Dog Lunging

[oxo]

How can I stop my St Bernard from lunging at other dogs when on a walk, he is 15 months old and is very very strong. I am wary of taking him out because one day i fear he will pull me over. Thanks in advance

[dannyk13]

Have you given the dog any sort of training?

[dannyk13]

[oxo]

We have only had him for 3 weeks and were told about this, his owner said she used to distract him with a treat and I have tried that but most times it does not work

[pixie374]

I've only watched some of Danny's video, which looks helpful. I'm no expert, but would suggest keeping lots of treats with you, and any time you walk past another dog, feed him treats constantly at first, so he is focusing more on you and being rewarded for not lunging.
It also depends on the reason... does he need more playing with other dogs? Or, if you think there is any aggression, fear or defensiveness to it, it would be worth putting a muzzle on as well- at least for now. The last thing you want, is a dog that isn't fully under control, that may also cause injuries.
If it is playfulness, tire him out as much as possible first, safe and off-lead, if he has recall... and practise somewhere safe. If you know anyone with friendly big dogs, see if they can meet up with you, when he has had more training.

[pixie374]

Small bits of cheese or chicken?

[lankeela]

I would use a head collar such as a Canicollar or Halti, which gives you more control of the head, and therefore more control of the rest of the dog. I hate to say it, but I fear the choice of breed might have been a mistake if you are not physically able to control it. At that age it is going to get even stronger as it matures. Even if the dog means no harm the owner of a dog being lunged at could report you for having a dog dangerously out of control. Certainly small dog owners may be frightened that your dog might grab theirs, so you must be very careful and try to avoid walking yours where there are other dogs around.

[dannyk13]

I agree with Lankeela about the head collars.

[pixie374]

Mine hated those so much, they just stood still until they could shake them off. But a harness worked for my springer, she never pulled again, I'm just sorry I took a year before I tried it.

[dannyk13]

I would find out if there is a dog training group near you and if not find a book on the subject as all dogs,particularly large breeds,need training.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah I was gonna say
go to dog training classes

[lankeela]

The only problem with a head collar with this breed is the shape of the head, which is very broad at the top and short in the muzzle so you would need to take advice about the fitting so it does not ride up near the eyes or slip off the end of the nose. I will enquire from a friend who breeds them and see which they recommend.

[FoxLee2]

Do you ever watch the programme Dogs Behaving Very Badly (ch 5).? I don't have a dog but find it fascinating watching. Very often when a dog is doing something the owner doesn't want him to do, he will offer a snack to distract the dog which comes down to rewarding the dog for behaviour you don't want. I've seen a similar problem as yours featured and it involves a tug on the lead with a 'No' to bring the dog to your side and when it's walking nicely, then you give verbal praise. It's all about teaching the dog the behaviour you want.

[ladybirder]

On his second owner already, poor chap. Very brave of you to take him on and I hope you succeed with the training. He simply must have his exercise. Here's some stuff you may find useful about St B's.
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/saint-bernard

Take him to a training class if you can't manage to train him yourself. They are lovely soft soppy dogs and clever too. Talk to one of the St B Rescue Centres and they will give you tips on his behaviour.

You are so lucky to have him. Good luck.

One last thing, remember it's always the owner, not the dog who is at fault.

[naomi24]

I agree with Foxlee. I wouldn't give the dog treats either because that is rewarding bad behaviour. Every time a dog does this on the programme mentioned, Graeme Hall, the trainer, stands in front of the dog with a hand up and a sharp 'No!' - and praises the dog only when it stops lunging. It takes patience but it works.

[ladybirder]

Foxlee is talking about this guy. He's very good.

https://www.dogfather.co.uk

[lankeela]

A male St Bernard can weigh up to 180 pounds - a 'tug' on the lead is going to make no difference. You would need a hefty man (or woman of course) to be able to hold one if it decided it was going somewhere. I would also strongly advise against a harness - they might be ok for a small dog but for a large dog they just enable them to take more of a hold and pull even more, especially if they lunge. You put a harness on a horse or a sled dog to allow it to pull! Most people use them incorrectly and lift the dog up in the middle of the back which can damage the spine. However with a dog of this size you would struggle to hold it on a harness as the dog pulls first with its front legs and by the time the harness kicks in around the shoulders it has long gone.

[lankeela]

St Bernard breeder friend recommends a Dogmatic Headcollar - https://www.dogmatic.org.uk/

[naomi24]

Socialisation is important for all dogs. Training classes would help a lot.

[Ken4155]

There is a guy walks his St Bernard near where i live. The dog doesn't lunge but it pulls so hard, it looks as if the poor chap's arms are gonna be ripped from his sockets. He is about 5'2" in height and very slightly built. Whatever possessed him to think he could handle such a large dog is beyond me.
Perhaps the OP has also bitten off more than can be chewed?

[lankeela]

If you need further advice or decide that you are unable to manage the dog, please contact a specific breed rescue who will be able to help. This one is recommended https://stbernardtrust.com/ as they are specialists.