I have a one year old german shorthaired pointer (male uncastrated) who is a lively and lovely boy. However, he has always pulled on his lead despite our efforts: check chain (would rather kill himself), halti (rode up in to his eyes and would not walk without pawing at it), kumfi stop pull harness (most effective but cumbersome). I read another article about pulling and one response was to train to heel properly. I would like some tips on training to heel to stop pulling, please. Another problem he has developed is that whenever we go to the park where he has his free run, he pulls and SCREAMS his head off like some demented thing - embarrassing for me and I'm sure people think I am doing something terrible to him. By the way, all I am doing is standing still and waiting for him to be quiet before we go forward. How can I stop him screeching - should I just put him straight back in the car and go home? Obviously he needs a run everyday so I need to get this problem sorted as soon as possible. He walks home very nicely and is OK when we go fro a walk-only rather than a walk to the park where he has a run. A friend of mine recommended a Gentle Leader as she said this is fitted so it does not ride up in to the eyes. I am at my wits end!!!

I am trying the stand still and wait technique, but progress is slow, especially with a big strong dog. When asking to heel I keep a steady stream of treats and praise going. It seems to be working. As for the screeching, I think you need to find out what is causing it before you can stop it. It could be frustration or excitement, i don't know. Most magazines would say consult a vet or behaviorist, I think that is your best bet.sorry I coludn't be of more help.

The gentle leader is better than the halti IMO. It does fit round the muzzle tightly when its adjusted so it can't go into their eyes. I use them OK. But it won't stop pulling it just means that it dosn't feel so bad when they are doing it. As for the screaming, my pup does it as well. It is just sheer excitement and also in my case a bit of flustration on the dogs part. As soon as I let her take the lead dog posistion in front of the others, she stops.

Hi bagpuss!

I have a strong 3 yr old lab who untill recently had a problem with pulling and not being able to walk to heel when off the lead.

To solve it i first bought a gun dog rope lead ( it acts like a choker but without the chain ). It has a rubber stop on it so it can be positioned for any dogs size of neck. The best thing that has been reccomended is to place the rope high up the dogs neck, just below the backs of their ears and put the rubber stop close to its neck but slack enough so it can be used as a choker. The reason for putting it so high up is that it is more sensitive near their ears and they are less inclined to pull.

Assuming that your dog knows what you mean when you ask it to 'heel' or 'heel in', if it starts to pull on the lead ask it to heel in, and if it doesnt give it a brisk pull on the lead, and then repeat the command.

Also what i found to work is to constantly ask your dog to 'heel in' whether it is doing so or not so your dog knows what is expected and praise it accordianly. - In accordance with you asking it to heel in, pat your leg at the same time encouraging it to stay by your side.

Again, once it has started to master the idea, walk around in big circles initially with your dog on the outside ( so it is always behind you ) and ask it to heel in and pat your leg. The initial reaction will be for your dog to continue straight on but hopefully it will learn to be by your side. This is also a good idea as it reminds the dog that it cant ' switch off ' and continue in a straight line, again emphasising the walking to heel.

As to the screaming i agree with that it might just be pure excitment when it gets to the park as it knows you will shortly be letting it off the lead. If this is the case then try walking your dog around the park or field whilst still on the lead and see if it still happens. If not then you will know it is probably from excitement and not anything else, as my dogs used to whine their heads off when they get to the point when they will usually be let off the lead so i stagger the point of which i do it and it seems to add just a little bit of confusion.

I hope this helps,

Best wishes

Mark

Thanks for all the advice Mark - I think the first thing we need to concentrate on is teaching him to "heel" - der, stupid I know! We have been saying "don't pull" which I guess is difficult to understand. Perhaps starting again with a new command will help. The walking in circles is a good idea too. He doesn't seem to respond to food or toys as he gets SOOOOOOO excited - I'll try more variation and walking through the park on lead instead as he seems to have got in to the routine of pulling like mad and screaming more in a particular place - I took him out for a lead-only walk yesterday on his Kumfi stop pull harness and he was absolutely fine (just looks like a bit of a baby with it on).

