Walking a Large Strong Dog

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Sue1234
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 9:10 am
Location: Georgia, USA

Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by Sue1234 »

Thanks everyone, I truly appreciate the input.
Jacksdad, now that you detailed the main differences between the two methods, I can see the added benefit of changing directions and I will most likely go that route, especially since my dog (when she's not pulling on me) tends to step right in front of me while walking. We're still going forward, but I'm practically tripping over her or trying to pull her back to my side so I'm not continually bumping into her as we stumble forward. Her body position when she does this almost forces me to turn anyway, so I think all in all this is the way to go.
~Sue
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Mattie
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Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by Mattie »

I never found that standing still worked but turning the other way as soon as my dog goes in front of me has worked for every dog of mine and many others. A lot depends on the dog and the handler.

I don't insist on my dogs walking to heel, I prefer them on a loose lead no matter how long or short the lead is. On busy roads the lead is short so my dogs walks next to me, if much quieter places I have the lead long and thanks to the training of walking on a loose lead my dog stays on a loose lead even when the lead is long. Does that make sense :D

Not getting at you when I say this but horses are a lot bigger and stronger than any dog yet they are taught to walk on a loose lead, if they don't it is very dangerous to the person leading them. I used to work in a riding school and would often take up to 10 horses and ponies at a time, if they couldn't all walk properly it would have been 10 journies to get them either to the fields or back to the stables. Many of these horses were heavyweight hunters.
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jacksdad
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Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by jacksdad »

Mattie wrote:I never found that standing still worked but turning the other way as soon as my dog goes in front of me has worked for every dog of mine and many others. A lot depends on the dog and the handler.

I don't insist on my dogs walking to heel, I prefer them on a loose lead no matter how long or short the lead is. On busy roads the lead is short so my dogs walks next to me, if much quieter places I have the lead long and thanks to the training of walking on a loose lead my dog stays on a loose lead even when the lead is long. Does that make sense :D

Not getting at you when I say this but horses are a lot bigger and stronger than any dog yet they are taught to walk on a loose lead, if they don't it is very dangerous to the person leading them. I used to work in a riding school and would often take up to 10 horses and ponies at a time, if they couldn't all walk properly it would have been 10 journies to get them either to the fields or back to the stables. Many of these horses were heavyweight hunters.
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I have seen the standing still demo'ed so I guess it "works", but like you mattie, I was never able to get Jack to "get it" using that method. I find with Jack it's a good way to draw a line so to speak. if he pulls off to the side or some such to go on a sniff safari and I don't want him to go that direction, in absents of a good recall or damaging a improving recall, just going dead not giving into his pulling and when he gives up and looks back at me initiating a recall works for saying "no, we aren't going that direction".

For loose leads, I didn't have success until used your method. Now, when I put him on a longer lead and just let it drag as we walk, I find he is starting to chose to be near me and walk beside me in a pseudo heal. I know your method isn't intended to teach a heel, but it has a nice little side affect of a pseudo heel non the less. at least is has with Jack.

funny you mention the horses. I attended a couple natural horsemenship clinics and if memory serves you can teach the horse to walk shoulder to shoulder with you on a loose lead using the same idea. horse gets ahead of you, change direction.
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Mattie
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Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by Mattie »

jacksdad wrote: For loose leads, I didn't have success until used your method. Now, when I put him on a longer lead and just let it drag as we walk, I find he is starting to chose to be near me and walk beside me in a pseudo heal. I know your method isn't intended to teach a heel, but it has a nice little side affect of a pseudo heel non the less. at least is has with Jack.
Thanks Jacksdad, I am pleased it is working for you.

I gave up on getting a dog to walk to heel thanks to Tommy, a Whippet/Lab that I used to have, she always refused to walk to heel, had to have her head just in front. I used to take her and our other dog to training classes, Dixie would walk to heel without any problems, at the Christmas party my husband had Tommy for the musical chairs, dogs had to walk to heel or they were out. Tommy won, she never put a paw wrong, it was the only time Tommy walked to heel :lol: Thankfully we listened to what Tommy was telling us and let her walk with her head in front, she was so happy when we let her that it taught me were the dog walks doesn't matter as long as the lead is loose. Some dogs prefer to walk to heel, some like Tommy slightly in front and some prefer to be slightly behind.

The greatest thing we can do for our dogs is to listen to them, many adults don't listen to what children are saying and usually it is the same people.
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jacksdad
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Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by jacksdad »

I haven't tried to teach a solid and true heel and honestly am still debating if I should even bother. I don't mind jack walking a little ahead or behind in most places as long as the leash is loose and he isn't pulling. For example on Saturday we went some place new for his daily walk, nice little trail up by the university. I put Jack on the 15 foot lead and just let it drag. If we wanted to sniff, we stopped and sniffed. If he wanted to walk ahead, he walked ahead. If he wanted to walk right beside me, he did. It was all his choice. no pulling at all. right now, this is the closest I can give him to being off lead and I think he really appreciates the ability to make his own decisions in these situations because he never wants these kinds of walks to end and is more relaxed afterward as well. Oh and we did work on recall, which he did excellent on.

One of the things I love so much about the positive training mind set is that it is ok to listen to your dog and sometimes "give in" to what they want. With in reason of course. between the method you describe and me learning it is ok for Jack to break "heel" position to take a sniff....did wonders for our walks in general, even in locations and times I need him to walk close and not sniff every blade of grass.

I do like Jack knowing a "psudeo heel" so that I can move him to a "protected" position when passing something that might set him off or make him nervous. He even sometimes seeks it out on his own. and being able to call him into a heel for this reason is right now the only reason I am leaning towards maybe working on a official heel skill.
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Mattie
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Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by Mattie »

I do like Jack knowing a "psudeo heel" so that I can move him to a "protected" position when passing something that might set him off or make him nervous. He even sometimes seeks it out on his own. and being able to call him into a heel for this reason is right now the only reason I am leaning towards maybe working on a official heel skill.
If Jack is on a short, loose lead you can still move him quickly to a "protect" position, he doesn't need to have his head glued to your leg as what happens with walking to heel these days. I do ask my dogs to walk close to me at times and have the command "Close" for this.

Bonnie and Tilly have really good recalls but I still have long lines on them when I go to a strange place because I don't know what is round the bend or bush etc. No dog is 100% and that once chance to me is not acceptable if I don't know the area. If I do know the area I don't put the long line on. Take this last weekend, I was away in a strange place, the first 2 days I had long lines on them but the 3rd day I didn't because I was happy with the area. In fact I dropped the long line on Dolly while she was chasing a ball because that is all she was interested in.
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Sue1234
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 9:10 am
Location: Georgia, USA

Re: Walking a Large Strong Dog

Post by Sue1234 »

I have a habit of losing track of the posts I contribute to, but I just stumbled across this one again and wanted to thank you guys for all the helpful information. I have started doing the turn technique with Layla and she's already doing better on the leash. My main challenge is that there are many distractions on our street and it takes her focus off of me and her training. I've started getting up earlier than usual and get her out for her training walk before most of the other dogs/kids/etc. get out there and that has helped. But we will persevere and I know in time it will all be worth it. Mattie, your technique may be a lifesaver for us, and Jacksdad, I really appreciate your insights on your experiences with this method.
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