Training adult dog? - Paw Talk

evil_vegan · #1 06-09-2006, 09:31 PM

My mother has the litter mate to my Piggy at her house, Mask. Now, my mother is very much disabled, and is not able to go outside to walk the dog. My teen brother, obviously, does not want to bother walking her because she is rough on a leash, so she is left outside. I took her on a walk today, just to see how she does, and although she was rough, she seemed to be getting the idea that I was in charge. The problem was that she was constantly choking herself. Constantly. I had purchased a spikey training collar a while back, but it seems awfull so I have since displaced it. Would there be a nicer way to get her to stop choking herself so badly? We get glares when people hear her wheezing because she can't breathe. Her collar is not too tight, I checked.

scottyc510 · #2 06-09-2006, 10:08 PM

what about trying a harness?

evil_vegan · #3 06-09-2006, 10:52 PM

Would we still be able to tug train her with a harness?

Lovemysibs · #4 06-09-2006, 10:54 PM

A harness wont work, while she wouldnt be choking herself anymore, there wouldnt be any real consequence... my Natalya used to pull, but i got her a gentle leader and she does awesome with it.. i of course attach it to her chain collar for that "just in case" incident, but they're available at petsmart or wherever... and theyre not cruel, cause it leaves the dogs mouth open and able to breathe, pant, drink water... just when they pull, they are pulling their face and most dogs dont like that.. i say try the Gentle Leader or Halti

Lovemysibs · #5 06-09-2006, 10:57 PM

http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...N=2025643&Ne=2
or
http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...N=2025643&Ne=2

**Scarlette** · #6 06-09-2006, 11:26 PM

I agree with the Gentle Leader or Halti. It worked get for Mirra once she got used to it.

kathydip · #7 06-10-2006, 05:00 PM

Gentle Leaders are fantastic! I have seen even the worst pullers learn how to walk nicely with a getle leader. And it's not cruel at all to use. When I used harnesses with my cockers I found they could pull me even harder! I swear that my shoulders are messed up still from that.
And it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks! Good luck!

Vanilla_Rat · #8 06-11-2006, 06:48 PM

Yes, I agree...try the gentle lead or head halter.Good luck!

I understand...some of the foster dogs I have pull like crazy and choke themselves and people give me the worst looks ever!Harnesses don't always work either!

kfielder · #9 06-15-2006, 12:19 PM

There's also a type of harness that hooks in the front instead of the back. When they pull ahead of you with that on, it trips them, so they don't pull.

Also, the pinch collars (the spikey trining collar) just look cruel, but they're much better than other collars that go around the dog's neck. A regular buckle collar can end up damaging the dog's windpipe because all of the pressure is in one spot. A choke collar distributes the pressure a little better, but it still puts strain on the windpipe. The pinch collars just pinch the skin a little, so there's no risk of damage. I tried it on myself before using one on my dog, and they do pinch, but they're not painful.

Leo · #10 06-15-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfielder


	Also, the pinch collars (the spikey trining collar) just look cruel, but they're much better than other collars that go around the dog's neck. A regular buckle collar can end up damaging the dog's windpipe because all of the pressure is in one spot. A choke collar distributes the pressure a little better, but it still puts strain on the windpipe. The pinch collars just pinch the skin a little, so there's no risk of damage. I tried it on myself before using one on my dog, and they do pinch, but they're not painful.

I also agree try a prong collar or a regular choker collar (they dont really hurt them and are safe if fitted & put on properly).... after a few months of walking her on it she won't even need it and then you can throw it in a junk drawer and use whatever kind of collar you want..... The problem I have with the the Gentle Leader (GL) collars is they do not teach your dog how to walk correctly they will walk great with one on but it is only masking the problem not solving it... a lot of people will use them with great success only to find that when they switch back to a regular flat collar they are still as hard to walk as they were before they bought the GL.

Before you go out and purchase any collar I am going to reccomend that you call a private dog training school (not one associated with a pet supply store) and ask them what kind of collar they recomend.

I have been using a choke collar on Leo for the last month and noticed a difference right away... I can walk him on a flat collar now without him trying to pull away from me... I take the choke collar along on walks just in case he starts to pull.... I also tried harnesses on him, but found that he just pulled more (must be from his nordic heritage of sled dogs??)

Good Luck and thank you for stepping in to take care of the dog instead of just bringing her to an animal shelter or human society like many other people would have!

evil_vegan · #11 06-16-2006, 05:36 PM

I would never let her go to a shelter! She's my first daughter and Piggy's my first son..bottle fed em both!

Keritsubo · #12 06-16-2006, 09:16 PM

I have never used a gentle leader but I've seen it work wonders. For my dog I used a prong collar (Which may be what you called a spikey collar) and if fitted properly works wonders. It doesn't hurt the dog unless you pull hard and constantly on it. My trainer told me it corrects a dog in a manner similiar to how a mother would correct a pup by the scruff of the neck.

I use prong with both my dogs. The huskey just naturally pulls and the other dog pulled herself til she was choking on the choke chain and the regular collar.

evil_vegan · #13 06-16-2006, 10:40 PM

I am looking for that collar, I think maybe I'll try that. We'll work on it after Blackjack gets straightened out.

vickipugh · #14 06-20-2006, 01:01 PM

Hi everyone,

Just been reading about this spikey collar - any idea of where I can find a pic on the web? I have never heard about them before!

I have a little Staffy-X who pulls like mad - she's 3 years old now and just has a constant obsession with pulling on the lead. I've tried a Halti/Gentle Leader but she absolutely hated it - ended up with both her paws caught up in it.

Cheers

Vicki

corgimom · #15 06-27-2006, 10:30 AM

I ditto the gentle leader/halti suggestion. The first time I put one on Ein, he flopped around like a fish out of water, trying to get it off (he is quite stubborn), but once he got used to having it on, he did just fine. He walks so much better with it on. Now I just have to remember where I put it. (We don't use it much now, because he walks much better, but I want to take it on vacation with us "just in case" and I can't find it.

)