Will persevere.....

Terri

i have a dobe who is 18mnths old, he pulls like a train the only thing i found was lupi dog harness that would'nt let him pull,i have boxes full of haltis, leads, collars i must just say i went to a carboot sale and bought 2 gun dog leads left them in the kitchen and went out when come back sam had ate them, pieces of rope all over the house, so did'nt have time to see if they worked :)

Just been out for a short training walk on the gundog sliplead and, I don't want to tempt fate here, but it seemed to work very well. Did lots of twirling around and repeating the heel command - Roscoe actually seemed a lot more interested, and just as tired when he got back - I think using his brain and not just madly pulling forward is just as tiring for him. The plan is to go on several short walks over the next few days - thanks to everyone for their advice - I have everything crossed for this work!!!

Dogs always seem to be 'two steps forward, one step back'. Keep up the good work! :)

am still trying to do the stop and wait when pup pulls very hard and i have tried to keep with it . Gus is a Staffy and it has got to the point where when I stop he autmatically sts down and waits for me to go again :(
am sure he thinks this isnormal and part of his walk :(
Lel

Hi - I'm still working on this with Murphy 18 Mth Dobe -I find the gentle leader to be a better fit -I also find that he knows the difference between a training session 'to heel' and a walk to the field :rolleyes:
If he knows he is going to his favourite field he pulls like a mule but if we vary the route he walks like a dream .
I also use the stop start method when he has full length of the lead ( up lanes etc but where there is the odd bit of traffic so not safe to be off lead ) I just stop when the lead go's tight -don't speak and as soon as he slackens it off we go -it does take time but it is working .
As for the screaching -sorry can't help -but a friend who had the same problem said varying the route helped as for her it was excitment
liz :)

I agree, sounds like a very excited dog. The good news is that he is still a puppy at one year and may outgrow this. Mark gave very good advice, give it a try.

Do you bring a toy - frisbee, ball, tug toy - that he could associate with going for the free run? If you do, maybe your dog could carry it. That might calm him down by letting him have a bit of the future (playing free with toy) in the here and now (carrying it). Does that make sense? :) :) Don't have a dog yet, so I don't know if it would work. :) :)

Regarding the screaming, here are a few tips - they may work but at the end of the day, you need to discover what works with your dog.

Mu sister had a screaming JRT - but only when she came to visit us by train the dog was so excited she shrieked and yelled at the station - my sister was SO embarassed

Try getting the dog tired before going out, with games in the garden and so on. Aim for mental tiredness as welll as physical tiredness, so try searching games in the grass, with toys, etc.

Vary the time of day and where you take your dog.

Park near the walking area. When the screaming starts, say "That's it" in a firm voice, and take dog back to car. Leave him in the car (you could be a short distance away) for a few minutes and then return, say "Good, Quiet" and out the car.

Repeat and keep repeating. It probably won't work if he acts like a lunatic in a parked car, but if he does you could try waiting him out, then when there is a lull, get him out.

Using the commands etc helps him understand what is what.

Hth a bit, good luck anyway :)

lindsay

Thanks, Lindsay

I like your ideas about the car, so far I have put him back in the car and got back in myself but if he sees me out there in the car park he may get the message - luckily he does sit patiently in the car. The games in the garden sound like a good idea too, very difficult to tire a pointer out in the garden so will try the mental challenges.

Perhaps a cat would have been a better idea......(joke!)

Lel

We've got in to that "routine" too - doesn't seem to bother him how many times we stop, he just springs up again and pulls just the same!! I am going to have to get more tough and stop the walk and go home if he is really walking badly. I am going to try the heel training and walking in circles/changing directions as an alternative as the stop start method is not working. I'll look like a fool, but what the heck - I look like a fool anyway with a demented puller on the end of the lead!

