I have a 7 month old black lab mix who likes to tug on his leash. Hes had the same collar since he was 2 months old and its in need of replacement. He also has one of those leashes that extends, that was a bad choice from the start as well. Any advice on what sort of collar/leash to get him to stop his tugging?

2/21/2008 6:34:09 PM

electric fence, and let him tug, he is young and excited now so he will be antsy.

2/21/2008 6:37:35 PM

A standard 6' nylon or leather leash is plenty good, and I personally like a nylon slip collar, or thin metal choke put high on the neck, behind the ears and that will keep him from tugging - also, look up Cesar Millan, his books are wonderful. Don't let the dog lead you in the walks - keep him beside, or behind you at all times.

2/21/2008 6:38:58 PM

I have heard good things about Halti collars but have always had bulldogs (no snout to put around) to try it out.

2/21/2008 6:53:27 PM

Vet student checking in:

I've got a 60lb lab mix who is a serious puller. This saved my shoulder:
http://ttp://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/collars/gentleleader/description

It's the Gentle Leader headcollar. It's what is recommended by the behavior clinic at Penn's Teaching Hospital and works wonders.

Also, Cesar Millan is crap. Ugh.

2/21/2008 7:01:09 PM

fyi, you must be VERY careful with the gentle leaders!!

work with your dog...teach him to heel. try clicker training and some yummy treats.

if you do go with the gentle leader, NEVER hook the retractable leash to it. A 6ft lead will be fine. Also, NEVER jerk your pup. The gentle leader (or Halti, by another manufacturer), are used to gently control your dog's head. If you jerk, you risk inflicting injury to their neck.

These can be just as dangerous as a "choke chain" when in the wrong hands.

However, they can be very helpful if you use them properly.

Word of advice, training heel will help you wean your dog off of this head collar.

2/21/2008 7:08:18 PM

You're crap! ugh!

For a bad puller go with the pinch! word

Also lupine has a lifetime gaurantee even if they chew it up!

haaaaaaay

2/21/2008 7:32:33 PM

Hey! I've tried the halti (gentle leader) too, it seems to work great for some dogs, but then others just spend the entire walk fighting it, trying to pull it off their nose (which typically is successful). I was at the flea market last year and found this amazing anti-pull harness. I haven't been able to find the same one in petsmart or petco, but it was at that little pet tent for $11.00. It puts pressure around the area just behind the shoulder, a tight squeeze, which seems to be just uncomfortable enough to deter pulling. My dobie was an awful puller and it made walks amazingly enjoyable! In my experience though the other harnesses I've tried from petsmart do not seem to work the same and just aren't as effective.

One thing in particular I didn't like about the halti was that my dog began to focus more on where his face was being pulled rather than the fact that I was trying to get him to learn 'heel'. The harness didn't seem to be as distracting.

Agree with Ceaser or not, I have to admit using a nylon cinch collar up around the throat latch has saved my shoulders from MANY out-of-control labs at the animal hospital!

2/21/2008 8:34:21 PM

my dog has a black and maroon argyle collar and an extendable leash... but he only weighs like 17 pounds.

[Edited on February 21, 2008 at 8:45 PM. Reason : ]

2/21/2008 8:45:24 PM

I own both of Cesar's books, and have used his methods on my own dogs and have seen a TREMENDOUS difference in their behavior...especially with my 3 yr old English Bull Terrier. I adopted her from a home that had no rules, boundaries, or limitations and she was an out of control, but 'happy' dog - who would pull her previous owners around with a really thick, too big for her, choke chain (which wore the hair off her throat).

My boyfriend and I have read the books, and got the right kinds of tools to use (prong collar and a back pack with weights), and with the help of a professional, we got tips with her not pulling and becoming more balanced. We walk her 3x or more a day (long walks), abide by pack rules (being the leader of the pack), make her work for her food by behaving on walks, and being calm and submissive before giving her food.

She now is a calm, submissive dog - who has no bad habits - will listen when told to do something, and can now be walked with a regular buckle collar and no back pack.

dzags - we knew an instant improvement in her behavior on walks with the back pack because it gave her a job to do, and used more mental energy as well as physical energy. I'd try that as well - we did a litre of water on each side.

alee - have you had any experience with his dog training methods?

2/21/2008 9:10:45 PM

yeah no flexi leashes, those will do you no good whatsoever.
It's not even so much what kind of collar leash you use, it's what you DO with it. hell, you can use a cheap leash to walk your dog, just make it into a loop and put it high on the head and behind the ears. Tire him out, run the heck out of him! it will make it all the more easier to control him - he will be happy and so will you.

2/21/2008 9:56:14 PM

I use a gentle leader with my dog sometimes because he gets real excited around other dogs and squirrels, and he does pretty good with it. I still use a regular collar and retractable leash every now and then and he totally knows the difference and acts differently with each kind.

