Leash Pulling
 

Maggie is only 11 weeks old. Now when I take her to do her business, she thinks she needs to try out for the Eskimo Sled Team. I have been using a tiny color and leash. I don't want her to injure her little throat, so yesterday I ordered a step-in harness. Has anybody gone through this and can the step in harness be worn all the time. It would be so much more convenient if it could. I could just clip the harness and go. Thank You.

Trace has a little harness that's like a jacket, if that's what you mean. It doesn't bother him except it means he can't just go bouncing off willy nilly as he'd like. He wears it all day at work and I'd thought it may mat or tangle his hair, but it hasn't. Btw, my harness belonged to my daughters rabbit....LOL. Works great though

I keep a figure-8 harness on Sophie at all times during the day. It makes leash time much easier.

Sophie pulls furiously for about the first 10 minutes of her walk, probably because she's so excited and happy to be outside, then she eventually settles down and walks beside. We, too, bought a vest-like harness for her, and we prefer it to the more common types of harnesses. It's easier to pick her up by the leash if she gets into some kind of trouble and it doesn't hurt her at all, especially when she pulls. I think the pulling will eventually stop, but it takes time and patience to get them to understand and obey. Just keep trying.

...I have started to use the expandable leashes for small dogs, that allows them to run atleast 10 feet ahead of you. You can control the length of the leash with a little lever. This allows you to walk at your own pace, and gives the pup a little lee way to have some fun. They work great!

Mocha wears her harness all the time (except at night).. When I walk her she likes to walk out in front but she doesn't pull and she constantly looks behind her to see me.. Its like she's looking at me to give her permission to go!! Once in a while, I will pul her close to me and she'll stay at my side.. Looking forward to starting puppy school soon!!

I don't like the retractable leashes because it encourages Archie to run ahead of me. He's a very active dog, etc., but I'm trying to teach him how to walk alongside me, not dart out in front. It's tough, and some days are better than others, but the retractable leash encourages him to go whereever and get tangled around people, etc. Also, the harness (not the vest ones) cause him to pull more. I've seen people use the vest, but really only on smaller yorkies. Since Archie is a pretty big yorkie, I use a regular leash and collar, and just try to keep the leash short.

Starsky is almost 4 months old and still doesn't like walking with a leash. I have to practically pull him. What am I doing wrong? Where do you get these cute harnesses?

Jess is a year old and STILL pulls on her leash! Taking her out is a taumatic ordeal for ME lol.We put her harness on her and she goes nuts! Then she drags me down the stairs (she is 7lbs of pure muscle!) an once in the street she pulls SO hard that she grunts and wheezes the whole time.She used to have a normal leash and would get really stressed when she couldent walk infront of me,so we got her a 12ft retractable leash and now she just gets really stressed because she cant go any further than 12ft:( She drags her self along with such force that she wears her nails down until the ones on her hind feet bleed! I have heard of those non pull harnesses where the leash clips onto the front of the harness instead of onto the back and this stops them from pulling,with a normal harness they pull away from the pressure they feel on the chest but with the non pull ones the pressure is applied to the back which stops them pulling...I cant get one of them here though!:(

Pookie and Boo Boo wear a regular dog collar all the time so I can take them out on short walks without much fuss. But we put on their regular harnesses before my husband takes them for a longer walk.

Two year old Pookie hated to be on a leash when he was a puppy. During the first few weeks he would often refuse to move. But after a couple of months Pookie adjusted and he is now an excellent leash walker. One year old Boo Boo took to her leash quickly, but still tugs and pulls and is harder to control.

I just read a great article on leash training and tried it this morning and it worked great!!! I'm so excited. Basically, all you have to do is put a regular leash on him and keep it short (I fold it up a couple of times), with your elbows bent and close to your body. As soon as he starts walking away, you let go a little bit on the leash (so your elbow starts straightening out) and you change directions quickly. This way, your dog knows that he is supposed to walk on a loose leash and right next to you. The mistake is letting him tug on the leash because he thinks that is what is supposed to happen on a leash. Read this article!!!

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...=1&SourceID=60

It totally worked for me!! I suspect that people whose yorkies have trachea problems from regular leashes have not properly trained their dogs to walk on a loose leash. I've been trying for months to get Archie to walk on a loose leash and this article really helped.

Gina,
I saw those no pull harnesses at Tractor Supply. They probably have a website.

