dog leads

[silverstar]

what dog lead should i use for my border collie
to stop him pulling.

[orange-gnome]

you can try a halti which he will hate at first and try to rub it off continually but they are good. However, you really need to work on training him not to pull rather than relying on a lead which is supposed to stop them.

[divegirl]

Hi, try a Halti, it fits like a horses head collar and makes life so much easier, I used one to train my Great Dane with. The dog won't like it to start off with and may try to get it off, but they soon get used to it.
Good luck
Lisa x

[lankeela]

The best type is actually a collar rather than a lead. A combi collar or half check collar, consists of three quarters nylon collar and a small triangle of chain, which is not as severe as a check chain, but gives more leverage than a static collar. It needs to be adjusted so that when the slightest pressure is put on it the chain forms an equal triangle. If not it is not adjusted properly.

You need to take the dog out to train it, rather than just taking it for a walk, and every time the dog pulls, jerk it back to your side and tell it 'heel' 'close' or whatever other command you want to use. It should soon get the message, provided you praise it as soon as it is in the correct position by your side. Titbits will also help but lots of praise is most important.

A halti will stop it pulling while it is wearing it, but won't teach it not to pull. You need to do that yourself.

[clair3934]

you can try a canny coller bit like a halti but much better you don't get the eye of the dog being closed by the muzzle section on it cause the nose is tipped down instead of sideways as the lead attatches at the back of the neck like a normal coller

[doglady]

Personally, I found the Canni collar very easy for my dog to get off by rubbing it. He also managed to get out of a Halti. I am currently using a Gentle Leader, which he doesn't hate as much as a Halti, and which he can't get off, no matter how much he rubs.

[buggybelle]

Hello silverstar, I have a Great Dane who I just could not get to walk properly on an ordinary lead & someone advised a "Halti" Best thing I ever did .She walks by my side without pulling at all ,she did'nt like it for the first few times she wore it & kepy trying to rub it off,but I persivered & now she does'nt bother about it at all .She's like a different dog. Well worth trying.

[orange-gnome]

Quote ''personally when i see a dog on any aversive type collar (choke, prong, electric) it indicates to me that the handler and dog are not well trained. they have probably tried other collars in the past and they were not effective because they did not employ the correct methods.

for the sake of management i would suggest the gentle leader (or halti) or the front clip martingale harness from premier. that will help with the pulling while you are training the dog to stay close.

ps i think people who are quick to recommend chokes or checks or whatever are poorly educated in the ways of dog training - they are talking out of their ass!'' Quote

[drgnrdr]

MMMM OG...sounds like someone I know that you got that quote from....;)

[lankeela]

Its all very well for you to spout off but this is obviously someone who needs help with an adult dog that is a serious puller, not a puppy that can be gently trained in the way that you want it to be.

I know my method will work. It is not cruel, it is more cruel to allow the dog to keep pulling. I use half check collars on my dogs both in training and in the show ring, where they have to trot round on a loose lead.

[kita1]

If you use a halti attach the lead to the ring on the collar first then the ring on the halti. This stops the halti riding up and closing the eye, but still gives you control over the nose (therefore the head) of the dog. I have used one on my giant breed dog since he was a pup and people have actually stopped me in the street to find out how I got him to walk so well on the lead!

Another way (more cumbersome though) is to attach two leads one each side of the dog (like the reins on a horse).

I always use a halti with him, because basically if he 'took off' in a normal collar there is no way I am strong enough to stop him! A normal choke collar would have little or no effect on him.

[happy_face]

Lankeela, there's is absolutely no difference in teaching an old dog or a puppy in lead walking. I taught my 8month Staff and 6 year Staff the same way and they both reacted well. It's all about the training and if you get the right advice it's very simple to do too.

