Great dog...... until you walk him

byoung8433
byoung8433 Posts: 27 Member
edited November 23 in Chit-Chat
Hi Everyone!

I am in need of some advice and/or recommendations. I have a 3 yr old mix breed dog named Baileigh. He is half Boxer and half Boston Terrier. Bailegih is a fun loving dog and follows most directions at home for the most part. Unfortunately, the moment we step outside for a walk........ he is an *kitten*. He pulls and tugs the leash to the point where he is choking himself ( we have a slip lead leash )no tug or correction works. When we first got Baileigh we took him to a doggy school that believed in clicker training. We later discovered that all that meant was giving a treat in order to get what we wanted. Our dog soon figured this out and you guessed it .... no treat.... no following command.

I worked with Baileigh to get him out of this habit and now he follows commands 68% -75% of the time. I am okay with that part.

The part I am struggling with is his behavior outside the home. Walking him is just down right embarrassing. He tugs and tugs the entire walk and if he sees other dogs and can't reach them he yips in a high pitch bark. He doesn't follow any directions and I feel myself saying his name 1000 times through a simple 10-minute walk.

I am at wits ends here and I know he needs to be walked because he is a high energy animal but I cannot complete a walk with him without being pissed off by the end of it.

I live in the suburbs and everyone else's dog is soo well behaved. 90% of them can walk without leashes. I want this for my dog, I want to enjoy him outside as much as I do inside.


Any advice or recommendations you have would greatly help. I've also listed things I have tried on my own below.


Things I've tried:
Bookbag
Slip Leash
Regular leash
Turn around
Asking mother to train him - she won't
Getting angry
Pulling back
Shortening the Leash
Crying

Nothing has worked. I am writing this post in hopes that someone knows a great secret. Otherwise, I will be spending another 200 bucks for obedience school ( a different one of course) his last school went out of business -- probably because it was a rip off.

Thanks in advance

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • MzIrish
    MzIrish Posts: 11,917 Member
    You need to try a trailing collar .. It's looks brutal but it's not. It represents the mother grabbing them by pinching the neck . Look into that I have used it with all my dogs . Rott , Doberman , and now German Shepherd .. Good luck
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Just keep at it until it sinks in. My ex rescued a husky who had all kinds of behavior problems at first. At 75 pounds and a sled dog, he could really pull! It took a lot of work, but he eventually became the Best Dog in the World. I think what helped my ex was the unswerving conviction that he was the boss. His narcissistic personality helped with this, lol. You, on the other hand, do not sound like a pack leader at this moment :)

    My mom has a new rescue dog and the turning around thing is starting to work to prevent pulling, but didn't work when I walked with them Sunday.

    She got Training for Both Ends of the Leash: A Guide to Cooperation Training for You and Your Dog from the library - might be helpful for you as well.

    See also https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-not-pull-leash

    Good luck!
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    I work with animals and I'd say a good 90% of the time a halter leash makes a world of difference.

    https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/introducing-your-dog-head-halter
  • jjejjtu
    jjejjtu Posts: 1,324 Member
    I had the same problem with my dog. He is the perfect dog except when we go for walks and then he thinks he's pulling a sled in the Iditarod. I tried everything you tried, the training collar and the haltie too, and then I tried this and it works great. I have no idea what it's called, I've had it for a while now. It pulls under the legs and restricts their motion when they try to pull. I put it on him so you can get an idea of what it looks like. Now I think I am obligated to walk him, he went straight to the door....78gvc0hno5uu.jpg
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    looking4better wrote: »
    I had the same problem with my dog. He is the perfect dog except when we go for walks and then he thinks he's pulling a sled in the Iditarod. I tried everything you tried, the training collar and the haltie too, and then I tried this and it works great. I have no idea what it's called, I've had it for a while now. It pulls under the legs and restricts their motion when they try to pull. I put it on him so you can get an idea of what it looks like. Now I think I am obligated to walk him, he went straight to the door....78gvc0hno5uu.jpg

