leash training?

[Gecko]

What is the best way to leash train a dog? Zoe has terrible leash manners and she always kind of chokes herself and I dont know what to do about it. Does anyone have any kind of suggestions??

[RSbunny]

Go here
That's a thread I started ages ago...it worked really well and to this day she'll walk around the yard on a loose lead but she gets so distracted out on the street and so I gave up and she wears a halti now. But Biscuit was three when I started her so she had three years worth of bad habits for me to try and beat and sh ehad other bad habits that needed more attention. Good luck!

[Gecko]

thanks!! Ill have to try that!!

[RSbunny]

let us know how it goes!

[pihlaja]

Also, along with the thread Carmen linked to giving advice, for pullers, using a half-check collar works very well. They are kind of like a choke chain, but only close half-way, so the dog CANNOT choke themselves. Some pressure is applied on their throat when they pull and so they are more aware of when they are pulling.

A half-check collar looks like this .

A halti is also a great training device for those dogs that REALLY pull.

And, whatever you do, DON'T use a harness if your dog is a puller. This will only intensify the problem!

[RSbunny]

I don't want to upset anyone but I'm personally against check collars for puppies...I don't think they are necessary at all...especially not for a beagle. I'd try the training first, a puppy should pick it up fairly quickly as long as you are consistent with it. If you have a lot of trouble I'd go for the halti, over a check collar. That's just me though. You can get check collars that are all material, work the same way but not as harsh as the chain so if you think you want a check collar (cause I don't think they are necessary at all with the market these days) you might want to see if you can get one of them...less chance of doing damage to their neck...they're called training collars in Aus but they work the same as a check chain, just a lot softer on the neck.

Sorry Rowan! I know heaps of people use them I just had to say something, at work we refuse to sell anything except for the training collars so I guess it's just kind of built in for me to say why they can be bad.

[Gecko]

well i am worried enough about her choking herself on her regular collar which is plenty loose, I dont think i would go for any kind that tightens when she pulls.

[pihlaja]

It's all right, Carmen.

We use them on Seamus and Kirby. The halti doesn't work on Kirby at all--that's a Samoyed for you. But, what works for me doesn't work for everyone else.

And since I have long-haired breeds, regular collars aren't very good for their hair (well, honestly, no collar is great for their hair).

The reason we have Seamus wear a check collar is that he always manages to escape from a regular collar if he fights hard enough. This has always been a problem when we want to take him somewhere in the car, because as soon as he sees we're getting to the car, he starts kicking and bucking and the collar is off in the blink of an eye. Not so with the half-check colllar. Since using the half-check, bucking and kicking has gone down to a minimum.

But, this is what works for me. And, our dogs are not wearing any collar 90% of the time. The joys of having a large yard, eh?

But, it's good that you have a differing opinion, I think, because people can better make their own decisions if they hear at least a few differing opinions.