Lost Puppy is a changed dog (almost!)
I wrote a while ago to tell you how scared Molly was when she went out. Over time she had been getting better, loves meeting dogs and people but just wants to sprint home if a bus or loud noise occured. Since then she got lost for three nights, a gang of boys on scooters and motorbikes came in the park and she just bolted. Another dog found her, she was trapped in a copse. The owner went in after she had seen all my posters. She was fine, dehydrated, hungry and had eye strain but is now fine. The result seems to be that she is a little more brave. She is also a little more clingy, but when we're out that's not so bad. We were out in the fields yesterday and she ran up to play with two dogs. The were big dogs with muzzles on and weren't too keen on a happy puppy, they both went for her. Old molly would have run for the hills, new molly ran for me and then 5 minutes later wanted to try again with the big old meanies (by then i had her on a lead in case!) It is such a relief to have her more confident, although it was awful when she was gone. I do think she is getting better the more she gets out though. My question is do you have any advice to stop the pulling. She doesn't care that she ends up strangled and out of breath, she has fun, but once she realises we are heading home she pulls like crazy, just desperate to be back. |
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| Wow, what a scary story! I'm happy to hear that Molly is back home and safe. Have you been through obedience classes with Molly yet? I'd strongly recommend it - it made a huge difference for us because my husband and I learned so much on how to successfully communicate with Bailey. Leash Manners was the first topic we covered and it changed Bailey's attitude right away. We learned to stop as soon as he starts to get ahead of us and either let him pop the leash himself, or turn in another direction so that he can't get where he wants to go if he's pulling. It's still a challenge when we get to the dog park - sometimes it takes us 15 minutes to get from the car to the gate because we have to turn away whenever he pulls! But on regular walks he's really, really good now. |
| I'm glad you got your puppy back. You must have been worried sick. Along with obedience training you may want to look into a Halti. It is the best thing in the world (I think)! A halti fits around their head and allows you to control them much better. It's hard for a dog to go a different way than their head when they feel the pressure on them. I have a bad back and shoulders and this is great! |
| OMG...you gave me heart palpatations.....poor Molly...poor you!!! Training class is the way to go...its amazing what a difference it makes...kiss your baby for me....I just couldnt imagine.. |
OMG im pleased to hear that you got your pup back  id agree with annies mum and use a halti i have one for boo and it really works wonders. we also done obedience with her aswell ehich helps..  |
| I ditto the suggestions of the Halti (or Gentle Leader,whichever fits best). It often has a calming affect ont eh dog, too, which is noce on walks. Take you time getting the dog used to it, though,with lots of treats.
And the "be a tree" method is also one we practice. When the dog pulls, you stop. Any forward motion mean you are a tree. When the leash is slack you move forward. Many dogs have walked thier owners for so long that they understand that it is the only way to go forward. What you need to do is teach that pulling is the way to make you stop, and by relaxing on the leash is the way to move forward. It takes absolute consistency, though. So for those times that you need to get somewhere, the Halti is the way to go. And I can certainly relate to the 15 minutes from the car to the park. Bosley runs to the end of his leash, we stop, then he runs back to me and we start all over again. Maybe one day he will get it.  |
| Oh my, what a scare!!!!!!!!!!! So glad she is back safe and sound!! I used a pronged training collar to teach Tasker to walk on a leash. A training collar which is properly fit and used is not painful and is very helpful in teaching leash behavior but it must be used correctly. You would want to have a trainer help you fit it and show you how to use it. |
| What a scary experience. I am so glad she is back safe and sound.
