leash training 3 year old lab

[Paigekitten]

My poor lab hasn't has a walk in ages because he is so absolutely HORRIBLE on a leash.  The last time I walked him I was in flip flops and when we walked past another house with dogs he lunged to the fence, knocked over the stroller with the kids in it and mauled my foot with his toes by jumping around as I tried to drag him away, I was dripping blood all over the sidewalk as we walked home.  

I stopped walking him because I am not strong enough to control him.  DH has been working so much he can't take him right now either, AND since then the two houses on our corner had people move in who each have two dogs that are outside all the time, so it is impossible to take him on a walk that doesn't involve passing other dogs.

I can't even TOUCH his leash without him going beserk.

Unfortunately I'm about to have a baby and DH's work schedule won't be calming down until January, so working with the dog is getting pushed WAAAAAAY to the bottom of the priority list and he's acting out because of it, and then he ends up getting put outside cause I just can't handle the doggie attitude.....ugh. 

I know I should re-home him, but I really don't want to, I just want him not to be a stinker. If I could walk him with the leash in one hand, and pulling the kids in the wagon with the other hand I feel like so many of his other issues would go away, cause I could get out with him every day, but I don't even know where to start.

[FarmerBeth]

Please no one jump on me for this, but have you tried a halty?  They fit around the dog's mouth and only tighten if they tug.  This is uncomfortable for the dog, so they stop pulling.  I've had some people say they have a problem with this, but I personally don't see the difference between one and a horse having a bridle with bit.  I trained my strong and stubborn German Shepherd with one years past.  It worked so well that she formed habits good enough to translate her halty training to off-leash training later.

[Paigekitten]

No, but it sounds like it might help, although, he pulls so hard that when my husband walks him he chokes himself and can't breath (regular collar!), yet he doesn't ever think to stop pulling.....

[Mirzam]

I have a 15 month old 170 mastiff so I understand pulling! I second the use of a head collar. The Halti isn't the only one on the market, there is also the Gentle Leader, Canny Collar, NewTrix, K9, and my personal favorite and the one we use the Dogmatic (unfortunately they only ship within the UK). The other tool you could consider is a no pull harness like the Sensation No Pull harness, the Easy Walk Harness, and the Freedom No Pull Harness (my preference). I would probably start with a harness before resorting to the head collar, but some dogs, mine for one, can pull right through a harness. Remember these are only tools, and the goal is to use them for training and to get to the point where the dog can be "weaned" off them.

Here is what I have done to get my dog to walk well on the leash -- we are still a work in progress, but he is so much better than he was. I use a head collar in combination with a heavy duty martingale collar with a double ended leash attached to both. We have made enough progress that I primarily use the leash attached to the collar to control him, with the leash attached to the head collar left slack, unless I need it. Oscar likes to say hello to every dog and human he sees, he is mister congeniality, but not every person wants to be accosted by a giant dog, so I had him sit whenever I saw a person or a dog in the distance until they walked past us. I was okay with him looking at the person or dog, and while he was sitting I would treat him constantly and praise him, you can also use the clicker to reinforce this, but I always found holding a leash, treating and clicking at the same time was a bit more than I could handle. He can for the most part can resist people and dogs, although if a person starts showing an interest in him and wanting to pet him, he still needs to be controlled. He is now at the stage that he will even sit without asking if he sees someone coming. He also still pulls if he decides he wants to sniff something, and if he is determined to go I really can't hold him, so I have to sometimes let him go. I am very strict with him walking to heel, if he starts to pull ahead of me I will stop and take five steps backwards facing front until he gets back in line with me. Often he will automatically sit and wait for me to say it is okay to go again. You might want to consider going to a training class for reactive dogs or have a private session with a trainer. I found the private sessions with a trainer very useful with Oscar.

I would also recommend watching the kikopup videos on youtube for loose leash walking training. Here is another good link for loose leash walking.

Good luck, with time and effort your dog will be able to walk nicely on the leash and you will be able to take him and pull the kids in the wagon!

[starrlamia]

i personally like the harnesses better then the haltis are there is less chance of injury, though my bulldogge figured out how to pull on it too lol.

I would look into clicker training and start working with your dogs, just take 10 minutes a day. I would start training leave it and watch me.

http://www.clickertraining.com/taxonomy/term/28 << clicker training basics

Watch me is easy, choose a command, watch me, look, focus etc, wait until your dog looks into your eyes/face, click and reward. It doesnt take long for them to catch on! You can use a treat and put it up to your face to start to get them looking at you, however I choose to hold a treat in my closed hand by my side, I just wait them out, eventually they will look up at me, you want to start by reward any glance no matter how long it is.

leave it :

http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/leave-it.html

loose leash walking:

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/541

if you take 5 minutes a day for each exercise (just walk down a block and back) you will see some great improvement in a few weeks, or even shorter!

[nd_deadhead]

I used a prong collar with my 115-lb Lab. We got him when he was 10 months old, and he had developed some horrible leash habits. Prong collars really aren't nearly as nasty as they look - they are certainly less dangerous that a dog choking himself on a regular collar (my dog did this too).

