Very Demanding on the lead! - How to stop a dog pulling on the lead?

[Abbie.xo]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Hi,
My dog is from the RSPCA and we don’t know his past, he is quite young (he’s around 2) and he’s is very strong and pulls on the lead, if you walk him round the block your hand will be bruised!
Does anyone Know how to train a dog to stop pulling on the lead when he goes for walks? (Btw, he’s a boarder collie) x

 

[Violet Turner]

Welcome, we go to puppy training with our puppy at the Dogs Trust. They recommended to me that when she pulls we stop and wait until the lead goes loose then take another step. But if your dog is really food motivated you can use treats or even primula squeezy cheese. Treats should be broken down into tiny pieces as we don't want to fill the dogs up we just want them to get the taste of the treat. This is a video our trainer advised us to watch about pulling on the lead -

Hope it helps if you would like any more help/information just ask

EDIT:You could also buy a Kong for mental stimulation

 

[JudyN]

How long have you had him for? He might pull less when he's more settled.

Make sure that he gets loads of mental stimulation as well as exercise because if he doesn't, then when he's walking he'll be desperate to get going. Border collies are very intelligent and don't deal with boredom well.

Generally, I'd say a bit YES to using treats for training - you can use a few really high value ones (sausage, cheese, etc.) for really important skills like recall, and simple kibble for the rest if it's motivating for him (reduce his meal sizes accordingly). From what I've read, though , BCs naturally want to please their owners and do what they are asked so you might find you need to reward less than more independent-minded dogs.

I've not watched this video, but Kikopup's methods are generally great so it's worth checking out:

 

[leashedForLife]

.

There are many, many ways to teach a dog to LLW / loose-leash walk, as opposed to a strict-position 'heel' for formal obedience.
The 1st thing i'd suggest is a sturdy, simple Y-harness - straps go over each shoulder, & join at the chest, preferably with a metal RING that is solidly welded shut, not bent in a circle with a gap, where the ends meet! - they can bend outward again, & fail. A welded-shut ring is safe.
THere's also a strap which forms the stem of the Y, it goes between the dog's forelegs, & both the shoulder-straps & the sternum strap attach to the last strap: the GIRTH, which goes around the body behind the forelegs.
There should be a minimum of 3 adjustable points, & 5 is optimal - it can be one buckle & 4 slides, or 3 buckles & 2 slides, or some other combo.

A front-clip harness converts the dog's pull forward into a side-curving arc, toward U. There's no force on the dog, no massive Mr Universe biceps are required on the handler, & there's no jerking. :thumbs-up:

Be sure the harness can adjust to fit Ur dog snugly - there should be no gaps once it's fitted; no fingers fit under it anywhere. If Ur dog has a slick coat like a Lab or Weim, their skin will pop-up slightly to each side of the straps when it's properly fitted; if U have a double-coated dog, their HAIR will prickle outward around the straps, & "tracks" where the straps ran & flattened the coat will be briefly visible when the harness is taken off; the 'tracks' disappear when the dog shakes-off to settle their coat.
A well-fitting harness will not slip from side to side when U tug on it - put one hand on the near-side shoulder strap, the other on the girth, & tug downward, toward the dog's belly. It shouldn't move more than a few inches, 3 max, 2 or less preferably.
Slipping causes friction - we want the harness to stay put. Strap-rubs & harness galls result from poor fitting.

Next, if the harness has a metal ring, clip the dog's 6-ft leash to that ring, & yer off! - If there's no ring, fear not, a locking carabiner will do the trick. Buy one rated for 100# stress, or for dogs over 60#, go for 200# rating.
When U want to take the leash off, & let the dog run free, unclip the leash, not the carabiner, & leave the carabiner on the harness, locked - that way, no one will forget to lock it, & have the carabiner yawn open, the leash-clip fall out, & the dog take off!

Now U have a gentle, reliable form of control, & U can begin training. Re-teach walking on leash as if the dog never learned it at all; when the dog pulls, KEEP YOUR HANDS LOW & gently pull the leash with both hands, toward Ur outside hip; dog is on the left? Pull down toward yer right hip, both hands, with hands about a foot apart.
Dog is on yer right? Pull down toward yer left hip, with both hands, hands about a foot apart on the leash.
To U-turn, stop, take a long step back with the foot AWAY from the dog [dog on left, step back with RIGHT foot; dog on right, step back with LEFT foot] & turn toward that side - the dog will pivot, & end-up facing U, wondering how that happened.
No brute force needed, the dog won't be hurt or yanked, just surprised.

The harness is for back-up - training is done by rewarding WHAT U WANT. The harness is for the times the dog does what U don't want - & pulls.

