some more advice

www.k9consulting.co.uk

raphi@k9consulting.co.uk

Thank you for your reply, I have taken some advice from a friend who trained GSD, the idea's he gave seem to have done the trick as she is getting better all the time & is now responding like in the garden.

Thanks again

I must add, pack theory has been disproven and some of the methods have been proven to make things worse. Its really not the way to go... we are humans, the dog knows this and does not see us as part of their "pack". The dog sees us as the provider, and it knows this because we provide their food. Even wild dogs will still rely on our scraps and can not hunt on their own. I could go on forever, but in order to help you.. try a few of these methods.

1. Take your dog to an enclosed area, keep him on the lead and change direction, bend and make your body interesting. Only walk a few footsteps and call his name showing you have a treat. No need to tug on the lead, just tight enough so he feels the tension. When he moves towards you, praise him and give him a treat. Find what he loves best, you have to consider that the treat you may be giving him is not his fav. Use something he doesn't have very often and only use it for training. also make sure he has not only just eaten before hand.

This method works well if you start it inside and continue it outside.

Recalling him works well and also run away from him calling his name can make it more interesting to come to you. You need to create a game for him.

If you look online at positive reinforcement and loose leash walking with victoria stillwel you will find lots of things there.

Pack leader methods create fear and confusion as the dogs mind does not work in the way that most of us think it does. Positive reinforcement does not make anything worse and creates good association. A toddler can calculate why you may be punishing them, but a dog can't, so ignore bad behaviour and praise for good.