Problems with walking

[Dobe1]

Having problems walking my 8 month old Doberman, he is now getting a little too strong to restrain, I have tried the nose harness as well as the choker chain, to no avail, any advice???

[dobetaztic]

how long did you try the head collars for and is it pulling issues on general walks or does he pull to see other dogs and people. dobermans need persiverance with lead walking as they instinctly feel they need to be in front of you and first around the courner. there are good walking harnesess you could try these prevent dogs from pulling such as the halti harnes, thestopo pull is the one i have used on my own dogs and clients dogs. you also need to get your dobie to focus on you and not the whole world. take toys or food out with you so to get attention on you.

i have found clicker training very effective to train my last few pups and other dogs, once the dog realises click means treat you can click the dog for all wanted behaqviours it is quite fun watching your dog try every thing for that click, when it comes to walking i click when they walk nice next to me and say no if they move a head. when they pull after the no i stop and walk backwards when the dog comes to my side i click and continue the walk. BEWARNED you need patients lots and lots of it, dont take your dog out if in a rush cos lead training to stop pulling has to take time and you cannot let the dog pull once just cos your late, as this will send a message to your dog that pulling can be benificial and the pulling will continue.

there are hundres of ways to stop your dog from pulling and there are some good books that can help or seek a training class or one to one tutor. i know there are plenty in your area and many are very reputable. :)

[Dobe1]

I have tried the halti harness (nose) but he just continues to pull and it contorts his face!! I have thought about getting the chest harness but thought that this would give him more pull??? I must admit as you say he is so into everything going on around him (dogs/people/BIRDS) he is oblivious to what I am trying to do. I find I am getting more and more frustrated as he is so strong. He pulls to see other dogs to say hello, and I find the other dogs owners are very wary of him although he is so friendly, at the moment I am unable to let him off the lead for a run as he is going through the deaf stage where he will not return. In the house he is so docile, really like a much more maturer dog and great around the kids. I do make sure I am out of the door first and do try to keep one step in front as I am aware of the pecking order. I am hoping he will get better with age as I know dobies are a handful for a lot longer than other breeds, but I wouldn't swap him for the world!

[Suz23]

He needs to learn what walking to heel means - he just doesnt know. Haltis etc are ok and my mum uses one on our collie JUST INCASE he pulls as she has a back problem and a small pull can have her laid up for weeks - but we dont rely on it - he is trained to walk to heel and we can walk him on a collar and lead no problem.

Haltis and harness dont train the dog to walk to heel they just mask the problem - in my opinion the dog has really learnt anything.

What you have to remember is that when a dog pulls he gets the best reward ever - the walk.
When he pulls stop get him back to heel and carry on - the minute he pulls the walk stops - if you have to turn the other way to get him back to heel. He needs to learn that he only gets the reward of a walk if hes in to heel. It doesnt have to be a perfect heel - depends what your happy with - however id say for you go for the best you can,anything less and he will just push it till hes pulling again.

[dobetaztic]

hello again halti had a body harness now and none of these help train the dog but does allow the owner to gain controle and become relaxed enabling them to instigate training, here is one for you if live in east yorkshire how about a walk out with a couple of mine it enables good clean boistrous dobie fun,just thought it might help. here are a couple more tips.

1. when trying to go for walk dont put lead on till your dog sits, it may take a day before yuou get out but it will teach first step of being calm.

2. when at front door put leaqd in one hand, other on handle of door, then slowly turn and open very slowlely i know what will happen in good dobie fashion he wil be head butting the door, however as soon as he moves swiftly shut door never take hand off handle dont worry about pranging his nose it shouldnt be there, open slow close quick , only opening small amounts as dobies are quick i bet it takes two minutes before you realise he is sat behind you waitin patiently for the door to open. its workede on all mine, and to those that think ctuel i am not suggesting trapping the dog in the door door only opens a small amount until dog retreet behind owner if dog already half through dont shut the door.


3. walk backwards if dog pulls,

4. just before approaching a corner sit your dog it will be a killer for him, especially dobies the garding instinct say must see whats coming and you stopping it, step sit step sit till around corner you will be tired so will he it will be a struggle again it works.

5. livercake lots of it dobies love it and he will start focusing on you, if not that hotdog sausages, means you can have a bite if hungry and the walk has taken 12 hours to just get to bottom of street.

6. find a book or instructor on clicker training lit works wonders.

:D :D :D :D

[Dobe1]

Hi, thanks for the wonderful replies. I think the priority at the moment is gaining control on walks, as now he is too strong and embarrassingly I am unable to control where we are going. Especially if he clocks another dog or birds. He seems to not realise I am on the other end of the lead. He is such a friendly dog but other dog walkers don't take too kind to him bouncing up towards them. In the house he is so stable, he adheres to everything I tell him, he always sits before putting on the lead and he is never first out of the door. Even my 5, 7 and 9 year old can rule him. The problem is outside, he goes into 'TOMS WORLD', unfortunately I live in South Yorkshire, but thank you for the offer of walking with you. I do have a clicker but found the instructions slightly confusing. I need to try and get one on one attention from him when outdoors, but also I need to socialise him. Another problem I have is when going on walks with all the kids he is so over protective, he barks at every slight thing that moves, if it is another person he makes all the noise but is so friendly when approached by them, the only consolation I have is that I live in a small village and everyone is getting to know him!!!

