What's the best training method for training a dog to stop pulling on the lead?

[bryte]

We have a 3 year old lurcher. She pulls on the lead. We have a front clipping harness, that makes her pull a bit less on the lead but there's still no slack in the lead. I'd like her to walk on a regular lead. We need to work on this right now as walking her is causing me back pain during and after.

[frazzledbutcalm]

Gentle leader which goes over the muzzle. Fantastic. Don't know how to do links - so .. amazon.co.uk?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21, type in beapher gentle leader.

[2cats222]

Gentle leaders / harnesses etc will not 'train' your dog to walk on a lead, they will just prevent it being able to pull so much.
If you have no idea where to start i'd say a training class or a book, go right back to puppy type basics. Personally i'm a believer of the pack mentality... your dog thinks it's leader of the pack off 'hunting' and therefore is leading you out on the hunt. Reading the dog whisperer techniques will help

[frazzledbutcalm]

I disagree 2cats, gentle leaders have fantastic results. The habit of pulling is eventually broken and the majority of dogs can then transfer back to a normal leader.

[CMOTDibbler]

I'd get some training advice - ours advised having a lead especially for 'walking nicely', and everytime they pull on the lead, stop, call them back to you, then carry on walking. repeat ad nauseum, praising when they are walking as you want. It does work, but you have to work at it when you don't need to go anywhere.

[toboldlygo]

I agree that gadgets only mask the problem - I dislike headcollars as a rule and especially on a lurcher with a long delicate neck and muzzle - but wholly disagree with the pack leader rubbish.

I like the silky leash method or Kikopup's similar method, both available on Youtube. Simple positive reward stuff. :)

[Scuttlebutter]

I'd get yourself to classes with a good positive trainer. We are doing a lot of loose leash exercises in class with our trainer as it's such a fundamental. One of the dogs in our current class was a real puller at the start of the course (huge cannonball Lab) and is now already doing brilliantly at this after only three weeks. Practice, consistency are important. I agree with Boldly about the importance of a sighthound not damaging their neck.

[tabulahrasa]

I use a gentle leader... I don't have a sight hound, so it's a bit irrelevant to me but for what it's worth I think they're much better for not damaging slight necks than collars are because they're not yanking on them the same way they would a collar at all.

Personally I care not if the dog doesn't learn to walk on a loose lead without a head collar, as long as its walking nicely I don't see the issue. I've used one before on previous dogs and I could eventually leave it off because I use positive reinforcement as well, but it's hardly the end of the world if it wears a head collar.

[tabulahrasa]

Though thinking about it, do head collars fit pointy heads?

[SillyTilly123]

My 5m puppy has stopped pulling on the lead as much. If she pulls I stop and call her back. The lead has no slack, but she is not pulling iyswim. I'm aiming to teach heel soon but so far no luck.

[SillyTilly123]

Oh and I don't believe its because she thinks she's the pack leader as all her other behavior is the opposite, ie, she always lets me go upstairs 1st, rolls on her back (which I believe is submissive) I think she is just excited to be on a walk.

[LtEveDallas]

With MuttDog we just stopped walking, or turned and walked the opposite way. It was slow going, but it worked. You look a fool stopping dead in the path, or turning round and retracing your steps though

She has a slip lead now that is high on her neck, close to her ears, and just a slight tightening of it makes her come back to heel.

We used the stopping method on mutt as a puppy, but it worked just as well on RottDog who was 2-3 when we got her. It just takes time and effort (and lots and lots of praise)

[saintmerryweather]

your dog doesnt think its a pack leader going hunting, thats ridiculous. its just pulling because its excited to be out and about and you havent trained it not to yet. im training my dog by stopping when he pulls and clicking and treating him when he comes back. if he is alreafy walking nicely he gets clicks at random so his focus is always on me. my dog cant be out hunting, hes never caught anything yet. hes just badly trained and wants to sniff and wee on everything

[tabulahrasa]

I'm using the head collar because they work instantly...monster puppy has a dodgy leg and he was only 16 weeks when he started limping, we had been making progress on the loose lead walking, but he was getting very excited and bouncy when we met people or other dogs - on his sore leg.

It really is as straightforward as put a head collar on and most dogs just don't pull. (I won't say all because some dogs are just awkward, lol)

[Twattybollocks]

I found training loony dog to heel and also sitting and waiting when she started pulling really helped. We had her from a puppy though, which helped as we were able to train her out of it before she got too strong.

[mistlethrush]

My new lurcher (2) doesn't pull - although she's often out in front. However, our previous rescue did, and I sorted that out by stopping if she pulled and waiting for her to come back to me - if she didn't I started going backwards (only good on empty pavements or in countryside, obviously) and she learned that, to get where she wanted to go, she needed to not pull. We ended up having two options with her - heel - actually at heel, or simply relaxed where she wasn't at heel but also wasn't pulling.

[janmoomoo]

I have tried several things with my rescue mutt. He is 18 months and lovely in every way, but sooooo nosey and inquisitive. He wants to sniff and look at everything and finds walking to heel really hard. He will do it beautifully in class when I have a treat in my hand but as soon as the treat isnt there forget it. I also try stopping when he pulls and he does come back to heel, but then just is off again and now just thinks this is part of going for a walk. I must be doing something wrong Maybe I just need to persevere.

[Owllady]

you just need to be consistent and allow yourself plenty of time
that puppy school book is good, have you got it?

everytime they pull you stop, call them to your side, but even stopping and waiting until the lead is loose works with my younger dog, mind you she walks backwards as well sometimes and she really cannot control herself with her talking to me on the beginning of a walk :o and I am sure people must think we are both mad. But lots of reward and gaining trust and you will get there in the end

Sometimes it's worth lead training at the end of the walk rather than the beginning but I find it's best to do from beginning to end even if it takes longer, which it does , I suppose everyone is different

[Owllady]

this is the book

[Owllady]

haha the reviews say it is a book for novices, but even as an experienced owner I find it a good book to look things up quickly. It has been a decade since I have had a puppy and I had forgot loads of stuff!

[MagratGarlik]

Agree to find a good training class. Ours taught to have the lead in the hand opposite to the side the dog is walking, use the hand on the side the dog is walling to hold (lots of) treats then whilst the dog stays at your side talk to them and treat them. If they start to pull, stop and call them back.

It is important you talk to the dog and interact whilst they are walking well so that they are rewarded when they are doing well, otherwise the only interaction the dog gets its when you are calling them back and correcting them.

Didn't take our whippy long to get it, but took the lurcher a bit longer (she has the opposite problem though of pulling backwards) - she's not very bright though, bless her.