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ematlosz ematlosz

When I take my dog for a walk, she pulls so hard that she chokes herself with the leash. How can I stop her from doing this?

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bcarlson15...
bcarlson15...
Marked as Best! October 09, 2009 04:43 PM
The easiest thing is to get the "Halti Gentle Leader" or something similar. It is put onto the dog's head like a horse's halter and is a very easy and gentle way to curb pulling. Wherever the dog's head goes, the rest of him will go.

Here is a nice photo from Drs. Foster and Smith: Halti Headcollars. It needs to be fitted properly (Internet instructions or ask pet store personnel), and many dogs will try to get it off at first, but if you use treats to distract the dog and start walking, it will soon get used to the idea.

This is a very gentle and humane way to handle a large dog. Next step would be obedience training class. Great for both of you, and fun, too!
Source(s):
Dog owner for about 40 years, online research, talking to dog trainers.
Asker's Rating:
• I selected this as best answer because it solves my problem without choking the dog. I can see how this would make it easier to train her not to pull instead of using a choke chain that hurts her or a harness that encourages pulling. Good jorb! Thanks, Eric
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vicgoodwin...
vicgoodwin...
October 09, 2009 03:48 AM
Put her on a choke chain and wrap it around your hand until she is right beside you under your hand. . Before you take your first step have her right at your side and tell her "sandy heel" then step and bring her with you. She will not have much leash to pull with so that will help a lot. Tell her to heel and pull the leash straight up quickly then release it. Step again saying Sandy Heel
Praise her when she relaxes in the walk and ruffle her chest and tell her good girl nice hjeeling Sandy. The more you repeat the word the more she realizes this is heeling. A little choking of the dog is pretty normal until she learns this basic command. When she walks right with you praise her for this.
Love and repetition is the best method for training her.

this picture is how the walk should go with a little training.
Source(s):
Went to obedience school with my pups. they learned to Heel very nicely like this.
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ematlosz
ematlosz
October 09, 2009 03:55 AM
The choke chain sounds helpful but I don't really want to hurt her. Shes a medium sized dog. I would feel a little weird about putting a choke chain on her. I might try it though. Thanks.
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vicgoodwin...
vicgoodwin...
October 09, 2009 04:21 AM
the choke chain sounds mean but it is not it is simply a chain that tightens briefly and surprises her. she is choking herself more with her regular collar. My trainer had us purchase them and they love their chains. We now rarely have to tighten to get them back on tyrack. my dogs weight 45 and 50 pounds australian shepard and they have never one time even whelped from the chain. I wouldn't ever hurt my dogs. they are like my children.
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gjp
gjp
October 09, 2009 03:50 AM
Just let her do it, animals feel pain just as we do and she will quit when she starts feeling the pain, my dog would do it to so I would just stop and let her pull, she would pull so hard she would start gagging and than once it started to hurt her she would stop and realize whatever it is she's pulling so hard for isn't worth the pain
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ematlosz
ematlosz
October 09, 2009 03:54 AM
Yeah, thats the weird thing. She just keeps going and coughing until she gets tired and then lays down.
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jkepler
jkepler
October 10, 2009 01:13 AM
I'm not saying your wrong, but I actually do know of one dog that slowly choked itself to death because it would pull on the end of it's chain all day in its yard. Windpipe eventually collapsed.
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jkepler
jkepler
October 09, 2009 05:18 AM
The answer I came up with when in this situation myself was a dog harness. It goes around their chest, not their neck, and under the stomach. My dog was honestly completely indifferent to it. The only thing he didn't like about it was the extra few seconds it took to put it on him, as this was precious time being taken away from his walk! I also felt I had more control over him when I needed to. As you know, sometimes dogs will lunge towards other people when they shouldn't, and if they're wearing the harness you don't have to feel guilty about stopping them right away and giving the person they're lunging at a little more space.
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michelleld...
michelleld...
October 09, 2009 06:27 AM
That's my answer too - a harness - I have a 90-pound 'puppy' who gets so excited he chokes himself too, so we got a really good harness that goes around his chest, waist, legs and back. It's such good quality you could literally pick him up by the harness and suspend him and not hurt him. He probably wouldn't like it any, but it wouldn't hurt him!