The only gripes I have with the gentle leader is that it seems to make his eyes goopy, I guess from where it sits across his nose.

2/21/2008 10:15:04 PM

Never use a chain, way too easy to damage the dog's trachea.

If you want a nylon collar to leave on, go with the slip style.

If you want a training collar, get a prong

If you want to annoy the dog into not pulling by redirecting its head, then get a halti/gentle leader.

6 foot leash is all you need, flexis just make a dog pull more.

2/21/2008 11:43:27 PM

Yup, retractable leashes are horrible for your dog. Just get a sturdy 6 ft. lead, make your dog walk next to you, use sharp corrections and stops to make sure he is paying attention to you. Don't let him sniff about, don't let him tug, make him follow you. It's not brain surgery, it's controlling an animal.

I have a 90 lbs. black lab and he doesn't yank me around.

2/22/2008 12:30:20 AM

My family got a nylon collar which has my dog's name and our telephone number on it.

My dog is a weimaraner who can pull hard, but never broken out of the collar.

One reason we have our phone # on her collar is because she is in an invisible fence so she can break out, if she wants.

2/22/2008 2:18:24 AM

^ you need to get the one that shocks that ass constantly until back in the yard

2/22/2008 3:32:55 AM

don't you think if it shocks them when they cross out of the yard...it'd shock them if they crossed back in?? kinda retroactive in my opinion.

2/22/2008 4:32:09 AM

Quote :

"alee - have you had any experience with his dog training methods?"

Have you actually watched the show and paid attention to the dogs that he's "training"? Flooding, alpha rolling and physical punishment are outdated, can stress out the dog and can result in the owner getting attacked.

Have you ever had any chats with a behavorist with an actual degree or professional veterinary behaviorist that has their Dipl. ACVB? My behavior professors are appalled with his methods.

Quote :

"“Cesar Millan's methods are based on flooding and punishment. The results, though immediate, will be only transitory. His methods are misguided, outmoded, in some cases dangerous, and often inhumane. You would not want to be a dog under his sphere of influence. The sad thing is that the public does not recognize the error of his ways. My college thinks it is a travesty. We’ve written to National Geographic Channel and told them they have put dog training back 20 years.” Dr. Nicholas Dodman - Professor and Head, Section of Animal Behavior Director of Behavior Clinic, Tufts University - Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine"

Quote :

""A number of qualified professionals have voiced concern for the welfare of pet dogs that experience the strong corrections administered by Mr. Millan. My concerns are based on his inappropriateness, inaccurate statements, and complete fabrications of explanations for dog behavior. His ideas, especially those about “dominance”, are completely disconnected from the sciences of ethology and animal learning, which are our best hope for understanding and training our dogs and meeting their behavioral needs. Many of the techniques he encourages the public to try are dangerous, and not good for dogs or our relationships with them ." Dr. Suzanne Hetts, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist "

2/22/2008 11:39:23 AM

Get your dog a 6' leash and keep him on it... when he tugs give one firm yank back... enough to turn its head toward you and him know your pissed off at him. Keep this up and your dog will know EXACTLY where the end of its leash is and will try to avoid hitting it.

Those adjustable leashes are the dumbest thing in the world to have with a puppy.
Consistency is key. If some times he runs out free till 20' and other times he gets clipped at 10' he doesn't know what he did different or why he wasn't allowed to go as far.. and may thing that if he'd just have run faster he would have made it farther.

2/22/2008 11:57:38 AM

i have found that a roman harness works really well. my dog doesnt choke herself and it seems t o slow her down.

2/22/2008 12:37:36 PM

I have a choke chain on a 25' retractable leash.

my dog knows that when i disengage the locking mechanism, he is free to 'wander' about, but when it is engaged, he knows to walk with me and not pull. (after he calms down a bit of course)

there is NOTHING wrong with a retractable leash if you use it correctly. personally I don't like to stand within 5 feet of my dog when it is shitting. sorry.

2/22/2008 1:37:45 PM

my dog was a tugger that problem was fixed when we got him a shoulder harness. Another way to get the dog from tugging is to start walking in the other direction when the dog starts pulling too much. It sends the message that you are the one taking it for a walk and not the other way around.

