How do i stop my dog pulling on the lead?

Question

i have two schnauzers, they go out for walks together and both pull on the lead a lot. one of them is quite good and she is ok to walk (pulls a bit but is not to bad) but the other one is a nightmare!! he pulls so hard and barks/yelps at everything he sees non stop. he's fine at home, its just when we take him out. he's currently using a body harness as he didnt care that he was literally choking himself on a normal collar. we've tried a halti-harness that goes around his neck and muzzel but he literally freaked out and managed to rip it off. i need to walk both dogs at the same time but i cant keep stopping to sort one of them out when the other one is being quite good (as she starts misbehaving if we keep doing that).

any suggestions?

Answer 1

what ever you do, DONT USE A PRONG COLLAR!

i would just a regular harness that goes around his chest.

so. . when he pulls, he will feel as if his legs are being lifted off the ground which the dogs dont like and so he wont pull

it fixed my problem

Answer 2

Your poochy wants to be the alpha male/ female and lead the pack.

make it impossible keep changing direction on him.

Answer 3

i love schanuzers!! just be nice to them, they need lots of love, they need lots of running, moving, etc, it's normal they're doing this, they have too much energy. give them a little hug for me! thanx :)

Answer 4

Whenever he pulls say "no" and pull the lead back. That way he should learn.

if you want to learn about how to train dogs there is a programme on TV, on Sky 1/2/3 called Dog Whisperer. Its VERY good.

Good luck!

Answer 5

buy a choke chain for your lead, when he pulls, slightly pull the lead and soon he will know not to pull

Answer 6

Take it to a training school x

Answer 7

Go back to using the Halti, you need to give your dog time to get used to it. It took my Labs about 1-2 weeks before they stopped trying to pull them off.

They do work, my two Labs walk fine now after using the halti and don't need to use it anymore.

Answer 8

yes, hold the lead high so they cant put there heads down when walking....! if they walk with the head in the air they don't have the power to pull on the lead ...! it works i have a lab and it works on him.....)  

Answer 9

Begin walking when your dog is calm.

Answer 10

Pinch collars pinch they don't stab or inflict any damage its the only way I was able to train my pits now they walk at heel with a regular collar on. Its a training aid and if these are large schnauzers then they are strong I know how that feels. walk one at a time even wit training you may not be able to walk them at the same time. some dogs just don't like choke collars or are like mine they ignore it happy to choke themselves, but the prong (pinch) collar was a lifesaver no pulled out shoulder anymore or me my dogs weigh 95 lbs I weigh 104 lbs. Good Luck

Answer 11

I would not recommend the pronged collar. I've had three fosters that have come with one of those things on them. All three were terrible at walking even though they had those. What I have found that has been the most effective in getting the dogs to walk better was the Gentle Leader. It simply directs their head. It does take time for them to get used to it, but it's worth the time. All three of my pulling fosters walk like champs now.

You can find them at most pet stores.

Here's the website: http://www.gentleleader.com/

Answer 12

The best thing to do would be to get a pinch collar for each of them and walk them separately until they learn the command "Heel".  Once they've both learned the command, then start walking them together again.

Answer 13

I would suggest taking the problem one out for a 5 min session on the leash, and walk up and down your driveway/part of path, every time that he pulls, on even tightens the leash, turn around and walk the other way, make your self seem unpredictable so he has to look at you in order to know where you are going.

Also try a Gentle leader, it's like a car harness but has the ring on the front so you control him from the front, rather than the back.

EDIT: I believe I used the wrong name above, it's not a gentle leader, and is in essence the same as a car harness, but has a ring on the front, not the back and you have more control over the dog.

Answer 14

It never ceases to amaze me how many people have a problem and think of the nastiest 'solution' to solve by getting a choke chain..... I consider this to be completely amateur!!!!  please try to find any one-to-one time to give some time for training, time spent now will make a big difference.... when you have more than one dog, you'll usually find that one wants (demands) to be in front.

I agree with the others that just stop and stand every time he starts pulling.... try also taking some really tasty t*t-bits and say the heel command, gently pull him back into place and reward him.  Very shortly you'll have his undivided attention every time you say heel and hopefully with a bit of time, he'll get much better.....it won't happen overnight.

Also by using t*t-bits, when you get to a situation which makes him 'freak out' it'll distract him as he'll be paying too much attention to you.  Don't use dry biscuits or anything boring, chop up some sausage etc.... my dog will do anything for a bit of cheese so try that.

Good luck

Answer 15

If someone can go with you, then you can use the stop and turn back method of walking with one whilst the other person just carries on.

We did this with our younger Golden Retriever and after about a week she stopped pulling.

Hope this helps.

Answer 16

I had this problem with my dog. Every time he pulled, I simply stopped and stood still. When he realised he wasn't going anywhere, he eased off. You have to keep it up for a while but they eventually get the message that if they pull they end up going nowhere.

Answer 17

i have an 86 lbs doberman who used to pull. the best thing i have found that works amazing is a pinch collar.  you can get them at most pet stores.  they look scary and mean, but they arent that bad.  when the dog pulls slightly, the collar pinches his skin a litte to get his attention.  also, you need to show him you are dominant, not him.  right now it sounds like he has control and does whatever.  after only a few months i turned a badly behaved runner dog into a loving loyal, well behaved dog that stay at my side with out a leash or anything.

hope this helps

Answer 18

There is absolutely no reason to use a collar that chokes or causes pain.  If you wrap the lead around his body once at his chest so when he pulls if squeezes his chest it will work better than any choke or pinch collar.  They don't like having their chest squeezed but it does not hurt them.  Also stop and make him sit each and every time he pulls and don't start walking until he is not pulling.  It may take you forever to walk 100 feet but after a while it will work.  My sister house sat for my brother's Golden retriever who pulls so bad that my brother used a spike collar that didn't help.  Using the techniques I listed my sister got the dog to heal and walk with absolutely no pulling in only a week or so.

Answer 19

buy a padded harness,my black lab has stopped pulling after changing from normal lead to a harness.