    Those certainly work well too! Keep trying OP, it can be done.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    looking4better wrote: »
    I had the same problem with my dog. He is the perfect dog except when we go for walks and then he thinks he's pulling a sled in the Iditarod. I tried everything you tried, the training collar and the haltie too, and then I tried this and it works great. I have no idea what it's called, I've had it for a while now. It pulls under the legs and restricts their motion when they try to pull. I put it on him so you can get an idea of what it looks like. Now I think I am obligated to walk him, he went straight to the door....78gvc0hno5uu.jpg

    Lol, yes, you owe him a walk now ;)

  • tonileigh820
    tonileigh820 Posts: 761 Member
    my 4 year old boxer is the same way. he is (typically) well behaved and listens at home but the second he's on the leash he's a maniac. at 82 lbs, he's a strong boy and he pulls whichever way he wants to go AND when he knows we're going back home he refuses to move and I can't even drag him back. he's also obsessed with anything that moves out there and will drag me across the street to see a bunny or a leaf blowing in the wind!
    no ideas though cuz nothing has worked for me. I take him super early or late at night or even when it's raining because there's less commotion on the streets.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    I swear by the Easy Walk Harness. It pulls them off balance when they tug and doesn't allow them to strain against it and pull you. I have a very strong pit bull and it worked wonders when we were training.

    http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-collars-dog-harnesses/no-pull-dog-harnesses/easy-walk-no-pull-harness.html?sef_rewrite=1
  • kkarcher94511
    kkarcher94511 Posts: 196 Member
    Halti. Halti or a gentle leader. These two things are really the only training devices that can help the dog actually understand what you want. Think about what we do with horses, place a halter on their face because directing the hed will direct the body. Why we as people decided that strapping a rope around their neck will hep direct them is beyond me. Now, it is a baby step that hopefully he can grow out of and into a simple slip lead but this may take anywhere from 6months to 2-3 years. The other key i think you are missing is general training. You need to practice with your dog within your own home, then graduate out tp the yard, then maybe a short trip down the street, then out to anywhere you can get him to socialize him. If you are taking him to bustling, busy places like famrers markets, ferrys, fairs, etc he will get used to the stimuli. However.............you need to think about this in phases of "graduating". You need to find what motivates him. Clearly, if he does not respond to you when you are calling his name over and over, he has no respect for that. So, start at home. In your living room, on the leash. Work with him to respond to his name, to sit, stay, down, come and heel PERFECTLY on command. Then he gets to practice these things out in the yard. Once he is respectful of your commands in the yard on the leash, he can walk the neighborhood. but treat it ALL the same, that is the key. Make sure you find a reward system that works for him, wheater its praise, a small cookie, a toy, etc. when he gives you his attention he gets the treat. the "leave it" command is the number one most important. He needs to be able to understand that "leave it" doesnt just mean, dont go to that object, but it means dont even look at it. i train my dogs to look away from an object when i tell them to leave it. this helps when in public and an obnoxious dog is coming toward them, barking, or maybe were on a trail and they spot a squirrel they want. rather than letting them dart (maybe into traffic or harms way) to get the object, i direct them to "leave it" so they arent even looking at it and i have 100% of their attention. the haliti comes in hady here as you can physically pull their face and eyes away if needed. best of luck
  • kkarcher94511
    kkarcher94511 Posts: 196 Member
    oh and overdo EVERYTHING. Every good thing he does gets a MASSIVE praise, oyu freak out, squeal in a happy voice, etc about how good he is. if you are certain he understand a concept (sit for example) and he is not directing his attention to you or is ignoring you alltogether, dont be afraid to make ONE very loud, very obnioxious, maybe scary (to you and the neighbors) command. The second he averts his attention to you and complies, you turn back into a gooby, happy, praising slob for him. it ha to be totally black and white
  • Sarah4fitness
    Sarah4fitness Posts: 437 Member
    Don't do those choke collars or the pronged ones!!! Try a front clip harness, and should that not work, try a Gentle Leader, it goes around the head like a harness and both are very effective for pulling.