Hi Lel :)

Once you've stopped and Gus has sat down, have you tried walking in a different direction to the one he was pulling in? Then once he is walking with you, turn back to the direction you were originally heading?
We've been trying this with his lordship and it does seem to be getting somewhere - although, we quite often feel like we're not getting *anywhere* when we have to kepp rewalking the same bit of woods for 15mins :D

Have you had any luck with his recall around other dogs? Charlie is still *so* variable with this. What i find strange though is that is seems to be strange dogs he is intent on pounding over to, rather than one he knows!

Majix - at her wits end with exuberant pups :D

Hi Majix
we have tried the changing direction scenario but again dont seem to be getting anywhere . On occasion he will walk by my side but he always seems to walk better when only one of us takes him or a walk rather than the whole family . Mind you even if he only walks at my side sometimes , at least it is a start :)
Regarding his recall with other dogs I think we need to find some doggy frends to walk with .We accompanied his friend Rex on a walk today ( he is a GSD and same age as Gusto ) and he is good , he will run with Rex but keeps coming back to check we are there .
I think maybe i worry too much with strange dogs about incase he get hurt ( as not all are friendly :( )
Lel

The method I used to stop the pulling which worked for me was to take Heidi in to the middle of a large field near us, I stood in the middle, and started walking, the moment she started pulling I did a smart right hand turn (she walks on my left, being careful not to yank her head round to hard) as she caught up with me I praised her saying "HEEL good Girl well done" I kept doing this for about 10 minutes or so, then let her off the lead for a run, I kept repeating the process. After a while she kept fairly close, so I started walking in a big right hand circle, this kept pressure on her if she didn't keep close, she still pulls now and again, but no where near as bad.

Good luck

Robert

I had a similar problem (but with a mini schnauzer lol) I picked up a tip from this board. He doesnt REALLY pull (he is only small) but he didnt walk to heal. He was too excited to be outside and wanted to go off.

It was suggested that a water spray (gun/plant spray) could be used when he was ignoring me. I took him out and everytime he chose not to listen to my commands i gave a short sharp squirt behind his ear and that was it he got in line. Every 50 paces if he was being good he got a treat. (the counting helped as he looked up when he heard the russtle and then he began keeping an eye on me cause he might get a treat! Which meant i had his full attention) It seems to be working for us.

As for the barking, we found that stopping (time out) cured it and now out of habit we stop if someone/thing is going to pass us and he knows he has to be quitet! :)

Hope your pup grows out of it soon :)

Roxanne

Thanks Roxanne

The water pistol worked a treat when he was much younger as a deterrant to him biting the heads off flowers and chewing the furniture - hadn't thought of using it in this way.

Terri

have you tried a leather dogmatic headcollar yet.i had all the same probs with my lab dog until i got a dogmatic.theyre available on www.dogmatic.org .they are quite expensive- £25 but they have solved my dogs pulling probs.previously i had tried haltis and every type of harness with no success.he now seems more resigned to being a good boy when we go for walks, but my two girl labs scream if they are not at the front on the walk.it's sooo embarrassing!!!

I'm awaiting delivery of a dogmatic as we speak - I can't wait, they sound fantastic.....I agree the screaming is embarrassing, it took tow trips and 8 goes at getting out of the car with no screaming yesterday, I'm sure people must think I'm doing something dreadful to him!!!

you'd laugh your head off if you saw us going for a walk.i take milo with the dogmatic collar-and attitude!!!- and joe takes pops and daisy slightly behind but daisy screams cos she wants to be in front, she sounds like shes being murdered, and everyone stares and tuts at us.if i let her in front milo tries to literally fly even with his dogmatic on.theres only poppy that behaves but shes 6 next month.can't wait to get my new choc lab amber at start of may, god knows what we'll do then.it's all good fun reallt though, but going out is so exciting for them...