Dog Pulling on lead

I would agree with you that curing pulling is the issue rather than insisting they walk behind your leg. It's actually a lot easier to keep an eye on what they're up to when they're slightly ahead!

When I do heelwork offlead they always have their front legs in line with my legs.

When onlead as you say, depends on the lead length but I don't really mind as long as they are not pulling. Maddy usually walks with her back legs in line with my legs and I don't see that as a problem as long as she doesn't pull.

I think a dog needs to be taught to walk in lots of different positions. As I have to walk on a road for part of my usual daily routine I would far rather they were either in front or behind as that means we are not so spread out, and therefore more liable to be hit.
The way I see it is as long as they aren't pulling then I don't care. A lot of my dogs learn to walk 'at the end of the lead', they aren't pulling but just out in front at the end of the lead.
Becky

I like my dogs to walk on my left, as long as the lead is "slack" I don't really mind whether they are slightly in front or behind.

Maybe not truly to heel but I'm happy. Molly is there but Charlie-well it would be fair to say she is a work in progress

also depends if you just want loose lead walking or the dog walking to heel as in obedience. i try to teach mine loose lead walking and walking to heel. when doing obedience heelwork i want them to have their shoulder as near to my left leg as they can. when doing loose lead walking i want it so that the lead never goes tight, so they can be behind me, in front or to the side. so heelwork and loose lead walking to me are totally different, and i teach mine as 2 separate exercises. hope that makes sense!!

My dobes all walk in front of me, but Skye the rottie is also half a step behind me, but then again she has only got short legs, bless her.

Personally I don't mind where or how they walk just so long as they don't pull against me or each other as I have the dobes split into pairs on coupling leads. Ruby and Max, Jess and Onyx.

Skye has her own lead.

very much so, thanks for that, this is very similar to me, I feel healwork and walking on lead are two very diff things,

I teach healwork without a lead to begin with, then add the lead when the dog is comfy and happy to work close, but it does not work for everyone,
link to royce kidding on he can do healwork minus his lead,

http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q...royce001-1.flv

thanks for that dougiepit!!! its nice to get something right .

when i'm teaching sam heelwork he is much better off-lead than on-lead cos i think i rely too much on the lead when i'm teaching him. for loose-lead walking i dont care where he is as long as he isnt pulling me over!! (which doesnt always work )

I agree! When we're out on walks, I just want Max on a loose lead. I don;t mind if he's out in front of me or not.

In training, Max will "heel" so his nose is against my thigh, and he'll do this both on and off lead.

I don't expect that kind of heel when we're outside, but I'd rather not get my arms pulled off either....