Harnesses also are safer for dogs. It's nearly impossible for them to get out of the harness quickly, but a dog could slip a collar easily. You can pull a dog back with a harness if he's in danger, and smaller dogs, you can literally pick up out of harm's way with a harness.

Harnesses make your dogs easier to control and safer for you and the dog when walking.

They aren't very hard to put on, taking not much longer than it would to put on a leash and collar, and they make a huge difference, and if they are the right size, don't hurt the dog even a little bit.

http://www.dogsupplies.com/product_images/z/tuffadjustablecomfortharnesslead__58940_thumb.jpg

http://www.dogsupplies.com/categories/Dog-Collars/Dog-Harness/
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jillbeth
jillbeth
October 10, 2009 12:53 AM
You reminded me of an incident when our friends came to visit with their little dog on a harness. Our mama cat was in the kitchen with her kittens, we were all just standing around and the dog is minding his own business. Mama kept her eye on the dog, though. My husband thought it would be funny to spook the kittens. They went six different directions, and the mama cat went straight for that poor dog! His owner just lifted him up on his leash and harness out of the cat's reach. It was hilarious.
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jillbeth
jillbeth
October 10, 2009 12:49 AM
I don't believe the halter will be effective with your dog. Harnesses are designed make it easier for the dog to pull! Sled dogs and carting dogs wear harnesses just for that purpose. The head halter is probably the best idea, since you are hesitant to use a choker. (Choker chains are effective when they're used in the correct manner, but in some states they are illegal). Wherever the dog's head goes, the dog is going to go, and it will be easier for you to control the dog and get him to walk beside you instead of lurching ahead.
Source(s):
personal experience.
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jkepler
jkepler
October 10, 2009 01:16 AM
You're right, the harness definitely will not convince the dog to pull less. However, assuming you've bought a dog you can control (and not one bigger than you!), it's still pretty easy to direct them where you like with a harness. Don't most dogs hate halters? I would feel bad putting it on.
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jillbeth
jillbeth
October 10, 2009 06:56 PM
Well, I've had a harness on my 36-pound Chow mix, and it was all I could do to keep her under control! I'm not a physically strong person, though. I can see how a harness would be good for a little dog, though, as you can see by my story above!
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candylynn6...
candylynn6...
October 10, 2009 03:38 AM
I don't agree to using a choker chain. Would you want to wear one? I think choker chains are cruel to animals. I won't use one on my dogs, for the fact that THEY CHOKE!!!! It could cause damage to their throat. A harness is the safest and easiest to use. No choking and pretty easy at handling your dog. Work with your dog inside the house with the leash, and have dog treats to let her know that she did good. Then take her out in the yard and work some more with her. I have a dog that didn't take to leashes at all, but I would hook a leash on him in the house and let him walk around with it for awhile, and he did get used to it. Hope this helps.
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enigmatic1...
enigmatic1...
October 10, 2009 06:28 PM
I have found that a harness is the best solution,it's never failed ,I have had both large and small dogs and they all seem to prefer not having something that tightens around their necks.They don't seem to realize that it is themselves causing the problem!Ask in your local petshop for advice on the best type for you dog.
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fabliaux
fabliaux
October 12, 2009 03:40 AM
If i remember correctly from puppy obedience classes long ago, choke chains aren't supposed to actually choke a dog. They should be worn higher up on the head around the base of the skull - not really around the neck (but they tend to slip down). Secondly, its the snap that a choker collar makes that is supposed to get the dog's attention, not actually choking the dog and cutting off it's oxygen. A properly used choke collar (and check with an expert for best results - i'm sure information can even be obtained on the net) should not cause damage to the dog, nor is it cruel. However, that being said, i have seen people misuse a choke collar. I saw a man pick up his dog (a lab) just using the choke collar (the dog was off the ground) because the dog would not come when called. Nice guy. Obviously, this is not the correct usage.

Choke collars require consistency, as all dog obedience training does. If that's not an option, you might try a pinch collar. They have prongs on the inside that put slight pressure on the dog's neck (again worn close to the base of the skull). It does not choke, nor does it pierce their neck. You can wrap a pinch collar around your thigh or arm and pull and find out how much pressure is applied. I use one on my 85lb mix breed that would haul me down the block. The pinch collar works immediately with very little training for the dog. I have no problems walking him now. He doesn't mind the pinch collar and my arm stays in the socket when we walk.

Best of luck to you.
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