I`ve been training Daisy intensively for 3+ years. I still have to do the drunken walk thing every time we leave the house. By time we get to the main road she`s walking nicely - but I`m shattered .
One of my GSDs was 8 when she stopped needing this initial work. And that was because she had developed severe arthritis in her knee after a bite from a small dog.

Pulling a pet hate here Imafraid.

I don't care if they don't walk to heel, but I hate being pulled or dragged into the middle of next week.

I have Reah a slow walker, so having two others pulling me up the road just wasn't on.

Bruce was really the worst for this, but with him, once coupled with Skye, it was getting competative to be ''in the lead'' I have worked on this and thankfully he has realised its not a race

One of the things i do like to have is a dog that walks without pulling - its one of my "things" - BUT i do believe that certain breeds (Springers come to mind) are much harder to train to do so than other breeds.

I certainly don't look down on peeps that have dogs that pull - and I believe it's not necessary to train all dogs not to pull, esp. if they are very small and it's not bothering either them or the owner.

I'd far rather see relaxed owners and dogs than how it used to be years ago with dogs being walked on check chains and half strangled as the dogs kept pulling!

Wys
x

On days like this where i couldnt get the car out so had town walk my boxers,
The pavments and roads are so lethal with snow and ice i couldnt cope with them pulling it wouldnt be safe for me or them ..
But would i look down on a dog that pulled not a chance that old saying comes to mind ''there for the grace of god goes i '' cause it could all change with my next dogs .... Murf

I'm not bothered if my dogs are slightly in front of me, as long as they arent pulling but I will not tolerate them swapping and changing sides and crossing in front of me, it's dangerous. Each dog has their own place when lead walking and I insist they stick to that. Having said that, Flynn does pull like a train and i've tried various things to get him to stop but it doesnt work. Even treats cant tempt him to stay by my side. It's my fault for not putting in the time but since we rarely lead walk, i've never had the motivation to sort it out.

I would say dogs do need to walk nicely on a lead because it's not nice for the owner to be dragged along, back and arms aching and it's not nice for the dog to be towing somebody.

I do envy multidog owners who I see and all dogs are walking nicely by their side. My problem is Jed lags behind and tries his luck at sniffing everything so i'm constantly being pulled back. Flynn steams on ahead at 100mph and Jessie is so skittish that you never know where she's going. To say it hurts my back to walk twisted like that is putting it mildly.

kira pulls, and i do get a bit embarrased sometimes, especially when she bunny hops towards another dog but we're working on it, and shes slowly getting better at lead walking.

i think its more difficult for us because she's trained to pull, she okish when walking cuz we use a collar, but try walk her in a harness, any harness, and you'll be on your @r$e lol

While there are many ways to train a dog to walk nicely, I am flabbergasted this thread has gone 3 pages. A loose lead is only less fundamental to having a dog than housebreaking.

Yes but then you only deal with obliging labs. Whats more your 'housebreaking' methods leave a lot to be desired.

rune

I have a Stafford, and often look on in awe of people whose dogs walk perfectly to heel (all the time)....the majority of the time I am content to have a loose lead with dog attached....that suits me down to the ground. Although if I wanted Sal to walk to heel it is an easy transition but one I rarely do unless someone is being a real "pain" with an out of control (barking lunging dog) and showing no remose and I have a well behaved Stafford I just call her to heel and walk past.....as if - I suspect thinking of it now I do it - to prove to all around that Staffords are not all snarling/dog eating machines they read about. As my Stafford is walking perfectly to heel, but I would not passjudgement on anyone whose dog pulls.. its blinking hard work I would imagine with some dogs I know my own breed SBT are notorious pullers.....and a godd 75% of those I see out pull. I am "lucky" I have never had a puller as such. I think its a hard thing to stop once started, so hope I continue with my good luck and not get pullers who can't be dispersuaded.

LOL to the springers---I'd say I was doing well with that but then until today I thought I had a recall (G)!

rune