HELP! How do I stop my dog pulling other handlers?

8
May
2010

HELP! How do I stop my dog pulling other handlers?

Stopping your dog pulling is all about timing

Hi Howard,
I am looking for some advice. I bred my two working labs, who are quite well trained, and my parents took one of the pups. I've done the basic training, lead work, heel, and sit. I showed my parents how to keep this training going, but Sophie is hyper and boisterous. I recently visited them and she is taking over and they are just having to go along for the ride. I have tried taking her back to the beginning with heel work but she still pulls on the lead and any time she sees another dog she just about pulls them off their feet. This pup is only eight months old and I have kept another one for myself and is the total opposite of Sophie. Lucy will walk to heel and is not to fussy about other dogs. Sophie is walked on a rope lead like all my other gundogs but I am at a loss as to how to get her listening to my parents, staying at heel and more importantly stopping her pulling them to go and speak to other dogs. Are you able to give me some advice as I have run out of ideas on how to stop her pulling.
Thanks, Louise"

H&C's blogger and gundog expert Howard Kirby replies:

"Hi Louise,
It can be quite tricky once a dog has got into the habit of pulling on a lead. Teaching a dog to walk to heel is one of the most dificult skills to master; precise timing is required in order that the dog learns what is being asked of it. Quite often if a dog has been worked by a novice trainer the dog switches off - they have been corrected so many times that the corrections have left them confused and subsequently they become resilient, and accepting of the uncomfortable poisition that pulling on the lead puts on both dog and handler.

Based on what you say I really do feel that you might consider enlisting the help of a first class Gundog Trainer, they will need to demonstrate all of the techniques required to get your dog into a relaxed loose lead poisition.

A good trainer will be able to show get your dog walking to heel in just a few minutes, this will be good for the dog as well as allowing you guys to see that it is about getting the handler's technique up to speed. I'm not sure whereabouts you guys are based but if you can get to see us I would be only too pleased to try and sort this out as soon as possible.
Best wishes, Howard"