are you using a normal collar/leash? my labradoodle pulled like he wanted to choke himself until I got a harness that attaches from the front. when he pulls it tightens on his front shoulders and pulls his legs together, preventing him from pulling. I also give him lots of small treats, keeping my arm tucked to my side so he has to be right beside me to get them and is rewarded for being close to and listening to me.
as far as comments goes, it sounds like a majority of the comments you are getting are somewhat sexist since your S/O isn't receiving those same remarks. I would just remind them he's still a puppy in training and focus on training your pup. that's definitely frustrating, having to listen to people make the same comments over and over again though.
Three things:
It can be flustering to have your dog act like that in public/have everyone watching, but sounds like you're seeking the right type of help and are committed to your new gal. Have fun and best of luck, she's a cutie!
My 8 month old lab mix does the same thing!!!! It’s absolutely terrifying. Like, heart dropping, life ending terrifying.
We got him the easy walk harness and it is a game changer! Not only can he not escape but he doesn’t pull anymore on walks! Here it is on Amazon!
Try a front leading no-pull harness to discourage him from pulling on walks. It's humane and painless, not like a choke chain or some other horrible thing. It just make it difficult for him to pull and redirects him around to face you instead. We've had quite a lot of success with this one Also, you can try stopping every time he pulls and only continuing to walk once he stops, thus showing him that pulling and lunging will not get him what he wants. Be warned, this can be quite slow and frustrating (for both you and the dog!) at first, you may spend 5 minutes moving a few steps down the street, but if he's smart he should catch on quickly.
I stand by the easy pet walker or the deluxe version of this.
My Aussie walks fine with this, it doesn’t pinch hair since their is only so much fabric, and my dog stays cool since it only has minimal coverage. The straps are highly adjustable so your dog can grow with it. I have a medium size (my boy is 45-50 pounds) and have been using it for the last four months.
I would use an Easy Walk harness if you think your dog may injure their neck lunging. I’ve seen gentle leads work, even with really big dogs, but they weren’t reactive. So I’m not an expert. My dog stopped lunging as much after I muzzle trained him too, may be different for other dogs though. I put the Amazon link here so you can check it out. It may be worth a shot for safety. They do virtually the same thing but it recalls them back from the chest vs the muzzle of the dog. Easy Walk Harness
My lab pup used to pull us A LOT when we were walking him. A friend recommended this type of harness and it’s literally worked overnight. The first time walking with this harness was magical since he didn’t pull at all.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4
He wagged his tail at your rating, thank you!
🐾💕🐺🐾💕
I’ve linked the harness! It’s amazing for preventing pulling. I alternate with a Kurgo harness because the no-pull one seems to put a little strain on his shoulders.
PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness – Perfect for Leash & Harness Training – Stops Pets from Pulling and Choking on Walks – Works with Small, Medium and Large Dogs https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HEN0V6SXKMQ2X31DVP8K
PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness – Perfect for Leash & Harness Training – Stops Pets from Pulling and Choking on Walks – Works with Small, Medium and Large Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_7CDRRXW5Q2A8JHMH9BZN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I had this harness for my escape artist blue tick and it was the only thing out of 4 or 5 different styles that she couldnt slip but still seemed comfortable. Just a few walks in it and she stopped pulling all together to the point where my 4 year old could walk her on the leash okay!
We use these harnesses for both our spoos. PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness – Perfect for Leash & Harness Training – Stops Pets from Pulling and Choking on Walks – Works with Small, Medium and Large Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_44D5ZN1Q7Q5CJ63WZAMR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
These ones (or any with a front loop on chest, not a loop on their back): PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness – Perfect for Leash & Harness Training – Stops Pets from Pulling and Choking on Walks – Works with Small, Medium and Large Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QXGX215YVWMA6KANA2QV
PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness, Black/Silver, Large (EWH-HC-L-BLK) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n89FEbMN8B66M
That’s the link for amazon. I believe they the directions for how to measure on there to make sure you get the best fit. It’s been a game changer! Good luck with your new beautiful puppy!
We have been using our easy walk harness forever! It is a front clip which can help teach your cav not to pull since it diverts their walking when they pull. It is low profile so you can see their beautiful coat instead of a harness!
PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness, Black/Silver, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3pb3DbPMSG2JZ
After trying MANY harnesses for our little puller/pupper, we found that the PetSafe Easy Walk harness worked best for our corgi. It's slightly annoying because it sometimes get wrapped around a leg on our low rider, but that trade off is worth it versus having a yank of war during a walk.