Choose to heel -

6:21
Choose to Heel
Loridressage 5.8K views; 8 years ago
Teaching a dog to heel can be fun and easy! Here I am teaching my new addition, Aidan how to find heelposition without asking ...

4:34
Choose To Heel!
smartypup 2.8K views; 7 years ago
A fun way to teach your pup or adult dog to follow you and heel!


LLW -

1:25
Training Levels A Sample of LLW
Elizabeth Zedel 10 views; 5 months ago


3:39
How to train your dog not to pull - Dog Training
Dog Training by Kikopup 1.5M views; 9 years ago
Thank you for watching! Check out my latest videos in high definition, and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE Visit our website: ...


Training Levels -
Training Levels (originals) | Mind to Mind


The LEVELS is a totally-DIY, written guide to teaching every behavior a well-mannered dog needs.
& it's free.

- terry

.

 

[Mad Murphy]

We do the stop and wait with Murphy which works well. To stop him reacting to barking dogs or people on skateboards etc I use the "look at me" command with a treat for compliance.

 

[Mad Murphy]

quick add... Tonight we saw the JRT that attacked Murphy several times last year with the owner who shoved me! I heard the owner telling his mate that I was that B**** woman who called the police on him and the JRT was at the end of its lead snarling and snapping but I told Murphy 'look at me...leave it' and we both resisted the temptation to bite their heads off!

 

[Violet Turner]

So you should bite their heads off that's awful!

 

[Abbie.xo]

Welcome, we go to puppy training with our puppy at the Dogs Trust. They recommended to me that when she pulls we stop and wait until the lead goes loose then take another step. But if your dog is really food motivated you can use treats or even primula squeezy cheese. Treats should be broken down into tiny pieces as we don't want to fill the dogs up we just want them to get the taste of the treat. This is a video our trainer advised us to watch about pulling on the lead -

Hope it helps if you would like any more help/information just ask

EDIT:You could also buy a Kong for mental stimulation

We have tried to stop and wait but we haven’t waited till the leads went loose so I’ll try it tomrrrow, and thank you! x

 

[Abbie.xo]

.

There are many, many ways to teach a dog to LLW / loose-leash walk, as opposed to a strict-position 'heel' for formal obedience.
The 1st thing i'd suggest is a sturdy, simple Y-harness - straps go over each shoulder, & join at the chest, preferably with a metal RING that is solidly welded shut, not bent in a circle with a gap, where the ends meet! - they can bend outward again, & fail. A welded-shut ring is safe.
THere's also a strap which forms the stem of the Y, it goes between the dog's forelegs, & both the shoulder-straps & the sternum strap attach to the last strap: the GIRTH, which goes around the body behind the forelegs.
There should be a minimum of 3 adjustable points, & 5 is optimal - it can be one buckle & 4 slides, or 3 buckles & 2 slides, or some other combo.

A front-clip harness converts the dog's pull forward into a side-curving arc, toward U. There's no force on the dog, no massive Mr Universe biceps are required on the handler, & there's no jerking. :thumbs-up:

Be sure the harness can adjust to fit Ur dog snugly - there should be no gaps once it's fitted; no fingers fit under it anywhere. If Ur dog has a slick coat like a Lab or Weim, their skin will pop-up slightly to each side of the straps when it's properly fitted; if U have a double-coated dog, their HAIR will prickle outward around the straps, & "tracks" where the straps ran & flattened the coat will be briefly visible when the harness is taken off; the 'tracks' disappear when the dog shakes-off to settle their coat.
A well-fitting harness will not slip from side to side when U tug on it - put one hand on the near-side shoulder strap, the other on the girth, & tug downward, toward the dog's belly. It shouldn't move more than a few inches, 3 max, 2 or less preferably.
Slipping causes friction - we want the harness to stay put. Strap-rubs & harness galls result from poor fitting.

Next, if the harness has a metal ring, clip the dog's 6-ft leash to that ring, & yer off! - If there's no ring, fear not, a locking carabiner will do the trick. Buy one rated for 100# stress, or for dogs over 60#, go for 200# rating.
When U want to take the leash off, & let the dog run free, unclip the leash, not the carabiner, & leave the carabiner on the harness, locked - that way, no one will forget to lock it, & have the carabiner yawn open, the leash-clip fall out, & the dog take off!

