Pulling on Leash...My Mistake!

[fogebotom]

I hate to advise this but have you just give him a quick "pop" with the lead and told him to knock it off in a very stern voice? Sometimes you have to get in their face and let them know it's not appropriate. Corgis are smart, too smart and at times they know they have your number. If he's instantly pulls into the leash, make it uncomfortable for him. Pop and turn walk the other direction.

Again, I prefer to do other things first before I get tough-remember the voice-low, gruff and tell him what you think about his behavior. Momma dog would do that same if she had had enough of a behavior.

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by MyPemCharlie

We are still having about 2 bad days to 1 good day with the walking. I broke down and saw a slip chain under five dollars and picked it up. Today Charlie and I tried one session with his collar, and one with the slip chain. Honestly I cannot tell a single iota of difference. We are having a "bad" day, but he tried to pull with the slip just as much and the "choke" tug didn't phase him.

His focus in general is excellent until I put a leash on him. Then his attention is on pull, pull, pull. I stopped for about 5 minutes today, got him to sit, but couldn't get his eye contact. (He was intently watching the mailman's truck.) We seem to be at a standstill. Hopefully we'll have a turnaround soon. Always darkest before the dawn?

Sometimes you hit plateau's on the way. You just have to work through them or wait them out. Keep doing what you're doing. Be persistant, eventaully you'll get there!

Peggy

[MyPemCharlie]

We've been using the quick pop since we started walking and are still doing it. The early mistake I made was to skip the step of stopping or turning around and then starting forward again. Our walks ending up being "pop, pull, pop, pull, pop, pull, pull, pull" which is now what I've been trying to fix the last several weeks by remembering to stop or turn a different direction right before he pulls. Unfortunately I think I made Charlie immune to any pressure on his neck with my early failure.

He has a really sweet temperament, not dominant or shy, and I can usually cajole him into behaviors I want with "happy talk". I think the stern gruff voice would make him ignore me more or make him shut down. It might even scare him since he's not used to it. I could try it once though. If it's a mistake it wouldn't be the first one I've made. What we're doing isn't working. LOL

I did just return from our third short walk today and was trying the opposite techniques. No pops and almost "baby talk" like "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Good job!" When he started to get ahead, I said "Stop!" (still happy voice) and stopped and let him either turn back to me, or self-correct by continuing ahead to the end of the lead. He did make more eye contact, but it's getting later in the day and he may have just been in the right mood (too tired to pull) for the first time today.

One idea I had was that I trained my last dog and Charlie the basics almost entirely off-leash in the backyard with all other obedience commands and they both learned very well, and carried the obedience skills into public while on leash. However, I failed my last dog and am not doing well with Charlie only with loose-leash walking. Charlie actually heels very well off-leash in the backyard (I wouldn't try it in an unfenced area though). I don't know if all the off-leash training would have any impact on the leash walking training, but it was a thought.

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by MyPemCharlie

One idea I had was that I trained my last dog and Charlie the basics almost entirely off-leash in the backyard with all other obedience commands and they both learned very well, and carried the obedience skills into public while on leash. However, I failed my last dog and am not doing well with Charlie only with loose-leash walking. Charlie actually heels very well off-leash in the backyard (I wouldn't try it in an unfenced area though). I don't know if all the off-leash training would have any impact on the leash walking training, but it was a thought.

It might, but it might also take a bit of time for him to get the transition from off leash in the back yard to on leash out of the yard. Still IMO, worth a try.

Have you taught him to heel? That might help too.

Peggy

[MyPemCharlie]

Yes, he heels great...in the back yard. When he walking nicely out of the yard and paying attention, I am reenforcing with "Good Heel!"

We just tried one final outing for the day which was spoiled by Charlie lunging at the loose neighborhood poodle. The owner told me he's trying to "find a girl" for his poodle because he's just "going nuts". I casually mentioned neutering....again. Guess that's not happenin'.

Guess I should count my blessings that my only problem is a tight leash!

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by MyPemCharlie

Yes, he heels great...in the back yard. When he walking nicely out of the yard and paying attention, I am reenforcing with "Good Heel!"

Ok, just wondered. Keep on with the work!