[dobetaztic]

with the barking issue there are a couple of things you might want to try first teach the quiet command, so when he starts to bark dont try and stop or act embarreds, no comand to be quiet just continue to walk and egnore him if you feel you must then one sharp no and continu, but as soon as he stops straight away good boy nice quiet, good quiet, even tell he is doing a good quiet when he is about the house it does not have to be straight after the bark, he will soon start to think why am i getting praise, after a few days of doing this in sted of the no when he barks firmly say quiet only once and again when he stops lots of praise for being quiet and then repeat the good quiet he will learn the word quiet for a good reason this is how i train all my commands by allowing the dog to do a behaviour i like and a praise them repeating the command within the praise.

once he has learnt the quiet if you know you are going to approach something that would cause the barking start praising him he is quiet before he barks, and only use a firm quite command if he barks.

when he is being quiet on command then you could teach the speak command same principle but command speak and praise when he barks, you will then have a dog that barks on controle, and a good party trick. :D

[lovethatdogg]

i also think that he shouldlearn hell. And hurry befor he gets to big. You should always keep the legth on the leash the same. Close to you, that way he can not go past the point, and that way he will stay by you, or heel. YOu should walk him and when he starts to go to far your pull to much, try giving him a sort tug, and call his name. it redarects his mind on to you. Ir you could try a sligh pull back and then put a tret in front of him that way he wants to bahave to get it.

[Dobe1]

Hi, just been on a great 2 hour walk with Tom, last night I got my head around using the clicker. Tried it out today accompanied with tasty treats (beefburger) rather than boring dry dog biscuits, IT WORKED.... I didn't want to come home. I even built up the confidence to let him off his lead using the beefburger for recall, (didn't feel right though as we were walking past fields of cows!!!!), again it worked. Think Birds Eyes shares are going to double over night. We actually walked in the same field as cows and he didn't bark, although a lady was walking her 2 dogs when we reached the road and he barked at them, this is my next challenge, also tried the 'quiet' training last night and had some effect, I will persist. Thanks for your great advice and heres to Happy Walking!

[lamper]

What a lovely looking dog

[dobetaztic]

i am realy happy its working and what a beautiful baby it makes me all broody, but alas my house is all maxed out with dobies so if i want more i will just have to move :) keep going clicker training is excellent once you are happy then slowly decrease the amount of click and rewards until it is just once in a blue moon but this is months in the future good luck and keep going again he looks wonderful;)

[Dobe1]

If you need reminders of how much hard work dobie pups are, just get in touch!!! Getting better at walking, although, have had huge problems with him today, the children's school was closed today, so they joined me on the afternoon walk with him. He went absolutely beserk at everything around him, I could see he was only being protective but a little over protective. When my husband takes him on a weekend, the children join him and he is fine, why does he overreact with me???? Any ideas???? Note: I will put on a more up to date picture as Tom has grown considerably since then. Speak soon. :eek:

[dobetaztic]

;) this happens quite often dogs see a masculine figure as strong and able to look after him self also your husband may be firmer with both the dog and your children and emotion runs down the lead your pup could pick up on your apprihension especially when your focus is devided when the children come out with you you may feel more vunrable in the fact of trying to keep both dog and children under control so though hard if you go out by your self with the dog then dont let the children come until you have established and grounded how you wish him to be have with you then you can be confident and allow the children to come, also when out as a family with your husband then you control the dog and hubby controls the children, until this barking and guarding subsides, i know its hard but keep going you will get there.:)

[lovethatdogg]

I had been having problems with my growing pup. So i got the gentle leader. I strongly suggest trying it....agion...?
It sometimes take them time to get used to it, but it is great.
it keeps them focused and it does not hurt or choke them.
They can still eat treats, play, bark, and even bite.
http://www.premier.com/pages.cfm?id=29
good luck

[Suz23]

Dont forget though - a gentle leader or any type of headcollar is a management aid not a training aid, dont forget to put good training into action and teach heel at the same time - if the dog knows what it means and is managed well you should never have a problem with pulling.

[lovethatdogg]

Yes, that is very true. That is always inportant. but on the other hand, it is kindda training if thats the way you want to walk him. You are training him to walk with that on, by your side. It all depends.... but i hope it worksout either way.

[Suz23]

Yes but it doesnt train the cue heel - he has little choice but to walk to heel -use it as a management aid while training heel that is fine but I firmly believe all dogs should be able to be walked to heel without one. Dont get me wrong they have their uses, I use one on the collie when my back is bad - but its a just in case thing his cues are in place and he walks to heel nicely.

[lovethatdogg]

Yes, this is very true. I understand.:p