2/22/2008 1:45:48 PM

Quote :

"Criticism There are professional trainers, behavior consultants and behaviorists that state that Millan's methods are inhumane, referring to the use of alpha rolls, flooding, and constant leash corrections. According to them, these techniques can have serious behavioral consequences. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, the director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine of Tufts University, has said "Cesar Millan's methods are based on flooding and punishment. The results, though immediate, will be only transitory. His methods are misguided, outmoded, in some cases dangerous, and often inhumane. You would not want to be a dog under his sphere of influence. The sad thing is that the public does not recognize the error of his ways." [2] In a February 23, 2006, New York Times article, Dr. Dodman says of Millan's show, "My college thinks it is a travesty. We've written to National Geographic Channel and told them they have put dog training back 20 years."[1] Jean Donaldson, The San Francisco SPCA Director of The Academy for Dog Trainers states, "Practices such as physically confronting aggressive dogs and using of choke collars for fearful dogs are outrageous by even the most diluted dog training standards. A profession that has been making steady gains in its professionalism, technical sophistication and humane standards has been greatly set back. I have long been deeply troubled by the popularity of Mr. Millan as so many will emulate him. To co-opt a word like whispering for arcane, violent and technically unsound practice is unconscionable." [3] Dr. Ian Dunbar, Director of the Center for Applied Animal Behavior in Berkeley says, "He has nice dog skills, but from a scientific point of view, what he says is, well ... different," says Dunbar. "Heaven forbid if anyone else tries his methods, because a lot of what he does is not without danger." [4] Dr. Andrew Luescher, Veterinary Behaviorist for the Animal Behavior Clinic at Purdue University says, "Millan's techniques are almost exclusively based on two techniques: flooding and positive punishment. In flooding, an animal is exposed to a fear (or aggression) evoking stimulus and prevented from leaving the situation, until it stops reacting. To take a human example: arachnophobia would be treated by locking a person into a closet, releasing hundreds of spiders into that closet, and keeping the door shut until the person stops reacting. The person might be cured by that, but also might be severely disturbed and would have gone through an excessive amount of stress. Flooding has therefore always been considered a risky and cruel method of treatment." [5] On September 6, 2006, The American Humane Association issued a press release condemning Millan's tactics as "inhumane, outdated, and improper" and called on the National Geographic Channel to cease airing the program immediately. [6] In October 2006, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants wrote a letter to the National Geographic Channel regarding concerns "that the program may lead children to engage in unsafe behaviors." The Association called for a change in the program's rating of TV-G. [7]"

i bet these are the same type of people who advocate "time outs" instead of a good spanking for children.

2/22/2008 9:33:44 PM

Quote :

"i bet these are the same type of people who advocate "time outs" instead of a good spanking for children."

I can't tell whether you're serious. Dang it people, use some smilies once in a while.

2/22/2008 9:37:21 PM

i mean, obviously the ones i quoted are dog 'people' and the people who advocate time outs are child 'people,' but i bet they have the same type of personality.

kids need a firm hand.
dogs need a firm hand.

2/22/2008 9:40:05 PM

I love Cesar Millan! And Daddy is the most awesome Pit Bull EVER!!!

2/22/2008 9:52:48 PM

smath, you have already proven you have no clue by using a choke chain.

You should read books by half of those people that gave their opinion on Cesar. His methods are all drama for TV, but in the end they don't teach the dog much and have a good chance of fucking it up and making the dog hurt you.

2/22/2008 10:28:07 PM

I've never had a dog, that I trained with a choke chain, attack me.

2/22/2008 11:03:20 PM

Well, I guess I have living proof that his methods do work when done properly - i.e. my dog.

2/23/2008 7:52:38 AM

I'm going to have to disagree with those professors up there. If you watch a wolf pack in the wild, they do EXACTLY the same stuff Cesar does with dogs. How can this be damaging to them? Even a wild in the city dog pack acts like this on a normal basis. Granted, a human wouldn't want to pull this stuff on a wolf, but dogs have an inbred need to serve humans, and some dogs just need to be gently put back in line. I disagree that his methods hurt the dog, I think it's more of a wake-up call for the dog. I wish he had been around when we had my dog Sam, he would have had a much better life.

2/23/2008 10:38:42 AM

Quote :

"smath, you have already proven you have no clue by using a choke chain."

there is nothing wrong with the choke chain.

if i constantly tugged at it, yes, but i really just use it because it's easier to put on the dog when i take it out.

2/23/2008 11:15:43 AM

Choke chains aren't horrid if you use them properly. There's really not another way for a 120 lb woman to walk a 150+ lb dog aggressive Akita.

2/23/2008 6:39:52 PM

Quote :

"Choke chains aren't horrid if you use them properly. There's really not another way for a 120 lb woman to walk a 150+ lb dog aggressive Akita."

Prong collar. SO much more effective and better for the dog.

2/24/2008 12:20:53 AM

on larger dogs, we've always used those plastic coated ones about 1" wide that have the brass tag with the owner's name and phone number stamped on it riveted to them. they are not expensive but work very well.

2/24/2008 12:24:28 AM

^^yeah, when we were beginning to train my bullie, we had to get a prong to give her corrections to not pull - then we switched her to a light chain (thin metal choke) and now she's on a buckle.

and Lutra, you're right - if anyone knows anything about dog behavior in the wild, they'd know that Cesar's methods aren't harsh, and abrasive. Most dogs today are spoiled rotten, have no boundaries or rules and haven't had enough exercise. That's why they have problems. Walking is the key to solving a ton of issues

2/24/2008 9:36:55 AM