# Still pulling at 9+ months



## EastBayer

Milo is still pulling on lead. If we go to our usual spots, she is okay and not pulling too much. If we go somewhere new, she pulls SO hard like she is in such a hurry to explore. Whenever she does it, I start slowing my pace while saying "slow" which is our term for walking slow. She is pulling so hard that she is breathing hard and gagging and I can't even imagine how that hurts around the collar. It is very annoying and no treat can slow her down. She even does that almost slow-motion low run since she gets so excited to explore a new place. 

Is it because she has too much off leash time? She gets 1-2 (or more) hours EVERYDAY off leash. I wonder if she is just too used to be "free" roaming. When she's off leash, she checks in with me all the time and has pretty good recall in general. But we want her to be able to walk NEXT to us on streets as well, downtown, etc. and not be this pulling, choking dog. She didn't do too much of this when she was much younger. :-( Any advice is appreciated!


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## redbirddog

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/05/busy-city-street-walks.html

We walk downtown at least once a week and have for five years. The dogs have to walk next to me on the left. I hold the lead in my right hand and let it slide in my left. The lead has to stay loose in my left hand or I correct. 

We have put hundreds of on-leash miles and still I don't trust them should a squirrel or cat run across our path.

"Don't pull" is a common thing I say as we walk. After 5 years they are getting better.

RBD


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## mswhipple

The only advice I can offer is, "Practice makes perfect". I have to tell you the truth, though. Willie is six years old now, and still not perfect on the leash. If something exciting has caught his attention, it's like I've snapped a leash onto a freight train! He's way better than he used to be... but still not perfect.


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## CrazyCash

If only there was a magic pill for this... 

I have two crazies that try to drag me down the street on walks. My two are still pretty young - one's a year and the other is 18 months. Having two dogs so close in age is great most of the time because they play together and wear each other out, but training and walking calmly on a leash is the most challenging part. Having to correct two at the same time is exhausting. I'm sure that people laugh at me walking down the street with these choking, pulling maniacs, but the only way it's going to get better is practice, practice, practice! I'm going to start taking Penny to an obedience class by herself and I'm hoping that some one on one time away from Cash will help. Keep plugging away and let me know if you figure out any great tricks because I can use them too!!


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## Suliko

After 1.5 years of training, our oldest V Sophie started to heel much better. Now she's 3 years old and is very good at it. Sometimes I even have to drag her behind me... We still can't believe it's her when she heels so pretty. 

My almost 16month old Pacsi is a different story. She really PULLS! I am using what her bird trainer suggested - chain choker, but I set it high on the neck behind her ears (like show dog leashes) so it doesn't choke her but rather corrects the head movement. With it she walks like a charm. She's also much better on a regular leash now after this heel training. But given the opportunity to pull, she could easily dislocate my arm. 

Like rbd, we try and walk in busy places at heel, and most off-leash walks consist with on-leash heel time. Time...time.....time


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## R E McCraith

I like a leather pinch collar with blunted brass studs - may sound cruel if you use it wrong - a quick correction and you put it back in a training tool bag with the rest of them - you lead they follow !!!! never had a choke collar - love the E-collar - never use any till the pup knows the commands by voice or hand signals - they are just corrections - a lot of money spent on a few times out - well worth it - when in doubt - I go back to basics - here - heel - stay - whoa !!!!!! that always VVorks !!!!


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## SkyyMax

Our dogs are not perfect, but one thing is great about them - they don't pull on a leash (however they proved me wrong at the vet a few days ago).

This is what worked for us:

I started training inside the house, where they did not have as much distraction. 
I used 4' leash and was holding my hand along side with a tasty treat inside the fist. Needless to say Max (or Skyy) walked beside me trying to get a treat. I rewarded them very generously in the beginning, but after a few times they had to make several steps by my side to get a treat. 
After they understood the concept, I introduced the word "Heel".

After a couple of days, we moved training sessions outside (on a backyard). Meanwhile I still had to walk the dogs every day, so when they started pulling, I turned and walked in the opposite direction, they had to follow me.
Soon they were paying attention, a lot of praise and treats will go a long way 

The dogs catch on quickly that you are the one making a decision when to walk, when to stop and which direction you will go. 

