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-Collie-Addict-
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-Collie-Addict- is offline  
Location: Cheshire, UK
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3
Female 
 
16-01-2012, 10:00 PM

Border Collie will not behave on walks - Lunges at cars and pulls on lead

My BC is great in the house. He comes when called, he has learnt what I mean when I say "Go get your chew", he knows the basic commands and is very obedient. All of that goes out of the window as soon as I clip the lead on and step out of the front door.

He drags me down the path (and we've got a ramp from our front door so its even worse), pulls relentlessly and to top it all off with lunge at cars. Walking him when there is ice is out of the question; I don't want him or me to end up in the road.

I've got no idea what to do with him. My mum won't help because she is reluctant to walk him when he behaves like this, and my dad said he *would* help, but that is yet to happen.

I can't handle him! I've nearly ended up with a broken ankle because he's pulled me so much, and I've even slipped and injured my knee when I've tried to control him.

I need some advice so I can take him for the walks I have dreamed of (him trotting nicely by my side, not him dragging me down the road). I've hired a trainer in the past, but all her methods were based on a second person...

Can someone offer any advice at all? Anything that I could try alone?
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smokeybear
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Location: Wiltshire UK
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,404
Female 
 
16-01-2012, 10:04 PM
I am not sure what you mean by "all her methods were based on a second person"

There are good trainers in your area.

Have you used a head halter or a harness to make your walks more manageable?
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kate_7590
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Location: Burton-on Trent, Staffs, UK
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Female 
 
16-01-2012, 10:16 PM
Id suggest trying a head collar. Mine pull quite a bit on the lead too and I find it 10 times better with a halti .
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Wild Rose
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Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
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Female 
 
17-01-2012, 04:13 AM
This is what I do with all my dogs (mine, the fosters, and clients). Put a harness on your dog and a long lead, 20'. Walk out the door and put on some speed. As soon as the dog hits the end of the lead, change direction. Every time the dog gets the twenty feet, change directions. Don't warn him, just act like you forgot he is there. Initially you will be pulling the dog, but he'll quickly get moving in your direction. If you live in the city you'll want to pop him into a car and take him to a park where there is room to move. It shouldn't take too long for him to start paying attention to where you are and you'll find that you can change directions every couple of minutes and he will keep up with you. This is the ta da moment. You should have an easier time walking him then on the twenty foot. In following sessions work him on sit and down from right next to you, from three feet from you, from five feet, then ten feet and twenty feet. You want him to sit or down right when you tell him to, not run up to you. Also work on recall. If needed, use treats, but he probably just needs praise.

After a couple of weeks of good behavior in the park, put him on a thirty foot line and do the same thing. After a couple of weeks of this, use a shorter lead, like ten feet and walk him in town, letting him get used to the shorter lead and rewarding him for walking at the heel.

I'm really happy with this technique. The long leads allow the dog to get more exercise than he can get staying next to you, but changing directions so he pays attention to you keeps your arms in their sockets.
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nickmcmechan
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Location: Dalkeith, Scotland
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17-01-2012, 07:45 AM
However, you have answered your own question even if you don't realise you have - your method isn't working!

Try the Halti?
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krlyr
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Location: Surrey
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17-01-2012, 08:50 AM
I'd also recommand a headcollar for your safety. The Halti is one of the easier to get hold of but there are many different brands/designs, I personally use Dogmatic headcollars for me two. Remember to introduce a headcollar slowly so that the dog doesn't hate it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMR2My1beiU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw3ovsOvTss

The 300 peck method for teaching loose lead walking can be done on your own Try short but sweet sessions - 3 lots of 10 minutes is better than one lot of 30 minutes, if the training session is too long then you run the risk of you both ending up bored and/or frustrated. Shorter sessions are more likely to end on a positive note.
http://www.druidalegsd.karoo.net/300_peck.pdf explains the 300 peck method

I think it's very sensible to not walk him in ice as you don't want to both end up under a car, but you don't want to get in a vicious circle - it's too dangerous, so you don't walk him, so he has more pent up energy and gets even more excitable and lunges more next time. When it's too dangerous to take him out on a walk, try practicing some loose lead walking in the garden, or give him a training session to tire him out. Mental stimulation can be as tiring as physical exercise, and if you check out Youtube you'll find lots of inspiration for things to teach him (I'd recommend both Kikopup and pamelamarxsen on there). If you can get him more focused on you in the home then it may help his behaviour outside too - teaching self-restraint, e.g. waiting for you to go through a doorway first, or waiting for the OK to go and eat his breakfast, may help build more self-control outside.
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bellas mum
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Location: East Sussex uk
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Female 
 
23-01-2012, 09:34 AM
Hi
I use a halti on Bella (gsd x leo) who also has a habbit of pulling at cars. To stop the car pulling each time a car goes to pass us i tell her to 'leave it' if she does liver cake or treat given if she pulls then nothing. The halti works great as now if she goes to chase a cat or squirrel i don't go with her she just has a little dance because she can't go and chase it.
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labradork
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Location: West Sussex
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Female 
 
23-01-2012, 10:23 AM
One of mine is terrible for pulling. She doesn't lunge at cars but will after small furries and especially cats. Sometimes even a leaf blowing past will cause her to lunge hard if she is excited.

If I know I am walking somewhere with a high potential for her to lunge, the head collar goes on. She doesn't particularly like it but in situations where both of our safety may be compromised through her behaviour, it is tough really.

In more manageable situations, a harness with a front clip (I use a double ended lead and attach one end to the front and one end to the back) is usually enough to control her.
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ClaireandDaisy
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Location: Essex, UK
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Female 
 
23-01-2012, 10:28 AM
All good advice above. I`d just like to add one point - try boring walks. Street walk occasionally - just for practice. Then the excitement subsides.
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Moobli
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Location: Scotland
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Female 
 
23-01-2012, 11:31 AM
Is he from working parents? It sounds as though he needs to be trained to be more focused on you and not so much on moving objects ... such as cars, bikes etc.

Do you take him to training classes at all? If you are looking for the help of a collie experienced trainer or behaviourist, contact Barbara Sykes. Here is her website ...

http://www.bordercollies.co.uk/

A headcollar is a good idea in the short term. It will enable you to control your dog more easily when out on walks, but I would also advise that you train heelwork on a flat collar when not exercising and also try to get him used to the movement of traffic, bikes etc and so he isn't so obsessed by them. Try sitting near a busy road with some treats and rewarding him when he isn't lunging and eyeing the traffic. Start at a distance he can cope with, ie far enough away so he isn't lunging and eyeing the whole time and reward good behaviour. Then move closer and closer to the traffic as and when he is ready.

It could take weeks or months, but it will be worthwhile in the long run.

How old is your dog?
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