Leash Pulling - Page 1

I have a female German Shepherd Working Dog pup that I am training for a single purpose detection K9. Everytime I take her out  for a walk ,it is like she jerks,pulls really hard on the leash,I stop,wait,then start again,Same thing. It's almost she is locked on some sort of odor and she wants it bad... Other than that , She is a really awesome dog. I almost forgot , she is only 9 months old. She absolutly craves the balls and bite pillow and tugs.

 I will appreciate any thoughts or ideas and/or comments...

Get. A Chihuahua .

When I have a young dog that I am raising for single/dual purpose, honestly I kind of let the dogs pull me around until they are
around a year old. I don't even use a choke until then. All ob is motivational (ball, kong, food) . I let them follow their nose
because this is a behavior that I want in the future.

There are a lot of different reasons I raise them the way I do, but I have had more success then not with my methods.

If you'd like more info on the ways that we raise, please feel free to PM me.

Melissa

Couple of things; First, I'll second melba. Second, when you say you are training and then go for walks? Is this during training? Any, every time she's on a leash even when NOT training?

Is she "ON ODOR" during training and doing this? Or doing this whenever she is on a leasH? If not while training then I would think curiosty and just smelling and taking things in around her. There's no "REWARD" she's searching for so she's not "ON ODOR" or "SEARCHING" for a specific or specific combination of odors.

k9261,
You have not done the proper foundation work for the leash.
Detection ?

Moons.

Several thoughts: 

First, sniffing isn't always seeking an odor. It's also a displacement gesture dogs can use when they're feeling stressed or nervous. It depends on the context. 

Second, I have to agree that it sounds like maybe you haven't done the foundation work correctly. 

What I recommend is get the dog clicker savvy- you can use toys since she's a toy fiend, or treats for more convenience when you're first teaching. It's a great behavioral marker. 

Pair the click with something the dog will work for until the dog anticipates the advent of a reinforcer upon hearing the marker (click) and then you're ready to start work. 

Put her on leash, give her enough space to pull if she chooses, and start walking. If she starts pulling, stop cold and ignore her. When she redirects to you and chooses to take the slack out of the leash, click and deliver the reinforcer. Then, turn around and start going the other way.

Any behavior that continues to reoccur is being reinforced in some way. The puppy isn't pulling thinking, "I want treats or to play with my toy!" The puppy pulls because pulling is being reinforced by getting to go forward or possibly by sniffing. Remove the reinforcer by no longer going forward when pulled, which will punish pulling. Reward making the right choice (paying attention and not pulling) with a click and a reinforcer and by continuing to move forward, but IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, which again punishes pulling because althought the dog is going forward, it's in the other direction. I have had overwhelming success teaching loose-leash walking with this, and it's easy to adapt to a heel. You can drop the mark/click pretty quickly because most dogs pick up on this really fast. You'll find your focus doubles because the dog never knows where you want to go next. It's also helpful at first to click/reinforce for direction changes that are made properly. 

You can also use Premack to turn the distraction of sniffing into a reinforcer, which I recommend 100%. Use "heel" or "let's go" or "macaroni" or whatever (really doesn't matter) as a cue to either heel or walk on a loose-leash paying attention/not pulling, and "go sniff" or whatever to cue the dog that they have some free time to go sniff and investigate. It's always best to turn distractions into reinforcers if they're not inherently bad. You don't even really need to click/reinforce "go sniff" because sniffing is a primary reinforcer. 

I have read some the suggestions and comments on the Leash Pulling. I have to say  , There are some Really RUDE people on here who could care less about a person and/or feelings. What would be awesome if everyone would stop being so darn negative and offer some helpful ideas or thoughts on the matter. And then maybe later on check with the person and see how things are going....We should All step back and take a reality check.........

another comment.. as i stressed in many posts .. Always go back to fundamentals !! so i like to make people think .. novices and those that are well versed : the fundamental - aside from the innate tendencies a dog has , the product behavior is a mixture of genetcs & environmnewt / learning . that is the dog has reason to pull , be it what it may , .. the poster stated scent... [ a fundamental is dogs have investigative behaviors , the poster may be correct at that interpretation ]. Aside from the instincts the dog HAS LEARNED to pull [ somewhere it bacme to it's advantage top reach it's goal ]. MY point : since dogs don't umlearn behaviors .. theyu can learn something new .. or in this case not to pull at all .
          So -- in practirce/application this is one thing i do :  when i have a pup .. i safely tie  the handle of my leash with them attatched to a buckle collar  & securely  to a small tree , a fence .. something .. anything [ if i don't want them to pull]. i stress safely . I slowly calmly walk away .. [ mAke sure the pup does not run to the end and hurt the legs , i help guide the dog to the end to make it correctr] . viola the pup will pull .. good .. that's goos . WHY because the pup learns that pulling prohibits it from  achieving anything .. pulling doesn't work !! . now the same context i teach them something new... by not being able to come to me .. makes them want to come to me all the more . Fundamental #2 .. if a dog chooses to do something it will .. if it is motivated to come to you it will .... therefore .. a subtle premise for the dog ' to come' later..    again this is just one ,only one interaction to teach the dog .. there are countless others..  the next lesson is to translate what the dog learned to the act of walking with me ...

Hey, Alpha ; You are simply amazing . The thoughts you presented is exactly what I was talking about . I personally know k9261 so I will pass on your comments. Once again , Thanks.....

Lakewood, I assume you are referring to me. I was just joking. Wasn't trying to be rude. If i was, I would have recommended going to petco. They cover leash pulling in week two.