We referred to the prong as the "don't pull" collar, because it worked. As Mirzam said, it's a tool to use to help teach good leash manners, but I found the prong collar to be a very effective tool, right from the beginning.

I di think that trying to train a dog and manage a stroller at the same time is going to slow the training process a lot - your first priority will (and should) be the baby, so you won't be as focused on the dog as you could be. It's not an ideal situation, but labs as smart, so he'll figure out what you want.

[daisymama12]

My trainer recommends the Gentle Leader, she says it's like having power steering on your dog. She is very positive reinforcement oriented.

I got one when I started feeling nervous taking my dog out, worried that he would lunge and I couldn't get him back into control fast enough. They are great. I don't really need it anymore, he is mostly pretty good, but I use it for my own confidence - I *know* I can control him.

Lots of good ideas for leash walking upthread.

The problem is, there is no magic answer. It takes time and consistency. Walks basically become training sessions. I had to get my head around never. ever. letting him walk one step with a taut leash. The improvements with my dog came gradually, until one morning I realized he could walk on a leash! But it took time. 

Is there any way you or your husband could get up early and take the dog for a walk without the kids? Or late at night?

It's just so much harder with the distractions...

Another way to help settle their energy is biking with them. I never thought that would be possible, but I got a bike tow leash (you can google it) and I go biking with my dog for 20 to 30 minutes and it really takes the edge off his energy at home. I got it on sale, and even so it was expensive, but it was a good purchase. 

[wanderinblues]

one of those easy walk harnesses was a total life saver for us. our young pit bull would pull me right over if he saw another dog, even with one of those collars that is part chain and tightens up. collars are just to easy to pull against, you need to take that power away from them. 

i used a halti with another dog and it did work, but our pitty just wont wear it. he can slip it off with his paw right away.

with the harness, we have so much more control, its amazing! he is an extremely strong dog, but he doesnt drag me around anymore :)

[Imakcerka]

I've used them all, and done quite a bit of training with The EVIL BEAGLE!  He didn't care about discomfort at all.  He could remove a harness a halty and anything else the vet tried to use to restrain him.  He hated any kind of restraints.  Oh and he was super strong... still is.  We did try and have success with a jacket and his regular collar.  Since the weather is changing is might be worth a try.  They have jackets for dogs and his was quite a hinderance to him.  I would leash the jacket and the collar and he would stay beside me.  We're not even sure why this worked.
 

Try keeping the collar and leash on him in the back yard or around the house.  Use an old leash that doesn't have a loop.  We did this with our Cow dog and she eventually got over the excitement of the leash.  Took about a day.  That helped quite a bit to lower her excitement level.

With our little lab I actually kept him leashed to me for quite some time.  I used this technique when I was house training him, I could walk outside every 20 minutes and give him the opportunity to go outside.  Within a few days he would give a little pull to let me know his needs.  Now if I leash him he doesn't get excited he just knows he's going outside with me and he's fine with it.

[hildare]

what is it with those stinky labbies?  we had much success with the gentle no pull halter that other posters mentioned. 

we have a coondog we had to use the haltie with, but those two kinds of dogs are very different in temperament in general; the coondog tended to lunge with her face (and bawling her fool head off at the same time) for which the haltie was a great idea-- but for our labbie, he tended to just pull or lunge using his whole body, and the gentle no pull halter really solved ALL our problems with him.  he was happy with it too.

[Paigekitten]

Yes, it takes me a good 20 minutes of attempting to hold him down just to get the leash ON him.  I've done the wear the leash around the house thing, and he is just unbearable to be with when it is on him.  ALL the things he knows (like sit, and lay down) go out the window and he's just this huge black leaping jumping wriggling streak of dog.

[starrlamia]

before you go for walks or even attempt to leash him, play some fetch or tug or something with him for 10-15 minutes to get a bit of his excess energy off, it will help! I would also randomly throughout the day, grab the leash, grab a treat and wait him out to sit quietly, i wouldnt even put it on him at first, just hold it and wait for him to settle. It is a waiting game, but it will click with him eventually.

 

Originally Posted by Paigekitten 

Yes, it takes me a good 20 minutes of attempting to hold him down just to get the leash ON him.  I've done the wear the leash around the house thing, and he is just unbearable to be with when it is on him.  ALL the things he knows (like sit, and lay down) go out the window and he's just this huge black leaping jumping wriggling streak of dog.

[tank]

Yah I don't even attempt to put leashes on my dogs unless they are sitting calmly.  You need to have extreme patience at first with the most unruly dog but it is worth it.  My dogs have to be sitting patiently to get their leashes put on and I won't open the door unless they are sitting either.  If I didn't teach them that I would be chasing them around trying to get the leashes on and then when I got them on they would be pulling me all over the place.  They learned that they can't get what they want until I get what I want.

