Time to walk the dog (Full Version)

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laura... -> Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 3:18:39 PM)

We got a new puppy the beginning of July. He is now 16 weeks old. He's learning quickly. However, I am still trying to find the best leash/collar for walking.

He's getting a lot better but still pulls enough that it is a concern. Our first couple of walks was with just a traditional collar and leash. He pulled so much that I was concerned about him injuring himself, not to mention my arm and shoulder. He's not that big yet but he's strong. I bought a harness by Gentle Leader (not the head collar). It has helped a lot but it was very expensive in my opinion and the adjustment buckles start to slip when he pulls. So the first part of the walk when everything is adjusted properly is great but by the end of the walk not so great. Because of its failure to stay adjusted and its expense I am planning to return the harness to the store.

I've been looking at other types of leashes, leads and collars online to see if anything else would be a better choice. I like all the claims of the head harnesses by Gentle Leader and Halti but they too are pricey. One of my concerns is that Boaz (the puppy) is a Boston Terrier/Australian Shepherd mix so his nose is shorter than many breeds. It is longer than a full Boston's would be but still short and thick. I'm not sure it would actually fit properly. I have heard of some dogs having problems with the head collar rubbing the nose raw.

Another option I've seen is a Martingale style lead or collar. It acts like a choke collar but sits much higher on the neck and is a lot softer than a chain choke collar. This is the type of lead that trainers often use in shows.

I'm sure that Boaz will eventually be a great walker but right now he still needs a lot of controlling. I don't want to put a lot of money into a collar that he probably won't need for long but I don't want to risk injury while he's still learning not to pull and to walk beside us.

Any suggestions? What has worked best in your experience?



IAMJulie -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 4:24:54 PM)

Well, I was going to say a Halti before you explained your reasons for not wanting one. I had great results with one of my dogs who always pulled despite all her training. The martingale ones seem OK to me. They make the dogs uncomfortable when they pull correct? But don't go around the neck?

Are you training your pup? One thing that you can do if you aren't yet is, every time the pup shoots ahead turn around and walk the other way. When the pup shoots past you turn around again. After a few turns most will be bored of it and at least slow down a bit and stop pulling on you.



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 4:57:45 PM)

The Martingale type does go around the neck but up high more under the dog's jaw. My understanding is that it pulls on the more sensitive part of the neck but not where it will push on the asophagus. It pulls their head straight up so they can't pull forward. The exact opposite of the Halti (head collar) that pulls the head down and sideways.

quote:

Are you training your pup? One thing that you can do if you aren't yet is, every time the pup shoots ahead turn around and walk the other way. When the pup shoots past you turn around again. After a few turns most will be bored of it and at least slow down a bit and stop pulling on you.


I do that, stop and turn around. It does settle him very quickly but it doesn't completely stop the pulling. He doesn't shoot ahead anymore because I keep him on a pretty short leash to train him to walk either beside or behind me. Like I said, he's learning quickly.

The halter completely stopped the shooting ahead. The very first time he did that with the halter the halter immediately caused him to jump sideways. I would be very happy with the halter if the adjusters would stay put because when they are adjusted correctly it works very well. But half way through the walk they've loosened up enough to make it less effective. Then Boaz pulls and we have to stop and sit every 2 steps. For $28 I want those adjusters to stay adjusted. If it was a lot cheaper I'd rig it to stay. But for that price it's going back to the store.

I would put up with the time it would take to get him to stop pulling using just the traditional collar if I wasn't worried about him hurting himself. The first long walk we took with him just using the regular collar he was panting and hacking by the end of the walk. You can just imagine how my shoulder and upper arm felt even with trading off with my husband. It also took a long time to walk with the frequent stops and sits. The next day I bought the halter.



