diego

[mattserinadiego]

Hi. my name is serina.  i  posted on the bpo meet and greet about a week or two ago.  Just wanted to say to those who gave me advice- thank you! i tried the crate training and doggie proofing and it has made all the difference in the world!!!  so i thought i would ask one more question- walking. diego is 9 months. he sometimes pulls. sometimes doesnt. i probably should invest in a harness. my concern is during moments of distractions- a large truck passes or another dog is nearby (that is a big one) he loses all discipline and wigs out.  he wants to do what he wants no matter what.   what should i do in those situations? how should i handle it?? i get nervous because he is only getting bigger and stronger....

i am going to try to post a few photos so you can see who diego is =)

thanks again everyone!

[RMSChloe]

well, unfortunately im no real big help there, i dont have that problem so i cant help. the only thing i do want to say is that i know the first step to correcting that, and it starts with you. you can get upset or nervous. what happens then is you get extra adrenaline and hormones running through your body and you being to put out smells, you cant smell these, but the dog can. and thats how the dog can tell youre nervous about it, and that can only make the situation worse. its good that you know you need to get control of this now, once theyre big, theyre big... and theres no going little again lol. its so much easier when theyre small to correct these things. good luck to you!

[Nicole]

Hi and welcome! Diego is a munch!

About the harness. If you are trying to correct pulling, the harness is a definite NO-GO! Harnesses allow dogs to pull BETTER! They can get their whole chest into it, which is much stronger than their necks. It actually can encourage pulling.

You will just have to do some basic leash training. Don't walk unless Diego isn't pulling. It can be maddening. I had a foster, Dudley, that was the WORST puller. I would walk 2 steps, he'd start pulling, we'd stop. One step, stop. A walk around the block could take HOURS. hahha! But, they have to know that unless they're being nice, the walk will not happen.

You may want to try a Halti or Gentle Leader to help with the training. There's a good thread on it here by our friend Jeanne.

Nice to meet you!

[Nicole]

My girls are pullers, too!  Recently, I met a new trainer who really encouraged me to just walk the other way when they pull. It works wonders. If they pull, I turn really quick and start walking the other way. Once they catch up and fall into a "heel", I give them a treat. If they pull again, we turn back around. It works!

I didn't get out of the driveway for a long time with all the circles we were walking in but it works! LOL

OH! I did this with Cosmo, too! It worked pretty well!

[jennifer]

Hi Serina. This is the right place to ask questions - I get all my good advice from BPO.   I use the 'turn around and walk away' like Juju, and it really works. Another good distraction is to put them in training mode. Bear is food motivated (of course  . If I see a situation that might send him loony I turn him toward me, show him a treat, and make him do something (lie down, be still, roll over, high-five, whatever) to keep his attention on me. It works! Just be patient - not everything works the first time - and - not everything works for every dog. You'll find the right treatment for your pup.  Good luck and keep us posted.