[RabbitMomma]

Originally Posted by FarmerBeth 

Please no one jump on me for this, but have you tried a halty?  They fit around the dog's mouth and only tighten if they tug.  This is uncomfortable for the dog, so they stop pulling.  I've had some people say they have a problem with this, but I personally don't see the difference between one and a horse having a bridle with bit.  I trained my strong and stubborn German Shepherd with one years past.  It worked so well that she formed habits good enough to translate her halty training to off-leash training later.

Something that I find better than a halti is an Easy Walk harness (it's from the same people who make the Gentle Leader haltis). The reason I like these better is because the dogs like them a heck of a lot more than they like wearing the haltis, and they're really effective because they attach to the front of the harness so that when the dog pulls he starts to turn towards you.

Labs are pretty notorious for being pullers, my parents had a pulling lab and it's really hard to establish good habits once they have learned that they can get away with pulling. Labs also need to get walked really regularly though, so you're not doing him any favours by not giving him any exercise. What I would do is this:

1) Give him a really, really good work out before the walk. Take him into the backyard and throw a ball around for 15 minutes, or play chase or whatever other game he finds fun. Then take him on the walk so that he's a bit tired out and less likely to be a maniac.

2) Keep walks very short and sweet and devote them entirely to training. So plan on only taking him down to the end of the block so that you'll have more time to devote to training.

3) Bring treats with you on the walk, and occasionally drop them at your side so that he will move closer to you to get them. This will teach him that if he goes to your side he will get treats. If he stays at your side, give him another treat. Reward him for coming to your side, releasing tension from the leash, and eye contact. 

What you also have to remember is that labs are pretty high energy dogs, and a 3 year old lab is still in many ways going to act like a puppy. My parent's lab didn't slow down until...well, she's nearly 6 now and still hasn't slowed down! They need a lot of exercise, someone to walk them and train them, and that's going to be a lot more difficult to do once your baby comes. I think you and your DH should probably sit down and seriously consider whether or not you can provide all that work to the dog with a baby in the house.

[aeterna]

I'm going to second what everybody said about a halti/gentle leader, and tiring the dog out with some fetch/backyard running before attempting to walk him.

Also, if you can afford it, I'd recommend getting an hour with a trainer the first time you introduce the halti. Your dog WILL freak out, I can guarantee you. If he's accustomed to being able to pull you wherever he wants, he's not gonna be terribly impressed that any attempt to take off will leave him with his nose in your shin. ;) It can be a little disconcerting if you're not sure what to expect, so letting a trainer handle it might be the easiest thing. It does NOT hurt them, but they will jump around and paw at it and roll on the floor in agitation and whine and generally be a nuisance until they figure out they're truly stuck and calm down.

I would strongly recommend a halti over a chest harness - dogs that pull simply throw their weight into the harness and pull more effectively. 

[RabbitMomma]

Originally Posted by aeterna 

I would strongly recommend a halti over a chest harness - dogs that pull simply throw their weight into the harness and pull more effectively. 

I'm not sure if this was aimed at my post or not, but I just wanted to clarify that the harness I suggested attaches to the chest of the dog, so it does not work like a normal harness which encourages pulling. It works the same as a halti, but it's a bit more comfortable for the dog.

[Paigekitten]

I haven't been able to work too much with him lately, but I have been tiring him out some before attempting to leash him, waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for him to calm a little while leashing him, and then the walking backwards trick REALLY helps with the pulling.  It's been enough that at least I can get out with him by myself even though I'm due any day, which helps.  Hopefully soon we can do more.  I can't wait to try some more of the ideas/halters/halti.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by Paigekitten 

I haven't been able to work too much with him lately, but I have been tiring him out some before attempting to leash him, waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for him to calm a little while leashing him, and then the walking backwards trick REALLY helps with the pulling.  It's been enough that at least I can get out with him by myself even though I'm due any day, which helps.  Hopefully soon we can do more.  I can't wait to try some more of the ideas/halters/halti.

I am glad the walking backwards is helping. I have found it the single most useful thing to get Oscar walking nicely.

[aeterna]

Originally Posted by RabbitMomma 

I'm not sure if this was aimed at my post or not, but I just wanted to clarify that the harness I suggested attaches to the chest of the dog, so it does not work like a normal harness which encourages pulling. It works the same as a halti, but it's a bit more comfortable for the dog.

Interesting - can you link a pic? All the harnesses I've seen have had that sort of x- or y-shape over their chest, under their front legs and buckling/leashing between the shoulders. Like so... which just lets the dog throw his chest into pulling, without the natural consequences of choking himself when he does it.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by aeterna 

Interesting - can you link a pic? All the harnesses I've seen have had that sort of x- or y-shape over their chest, under their front legs and buckling/leashing between the shoulders. Like so... which just lets the dog throw his chest into pulling, without the natural consequences of choking himself when he does it.

There are many different kinds, I posted links in my post above

Sense-ation No pull harness

Easy Walk harness

The Freedom No Pull harness is my favorite because it controls from the front and the back, so you have two points of control. You use a double ended leash. It can also be used with a single leash connected to either points. However my BIG dog can pull through it, and the other front harnesses.