Wild-Rose -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 9:41:15 PM)

When I walk my dog I have him on the left side as most people do when you teach a dog to walk using the "heel" command.In my right hand I carry a small stick, like a twig. You don't want anyone to think that you are hitting the dog. You just use it to tap him on the chest when he gets too far ahead of you. It's just a gentle reminder. It's a correction without yanking on the leash or raising your voice. My dog responds to this. I suppose some dogs might ignore it. You just have to find what works for your dog. Some kind of gentle correction, whether it's your voice or something physical like a touch. Good luck!



p31woman -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 9:47:25 PM)

My trainer suggested something that really helped with the choking and pulling, no matter what type of collar you use: with small/young dogs who are low to the ground (I have a 7-pound Maltese), it's best to lower the leash down to their height. That way, they feel a tug straight backwards that they're less likely to pull against than a tug upwards. Does that make sense? IOW, when my dog would strain at the leash, I'd bend over slightly and lower my hand so I could hold the leash parallel to the ground.

Instead of the leash looking like this:
\

It should look like this:
_



kimberlysfrog -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 10:02:01 PM)

Your dog might be too young for this collar just yet, but it's an idea. I found this over the weekend when I was looking for information about separation anxiety in dogs for a friend:

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/products/i-collar.php



LifeisGalatians220 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 10:23:18 PM)

You might also want to check out his show "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel. He deals with all sorts of dog/owner problems, but watching his show teaches you how to avoid problems in the first place. You can get your puppy off to a good start.
Blessings,
Melanie



manda59 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 10:50:31 PM)

On the Cesar Milan website it says this:

quote:


WARNING: If your dog's neck measures less than 13 inches at the base, or your dog weighs less than 18 lbs, you should NOT use the collar. The Illusion collar is not intended for puppies under one year of age. Dogs with any breathing problems, such as "pushed-in faces" that restrict breathing; dogs with trachea or throat problems, such as Pomeranians; and dogs with elongated, overly slender necks, such as Greyhounds, should NOT use the collar



LifeisGalatians220 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/26/2008 11:30:11 PM)

Oooops, didn't check all things. Thanks Manda.
Blessings,
Melanie



kimberlysfrog -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 4:14:47 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: manda59

On the Cesar Milan website it says this:

quote:


WARNING: If your dog's neck measures less than 13 inches at the base, or your dog weighs less than 18 lbs, you should NOT use the collar. The Illusion collar is not intended for puppies under one year of age. Dogs with any breathing problems, such as "pushed-in faces" that restrict breathing; dogs with trachea or throat problems, such as Pomeranians; and dogs with elongated, overly slender necks, such as Greyhounds, should NOT use the collar



Thank you for finding that :) That's why I said her dog might be too young for that collar yet. I knew I'd read that there, but when I posted about it I was in a hurry to get offline and didn't see that sentence in a quick skim of the page I linked to.



manda59 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 6:33:13 AM)

Laura

Do you have anywhere where you can safely do off-lead training? What I am thinking of is where you use treats to get him to stay right with you - for example, cupping the treat in your hand, letting him smell it, then showing him the treat and letting him eat it, then holding one in your hand, but keeping your hand on your leg as you walk along, encouraging him to pay attention to the hand. This can be done with on-lead work too, but it can be very effective for off-lead training too, to keep the dog's attention on you. This in turn should naturally lead (no pun intended!) to less pulling on the lead, as he looks to you, or rather, your hand. [:)]

There's also the click method - have you heard of this or used it at all?
http://www.findoutaboutdogs.com/Dog_Training_With_The_Click_Method.html



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 10:00:52 AM)

I've been watching the Dog Whisperer and I've been to his site. Yeah, Boaz is way too young for that collar.

I've tried the food in the hand. If he can't have it immediately he ignores it. There's far more facinating things in the world for his attention. LOL!!

The stick idea is good except he would want to play with it. I have nudged him with my leg or tapped him with my foot. That gets his attention. I just hope nobody thinks I'm kicking him.