We just tried one final outing for the day which was spoiled by Charlie lunging at the loose neighborhood poodle. The owner told me he's trying to "find a girl" for his poodle because he's just "going nuts". I casually mentioned neutering....again. Guess that's not happenin'.

Some people are not teachable. And yes, neutering would be the best thing for this dog.

Guess I should count my blessings that my only problem is a tight leash!

LOL! Yeah, I guess there are worse things!!!

Peggy

[MyPemCharlie]

All right. New method. The choke chain was only used one day. Not working.

Our first walk this morning was a disaster. Charlie is in teenage La La Land today and not focusing on anything but play.

We just did our second walk with a new method I read about. Donkey and carrot. I took the thick unbendable cardboard pants hanger piece off a dry cleaner hanger, and taped a long-handled iced teaspoon into the end. We went out with a scoop of peanut butter which I could dangle in front of Charlie's nose without breaking my back stooping over.

It was very effective for keeping him by me and lessening environmental distractions. Now, is this teaching him the main point: to walk next to me? Am I just bribing him with something that will be difficult to wean him off later? I'm also not sure it will keep working once the novelty wears off.

At 100 calories per tablespoon of peanut butter, I'll have to cut back on his kibble so I'm not walking with FAT Charlie in a couple months. LOL

[fogebotom]

Actually you are using a method similar to the target stick used in clicker training. Might want to see if you can get a copy of Karen Pryor's Click to Win book. It's about show dogs, but many of the methods are similar to what you would use on an obedience dog.

[MyPemCharlie]

Well I'll keep it up as long as it's working. We just tried a second short "peanut butter on a stick" walk and it's better than anything else we've done.

I've been doing something similar, just luring by hand with Charlie's kibble mixed with some diced up boiled chicken bits. I was having to crouch down and walk like Groucho Marx (not easy on my back) to get it in front of his nose, and he didn't seem as interested as he is (for now) in the peanut butter.

I also may stop by the neighborhood bookstore for Karen Pryor's book. Thanks!

[MyPemCharlie]

!!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!!

I have no idea what happened overnight! We just walked almost the entire 2 miles that we were doing before I started retraining. Charlie was staying right with me, so we just kept walking. Very, very few penalty yards (walking backwards a few steps) were needed, and Charlie wasn't even too interested in the peanut butter on a stick lure.

If we can keep this up for three days in a row and do some testing in a few less familiar areas, then I think we are ready to go proof in a class with distractions and take the CGC!

I hope our afternoon walk goes as well! Sure seems like a lightbulb went off in Charlie's smart little head.

!!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!! !!!!! Wow !!!!!

[KJohnson]

Congrats Charlie!!!!
=D
I hope we have as much luck with Westin....

[MyPemCharlie]

Well thank you! We did great Friday, pretty good yesterday, and today Charlie was testing me to see if I am really, really not going to let him pull. Still whatever made him "see the light" on Friday is mostly sticking with him.

Before Friday he just hadn't figured out that he was supposed to walk without pulling. He really didn't understand what I wanted from him. Today he knows he's not supposed to pull (I could tell by his "new" eye contact and attention when we walked backwards a few steps) and he is just being a rebellious teenager!

If I have any good advice for you and Westin, it is not to ever, ever let him start pulling. It's really hard to reverse and retrain.

[KJohnson]

a little late for that now....
but I've been reading your thread throughly and we are working on it, slowly, but surely. It's just hard because Jim and I have different styles of training/walking him... and we're never walking him together.... so I think it might take a little longer.

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by MyPemCharlie

Well thank you! We did great Friday, pretty good yesterday, and today Charlie was testing me to see if I am really, really not going to let him pull. Still whatever made him "see the light" on Friday is mostly sticking with him.

Before Friday he just hadn't figured out that he was supposed to walk without pulling. He really didn't understand what I wanted from him. Today he knows he's not supposed to pull (I could tell by his "new" eye contact and attention when we walked backwards a few steps) and he is just being a rebellious teenager!

If I have any good advice for you and Westin, it is not to ever, ever let him start pulling. It's really hard to reverse and retrain.

I'm hoping that the light bulb has come on and he gets it now. And for good! Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Peggy

[fogebotom]

Way to go Charlie!!! I just love it when the light bulb goes on and the get what we want out of them. Just think, now that he's got it, further training should be so much easier.