May 18, 2011
Our pup is 4 months old. She is almost impossible to walk down the street because she pulls so hard. Should I take corrective measures?
Full Question:
Our pup is 4 months old. She is almost impossible to walk down the street because she pulls so hard. She also wants to chase cars. Are these things she will get over or do I need to take corrective measures to stop them? I am just concerned with not wanting to make a mistake. 
Ed's Answer:
I normally do not recommend a prong collar for puppies that are this age. Your case requires a prong collar. On your walks, let the pup determine how hard his corrections are by holding the leash and letting him pull into the collar. You do not need to jerk him when he is walking, his pulling will result in a self correction. He will quickly learn that it is not fun to pull into a prong collar. This is why I like to call a prong collar "Power Steering for Dogs." If they are used properly, they are a godsend.
One of the things to keep in mind is "do not use the HEEL command" during this process. We are not trying to train the dog to HEEL, we are trying to teach him to not pull us down the street on our stomach. So use the SLOW command. This just means slow down. He does not have to walk by your side, he just needs to stop pulling. So as he begins to pull, you simply say SLOW in a normal firm voice (not mad).
The car chasing is a different matter. This needs to be stopped. You can try a few sessions with a self correction, just before the dog chases, give PHOOIE command or a NO! If this does not eliminate the behavior, then you need to give the PHOOIE command and enough of a jerk to make the pup yelp but not cower for 2 blocks. This is a life and death learning experience for our dogs, they must learn that cars are to be left alone. If it involves humane corrections, then so be it. The key is to correct to the point of a yelp and not to the point of a screaming cowering dog. Always remember to praise the pup right after a correction. This shows the dog that you do not hold and grudge and that you have forgiven him for screwing up.
If you can not find a prong collar locally, we sell them here at Leerburg.
One of the things to keep in mind is "do not use the HEEL command" during this process. We are not trying to train the dog to HEEL, we are trying to teach him to not pull us down the street on our stomach. So use the SLOW command. This just means slow down. He does not have to walk by your side, he just needs to stop pulling. So as he begins to pull, you simply say SLOW in a normal firm voice (not mad).
The car chasing is a different matter. This needs to be stopped. You can try a few sessions with a self correction, just before the dog chases, give PHOOIE command or a NO! If this does not eliminate the behavior, then you need to give the PHOOIE command and enough of a jerk to make the pup yelp but not cower for 2 blocks. This is a life and death learning experience for our dogs, they must learn that cars are to be left alone. If it involves humane corrections, then so be it. The key is to correct to the point of a yelp and not to the point of a screaming cowering dog. Always remember to praise the pup right after a correction. This shows the dog that you do not hold and grudge and that you have forgiven him for screwing up.
If you can not find a prong collar locally, we sell them here at Leerburg.
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