what a nightmare of a walk...pulling on lead, will not focus

morning all,

had the walk from hell last night! started training sam my springer on his own last night. so thought i would do some road work with him.....as his lead walking is terrible. so off we went....he literally dragged me everywhere. we did the stopping and starting (if the lead went loose...which it never did), the changing of direction...the walking backwards...everything!!!! he just didnt want to pay attention at all. had his fave treats too, which he just wasnt interested in. he was worse than he's ever been! so think i will maybe have to try another harness. by the time we got home my hands were red raw and i'm sure sam's neck must have been sore too with all the pulling!! i felt like leaving him tied up to the lamp post i was that mad .

this morning i took him out and he was alot better with the long line....i seemed to have more control of him. but walking him to the field and back home from the field was a complete nightmare again! think i'll get some advice from my trainer on sunday as at the moment i really dont want to take him out!

That is such a shame when you go for walks and your pulled from here to there! My Simba used to pull, and I can honestly say that there was absolutely no pleasure from the walks for me, when he was like this! It did eventually calm down, but I felt exhausted afterwards.

I did get him a harness and it did improve, but along with that I used to stop start, turn around and walk in a different direction, patience will eventually pay off

We still have the same problem with Cassie, not as bad as it used to be though. With her, it's on the way out, out of excitement more than anything. It is a nightmare though.

HIYA

it is a nightmare I have a puller too - i tried every kind of head collar etc and he wouldnt put up with any of them - eventually got him a walkezee harness and have to say he walks ten times better than he ever did. he still pulls when he sees another dog and will pull on the way out - but not anything like asmuch as he did.

I enjoy my walks a lot more now than I ever did. Its certainly worth a try,

do you use a harness at moment or just a collar ?

I have actually now got a double ended lead and have it attached to his harness and his collar so he feels the lead on both and he is definetly better

good luck

How far is he towing you with the stop-start methods. You see your hands shouldn't be sore. It literally can take weeks to get from your front door to your gate using this method because the instant he puts tension on the lead you stop, get him back beside you, and start walking again. If the walk is not accomplished - so be it. His physical & mental exercise needs will have to come from play/training in the garden/house.

He has to learn that only loose-lead walking gets him what he wants - at the moment pulling may be getting him what he wants.

The method will work, but it does require a huge amount of time and patience

thanks peeps for your replies....seems i'm not alone in being pulled around!! at the moment i'm just using a flat collar because the harness i was using on him rubbed all his skin raw under his arms and on his shoulders! . as soon as his lead goes on he's pulling. i make him wait before i open the gate, as soon as its open he shoots out. think i've definitely got my work cut out. he doesnt pull at all though in the obedience classes we attend, and if i'm practising heel-work in the garden he's great.....just as soon as the gate opens he's a different dog!! .

just seen another harness which has got fleece coverings on the webbing that goes under his arms.....maybe thats worth a try? i really dont fancy another walk like last night ever again!

shadowboxer...i dont even think we'll get out of the gate let alone for a walk the way he pulls even with the stop/start and changing direction method. i think its going to take weeks. definitely will have to take the dogs out separately now because its not fair on bronte if all we're doing is stopping and starting all the time, and not getting anywhere.

If you decide to go with the harness then you might consider the Walkezee. Some dogsey members have had good results with that one. If you type Walkezee into the search facility you will pull up the threads

i'll give that a go....just want to be able to walk him without my arms being pulled out of their sockets!

Hollie has a Stop Pull Dog Harness - has fleece on the bits that go under her legs, maybe that is the one you have seen? I have to say it has transformed our walks, even the children can hold her lead now! She is not a big dog but she is strong, had stopped pulling for ages but after being attacked earlier this year all that seemed to go out of the window. This harness has been wonderful!

Hi I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble you are having. I know it can seem like there is no light at the end of the tunnel but honestly there is.

I have to agree with SB. If it were me I would abondon walks entirely until I new he could walk properly on a lead. This would come from just practising first in your house. Then when you have mastered that I would then move into the garden. You will have alot more control over him in his own surroundings and he will be more attentive to you. I would just give him his mental and physical stimulation through games at home until I had accomplished this. Just my opinion. I hope you can sort it out.