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Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / Dog obsession and leash issues
- By Cmirfin [gb] Date 12.04.21 09:38 UTC
I have a 3 year old lab called Bella. She is a lovely dog and great in the house and garden however the outside world is a different matter. She is a puller and she is obsessed with getting to other dogs. We have tried not moving when she pulls and she will give into the leash pressure but as soon as we start again she will pull. We have tried changing direction when she pulls, again she is ok when moving in the changed direct but as soon as we turn to go where we are going the pulling resumes. And I am not sure what else to try. She is walked on a canny (head) collar as it is the only way to have any control. We have tried front and back clip harness and normal collars but she just pulls to the point of sounding like she can’t breathe. Any suggestions in how to improve this?
Then when we see another dog the pulling goes into overdrive, she becomes obsessed with them. She is not aggressive, she just wants to chase and play but she is a little boisterous and I am afraid she will inadvertently hurt a smaller dog. When she is off lead, which only happens rarely, she will run up to the dogs play and then come back but always on her terms never on mine. also she is not always great at reading signals that a dog has had enough of her. If we are with friends dogs she seems to lose interest in them and would much prefer a strange dog. We have tried toys, balls, all kind of treats, running away from her, getting really excited when she comes back these all work when there is no other dog around but none of them work when there is a dog insight.
We have to restrict her walking to very very quiet areas and late nights as I just don’t have the control over her that I need.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
- By weimed [gb] Date 12.04.21 11:02 UTC Upvotes 2
a group training class.  It really is the best place to teach them to listen to you when other dogs are around .  They hopefully will be restarting now /soon.  The issue with dogs in the street is they keep going away -a class the dogs are all milling about for a good hour and you get the time to really work on her getting idea of ignore :)
- By Cmirfin [gb] Date 12.04.21 11:08 UTC Upvotes 1
I would love to go to a class however the local ones to me run by dog trust said as she was reactive when on lead with other dogs that she couldn’t attend and they suggested 1:1 training :confused:. The only other class close I couldn’t attend due to working hours.
- By furriefriends Date 12.04.21 11:18 UTC Upvotes 2
Is she reactive ? your first post doesn't suggest that just that. you describe her as  boisterous but not aggressive . She may be a frustrated greeter which is different.

I would go back to the dogs trust and discuss further.

Most reactive dogs are actually nervous and show as being aggressive in different degrees. I have one like that
- By weimed [gb] Date 12.04.21 11:31 UTC Upvotes 1
I also wouldn't discount 1-1 trainer.  I used to attend a class locally who also did 1-1s and she frequently roped her long suffering dogs into being socialisers for clients dogs who had similar issues to yours.  Once they had mastered behaving themselves walking leashed with hers then they could progress to group class
- By furriefriends Date 12.04.21 11:32 UTC Upvotes 1
I worked with one like that for Brooke it was very good
- By Nikita [gb] Date 12.04.21 15:48 UTC Upvotes 5
One to one training would be perfectly suitable for what you need and actually, probably more suitable than a group class for a dog-obsessed dog.  Being in a situation with multiple other dogs could well mean you have absolutely no hope of getting anywhere with her!

Find a good 121 trainer, and start working on loose leash skills without other dogs around, separately to her reactions to them.  So work on both, but not at the same time.  You can't train a dog to walk nicely when they're losing their marbles over something.  Work on them separately, then the skills will come together.
- By furriefriends Date 12.04.21 15:59 UTC Upvotes 1
If this was my dog i would listen to nikita given her experience working and owning with dogs and especially dogs with issues
Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / Dog obsession and leash issues

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