Now U have a gentle, reliable form of control, & U can begin training. Re-teach walking on leash as if the dog never learned it at all; when the dog pulls, KEEP YOUR HANDS LOW & gently pull the leash with both hands, toward Ur outside hip; dog is on the left? Pull down toward yer right hip, both hands, with hands about a foot apart.
Dog is on yer right? Pull down toward yer left hip, with both hands, hands about a foot apart on the leash.
To U-turn, stop, take a long step back with the foot AWAY from the dog [dog on left, step back with RIGHT foot; dog on right, step back with LEFT foot] & turn toward that side - the dog will pivot, & end-up facing U, wondering how that happened.
No brute force needed, the dog won't be hurt or yanked, just surprised.

The harness is for back-up - training is done by rewarding WHAT U WANT. The harness is for the times the dog does what U don't want - & pulls.

Choose to heel -

6:21
Choose to Heel
Loridressage 5.8K views; 8 years ago
Teaching a dog to heel can be fun and easy! Here I am teaching my new addition, Aidan how to find heelposition without asking ...

4:34
Choose To Heel!
smartypup 2.8K views; 7 years ago
A fun way to teach your pup or adult dog to follow you and heel!


LLW -

1:25
Training Levels A Sample of LLW
Elizabeth Zedel 10 views; 5 months ago


3:39
How to train your dog not to pull - Dog Training
Dog Training by Kikopup 1.5M views; 9 years ago
Thank you for watching! Check out my latest videos in high definition, and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE Visit our website: ...


Training Levels -
Training Levels (originals) | Mind to Mind


The LEVELS is a totally-DIY, written guide to teaching every behavior a well-mannered dog needs.
& it's free.

- terry

.

Ok, I’ll try and find him the harness and the lock! I’m not to sure about letting him of the lead as my anxiety will probably give me a heat attack! but I’ll definitively take you advice! Thank you x

 

[Abbie.xo]

How long have you had him for? He might pull less when he's more settled.

Make sure that he gets loads of mental stimulation as well as exercise because if he doesn't, then when he's walking he'll be desperate to get going. Border collies are very intelligent and don't deal with boredom well.

Generally, I'd say a bit YES to using treats for training - you can use a few really high value ones (sausage, cheese, etc.) for really important skills like recall, and simple kibble for the rest if it's motivating for him (reduce his meal sizes accordingly). From what I've read, though , BCs naturally want to please their owners and do what they are asked so you might find you need to reward less than more independent-minded dogs.

I've not watched this video, but Kikopup's methods are generally great so it's worth checking out:

We have had him for just over a year now and he’s completely calm! I should of metioned that he is very scared of strangers ( the hairs on the back of his neck are pinpoint and he barks and pees him self! One time we asked a women to bath the dog and he squirted out this brown stuff!) which probably makes him a bit nervous on walks. Thanks for your advice! x

 

[leashedForLife]

.

Are U in the UK, @Abbie.xo ?

if so, here's a good 5-way adjusting Y-harness - the SURE-FIT.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Surefit-Harness-Large-Black/dp/B01F39RMSA/

It comes in 4 sizes & 5 colors. Apple Green is sharp-looking!
Measure his GIRTH to determine which size to get - a cloth or plastic flexible measuring tape is nice, but a string will work, too - make a *knot* at one end, & bring the other end all the way around the dog, about 2-inches behind the elbows... hold the knot, drop the free end of the string to the ground over the dog's shoulders & down the other side, pick up the dropped end, & bring it to the knot so it's close & snug around the dog.
Pinch the string where it meets the knot between thumbnail & index finger, for an accurate measure. Don't let go of the string, keep the thumbnail across it in a nice straight line. Lay it down along a yardstick, or against a carpenter's tape THAT'S ALREADY EXTENDED & locked there, so U don't have to try to hold the string, LOL, & pull out the tape!
Now, by measuring the string, U know how big the dog's girth is. Cool, huh?

- terry

.

 

[Abbie.xo]

.

Are U in the UK, @Abbie.xo ?

if so, here's a good 5-way adjusting Y-harness - the SURE-FIT.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Surefit-Harness-Large-Black/dp/B01F39RMSA/

It comes in 4 sizes & 5 colors. Apple Green is sharp-looking!
Measure his GIRTH to determine which size to get - a cloth or plastic flexible measuring tape is nice, but a string will work, too - make a *knot* at one end, & bring the other end all the way around the dog, about 2-inches behind the elbows... hold the knot, drop the free end of the string to the ground over the dog's shoulders & down the other side, pick up the dropped end, & bring it to the knot so it's close & snug around the dog.
Pinch the string where it meets the knot between thumbnail & index finger, for an accurate measure. Don't let go of the string, keep the thumbnail across it in a nice straight line. Lay it down along a yardstick, or against a carpenter's tape THAT'S ALREADY EXTENDED & locked there, so U don't have to try to hold the string, LOL, & pull out the tape!
Now, by measuring the string, U know how big the dog's girth is. Cool, huh?

