Training an Adult Rescue - Page 1

I just acquired a 6 year old female rescue, who has spent most of her life on a chain. Like most dogs that have been chained, she's used to pulling, and despite a choke chain, nearly pulled me off my feet when we made a pee stop on our way home.

I'd just like to get a few opinions on what's the best way to teach her leash manners. Should I try the treats approach (she's very food motivated, due to bieng half-starved!)  What sort of collar would be best? I had a male rescue with a very similar background, and he did well with a prong, but that was 8 years ago, and we live in a kindler, gentler world now, and I'm trying to adapt to the newer methods.

The shelter she was in taught her to take treats from a person's fingers very gently. I have to confess, she does that better than the female I've had since she was a pup! 

there are colars that wrap their muzzle, and you can control a dog with a finger.

If we live in a kindler, gentler world why are you using a choke chain?
Use the prong properly, with food, and it will solve your problems.
I've never had it not work with hundreds of rescues I have taken in.

Food, food, food, then put the prong on. Worked for me.
Great job on the rescue!!! Good luck. Take care.

Just use a prong collar.  They really are the best collars for training.

My dog used to pull.  Tried the choke chain.  Tried a gentle lead.  Tried everything.  Then went to a prong.

I was using a choke chain BECAUSE I didn't want to get pulled off my feet and have her run out into traffic in a strange location, with both of us miles and miles from home!    This was't a teacup poodle I was dealing with!

I would have taken the prong with me, but it's really tricky to get it adjusted to the right size, and I figured she wasn't going to be very good at standing still while we tried to size it properly. (I was right. Getting the choker on her was hard enough!)

I actually had decided the prong was likely the best way to go before posting this. I just wanted to see if others agreed. It worked a treat for my male. Whenever he got too strong with his flat collar, I'd put it back on him, and he'd become an ambsolute angel the moment he even SAW it!  INSTANT transformation in behaviour....   He wouldn't even try to test me when I put it on. He knew better!

I agree, use the prong get some control and as she progresses maybe you can fade the prong and work a regular choke.
While i like the idea of the head halter, a lot of dog with dew claws can pull them off their muzzles. And i've seen some dogs break halters.
All my rescues start on a choke/prong combo to see which works with them. IF they ignore the choke i use the prong, if they are real soft i can usually remove the prong.
Best of luck with her. She's gonna love not living on a chain.
Fry

I use the prong of most of my rescues. It makes the job way more enjoyable and the dog gets the idea quick what you expect from the git go. I tried a collar with the mastiff I have now and at 170lbs he took me where he wanted to go. That collar walk was the first and last walk. 

Barb

I think in this case it depends a lot on "YOU"...How "Heavy Handed" are you? I feel for this type dog and where she's been...that FOOD is the key to building a good bond and a confident dog...I think the key is NOT to use the collar for any corrections at this time...But I too would then use a Prong when you need to begin to make a few corrections...

So I think at this time any collar is fine...Just don't use it to correct the dog...Use it ONLY to keep the dog from running away...Then after say...a few weeks...I'd begin to let her wear...and ONLY wear a Prong Collar...then after a bit of time you can start to clip into the Prong...and ONLY use it if and when you absolutely need it...and if you know what you're doing...and you go to give a correction...Make the correct appropriate to the problem...Don't overuse it and Don't over correct...!

~Bob~