Good luck, it gets better!


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## datacan

No biggie, look up leash pressure work on google. 
I am guessing this is only one of other minor problems? 

If you do nothing, get a prong collar from PetSmart and learn to use it. They are very easy on the dog's neck. A flat collar looks good but harms the thyroid if the dog pulls. 

Another Option is to get a martingale hound collar, this supports the neck every way. Problem solved. 

Prongs, 1st picture

Martingale hound collar 2nd/3rd pictures


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## maplevizsla

mswhipple said:


> The only advice I can offer is, "Practice makes perfect". I have to tell you the truth, though. Willie is six years old now, and still not perfect on the leash. If something exciting has caught his attention, it's like I've snapped a leash onto a freight train! He's way better than he used to be... but still not perfect.


My in-laws dogs are like this, country dogs who never see a leash and walking them is a b*tch to do because they have no leash manners.

Practice makes perfect. YUP. You have to continually practice loose-leash/nice walking. It doesn't happen overnight and once the band-aid solution is removed (ie. choke, pinch, martingale, halti) the dog will just pull again. Invest in TIME and FOCUS towards your dog and teach it properly to walk nicely. Start back to basics, inside with no distractions. Perfect that. Then move out to your yard. Perfect that. Then a few steps down the road, then your neighbourhood, downtown etc. 
Enroll in obedience class again, lovely refresher!


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## marathonman

We've been using a Premier Pet Easy Walk harness for our pup and he behaves well with it. The clip is on the front by his chest (it helps to clip to his collar as well). If he starts to pull, he pulls himself around sideways back towards you. Using a harness like that avoids the use of anything around their neck. But like anything, you are still going to need to train and reinforce good behavior.


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## tknafox2

I had a Weimaraner and Vizsla...both pullers, When I put them in a harness for walking both were much better. The Weimaraner stopped pulling all together, and the V became much more managable.


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## zigzag

This thread comes up quite a bit. So i expect Steve is selling a lot of these collars. Hope the price doesn't go up I lost the detachable leather piece that snaps to the lead. Called up gun dogs and they transferred me directly to the manufacture. The production line manager sent me a replacement no charge not even shipping. 

http://www.gundogsupply.com/-113m-.html


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## Ozkar

redbirddog said:


> http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2010/05/busy-city-street-walks.html
> 
> We walk downtown at least once a week and have for five years. The dogs have to walk next to me on the left. I hold the lead in my right hand and let it slide in my left. The lead has to stay loose in my left hand or I correct.
> 
> We have put hundreds of on-leash miles and still I don't trust them should a squirrel or cat run across our path.
> 
> "Don't pull" is a common thing I say as we walk. After 5 years they are getting better.
> 
> RBD


Just to add to this, you have a high powered hunting dog in your hands and the effort milo is making says to me that Milo is a driven dog. You don't want to change that   that's what they are bred for 

But, yes, lots of on lead work can assist in reigning in that drive. Astro is a little more laid back than Zsa Zsa, but ****, if there is anything of interest to his nose about, then he too will have a go at being sled dog  As with RBD, on lead walks are punctuated by "Don't Pull" commands. If it's not Astro, it will be Zsa Zsa. 

To get to the point where they can walk nicely, is going to require you to have some really frustrating walks for a little while. The minute Milo pulls......STOP.......U-turn....... repeat, repeat, repeat....... Eventually Milo will work it out  

Also, use the method RBD suggested of end of lead in right hand, left hand allowing the lead to slide through. Concentrate and as soon as you feel a slight bit of tension in the left hand, correct.


