A short sharp jerk on the lead for some dogs is just an alert trigger..........

So so true. I was advised to give a quick tug on the leash, but it wasn't fear related. It was frustration related. It did NOT work. It made her more frustrated. And then I went and learned more about dogs and positive reinforcement and found a better way to work with her reactivity.

Works a dream with my 2, which goes to show how they are all different and have their little quirks.

I certainly agree with not shouting, but a crisp, barking "oi!" or "No" is not shouting, it is being assertive, and my 2 definitely respond to that.

I do not have a dog called Oi...........

The idea is that their name is not associated with punishment

So everytime they hear the word OI now, that tells them they are going to get punished?!

No it is an alarm call - wake up please, I want you to come to heel, or whatever command I follow up with.

To give an example ... we are walking past the chicken runs in the field at the back of our house. Tai cannot get at them, but he thinks it's funny to run at the wire and make them fly up and squawk. A couple or so years ago I trained him very easily and quickly not to do this, but he has started doing this again, so last weekend I walked him up and down a couple of times past the runs on a nice slack lead. First pass, he turned his head and pricked up his ears, all ready to take a lunge at them, so I give him a firm tug on the lead - nothing severe, just a horse lead rope attached to a normal leather collar, not a choke chain or a slip lead - and say "no" at the same time. We turn and come back, and this time he takes a look, but no tensing of the body ready to make a run, just an interested look. This time, I just say "no", and we carry on. Third pass, he turns his head and looks, no ear pricking, no tensing. We turn, and do a fourth pass, and he is walking nicely to heel, on a slack lead, I say his name and he looks up at me and I tell him he is a good boy and off we go on our walk, with Tai off lead.

Coming back, we do the same thing, but no lead this time. As we approach the runs, he tenses up, head comes up, ears pricked, he's about to make a dash, when a sharp "oi" stops him in his tracks, he turns and looks up at me and I tell him he is such a good boy and make a huge fuss of him.

It doesn't have to be an oi, or a no, it could be a hey, or a tsst or whatever noise or sound you fancy.

This assertiveness works with my boys. It worked with Hal as well, it may not work with other dogs, but I don't have to concern myself about other dogs, and if what I am doing is cruel, then so be it, I am cruel.

Hmm I just tell my dogs to down/sit/stand or come, or heel, I do not need an interruptor, I just give them something ELSE to do instead.

But I rely on our relationship rather than the lead.

Weird, I know.

Come on I think maybe pro punishment is getting a bit carried away if the posts were saying the poor dog was being smacked or hurt in any way then thats something to rile you but a sharp tug on a normal lead and collar is not a punishment at all for the dog it is merely bringing it back to attention, those of you that are lucky enough to have a dog that will lose interest if you ignore the unwanted behaviour then lucky you but all dogs are individuals.
My lab would take me on a land ski ride when I first had her if I'd ignored her lunges at other dogs, people, horses, chickens, anything she thought she may get some attention from, as a rescue she was never socialised, that short quick tug saved many a muddy person, she did get to a few people one of which was a lady in white pants, needless to day me and Summer were not at all popular!! she would only be saying 'hello' but I wouldn't appreciate somebody letting their dog lunge at me as they wanted to ignore the unwated behaviour.
The dog we had before Summer didn't need that tug he would lose interest with positive reinforcement, still to see what my new pup will do but I will definitley be starting with positive reinforcement.
I wouldn't say the tug makes you cruel!!