Walking

Hi. I've had my pit bull since February 26, 2006. I rescued him, so I do not know his exact pedigree. He and I are a good match and have a lot of fun together. As he is a high-energy dog, I walk him every night. He is so strong and excited to be walking that he could literally drag me around the block if I let him. Instead, I'm trying to train him to heel and not pull. He still pulls quite a bit and as a result I can only make it once around the block usually, because my arm and hand hurt so much. I'm using a regular cloth collar and lease. He is responsive to my commands, but this is a hard experience and I want to train him properly and fairly. Any suggestions on how to train him so that our walks are pleasant for both of us?

With thanks,
ACR

 

choke up on the leash when you walk him when he starts to pull, pull up on his leash and tell him "walk" put him back down and as soon as he does it agian pull up on the leash and give the command again, every dog is different though, some dogs are so intense they'll pull you till you're ready to quit. me personally like when my dogs pull it's good for both of us. you can also start teaching him commands like sit and stay once he gets used to taking commands from you the walking should come easier.

 

Also , try a Leash with better cushion for the hand. I use a horse lead. I am also working with my 8.5 month male. Good Luck

 

Do you walk your dog in the public eye, or is this going on out in the country? If it was going on in the country, I'd tell ya to just buy a horse lead (strong, nice hardware, good length, and round so they fit well in the hand and dont cause any pain). However, if your in the city, obviously it doesnt look good for a APBT to be dragging its owner around the block uncontrollably. In which case, I would advice against the horse lead and work on obedience training and heeling on leash. Continue on that path of training consistently and you should end up where you'd like in the future (a dog that ultimately doesnt pull). Also, I dont know how large your blocks are, but a high-energy working breed demands more excersise than that. I'm very glad you are trying, and if you absolutely cannot walk the dog more to the point its so tired out it cant pull (a good couple miles after you build up some stamina ) I recommend you walk the dog more frequently. A tired pitbull, is a happy pitbull. I like to get in at least 3-4 miles a day minimum, be it strictly hand-walking, or using some sort of assistance to get finished in less time (running along side 4-wheeler, chasing rc cars, playing frisbee, etc). You should be able to complete a 3-4 mile walk in less than an hour, which isnt too much of a sacrafice to ensure you dog (and you!) stay happy and healthy, and mentally and physically stimulated. Best of luck ACR, and welcome to the board (check your spam folder for the activation link to finish registering, and you can use the free gallery to show your pride and joy ).

 

Put your dog on the leash with his regular collar on then wrap the leash around his belly then make a loop (no knots) then walk when the dog pulls just gently pull back on the leash say no pull then continue. I'll try to PM a pic of this when I get a chance sorry for the description.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions from everyone who responded! It's nice to have a supportive community.

Last night on our walk, I pulled back on his lease every time he pulled and said "heel". I spoke sweetly to him when he was not pulling. He seems to be getting the message. My abs are getting a workout. :-) Tonight, we made it around the block three times! Yah!

My dog (my baby) is Sug' (for Sugar). I live in the city (wish I was in the country). I know Sug' needs a lot of exercise and I want to give him that. In addition to walking, I exercise him in my backyard by throwing his toys, which he fetches, and playing tug-of-war with his rope.

Sug' came to me knowing the commands, "no", "sit" and "stay". He obviously had prior training. Very sadly, I'm pretty sure he was also abused. He is hyper-sensitive to a stern voice and does not like men. He almost always acts frightened and/or aggressive around men. He is friendly and loving toward women. He is such a sweetheart and I'm angry that anyone ever hurt him!

I'm human and from time to time, I get frustrated when he disregards a command (does not happen often). I then feel really bad for my frustration. Fortunately, Sug' does not seem bothered (wags tail, licks me). I think I know the answer, but is this kind of frustration on my part normal and if so, how do you all handle your frustration?

Thanks,
ACR

 

PS: In my previous post, I did not intend to change topics. Pardon me if I did something that is against the rules of this online community. I'm new to both pits and this site. Thanks for bearing with me as I learn the ropes. :-)

 

Try using a prong collar. Just a leather leash and a prong collar fitted way up high on the neck, preferably right behind the ears. Just a few pops of the leash and he should quit pulling!

 

I recomend the gentle leader or a Halter (its a type of harness) I have seen such amazing results with these...you can get them at PetSmart for sure, but I'm not sure about PetCo...they are great though!

 

I won't use a GL because most people mistake it for a muzzle.

 

A prong collar is not made for a heavy puller. It is actually there to sharpen up behaviors once the dog has been trained. If you've ever seen a police dog train, they'll sometimes have three collars, the flat nylon, the chain, and the prong. Obviously they aren't for a dog or handler that is just starting out.

The most common reason for pulling is actually dominance. He wants to be in front. The trick is to put him behind you. They best way to do this is to simply turn around whenever he gets too far ahead. Give him a six foot leash and a choke chain. If he runs in front of you, just turn around. Give him the full six feet to realize you've turned, then tug on the chain and bump him back to within the radius of the leash.(Do not keep steady pressure on the chain. Most dogs, especially pit bulls will ignore it) When he runs ahead of you, just turn around again. You'll look really silly walking back and forth like this, but eventually he'll start to watch you. Once he starts to check where you are and can keep track of you at six feet of leash, take up a foot and only allow him five feet to realize his mistakes. This is what I use for the humane society dogs. It works fairly quickly once you get the hang of it. I watched the person I learned this technique from teach a 6-month-old pit bull within ten minutes. It'll probably take longer for you since you've never used this technique.

 

That is true...but I really really like the Halter....doesn't hurt them, doesn't dig in...so its mostly what you like...

 

Thanks for all the tips!

My hard work is paying off! I'm consistently using the command "heel" and repeating it, while pulling back, every time Sug' pulls me. He is catching on. Also, today I purchased a harness, which is the most humane option I found. This harness gives me more control when I need to pull or direct Sug'.

Happy walking,
ACR

 

make sure your dog is in the "heel" position before you give the command.
your dog doesn't understand a word you're saying, they associate sounds
with actions. if you are not consistant in using the command at the exact
second he heels, you're only going to succeed at confusing him. good luck.