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## Ollywebb1

This is where I think most people would benefit from some form of gundog training. All the literature says that if you're right handed the dog walks on the left and vice versa. The dog benefits, as with all things from consistency and continuity. Imo if the dog is allowed to just walk freely on whatever side it pleases them it is making the decisions and it is dictating what pace you go, I.e pulling. 
Obviously this is just a concept and I'm no expert.....yet! 
You May already be consistently walking the dog on one side, but if not then this would be the first move to walking to heel. There are loads of videos on YouTube, all with various ideas on the best way to stop pulling so have a look and try which looks best. However, if you ever read 'shooting times & country magazine' this weeks edition has a training excerpt from Ian Clinton in it. It's the edition for week beginning 3rd april. It's difficult to explain what to do but you use a slip lead and twist it in a kind of figure 8 to the front of the head then lift the loop up over the snout. Used it today for the first time and worked brilliantly. Early days but by far the best technique I've tried. Good luck


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## candi30

We are working on walking with a loose leash.
I want her to be a dog and be able to roam, sniff, etc freely and enjoy herself. She is just learning that if there is any tension in the leash (ie. pulling) we are not moving. 
I am not overly interested or concerned about having her walk to **** on my left side. As long as she is not pulling we are moving. And it seems to be working well. When she does pull, we stop, and she comes back making the leash loose again, then we continue on. Sometimes we'll change direction so she knows that it is us controlling the walk and where we are going, not her.

Chris


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## Főnix

This isn't helpful, but it made me laugh-

Our system is I just stop walking until he stops pulling. So far as soon as I start moving he lunges forward full speed again. About half of our walks are just jerk-stop-jerk-stop-jerk-stop. We don't get very far.  Usually when I stop he sits and whines.

The other day I walked him to a place I could let him off leash. When he's off leash he stays pretty close, but this time he saw some crows and took off after them. Then he realized he was running hard enough that it would have pulled the leash, and he stopped in his tracks and sat and whined and looked back at me. I told him to go ahead and he took three good strides, stopped, sat, whined, and waited for me to tell him to go ahead. This happened about 5 times before he actually got to the birds. 

I guess for him it's as much mental as physical.


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## datacan

Google ... "leash pressure work" with the dog... it must understand that any tension on the leash is not desirable...


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## EastBayer

Wow, thank you everyone for all the feedback. I didn't realize how fairly common it is among Vs. I know we have a lot to work on that is more breed-related (if that makes any sense). I am so envious of my friend's chocolate lab who is 1 month younger than Milo already walking next to my friend off lead. I will try the different methods suggested and see what will work best for us, but it is a bit of a relief to know that I'm not alone. I also keep telling myself something I read in this forum a while back, that the dog I will have at 2 yrs is not the dog I have right now. Sometimes I get negative stares from people as they watch Milo pull and cough. I know I shouldn't let it upset me since we are still in training, but hard to ignore it sometimes.


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## CrazyCash

Penny started obedience school last week, so I told myself that it's time to buckle down and really get serious about walking nicely in a leash. This weekend I took each dog out individually to work with them on leash. Penny obviously needed more work right off the bat, but by the middle of the walk she was really getting it, not perfect but way better than when we started. Cash by himself is really not that bad, he pulls at the beginning from excitement but calmed down pretty quickly. I was feeling encouraged that we were making progress. This morning I got up and was planning on taking both of them on a walk. We had a rough start just getting out the front door and by the time we got to the sidewalk in front of my house things were already going south - halfway down the street I was already super frustrated with Penny, she wasn't just pulling but jumping back and forth in front of me, getting all tangled up with Cash. I could feel my frustration growing and knew that this was going to end badly and most likely undo what we had worked on this weekend, so we turned around and went home. Back to the drawing board, we'll try again tomorrow and see if we can stay calm...


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## candi30

Walking two together when working on pulling MUST be tough.
Our girl alone is quite frustrating at times. But she is getting a lot better. Practice, practice, practice. It will happen eventually.
We are nowhere close to stopping pulling but we are getting there.
Our motto is, as long as she is not pulling we are moving. Any leash pressure and we stop.

Chris


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## datacan

and let them pull all they want...


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## CrazyCash

That is one crazy harness , but if it works that would be great. 

I think that my dogs secretly want to be sled dogs!! 