Last night I tried Cesar Milan's trick of using the leash backwards. Making a slip loop with the handle end and putting that around his neck so that it rides up higher on the neck. That was okay. Then I rigged it to be a head collar. Boaz did not like that at all at first. Then he walked beautifully. I kept having to check to see if he was still on the leash because it was so slack. The rigging wasn't ideal because several times he would get on the ground and try to rub it off his nose, especially as we neared the end of our walk. But, it encourages me to go ahead and get a head collar. When he got really frantic about taking it off, I reverted it back to just around his neck. He started pulling immediately. So, I set it back again over his nose and made it as comfortable as possible. He was fine again for awhile.

When we go for walks I've started making it a habit of first spending time in an empty lot playing frisbee with him to run off some of his energy. Then at the end of the walk we play again as a reward. The lot is cattycorner from our home. Last night after the final frisbee toss, I just clicked his leash to his collar in the traditional manner and he tried to drag me all the way home... stubborn.

For his age he is very good off lead. He stays right with me. I think it's the Aussie Shepherd in him. Which is why we can play frisbee although I leave his leash attached so that if he does get a bit of a wandering spirit I can just step on the leash. I found some cotton rope at home late last night that I will use instead so that it will be much longer and much cheaper than a 15' training lead.

He is a high energy dog. Our yard is small and fenced in. So, he spends the day outside while we're at work. At night he's crated. Phil was upset last night by all the stuff in the yard that Boaz has chewed up. I told him it was our fault for leaving stuff out. LOL!! Boaz has plenty of chew stuff but he prefers the hose nozzle and the outdoor chair cushion stuffing. After two rounds of frisbee and a long walk he still wanted to play play play. Our 16 year old cat doesn't appreciate that one bit.



Wild-Rose -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 2:47:13 PM)

Have you tried The Dog Whisperer's idea of a backpack? Let him carry 2 or 4 bottles of water. It sounds to me like your main goal should be to get him to burn off more energy. Everything else might fall into place if he was worn out.



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 2:53:12 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Wild-Rose

Have you tried The Dog Whisperer's idea of a backpack? Let him carry 2 or 4 bottles of water. It sounds to me like your main goal should be to get him to burn off more energy. Everything else might fall into place if he was worn out.


I've thought about that but I'm not sure that would be a good idea since he's such a young puppy (16 weeks) and still growing. If he was full grown I would more seriously consider that route. I probably need to get him walking twice a day. It's just hard with our schedule.



manda59 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 4:24:21 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laura...
I probably need to get him walking twice a day. It's just hard with our schedule.



Oh gosh, Laura, any dog needs to be out for a walk at least twice a day, especially a pup. I say especially a pup because their memory is so short that they need the frequency in order to be able to remember the lesson.

What is your schedule, if it's ok to ask?



IonMoon -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 4:33:54 PM)

My dog is 15 and we still have this problem with him. He is smallish, so it isn't a huge problem most of the time, but sometimes it wears me out trying to get him to obey!

He likes to run ahead, the other thing he will do is stop to sniff at things and not follow when I keep moving.

He just gets so excited when we start our walks, but after 10 minutes or so, he is doing great, so I praise him a lot...

I might try the idea of the back pack.

Contrary to what has been mentioned, I have found that when I keep the leash wound up so he doesn't have a lot of slack, he is more likely to stick by me & not pull. Like when he moves past me, he forgets I am there, but if he is right next to me, he follows along, if that makes sense.

I saw a dog whisperer episode where he dealt with this with the stick idea mentioned above. You use a long stick and hold it in front of the dog for the entire walk at an angle (or even better, have a partner on his other side holding the stick) and if he starts to move ahead. And think of the stick as a guide, rather than a punishment. I haven't done this yet, simply because I don't have a big enough stick! And it hasn't been enough of a concern to find one.

Personally, with a puppy, though, I would go for trying to train him to heel with treats.

Tara P



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 4:52:57 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: manda59

quote:

ORIGINAL: laura...
I probably need to get him walking twice a day. It's just hard with our schedule.



Oh gosh, Laura, any dog needs to be out for a walk at least twice a day, especially a pup. I say especially a pup because their memory is so short that they need the frequency in order to be able to remember the lesson.