Thank you so much for the article. I will put it into practice today.

Lickthestar,

This morning I read your leash training article. I didn't think it would work with my naughty Boo Boo, who constantly tugs and pulls, but I thought it was worth a try. I followed the advice to just change direction as soon as the dog starts pulling on the leash, and within two minutes Boo Boo was leash walking like a dogshow champ. Thank you so much for your posting.

Great advise, Thanking for sharing the link with us. :thumbup:

No problem! I'm glad it worked for you guys, too. I look forward to actually taking archie out for his walks now so that I can show him off as the good dog he is.

I almost wish Peanut would pull when I'm walking her... instead she sits down and looks at me, even if I continue to walk w/o her. I don't know what to do, I want to take her out and show my baby off she won't cooperate (sp?). I know I have an opposite problem but any advice would be helpful!!!

Today was the first day for obedience traing for my Genie. I would like to know if any one out there has had any experience with obedience for there babies.
The trainers spoke about a retractable choker to be used on the puppy which pulls on his neck in order to make her obey the commands. Has ayone out there heard about this. I just want to know that this is safe and won't hurt her. I checked the trainer out and know other people that have used him and say he is good. Still I am worried.
I would appreciate all the suggestions and thanks.

Genie good luck at school. Regarding the choker, personally I dont like to use those on our babies cause their throats are so delicate. I always use a harness, but then again i have never taken Gucci to Obedience school. I know someone here with more experience will be able to help you. Once again good luck at Obedience school. :thumbup:

Mya is now walking our 25 pound dog Comic by pulling his leash.
For a 3 pound dog she is strong. I will try to get a pic of it before I totally break her of the habbit. I am trying to keep Mya beside me by keeping her leash short.
My husband how ever thinks it is the funniest thing he has ever seen when she goes crazy while walking her. I am working on training the husband not to untrain the dog.
*grin*

You could try constantly talking to her telling her she is a good girl and making kissy noises to encourage her to move forward. Also Mya hates rough pavement. Does she not like to walk on short soft grass?

Instead of Lily pulling me, I pull her. She grabs the leash with her teeth and growls, this is my signal to pull her. She lays on her tummy, back feet trailing and front tucked under her. If I stop, she jerks the leash and growls again.

We call it going for a tummy rub. It is a hoot!

Honestly I would change schools.
I want to get Mya trained for therapy work and they say that the dogs should not be treat rewarded. So now I am trying sometimes treats, sometimes just praise, sometimes throwing her favorite toy.
I notice that dogs that work with the police are rewarded with play time and thier favorite toy after a shift or they bring down a suspect. Can you imagine a yorkie police dog?

I wouldn't trust my Yorkie with anyone recommending a collar that is designed to pull on his neck...I'd explain the situation that their methodology just isn't safe for your wee one & point them in the direction of YT to learn about collapsed tracheas, if necessary, demand a refund, and find a new training class. I may be a paranoid momma, but it hasn't changed in 15 years with my oldest child, and it's not likely to change with my dog, either. Color me set in my ways, but I'm a safety nut!

As for leash training, the thing that's working for us is TREATS. LOL When we go for walks, we keep a little bag of treats. When he pulls on the leash, I stop walking. I start walking again when he stops pulling. Constantly talking to him to keep his attention, and offering treats when passing by something or someone he shouldn't investigate...bending over & keeping the treat at his nose is sometimes what it takes, but he's getting the idea & eventually it will be easier.

As for walking on different surfaces, Max has a problem with that, too. At first he was scared of grass, and then concrete, and now he's moved on to anything bumpy. We're working with a "walk it" command, and practice with different textures that are safe for him to walk across. Grass, gravel, sand, sidewalks, the side of a crate, etc...he gets lots of praise & a treat when he walks across something that he wouldn't have in the past, so he's getting the idea here, too.

Ecer since we got Jerry a harness leash training has been amazingly easier...toss the collar I say :)

Michael

Benji who is only 5 mths old likes to pull also. What I had read was as soon as the dog starts to tug on the leash STOP. Just stop and don't move til he calms down. Worked for me!! Oh, and a harness every time. Even my big dogs get harnesses. They are much easier on the necks and gives me better control and are more humane. Trachea problems are very common in yorkies, as you know. Collars are for I.D. tags in my opinion.