I've tried to stop walking when they pull, but I don't think that we would ever make it out of the front yard, they will settle down and then as soon as I take a step they shoot out in front of me like a bullet! I might have to do separate walks until I'm more confident that Penny is under control...some day maybe it will be a pleasant walk.


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## candi30

That is awesome datacan. Where did you get that?
We have a harness and it does reduce the pulling (or seems to). But this one looks hardcore.


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## datacan

Oops erased by mistake :'(. Sorry

http://howlingdogalaska.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=24

S


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## Ollywebb1

I've trawled the internet for it but can't find the back edition of "shooting times & country magazine" I referred to earlier so I've cheated and taken a photo of what to do.

I've continued to use this technique since my earlier post and its unbelievable! I promise it works.

You will need a slip lead. Put the loop over V's head, extend loop with plenty of slack under chin. Twist the loop once and then put the loop back up over the snout. Initially V will find it odd and try to take it off. Pull the slip stopper tight so the loop won't come off the snout but not tight on the skin. Dog should still be able to open mouth etc. Then get walking! Initially walk at a fast pace and give plenty of encouragement and praise. The dog will lift its head and walk alongside. You will be walking with a loose lead almost instantly. Use "heel" and praise when in the correct position. Eventually dog will learn correct position and you can rest the lead on its back and it will continue to walk to heel. Ultimately you should be able to walk to heel with no lead at all.

I've been doing this for a few days and you see results instantly, Radley has already walked for a short time to heel with me not holding the lead. Ian Clinton is a genius!

Here's the photo, try it!


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## candi30

Ollywebb1 that looks bascially like a homemade gentle leader.
I have heard good things about the gentle leader. We might have to give it a try.


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## Ollywebb1

Looking forward to hearing how you get on Candi30.


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## R E McCraith

for me training begins at home - at 4mo I want the pup to be at heel in and out of the house - V's are Very ritualistic - put on my cap and whistle lanyard & PIKE knows we are going some were - but we start the trip at heel - if not obeying off comes the hat and lanyard - I sit down and try again - does not take long for the pup to know if you want to go you heel - same with here - starts at home or we go nowhere - simple but it works - in the field I love hide n seek - you will never lose the pup because his first goal is to find you !!!!! in your case try the higgins lead - but the training begins before you eVer leave home -


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## Melissa_DT

I also have a big problem with Bentley (now about 5 months old and getting quite strong) pulling like crazy despite all of the training in obedience class and practice. I bought the gentle leader this weekend and tried it out yesterday during a long walk. Initially he hated it and kept trying to take it off and shake his head, but after a few attempts at pulling he realized his usual pulling routine wasn't going to work and he walked significantly better with constant praise and "heel" commands from me and after 10-15 minutes wasn't focused on the new gentle leader anymore. Definitely made for a MUCH more enjoyable walk!


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## datacan

Melissa, @ 6 months Bently can officially graduate to prongs. Best advice ever on walks and obedience.


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## SteelCityDozer

CrazyCash, I recommend a prong collar for Penny too if she's old enough. I can't remember how old yours is. And after a few good walks with her by herself on the prong collar she will be MUCH better when the two are together. Maybe prongs for both if Cash needs it. The key for me is a correction when she leaves heel, then tap the side of your leg she is on and sternly say "heel". THEN when she is in heel AND looks at you praise praise praise praise happy voice "good heel" again tapping your leg. Keep in mind a dog has something like 270 degrees of sight so she is looking at you more than you think. Eventually she wont want to stop looking at you! . Also, correct with a side motion and not straight back. Make sure to read up on proper prong collar training or get a trainer that will. You may not want prongs on your dogs as they are already pit mixes which when combined with prongs only adds to the stereotype but its also good to not have people running up to greet your dogs anyhow, right? Once heel training is complete, no more prongs. And never leave prong collars on when not training. Just my opinions and what worked/is working for both of ours (one stubborn and one soft V). 

Good luck.


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## R E McCraith

What Olly posted is the higgins lead - yes it does work - most important is you put the slip lead on in the shape of a P when looking at the pup ie: tag end in left hand - same goes for pinch collars - as stated above this starts before you get to the front door


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## datacan

Sam hates anything across the nose. 
I used the Higgins and felt smart but he did not agree. Even after a month. 
Hence the prongs, because I care.