I can't recommend the Easy Walk Harness enough. The straps are aligned in a way that if your pup pulls, it will instead steer them to the left or the right, and you barely feel a tug. (If you've ever ridden a horse, it's very mildly similar to how turning a horse works, only the turn is based at the chest instead of the mouth.)
Yay for your foster getting adopted!
For the new leash puller foster, have you tried one of those no-pull harnesses? My pibble pulls like crazy and this harness has been a god send. No more pulling!
This was the one we got. It was amazing. My golden used to constantly choke himself pulling so hard. Slipped that on him and instantly things were better.
I was walking with a friend who had his big dog, after dealing with the pulling and seeing my dog, he bought one the second he got home. Never looked back.
We use easy walk harnesses, they hook in front. We don't get pulled around like a dogsled now.
Yeah ive seen those before, i know they are pretty popular but i could see people who dont have dogs thinking they are muzzles :-/. the front hook discourages pulling on the easy walk. https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4
I have a Malinois that loves to run just in front of me and pulls like we're shooting for first in a sled race. Harnesses that attach at the back translate to a sore back and me getting pulled occasionally from side to side. I recently bought this harness and have had great results with it. She can't jump or pull too hard without having to drop back to my side. She even walks loose leash during our regular walks (for the first time ever). I plan to continue using it.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-Black-Silver/dp/B0009ZBKG4
I use a front-attaching harness on my dog. It's not a muzzle, but it does offer more control and restrains the dog from pulling too much.
My personal view is that it's unlikely that your Jack Russell terrier will get kicked in the face (you're lucky you don't have a pit mix like mine – if he was following children around and barking at them, the police would be involved). But it does sound like your dog is not under reliable voice control and should not be off leash in public areas. If you still want to let him run around, you can get a long leash (I have a 15 foot long line) and use that at places like the beach, assuming there is some room with no other people or dogs in it.
You might actually find that his behavior improves when he's not given the opportunity to amp himself up by zooming around.
Use a harness for walking, then you don't choke your dog or wear out their collar. I use this one, it attaches in the front so if the dog pulls it turns him and he stops tugging
If you have an issue with your dog pulling, here's a training harness you can try. It works pretty much like a choke collar, but it's not "mean" or hurtful because it puts pressure on the chest/under their dog armpits instead of their throat.
All you have to do is come to a COMPLETE STOP when your dog is pulling, and let him figure it out lol. This works very quickly, but be aware your dog might not want to go to the bathroom with it on so maybe use it for exercise walks only.
Walking two large dogs at a time IS difficult. My dogs are generally pretty well leash trained so it's not a huge issue now, but it was at first. I had a lot of luck with the ez walk harness. Changes the center of gravity so when they try to pull they either are forced to turn and face you or they fall down. Nice, gentle way to keep them from pulling. Makes training two dogs to walk together much easier.
I'd also recommend teaching them very strict sit and stay commands on leash. I work downtown in a fairly large city and I take mine with me. They have to sit every time I stop walking. Crosswalks and stuff, ya know? If you do that, worrying about the shenanigans of one while the other handles business is a non-issue cause the one will just sit and wait.
A front-clip harness This one being the most popular version, is a great way to address your dogs' pulling issues on leash, and not have to use the halti. I recommend a front-clip harnesses to every client (I'm a dog trainer) with leash-pulling issues. And clients with big dogs. And older clients. And clients with kids. Basically, I tell almost everyone to get them!
What sort of harness do you use? I like the Easy Walk harness because since it clips in the front I can also clip the leash to Poinsettia's collar. This adds an extra layer of security so that if she does wriggle out of the harness i have enough time to grab her.
this is what I have for my basset mix. It attaches is the front, so she does walk over it sometimes, but for walking, its fantastic. The harness squeezes her front legs together when she pulls, so its a great deterrence.
I am a 5 foot tall female who owned her first (only) newfie in an apartment complex. My partner and I both worked full time and alternated coming home for lunch to take Zelda outside. We religiously took her to three sets of obedience classes. She did pull quite a bit as a puppy but we used a Gentle Leader and this corrected the behavior. As an adult dog, I have never owned a better behaved dog and is an absolute sweetheart.
Financially, we were just starting out on our first jobs after college and we only had a few $100 to spend on her each month (including vet bills). She came down with 5 UTI's in her first 2 years which were around $300 a pop. It turned out the UTI's were caused by her Wellness or Blue Buffalo dog food.
As for dog socialization, our next door neighbor in our apartment complex had a dangerously aggressive dog. Newfoundlands are calm by nature and Zelda would freeze by my side when in close proximity to the aggressive dog.