Mojo was a puller. Our trainer had us use a 6 foot lead and use the stop and start method. If he pulled I stopped until he turn and looked at me and then we start again. In the begining it took us a half an hour to get around the block. He still has trouble containing himself when he sees people but our walks are so much better now. |
| Hi
I just read the story about the poor lady who lost Lucy because her collar got caught on the fence and she choked to death. I want to take the time to advocate a harness instead of a collar. .... please read below... Also ......Puppy school (which is really for the people) a harness and treats worked best for me. Sherwood would do anything for a treat. The trick was to anticipate when he was going to get excited and pull. I would distract him with a treat and encourage him to stay at my side and praise him so much and use a reminding word.. heal. How I learned to use a harness instead of a collar....You see Sherwood was so rambunctious in the car and so for the trip home for Christmas, a 4 hour drive, I bought him a harness so I could put the seatbelt through it and he couldn't jump about the car at will. At first he hated it... struggled to get out of it and the little houdini even managed it once or twice. But about 2 hours into the trip he seemed to get the feel for it. Aha! If I move about slowly the seatbelt will let me move around, stand up, sit and or lay down... but if I jerk around then it stops me in my tracks.... and gee.. I kind of like that when Mom hits the brakes or or we do a sharp corner that I am held in place and don't slide all over the seat. After awhile he really liked the harness/seatbelt and expecially when he was older. It also seemed to settle him down as he felt secure in the car. It is a little more hastle.. to put on.. but you get really fast after a week. I always unhooked the seatbelt if I am leaving him in the care for a bit. This story reminded me of how good a harness is. After awhile I stopped using a collar on him and just used the harness. I will never put a collar of any sort on a dog again. I don't like it when they choke when they pull or get excited. Plus when I left Sherwood at home.. albeit in the house and access to the balcony I left the harness off or collar off as after hearing the same story years ago I was worried about accidental choking. I really believe now in just using a harness it just seems more humane. Now, training a puppy might be different and I will try to train without a collar etc. it in the spring as I am looking for a new OES puppy now... so I will keep you posted. I really believe in treats and positive feedback..not yanking on a collar... although a quick jerk correction with a harness still might do the trick and not as cruel as choking an animal when it does not behave the way you think it should. Those chain tightening collars for training I think are terrible... if I was an animal that would piss me off quite frankly. I prefer to be really in synch with the animal ... they want so desperately to please us and it is absolutely amazing what they will do to please us. All you have to do is let them know how happy you are with them when they do the right thing. It is so sad but if a dog has a harness on and not a collar they mgiht get stuck on somehting but they won't choke! I really want to encourage people to try using a harness on their pets and especially in the car as it keeps everyone safe. I also encourage not using a collar in the house at all and especially when they are left alone. I aim to train my dog so well that I just don't need to have to grab them etc. Not that I have perfected my training (lol) in any way but is is a goal. Cheers, Rachel Sherwood's Mom |
| Thanks for all your advice. I have tried a harness and it doesn't really help. She wears a seatbelt harness in the car and has done since she was a little pup so she's quite happy with it. She is really good now out off the lead, very obedient and responsive, but she still pulls on the lead and walking her on the lead is not enjoyable.
I am going crazy with it. I think i musn't have spent enough time practicing the heel and i am guilty of pulling back at her. Changing direction has never worked. I have been trying the stopping every time she pulls, but all she does is keep pulling and eventually sit down - this will carry on each pace we take. It is very tedius but i will persist. I have now ordered the halti as advised, so we'll see. I feel like i've failed, i wish i had the patience at the beginning not to give in to her pulling. Merry Christmas! Just waiting for my family to wake up. Molly and i have already had a run around and now she's having a rest in the doorway. She's started trapping me in rooms lately! |
| Don't ever feel like you've failed. You're trying everything you can and that's all you can do. I understand feeling that way though, after it seems like you're at your wits' end and the dog will never get it and you don't know what you're doing wrong-- we went through that with potty training. Then one day, everything just started clicking for Clyde and we never had another accident again. It's a great feeling and it'll come for you too! |
Jade wrote: I have now ordered the halti as advised, so we'll see. I feel like i've failed, i wish i had the patience at the beginning not to give in to her pulling.
Please don't feel like you failed. The dogs just don't get it sometimes and then one day...voila...they do. You may really like the halti. We love it! Annie was 5 1/2 when we started her on it and she picked it up really quickly. She didn't like it at first as it was new. Tried to paw it off her snout. Now she knows that when it goes on, we're going for a walk and to see people. Just give it a few days. Let us know how it goes! XOXOXO |
| We're using the same approach with Nelson Jr. that Angel is with Mojo (same trainer). Nelson wanted to drag us down the road on a leash but with a LOT of persistence he's giving in. When he pulls, we stop in our tracks and he wants to GO!! When he quits pulling, we start walking again.
He hated the Gentle Leader so we just use a regular buckled collar. Don't use a retractable leash, that only gives them more freedom to pull you around. Just be persistent, eventually you'll be controlling the dog rather than the other way around. |
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