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## CrazyCash

I've created a monster - a Cash monster to be exact! I've changed our routine a little and now I've been walking them together early in the morning and today (Saturday) Cash was jumping all over me at 6:00 am to go out for a walk. I'll have to work on getting him to sleep in on Saturdays. 

An update on the walking:
We've been doing much better! It hasn't been easy and my hands are full of blisters from the leashes, but I feel like each day it's getting a little better. I've switched up the position that the dogs are in and Cash is really picking it up - he still pulls at the beginning of the walk, but I can get him to calm down fairly quickly. Penny is coming along, she's still a struggle the whole walk but she's starting to take direction better. Another challenge for Penny is that she was hit by a car when she was little, so she's terrified of cars and freaks out when they drive by. We have to walk a couple of blocks down a busy street before we get to the trail so that's tough for Penny, but I've been walking with her on the inside and Cash on the street side and I think that's giving her a little more confidence. We'll just keep plugging along and hopefully it will keep getting a little better every day!


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## CrazyCash

I've still been plugging along with my two sled dogs, but feeling pretty good about the fact that it seems to get a little better each day. Today put a little crink in my good feelings. . I was walking along the bike trail about halfway through the walk and I see up ahead of us is a woman with two big (and very well behaved) dogs. My two start pulling and choking themselves to try to run up and meet these other dogs. I decided that my best course of action was to just stop, get my dogs to sit and let this woman pass us - it's easier to control my dogs when they don't have the momentum of moving forward. So I stopped and this woman looks at me with a little pity and says "good morning, I'll go the other way, you look like you have your hands full.". I know she was being nice, but it's a little embarrassing that's it's so obvious my dogs are nuts. I of course tell her good morning and then feel compelled to say that my dogs are really friendly but they are still young, so they are a work in progress.  I'm obviously still going to walk them in the mornings but I think I'm going to throw in some individual walks in the evening at the park down the street to work on their interaction with other dogs. We will get there eventually, right??


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## BFrancs

Hi…this is my first post. I’ve been a fan of this forum for about 3 years now. Ever since we brought our first Vizsla home, Hunter, who is a great dog. A year later, we got Roxxy, another great-spoiled pup! We also have two little dogs, Canela and Vino, both Havanese dogs. 

Anyways…. I just wanted to thank everyone for all the wonderful advice – its came in handy at one point or another. 

The real reason for my post today – I wanted to Thank “Datacan” for recommending the Howling Dog harnesses and leash/bungees. I have bought so many harness and leashes thru the years and this one finally work!! Hunter is a big-time puller! I don’t blame him – he wants to go explore. (On a side note – I’m so jealous of all the Vizslas that go in the field and run around and are free off-leash!) We live in city so I have a regular 6ft leash for our day-today walk/runs. Hunter is good runner while Roxxy is a spaz, she runs like Phoebe on Friends. Some days (like today) I like to take them to the forest preserve to walk the trails – which is the main reason I bought the Howling Dog harness and 9ft leash/bungee. Not sure why but Hunter did not pull except to chase squirrels – I wonder if Hunter felt there was enough distance between us, he didn’t need to pull t but regardless – thank you for recommending it. Oh, I also bought the glow doggie collars someone recommended them on another thread – I forgot to take a picture of Hunter in harness but here they are in glow collars and few extra ones. LOL


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## GarysApollo

Beautiful dogs. 

By the way some small hairy creature seems to have snuck into your house!


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## datacan

Let them pull ;D


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## mswhipple

BFrancs, welcome! So glad you decided to "engage" and start posting. Your dogs are quite beautiful (but I'm sure you know that already)!! ;D ;D ;D


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## BFrancs

Thanks for the warm welcome.  As for the hairy creatures, Hunter and Roxxy have a good time chasing them but their sneaky the hide under the bed and under the couch plus we keep feeding them so I doubt they’ll leave


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