Our living situation has changed and we now own a large home with a fenced in yard.
TLDR: If you train hard with your dog, set aside a few $100's, take the time and energy each day for care, it's doable for you to own a sweet well-mannered dog.
Gentle Leader's "Easy Walk" works great for my large boxer. Connects at the chest, so if he tries to pull, it just turns him around, he effectively stops himself. Under $20. Doesn't "squeeze" the chest.
Here is an example.
As the dog pulls away, it turns them to the side. Only way my stubborn old lab has ever walked on a leash without trying to tear my arm off.
I had two huskies competing who can pull moar. I used similar collars, but it's not healthy for the dog. Try this, it makes a world of difference.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=front+hook+dog+harness&qid=1669436602&sr=8-3 was a total game changer! Definitely recommend trying one out!
The sub's wiki has a lot of valuable information and is a great place to start.
A professional trainer is your best best at this point. Please be sure to find a trainer who is strictly force-free/positive reinforcement. Trainers who use aversive methods aren't a good idea for any dog (you can read about that here), but they are especially bad for reactive dogs (besides being inhumane, the aversive techniques just suppress the behaviors without addressing the underlying reasons, all the while making things worse until the dog won't suppress any longer, and then the reactivity is exacerbated). There is a section in the wiki on finding a qualified trainer.
In the meantime, there are some things you can do to get started. First, get a good harness, ideally one with a front leash connection. Freedom No Pull Harnesses and Blue 9 harnesses are good options, even an Easy Walk Harness. They will help with the pulling and keep your dog from choking himself. Next, try to keep the walks to when it's likely there won't be many or preferably any dogs around. You don't want the dog to continue to rehearse the reactive behaviors. So this may mean early morning or late at night. Enrichment can be done at home, in the yard or even in the house. Mental enrichment for dogs is 4 times more tiring than the same amount of time in physical activity, so things like puzzle games, trick training, snuffle mats, chews, hide (treats around the house) and seek, and the like are all good ways to exercise/tire your dog.
When you do have to be out, be sure to have high value treats with you. Use them to help direct your pup away from the dog. If you see a dog, do a 180 and go the other way - try to get ahead of the reaction and avoid it. Use treats if you need to in order to lure the dog away. Another option is the "find it" game. Basically, you toss a few treats into the grass or to the ground and tell your pup to "find it" - and they have to sniff them out. Sniffing for dogs is a natural calming mechanism, plus with nose to the ground, they aren't focused on the other dogs. You need to do that a bunch of times when no dogs are around just to teach your dog the game, so they understand that when you say "find it" there will be treats on the ground to be sniffed out. Bottom line, you want to avoid any interactions/reactions to dogs to the extend possible.
An appropriate trainer will help you with the longer term things like desensitizing and counter conditioning your dog to other dogs over time, to basically change your dogs attitude (and therefore response) to other dogs.
HTH.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4 these are my favorite! seems pretty difficult to slip out of
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4
​
We used this harness (had to do large cuz our girl is a BARREL)
Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
---|---|---|---|
PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harnes… | $22.95 | $22.95 | 4.4/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
I've tried many different tools over the years for my chow/husky who pulls and the Easy Walk No Pull harness was the big win for us. It stops him pulling as strongly and I'm able to get his attention for training purposes. He's leash reactive (with excitement rather than aggression but still) and I had great results with the turn around and walk the other way as soon as he pulls method.
With my other dog (pure chow) that I've had since he was a puppy, I trained him that if he hits the end of his leash, mom turns into a tree and he comes back to me, circles around behind me, and we go again. His leash is 99% slack at all times, he's learned the length of it and hardly ever pulls. In exchange, I stop whenever he wants, for as long as he wants, to root around and sniff things. (I implement this with my dog that pulls also.)
The chest harness is a great tool but the training is the real key. Personally, I find it easier to train a positive behavior into them--figuring out what you want instead and working towards that--rather than just telling them No and not giving any options for them to redirect their energy/instinct.
Best of luck with your beautiful bear!
I’m really sorry this is happening to you and I understand your frustration here.
what kind of breed is he? If he’s a young puppy sometimes puppies just destroy things, sometimes they grow out of it. Seeing as he’s so young still you have a great opportunity to train these bad habits out of him before they become ingrained.
If he’s destroying things it may be caused by an under stimulated mind. All dogs no matter what kind benefit from exercise. Most medium and large dog breeds need at least an 1 hour to an 1.5 hour walk, maybe even more depending on the dog. I would try walking him more and see if it helps to calm him down. Take him outside and throw around some toys until he’s huffing and puffing too. There’s no secret to this, dogs need exercise, it’s not optional.
