Maybe this will make you feel better:

Dex is my first Lab. When I adopted him, walking him was impossible. He would fly down the street, yanking me behind him - my feet barely touched the ground. If I wanted him to stop, I had to reach out and cling on to a lamp post

He also used to leap up to say hello to anyone passing us. One day after he'd been here for about six weeks, he was walking me back towards our house, when we saw a neighbour and her three young children. As we went racing past them, I heard one of the kids turn solemnly to his mum and declare: 'That's the Naughty Dog'.

Oh, the embarrassment.........!


So I really do know where you're coming from

For me the first step was finding a headcollar that my dog would tolerate; he didn't like it, but I had no choice but to get him used to wearing it. It was either that or no walks! Once you are walking your boy regularly, and can control him better with the headcollar, you can then reward him for calmer behaviour.

Honestly, I used to come back home in tears and a nervous wreck after walks with Dexter.

Try the Dogmatic and also look into harnesses; I'm just about to put up a query about harnesses as it happens so maybe it will be helpful for you too ?

Also, I really did find the 'watch me' hugely helpful - let me know if you'd like more details.

A couple of good training books apart from those already mentioned are:

The Complete Idiot's guide to Positive Dog Training by Pam Dennison (very good)

How to Train a Superdog by Gwen Bailey

Also if you go to the Dogs Trust Vids, by Carolyn Menteith, you can find some useful info on how to train lots of basic exercises and how to prevent common problems

You can also try www.apdt.co.uk for a dog trainer, also COAPE. If you are in the Midlands you may be near to Marie Miller; she is on the APDT list and is very good. She doesnot do silly prices either

Wys
x

I found using one of the bigger Flexi leads at the park was really great; it gave my dog a bit more freedom and was really helpful in practising recall.

I would never use one anywhere but in a park, though, and don't use it with the headcollar - very dangerous.


It is fab that you're catching your dog's bad habits at this young age - you will end up with a wonderful companion who is well behaved

Hi

Unfortunately you are making a bit of a rod for your own back by avoiding things that you know he will react to. I TOTALLY understand wanting to avoid the stress of things and just have an 'easy' walk, but long term it is not really practical to avoid things as he'll get worse and worse. The more of a novelty something is (meeting other dogs/people for instance) the more desperate he will be to get to it. The less of a novelty something is the less interesting it is.

I wonder if there are any Dogsey members in the Midlands who might be kind enough to meet up with you so he gets to play with some other dogs?

I would definitely start training for a whistle recall and the garden is the perfect place to begin.

If it is any consolation, even my 9 year old male Labrador who is by far one of the easiest dogs I've ever owned was a pain in the backside at that age. 9 months is an awful age for a lot of dogs -- the canine equivalent of being a teenager! mine spent a LOT of time on a Flexi lead at that age because recall was pretty terrible.

Just a note it is not VITAL that your dog PLAYS with other dogs.

In fact if your dog has a poor recall and views other dogs as the best thing since sliced bread it is better he does NOT play with them.

What IS essential is that he listens to you, is obedient and is exposed to SOME dogs in a CONTROLLED fashion (if he wants to play with them and they with him) as reinforcement for compliance.

IE playtime is contingent on responding to you the owner.

Other dogs should signal to the dog that their presence is the cue for you both to have a great time together.

All dog training is contingent on good relationships.

I use the ABC method of dog training.

Attitude - ie get the dog to want to be with you, work with you.

Behaviour - ie get the behaviours you want your dog to exhibit

Control - once you have the right attitude and the correct behaviours you can then put them under control and thus control your dog.

This will mean you dog will become the Martini Dog, you can take him any time, any place, anywhere as you know he will behave and you have total control.

BUT

This takes time and often some attention from a trainer who can help you with timing and progress.

That's what I meant to say

Also, though, it doesn't sound as though the dog is getting much socialisation at all re other dogs. I agree that any play should be contingent upon giving a desired behaviour first, but surely it's vital for this young dog to learn how to interact and play with other dogs...?

Thought I'd post here so I can tell you fresh. So I decided to stop being silly and just 'man up' and take homer out. I used his harness not the halti as he just walks backwards with halti. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It wasn't a pleasant walk but moments were. I stopped each time he pulled and he didn't continue to pull once stopped. I could stop the walk Abd ask him to sit at any point. He did try to jump up people as the walked past but I knew he would so managed to stop him. I'm not 'worried' about this though as its just bad manners really and being overly friendly. We came across a few dogs (not many though). There was an elderly lady with two tiny dogs (fluffy and tiny). She saw me stop starting up and down the road and crosses over to avoid him. He barked at the dogs as we chatted. He wagged his tail the entire time but she was too nervous of his bark to come over I think??

We spent half hour on this walk but Thst was not half hours worth of distance? You think just basic training required here along with frequent walking?

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/lo..._diagramed.doc
http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/le...lktogether.pdf
http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/strolling_on_lead.doc
http://www.learningaboutdogs.com/aca...alktogdvd.html
http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/wa...headhalter.pdf

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/541

Look under loose leash walking here:


http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti...ndex.htm#basic

Book: My dog pulls what do I do? By Turid Rugaas

Thanks. Will read through those x

Well done

Sounds like you kept very calm which is key, because the calmer you are, the calmer your dog will become.

My Lab used to jump up to greet people as well, but doesn't do so any more. You'll find that now you are interrupting his habit of doing so, he will learn not to do it.

Keep up with the regular walks and reward your boy when he behaves calmly - any pics of him?