# Pulling power of Viszla



## miccola03 (Apr 26, 2014)

I am a dog walker and have walked many dogs even very large dogs such as Labs, great Pyrenees, german Shepherds, Rotties etc. Yet, I have seen no other dog pull as powerfully as a Viszla/Lab mix I walk some days. It's as if this dog grabs the road with its nails and pulls with all his might. I must confess: I sometimes almost fall. The pulling is most intense when this dog sees a squirrel or gets scared of some noise and wants to go back home. I once got so scared I was unable to hold him, I decided to take him back home and not walk him that day. The only way I can walk him is with a gentle leader--and he still can pull strongly on this. Harness or collar, would drag me. And I am not small nor weak. So was wondering if the Viszla may have as particular conformation that makes them more strong to pull? Just curious...


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Pure bred V's have cat like paws - they do dig in - then add in a well conditioned V is all muscle + they do not know how to quit - my advice get the owner to train 2 lead or try a higgins lead !!!!!


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## miccola03 (Apr 26, 2014)

Thanks for the reply, what is 2 lead?I googled higgins lead and cannot find what exactly it is. Is it like a martingale collar? Is the 2 lead like a Freedom harness?


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

the higgins lead is a slip lead that goes over dogs head, then make a figure of 8 with the bottom loop going over the dogs nose, gently close up the loops and you're good to go  ps REM meant "to lead"


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I have to admit that when I first started walking my dog, Willie, it was like snapping a leash onto a freight train! The Vizsla is all muscle, just like REM said, and they do not want to quit on any adventure. Willie is 7 yeas old now, and much better on a leash (but still not perfect by any means).


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

just remembered I did a short vid once of Higgins method,,here it is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKrZVg_B6hQ


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

You could also try the half hitch around the dogs waist.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Mic - please note when using the Higgins lead - when putting the loop over the nose - looking at the pup - tag end should form the letter P with the loop - The mendota EZ-Trainer Lead is great for this and can be used as Tex suggested for a half hitch lead


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I really like the half hitch, when I'm walking multiple dogs under heavy distraction. Used it on Lucy, for part of the walk last Sunday on the beach. She loves going after seagulls, and I don't care if she points and stalks them.
But this was on a section where we couldn't unleash her, and she was giving my daughter (pushover) the blues by constantly yanking.
I switched dogs with her, and did a half hitch on Lucy's lead for a few minutes of the walk. Then went back to the normal lead and she was fine. She just needed a little reminder.


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Yes, our Vizsla has always been an intense puller : I remember when Otto was only several months old, my father took him to the vet for us one day. One of the first things he reported when I spoke with him was how shocked he was by Otto's pulling. My dad owns a Bernese Mountain dog and has had bull mastiffs and a german shepherd in the past and he said Otto was by far the most difficult to control.

Otto walks fine on a leash now, but we use a slip lead and have taught him to heel. When he was younger, we had a lot of success with the Easy Walk Harness (we even use it now if walking in crowded areas). 

Just a note on his tendency and ability to pull - we just bought a bike attachment for Otto to join us on bike rides. We took him around a few blocks early this morning and I didn't get much chance to pedal. Otto pulled me most of the way and we were moving at a fast clip - a couple times I had to slow him down for fear of him hurting himself of if we had to come to a quick stop. I weigh 145 lbs  Their power amazes me!


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

I take Dharma for a long off lead run in the park and then an on lead walk. She behaves until we get to the walkway and then a stairway between streets. The street the stairway comes out onto is fairly busy. This 11 month old can literally run down those stairs so fast that she pulls my injured arm off. I have had to stop her on each of the landings and make her sit. Wow are vizslas ever strong! (especially when they want to go).


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## Becky68 (Feb 4, 2014)

Hi yes even at 12 weeks they are strong!! Anwen had surgery to remove an earring which she had accidentally swallowed, which meant surgery. The vet advised us not to allow her to pull as she could cause damage (IS SHE KIDDING I THOUGHT!) how ever the vet advised using a gentle leader which has worked fab I even had to check she was still there as there was no tension on the lead atall, it works as the same principal with a loop over the nose and around the neck with the lead being attached to the end of the loop over the nose, anyway it's worked for us.
Good luck!


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