- terry

.

Yes we are in the UK. I will have a look at them now! Thank you!

 

[millymojo1]

Hi,
My dog is from the RSPCA and we don’t know his past, he is quite young (he’s around 2) and he’s is very strong and pulls on the lead, if you walk him round the block your hand will be bruised!
Does anyone Know how to train a dog to stop pulling on the lead when he goes for walks? (Btw, he’s a boarder collie) x

I swear by a harness called ‘walk your dog with love’. I’ve recommended it to lots of people who are so pleased.
If you just google it, it will take you to the website. An amazing company with chew guarantees and alsorts. There are videos on how to use and the transformation results.

 

[leashedForLife]

QUOTE, millymojo1:

I swear by a harness called ‘walk your dog with love’. I’ve recommended it to lots of people who are so pleased.
If you just google it, it will take you to the website. An amazing company, with chew guarantees and all sorts. There are videos on how to use and the transformation results.
__________________________________
.

Ewwww.
as a trainer, WYDWL sent me a free, un-solicited sample years ago, while i lived in VA, when their co. was just getting started.
I thought it was poorly made, flimsy, & uncomfortable - the reflective plastic bits were simply cut to size with scissors & sewn on, with sharp square corners PROTRUDING past the harness webbing, & i could easily see it cutting a dog, just like a paper-cut. Or for that matter, cutting me when i put it on the dog, brushed by the dog, etc, snagging my clothing or tights... cheap, cheap, cheap.

I not only threw it out, I cut it up, so no one would try to save it from the dumpster & use it / sell it.
Brand-new piece of junk, IMO.

some photos -

close-up:

Look at the way the pull of the chest-strap folds, shirrs, & wrinkles the lightweight webbing of the girth.
Look how out of alignment it is - kinked, cockeyed, lumpy. Look at that cheap hunk of reflective "tape", sewn on with all the sharp edges standing off the webbing... it looks like a square of velcro, tacked in place in 5-seconds with a dozen stitches.

I'd much rather buy any well-made sturdy Y-harness of any brand at all, & clip the leash to the chest - if there's no metal ring, no problem, just buy a good LOCKING carabiner, run it diagonally under the juncture of all 3 straps on the chest, LOCK it, & clip the leash to the carabiner. Yer off!
To let the dog run free, unclip the leash & leave the carabiner locked on the harness. E-Z.

- terry

.

 

[millymojo1]

QUOTE, millymojo1:

I swear by a harness called ‘walk your dog with love’. I’ve recommended it to lots of people who are so pleased.
If you just google it, it will take you to the website. An amazing company, with chew guarantees and all sorts. There are videos on how to use and the transformation results.
__________________________________
.

Ewwww.
as a trainer, WYDWL sent me a free, un-solicited sample years ago, while i lived in VA, when their co. was just getting started.
I thought it was poorly made, flimsy, & uncomfortable - the reflective plastic bits were simply cut to size with scissors & sewn on, with sharp square corners PROTRUDING past the harness webbing, & i could easily see it cutting a dog, just like a paper-cut. Or for that matter, cutting me when i put it on the dog, brushed by the dog, etc, snagging my clothing or tights... cheap, cheap, cheap.

I not only threw it out, I cut it up, so no one would try to save it from the dumpster & use it / sell it.
Brand-new piece of junk, IMO.

some photos -

View attachment 111976770

close-up:

View attachment 111976771

Look at the way the pull of the chest-strap folds, shirrs, & wrinkles the lightweight webbing of the girth.
Look how out of alignment it is - kinked, cockeyed, lumpy. Look at that cheap hunk of reflective "tape", sewn on with all the sharp edges standing off the webbing... it looks like a square of velcro, tacked in place in 5-seconds with a dozen stitches.

I'd much rather buy any well-made sturdy Y-harness of any brand at all, & clip the leash to the chest - if there's no metal ring, no problem, just buy a good LOCKING carabiner, run it diagonally under the juncture of all 3 straps on the chest, LOCK it, & clip the leash to the carabiner. Yer off!
To let the dog run free, unclip the leash & leave the carabiner locked on the harness. E-Z.

- terry

.

Yes I must say the photos you’ve put on are not good and look like they’re the wrong size because this would happen. Theses harnesses sit perfectly on my dog and don’t look like this at all.
I like your idea about the carabina

 

[leashedForLife]

.

those photos came from Amazon, & are the maker's own photos of their product, on a dog. :--\
Not a competitor's "let's make them look bad..." pictures - the maker's promotional pix.