    Remember that every walk is training, whether you're trying to train or not.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    My daughter is an absolute genius with training dogs (she trained our cat!) so I'll do my best to channel her in my response. To bring a dog alongside to what you want to do, you have to get in the head of the dog first.

    Your dog is overstimulated when you first launch out on your walk, and is in no condition to listen to anything you say. So tire him out and work off that excess energy. Here's how you might do that.
    1. Take him to an off leash area and let him run around. Bring a ball to toss if he loves that. Let him get good and pooped out.
    2. Give him some fresh water and then drive him to a public area, and put on a good collar for control (see below).
    3. Tell him it's "walkies". Always use the same word for this new game, which is to Walk Beside Adorable Owner In a Civilized and Obedient Manner. In other words, walkies in dog talk. Use the word just once, relaxed and in command, with a significant eyebrow raise. Walkies is the only time you will use this collar.
    4. Use your commands once. Disobey once, light tug, and a command reminding him what to do. Hopefully, with his energy burnt out in his romp, he'll be settled down enough to listen consistently.
    5. The more often the dog obeys, the more habitual and calm they become.

    660048064008C.jpg


    I am going to suggest the prong collar. It is far kinder than choking the dog, really. All you need is a gentle tug and the dog will calm down.

    For the yipping at other dogs part, he needs some socialization with some well-behaved older dogs. They'll discipline him for his over-enthusiasm and will hopefully calm him down. Might there be a doggy day care he can attend for a day a week for a while?

    Both Boxers and Boston Terriers are people dogs, eager to please their owner. I'm sure once his enthusiasm is curbed, he'll be a fun dog to walk.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    By the way, I once walked my sister's juvenile Newfie and it was an exhausting experience for both of us. They use a harness that if she tugs on it, she ends up facing backwards. So I had some modicum of control. But she loves chewing on paper, especially McDonald's paper wrappers, and she lunged every time she came across any. My commands to "drop it" failed miserably, so I stopped. I don't want the dog ignoring me as yet another chattering monkey in her life. Then it dawned on me that she couldn't walk and keep a hold of the bag at the same time, so I started walking again. She left an embarrassing trail of paper bits along our path, but at least I was back in control.

    The very act of taking command, however, shifted her perspective of me. She now gazes at me with new respect, convinced that I am a pack leader that might just take her to interesting places.
  • byoung8433
    byoung8433 Posts: 27 Member
    edited October 2015
    Thank you for all the responses. I will most certainly look into these ideas.
    Learning more will benefit us both
  • byoung8433
    byoung8433 Posts: 27 Member
    edited October 2015
    I am back on here to express my sincerest gratitude for all of you responses.. Especially those who suggested the easy walk harness. I got the harness and when I was opening the package my dog was really into watching me - especially when he saw the leash come out. When I started fitting him - he was even more excited and beyond cooperative - which I thought was strange but nonetheless I took a deep breath and wished for the best. After his fitting, he walked away and waited by the front door. As if he was saying " Alright mom - let's go out there and show em what we got." So I got the leash took a deep breath and headed out the door. I was a bit hesitant so I told myself we would only practice in the driveway. After a few minutes, I saw an instant change in his walking behavior. I thought - let's see how long this last - so we went on a walk and it was by far the longest and furthest walk I ever taken him on. I was so proud of him and his behavior was incredible even with all the distractions of other animals and people. A slight tug and he's back on track. I literally almost cried mid walk because I was soo happy. I truly thank you guys with all my heart. If it weren't for your responses, not only would have wasted money on another dog school but I also may have never found a solution that makes me happy and doesn't inflict pain on my dog. Thank you all so much!
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
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