I thought for sure there was a section for prongs, but couldn't find it. I just have one question for now. Has anyone seen the Michael Ellis video on remote collar training, and knows what he says about mistakes on collar conditioning a dog with a prong. At the chapter description it says once you make these mistakes you can never use these tools again. I am getting ready to go back to a prong, and wondered what those things were. I am hoping to be able to access the videos soon, but in the meantime I want to go back to a prong. I have been trying to work on a sliding martingale for the last few months and it is not working very well.

You might want to see this thread, especially page 2:
http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=29571&page=1

Thanks Connie. I read all through it. Good info, but it left me wondering what IS the correct conditioning. Are they saying to find it in ME's Heeling DVD? I have wondered if that dvd would just help me get to a consistently nice walk with a dog just out for a stroll, no matter what we see or what approaches, etc. Tanka can do great, then wham! A trainer told me I should use a halti, that he had learned to pull with his shoulders. I let her try it on him, and it worked alright when she used it, but my gut feeling said the look in his eyes was not a good thing. I passed on it.

Are you mainly addressing a pulling thing with a pet?

http://leerburg.com/pdf/fitprong.pdf



(The reason I linked that thread was to show what they are saying about M.E.'s use versus what is sometimes referred to as "power steering" ... )

 Quote: Kelly Byrd

... I think Ana is coming at it from a totally different point of view, being leash pressure work for a sport dog, or a owner who wants a particularly responsive, light dog.

I think the OP is just wanting the power steering we all love so much while out on a walk with her dog.

well right now I am just looking for a solid no leash pulling dog. high distraction or low. I am looking for the right thing for us to get involved in, something that is fun for him and me, maybe the nosework? maybe some rally? But we aren't going to be doing protection type sports, or advanced OB. Everything seems kind of far away when I don't feel like I can have him under control mo matter what. And the fact that he is really friendly and just wants to greet and play doesn't make being not under complete control acceptable. Right now if my husband doesn't go with us, we usually don't go to places that are high distraction. That way if I need him ,he is there. That's not what I want for us.

You can check out this video on leash pressure. It may be what you are looking for.

http://youtu.be/eB8dhKNichw

Thanks David. I will watch it today.

If this is what you are looking for, then I very much recommend that you invest in the video mentioned here:

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

... There is a chapter in Focused Heeling DVD that deals with leash pressure. The idea is to use marker training to teach the dog about the new training tool and only implement this tool in the regular training once the dog understands it.

I mention this because it's on sale right now:
http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php?id=855



PS
Good nosework info:
http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php?id=855

http://leerburg.com/flix/category.php?categoryid=60

http://leerburg.com/nosework.htm

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

If this is what you are looking for, then I very much recommend that you invest in the video mentioned here:

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

... There is a chapter in Focused Heeling DVD that deals with leash pressure. The idea is to use marker training to teach the dog about the new training tool and only implement this tool in the regular training once the dog understands it.

I mention this because it's on sale right now:
http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php?id=855



PS
Good nosework info:
http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php?id=855

http://leerburg.com/flix/category.php?categoryid=60

http://leerburg.com/nosework.htm

Wow, I havent seen Ana's name on here in quite a while. I wonder if she's still working her dogs.

I had a trainer help me condition Jethro to accept the halti and it is working very well for us. We used clicker and treats to familiarize him with it, playing Touch games, and rewarding him for letting me put it on. I still give him a treat when we harness up and leash up. When he first felt how the locus of power had shifted between us, he was pretty upset. But I was firm and he has adjusted to the fact that no halti, no walkie.

She also had me work Jethro with Turid Rugaas' method for loose leash walking and it has been a great approach. Now when Jethro feels pressure on the leash he stops and looks back at me, if there is still tension in the leash and I don't move forward, he takes a step backward to put slack in it and then we move forward (ie. putting slack in the leash means we will move forward). The other benefit is that now that I am walking him on a shorter leash (6" - 12" of slack), he is responding the same way, and we have a very nice, close, relaxed Heel as our default walking position. That close body position is keeping him out of a lot of trouble.