As for training, there are a lot of tutorials on YouTube for training of all kinds. It is a big task, and chances are it will take a lot of patience. That’s part of owning a dog. Have you considered clicker training? It’s another positive reinforcement method where a device called a clicker is used to reinforce behaviors. They’re like $2 at most pet stores. To begin you must click, then give the dog a treat, a toy, and/or praise until they associate the click of the clicker to getting a reward. I personally don’t like toys because my dog just wants to quit and go play. I use sliced hot dogs cut into tiny pieces because they smell very very exciting to dogs and they’re cheap and you get a lot when you slice them. After that I would start with sit. I’m sure your dog might already know this one. But if they don’t then you can lift the treat over their head and it usually makes them sit because it’s easier to look up at the treat in your hand above their heads. The moment, the exact moment they make any sort of move that they’re going to sit YOU CLICK. Work slowly and progressively make it a little harder to get the treat until you get the full sit. And you keep doing that again and again until you’re confident that they can do it when you say SIT. Now make sure you use a confident voice, not too loud but don’t whisper and make sure they can HEAR you. Don’t constantly repeat the same command if they’re not listening the first time, it reinforces that they don’t have to listen the first time. Instead say the command, wait a second, if they don’t sit try to use the hand signals(treat over the head) to get them to do it. It will take multiple training sessions. I can’t stress this enough if you want this dog to be the way you want then you have to put in the effort. There is no easy way out.
The important thing here is on top of the clicker and treat and the timing of the click you always want to follow up with a GOOD BOY or something like that and maybe a quick pat, you really want them to understand that what they’re doing is something good.
Don’t click for bad behaviors or wrong behaviors but don’t yell at them. Don’t make them associate training with being yelled at. Try not to even use the word no if you can.
Kikopup on YouTube has a lot of good material to look at.
There are certainly other methods of training but I’m not as knowledgeable on those methods. If you’re curious just type in dog training tutorials on YouTube.
One last thing, there’s a good chance your dog might be a leash puller? If not I’m very happy for you you’re lucky, it’s too common that a lot of dogs are just bad leash pullers. PetSafe Easy Walk Dog Harness, No Pull Dog Harness – Perfect for Leash & Harness Training – Stops Pets from Pulling and Choking on Walks – Works with Small, Medium and Large Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_4A8YN9HWHQN22W0AT1GD My dog was horrific on leash until I bought this harness and now she walks like an angel. It allows you to clip the leash on the piece that goes across the chest and when they pull it makes them pull themselves side ways. It’s not painful or anything but it makes the dog less likely to want to pull.
I hope this helps. I really do.
Try to work on sit, lay down, stay(probably one of the most important ones), drop it(another important one that might benefit you a lot), stay from large distances, stay outside, heel, and then some tricks like speak and stand and stuff like that.
Praise him big time when he goes to the bathroom outside, to further reinforce that going outside is super good.
It’s not going to be quick and easy it will take working on training, even for short amounts of time, every day. That’s the choice you make getting a puppy and that is what you have to do to help the situation.
Been using this one for about 7 years with no issues. Note that the leash should be attached to the harness at the front. Not on the dog's back.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4
I second the Easy Walk. Works like magic on my 2 dogs.
good to know, I assume it's something like this: http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-Black-Silver/dp/B0009ZBKG4
did your dog still pull when seeing other dogs with this?
My lab is impossible to walk on collar, but she is amazing when I use the easy walk.
The easy-walk harness is the best.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-Black-Silver/dp/B0009ZBKG4
I use Easy Walk Harness. I never use the collar that has the id tags if you still want to use the collars make sure that you use a second one that way if it ducks it then you don't have a dog with out tags running around. Also if you are looking for a collar that can not be ducked check out a Martingale. What the easy walk looks like on a larger dog
Mine is adjustable and tightens up as much as you want. I guess if a M doesn't fit you need to get a L, but it should not be moving. Tighten up the neck portion so that it is riding high on the chest and then adjust the belly section so that it does not move. It should not touch the legs at all.
FWIW I have a PetSafe "Easy Walk" brand and it comes in many sizes.
I use one of these for mine. Works just as well because you still lead them from the front but not so stupid looking. LOL.
I have my dog on a anti-pull harness on walks and although it doesn't reproduce that natural motherly snap at the neck, the "pop" I give him through the harness does the exact same thing for him. For some dogs, if you give the right reinforcement for the correction you provide, I don't think getting a special choke chain is completely necessary (at least at first).