Adopted BIG dog .. training advice needed

Hi all, im Lisa. I ave just adopted a 20 month old rottie x staffie. He is a beautiful but big powerfull dog.

In his previous home he was clearly the alpha dog but was given some basic obedience training such as sit, paw and leave! Sadly tho he was not given ANY leash training and rarely got talken out for walks.

when I picked him up and walked him home he pulled the hell out of me... I am only a small woman!

I started training with him straight away and belive he is startin to c me as alpha as he follows me around the house, listens and follows my very command, is now using submissive body language and constanly looks at me for direction.

I have been leash training him inside my house and he is now after just 4 days walking on loose leash to heel and is totally focused on me .. He seems to luv this training and get excited when I get the leash. I have now taken this training to the garden and he is doing well .. occasionally his attenstion will wonder but wiv a quite voice command he's back on point ... BUT ...

as soon as I open the garden gate he turns into turbo dog ... Pulling me and lunging forward. His stance changes and his eres prick up!

does he just need more time training in the garden?

is there any other tips any1 can give me please?

I really want to take him for nice long walks as I no all dogs need their daily exercise!

TIPS PLEASE xx

Hi Missy

Well done on rescuing

Re training, the alpha/pack-leader school of thought is considered out-dated nowadays. Check out The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson (book)

Re pulling have a look at this thread and the threads it links to (there's a Dogs Trust video that's worthy looking at in one of them): Staffie which pulls when excited

If you feel you need a tool to help you could try something like the Canny Collar (we're also currently giving a free one away with each Charity Calendar sold, see this thread for details: Final 3 Dogsey Charity Calendars - now only £6!!)

With regards to your specific dog, I would put him on a lead, open the gate and *not* go out, then close it again. So he gets used to it being opened and not necessarily meaning it's time for a walk. And for pulling while on a walk - check the thread I linked to.

Would think you need to get a gentle leader or similar till he gets the hang of walking well on the lead .
I used them for my whippets and now they don't even need them .

Seconded!

I currently use a halti harness ... He hated the halti head collar and chewed thro it!

But he still pulls wen we take training out side the garden gate!

Here is the Dogs Trust video I was referring to: Dog pulling on lead

There are lots of threads on pulling - it's definitely something you can work on with time and patience. Good Luck

Thanks ... I'll check it out wen I can get on a computer as im usin my phone at mo and it wont load video's!

Took Samson out of the garden 2day ... Just in the carpark and he wasnt 2 bad ... Still some pullin and not totally focused on me ... More interested in the birds haha ... But I think he'll get there soon

If he is not used to walking on the lead, just think really back to basic. Like if he was a 8 weeks old puppy (in a huge, enormous body lol).
Use treats/rewards and reward lots and lots of good behaviour.
To start with you can't expect to get very far, but you can still tire him out with training to walk on the lead.

We are currently on the same project with our 8,5 months old mastiff (we got sloppy and forgot to keep things up! boo!), and we are using the method where you just turn and walk the other way when he is pulling. Neighbours probably think I'm crazy because we just walk in loops around the close, round and round parked cars etc.
If he needs to be physically tired out, then we go to the woods and we let him run.

Pick his brain, find out what matters to him and see if you can find a reward he is willing to die for. Start with easy goals and further away from distractions and work your way there.
You have my sympathy, I know what it's like, hehe.