I took a pair of scissors to my "free sample" the morning after it arrived, LOL, & tossed it when i tossed my dog's biodegradable bag of poo - poo into the poop-bin, cut-up harness into the dumpster. I didn't even save the hardware - the D-ring was BENT WIRE with a gap, the gap hidden by the webbing strap.

Bent wire hardware can Un-Bend after heavy use, or fail catastrophically under sudden strain, releasing the leash-clip or letting the strap slip out of the D-ring when the gap yawns.

Either way, when the D-ring fails & opens, there goes the dog... off into the distance, receding swiftly...


I had a foster-dog in a terrible state, in for B-Mod, who was walking with me on leash, & was startled by a distant noise; he bolted, & there he went!... I was left holding the leash, watching him run at 35-mph toward a heavily-congested 4 lane road, 100-ft away. [Great Neck Rd, beside Marina Shores apt complex in Va beach.]
My heart was in my mouth - calling him only made him run the faster.
Luckily, a nice man digging for something in his open car-trunk, heard me call sharply, turned, & saw this cute little dog... he turned to face Dakota, squatted, & held both arms out. Dakota, instead of running to the smiling man, stopped as if he'd hit a brick wall, LOL, & i rushed up & nabbed him while he was frozen in place. God help us, i aged 5-years in seconds.

I walked back, & FOUND the dam*ed D-ring, lying on the macadam of the parking lot, with a 1-inch wide gap where it had once been closed. // I was scared to death by the near disaster, & furious with my fellow PACC trainer, Julie, whose family manufactured the collars they DONATED TO PACC.
I never again used one of those "free" collars on any PACC dog, ever. // I brought my good Mrs Bones martingales along, everywhere - they have solid sand-cast brass hardware, made by the Co. that supplies Coach bags & luggage. NO GAPS. Solid metal. Safe, secure, fail-proof.

- terry

.

 

[millymojo1]

.

those photos came from Amazon, & are the maker's own photos of their product, on a dog. :--\
Not a competitor's "let's make them look bad..." pictures - the maker's promotional pix.

I took a pair of scissors to my "free sample" the morning after it arrived, LOL, & tossed it when i tossed my dog's biodegradable bag of poo - poo into the poop-bin, cut-up harness into the dumpster. I didn't even save the hardware - the D-ring was BENT WIRE with a gap, the gap hidden by the webbing strap.

Bent wire hardware can Un-Bend after heavy use, or fail catastrophically under sudden strain, releasing the leash-clip or letting the strap slip out of the D-ring when the gap yawns.

Either way, when the D-ring fails & opens, there goes the dog... off into the distance, receding swiftly...


I had a foster-dog in a terrible state, in for B-Mod, who was walking with me on leash, & was startled by a distant noise; he bolted, & there he went!... I was left holding the leash, watching him run at 35-mph toward a heavily-congested 4 lane road, 100-ft away. [Great Neck Rd, beside Marina Shores apt complex in Va beach.]
My heart was in my mouth - calling him only made him run the faster.
Luckily, a nice man digging for something in his open car-trunk, heard me call sharply, turned, & saw this cute little dog... he turned to face Dakota, squatted, & held both arms out. Dakota, instead of running to the smiling man, stopped as if he'd hit a brick wall, LOL, & i rushed up & nabbed him while he was frozen in place. God help us, i aged 5-years in seconds.

I walked back, & FOUND the dam*ed D-ring, lying on the macadam of the parking lot, with a 1-inch wide gap where it had once been closed. // I was scared to death by the near disaster, & furious with my fellow PACC trainer, Julie, whose family manufactured the collars they DONATED TO PACC.
I never again used one of those "free" collars on any PACC dog, ever. // I brought my good Mrs Bones martingales along, everywhere - they have solid sand-cast brass hardware, made by the Co. that supplies Coach bags & luggage. NO GAPS. Solid metal. Safe, secure, fail-proof.

- terry

.

Omg - horrific! Just glad I’ve never had those problems...

 

[evan]

Ok, I’ll try and find him the harness and the lock! I’m not to sure about letting him of the lead as my anxiety will probably give me a heat attack! but I’ll definitively take you advice! Thank you x

I agree with millmojo , walk your dog with love harnesses are very effective.
Please look up reviews.

 

[Peegee]

I tried many, many different training techniques to stop my dog pulling. We went out every day on lead from age 12 weeks. At 13 months I gave up and bought a halti collar. Magic! She's now over 2 and we are still using the halti. I usually leave it off on our return journey, after she's had a good walk, so I can continue with the loose lead training. I have come to the opinion that some dogs just cannot control their enthusiasm to get going. If I stop walking when lead is taut, she will turn and come back to me but as soon as we set off she's at the end of the lead again.