Umbilical Dog Training

We have a Northern Inuit who is such a puller on the lead.

We have every stop pulling device on the market but they only mask the problem rather than cure it.

I can walk her easily on a Gentle Leader head collar but she is totally unhappy, ears down, tail down and that's not how I want her to be on walks.

We ( me & hubby) have recently started the umbilical training with her and so far so good. We are about 2 weeks into the daily training so far.

I use a 6ft leather training lead draped around my body as I find it easier than having the lead around my waist.
We started out in the garden and now have progressed to a lane by our row of garages.
There are some distractions there but not too many.

We are taking it nice & slow and now I have a dog walking nicely by my side, ears up, tail up and she's paying attention to me rather than sniffing everything.
The lead is loose and I am not even holding it.
Here is a link I found which describes the training routine.
http://www.dogleashtrainingblog.com/...lical-training

Has anyone else tried this?

I'm glad it seems to be working for you & your dog .

I read the link you posted but when I saw that one of the reasons they advocate this method was because it helps you become "pack leader", I must admit to thinking "here we go again!". And the "umbilical training" is just a catchy name for tying the lead to your waist so you have your hands free!

I'm also a bit sceptical about "transmitting" things down the lead ~ that seems highly unlikely if the lead is loose, & highly improbable if the dog is pulling like a train, intent on getting somewhere with a constantly tight lead. I suspect that the pressure on the dog's neck & the drive to get to something will completely overshadow anything being "transmitted" down a lead, even if such a thing were possible!

I don't think teaching a dog to walk on a loose lead is anything to do with being your dog's pack leader. It is just a simple matter of training a dog to do something that is convenient (for us) & safe (for the dog).

I'm also not in favour of the various devices, haltis, choke chains, slip leads etc etc suposedly designed to stop a dog pulling. I don't think they work. Yes they may make it very uncomfortable, & possibly painful if the dog pulls, so in that respect they can make it easier for us to control the dog ~ but they don't teach a dog not to pull on a lead. They teach a dog that it hurts if it pulls on the lead ~ & if it hurts enough, then the dog may stop pulling if the discomfort/pain overrides the drive to get where it wants to.

Having said that, the way you've described what you're doing with your dog, teaching the loose lead walking in the garden, & then somewhere with no distractions, is the way forward IMO. So I hope it works for you

I often walk my two with the leads clipped on my belt
I find it so much better
Hands are free for treats - and I walk more naturaly - can stride out and swing arms - and the dogs repond to that better
I also find it easier to pay attention to them because they are attached to me - dunno why but I do

It also means they have a fixed distance of lead from me - instead of in swinging hands

I love it!

My dogs both pull a lot on their leads, so much that we tend to avoid lead walks but i'm curious about trying this....

The trouble with this method is that it teaches the dog to keep a certain distance from you, not to follow you. I don`t really see how it can lead on (sorry) to off-lead excercises or that it encourages the dog to respond to you,
I find an ordinary lead, and the Drunken Walk method is good - you just keep changing direction till the dog starts to follow you. Then you praise or reward. In that method, the dog learns to look to you for guidance, and it makes a firm basis for all sorts of more advanced training.

Yes - it isnt a cure
I taught mine to walk nicely on lead first - and what happens at the end of the lead (Ie rewards stop and I stop moving) they know how to walk nicely then I clip to belt so I have hands free

But I did notice they walk even better on my belt than on normal lead

Mind you I do most of my training offlead and they are both much better offlead than on

This umbilical thing is a favourite of that dreadful american trainer - the one who screams at everybody. Steve something?

Eww, I dunno!
I wasnt following a method - just didnt have enough hands for 2 dogs, poo bags, keys, treats plus halti lead - I I thought to tie them to me - treats and everthing else in the belt

I saw a video of a lady doing this on utube a good while ago but I just can't find the video any more. .

We've tried everything with our Susi - the turning and walking in opposite directions when she pulls on the lead, drunken walking and she's soo bright she learnt to anticipate the turns etc.

Perhaps there is something in telegraphing your movements down the lead - I really don't know But as you can imagine this is a huge step forward for us.
Even when going out before we tried this method she had manners at the door, we go out first etc but once out in the big wide world she couldn't care two hoots who was on the other end of the lead.
With this new method she's looking up at me, and sometimes it's so sweet that she will nudge my hand with her nose as we're walking.
The main thing is I have a happy dog and more importantly I'm happier too.
She's a lovely dog with an affectionate gentle nature and this lead walking/pulling was really getting us down.
We've whistle trained her to recall so that's sorted but walking on the lead nicely has been a marathon.
Of course, we've not progressed much further than 2 quiet back streets in town to date but we don't want to rush it.
She will be 3 years old in September so you can see how long we've been struggling with this.

I don't think it's all down to us either - we had a Gt Dane X Newfie before we lost her at the age of 12 and when she was out walking on the lead it was loose all the time and sometimes I'd have to look to see if she was still there, bless her.