Silverstar let me tell you how I was taught by trainers. Use a box standard collar and lead (if you can't get it to work like that use a halti but I'm sure you will). Decide which side you want your dog to walk on. I use left side so my advice will be for left but just reverse if you want your dog on the right. Hold lead LOOSE in right hand and have treats in left hand. These treats have to be something really yummy that you don't usually use at home. Some leftover fish, chicken, frankfurters whatever is really smelly and appetising to pup. First you want to teach dog where you want him based on your right so put treat to his nose so he sees and smells it and guide him in a circle (do an anticlockwise big circle with your hand) so you get him to walk back behind you and come in a heal position by your legs. When he's there treat him and praise. Do this about 5 times so he gets a feeling of where he's meant to be. At the fifth time don't give him the treat but bring the treat hand up to your hip say "Let's Go" in a jolly voice and take a couple of slow steps. start with just a couple of steps and then treat and praise.

[happy_face]

Part 2..
If he starts pulling bring him back in the heal position by doing the circle movement. You will probably find you'll be doing that alot to begin with but as you progress the dog will run back there him self and eventually stay there. Remember to walk slow to start with as you don't want to teach your dog to march as that's how he'll then walk from then on. if you find he jumps up then it's because you walk too slow and he's got time to jump so try and find the balance in speed.
This will take about 3 months to get perfect if you do it everyday but it's sooo worth it. Yes you will look like silly in the park and on the street p[ractising but then you look silly and harrassed being pulled by your dog. I would advice you start this at home in garden, then park and eventually street. And remember this is training so it's completely different to his usual walks. You need to do them on seperate occasions.
Good Luck

[orange-gnome]

aaaahhh Lankeela... you are one of THOSE... I get it now!

Yes yes really cruel to let it keep pulling (coz of course using a halti will be doing that.... erm?) best give the dog a good old yank, in fact, why not give it a slap round the face too, and whilst your at it buy one of those pronged collars to dig into their throat if they dare to pull. Then if it has any babies which aren't good enough for the show ring... break their necks whilst the others go on to help with the problem of over populating the world with unwanted dogs!

Great reply Happy Haps : )

[lankeela]

orangegnome, what planet are you on?

[orange-gnome]

Funny -I was wondering what decade you were living in!

[bubbly girly]

you have 2 options that I know of. You can use the ever popular choke chain of if you want to go harsher a pincher collar works exceptionally.

[happy_face]

OrangeGnome is on the same planet as me. It's the planet of people who love their dogs and with proper training (good reinforcement) can make pups work with you. NOT the planet where you yank your dog to what position you want, shout and bully them into doing what you want or choking them half to death running around a showroom to ensure its neck is high enough to win a prize and if it only ever gets second prize, dispose of it!!!!!!!

But hey I guess it's so much easier to push your dog around than to make the time and effort to train it.

[lankeela]

Then lets hope you both stay there. Forever.

[drgnrdr]

Every one has a diff way to train, the old fashion, archaic way is fine as long as you have a trainer to show you how to use those TOOLS correctly, how the chain is affixed to the dog, how to position it on the neck and show you how much or how little to pop them.
The new more humane way is Pos reinforcement. For most ppl it is an easier way to do it, you don't need precise detailed instructions on how to do it. A gentle leader or Halti (I like the gentle leader better), is a better way but it is still only a tool. You need to teach them to walk, which it sounds like Happy face has tried to help you in that respect.
I can't tell what age this dog is from what info they have given.
A Martingale (nylon w/chain portion) is only good to use if a check chain has been used to teach the dog, the check is only to use the sound, not choke, when they get better with the check chain the martingale is used to periodically "check" the dog when acting up. It will make the sound the dog is use to. This is the way I have been told it works. Putting a choke chain of any kind into the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it is a bad ideal. You could do more harm than good.

[drgnrdr]

Sorry was tired last nite and forgot to add...Martingale and "greyhound" collars (these are nylon, with the slip chain actually replaced with nylon) are for sighthounds too...example...a greyhound or whippet....when the dogs neck is bigger than the head and have a tendency to slip off when they try to back out of a regular collar, it just gets smaller when fitted properly.