What is your schedule, if it's ok to ask?


We work mornings. Phil goes into work by 7. I go in by 8:30. I know I should make myself get up early enough to take him for an early morning walk but that is sooooo hard. I am not a morning person. Phil gets home at about 4 and I get home shortly after 5. We feed Boaz his evening meal, we eat dinner and then I take Boaz for his walk. I usually stop at home at lunch and feed Boaz then too but I don't have time at lunch to walk him.



manda59 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 4:59:21 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laura...
We work mornings. Phil goes into work by 7. I go in by 8:30. I know I should make myself get up early enough to take him for an early morning walk but that is sooooo hard. I am not a morning person.


I can relate to that as I am not a morning person either. But honestly, even just 5-10 minutes would be enough, and certainly better than nothing.

quote:


Phil gets home at about 4 and I get home shortly after 5. We feed Boaz his evening meal, we eat dinner and then I take Boaz for his walk. I usually stop at home at lunch and feed Boaz then too but I don't have time at lunch to walk him.


Again, even just 5 minutes out on the lead, perhaps just before his lunch, would really help with teaching him, and would help reinforce your bond as well.



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 5:00:37 PM)

quote:

and would help reinforce your bond as well.


Trust me...he is well bonded to me. I've started calling him shadow.



Wild-Rose -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 5:53:00 PM)

quote:

You might also want to check out his show "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel. He deals with all sorts of dog/owner problems, but watching his show teaches you how to avoid problems in the first place. You can get your puppy off to a good start.
Blessings,
Melanie


And besides that he is terribly cute, charming and easy on the eyes.[sm=dance.gif]



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 10:30:59 PM)

Poor Boaz didn't get a walk tonight. It has rained all evening. We played a wild game of fetch in the house though.

I took the harness back to the store this evening. Unfortunately, they didn't have his size in the head collars. Every dog in town must be wearing the same size head collar.



manda59 -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 10:37:50 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laura...
Poor Boaz didn't get a walk tonight. It has rained all evening.



Laura - help me out here. Why does rain mean no walk?



laura... -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/27/2008 10:44:37 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: manda59

quote:

ORIGINAL: laura...
Poor Boaz didn't get a walk tonight. It has rained all evening.



Laura - help me out here. Why does rain mean no walk?


Because Boaz hates hates hates the rain. I have to push him out the door and down the steps just to get him to go potty.



Wild-Rose -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/30/2008 10:53:18 AM)

Laura, I was watching Dog Whisperer, the episode with the lady in the wheelchair and the white German Shepherd. I learned something new. With regards to the backpack, it is not so much about the weight the dog carries, it is the fact that the dog has a job to do. This German Shepherd settled down right away as soon as he understood that they were asking him to carry stuff. It's like his brain switched over from horsing around to feeling responsible and having a JOB. I know your dog is young and you don't want to put a lot of weight on him, but maybe you can get him to carry just 2 bottles of water. Then during your walk, take out the water, everyone has a drink, and praise the dog like crazy. If he understands that this is his job, he might enjoy the fulfillment of it. Kind of like a therapy dog who knows he is "at work" while he is wearing the jacket.



deermousie -> RE: Time to walk the dog (8/30/2008 6:43:33 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: laura..... I think it's the Aussie Shepherd in him. Which is why we can play frisbee although I leave his leash attached so that if he does get a bit of a wandering spirit I can just step on the leash.<> He is a high energy dog. Our yard is small and fenced in. So, he spends the day outside while we're at work.


Laura, it sounds like you've got a working dog who needs a job. You could get another dog to play with him during the day (a dog that's alone can think he's being punished by being exiled from his "pack"). Can you start teaching him agility (Aussies excell at this) or take up tracking? Get some sheep and teach him to herd (I'm stretching this, I know)? You may want to consider getting him a home where he's not alone all day but where he'd have a job to do - they make great farm dogs.
HTH



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