Brand new to this forum and feel naked since I don't own a GSD right now but I have had dogs all my life, trained to basic obedience and done therapy work and now own a boarding and grooming kennel along with a motley pack of pet dogs so am again knee deep in dogs.
That said, we had a pair of Bullmastiffs (they past half a dozen years ago) and I know a couple mastiffs well and each "walk by braille" . It always seems like they just need the touch contact- it is a comfort...and yes, it is a means to be a lazy leash walker. Pushing, kneeing or stepping on never worked for my two Bullys as they seem to have a very high pain threshold and would take the contact as a reward. I ended up luring them away from the constant bumping with loads of praise for giving me my space. It worked when they were alone but walking them in a group was still a bit of a bump fest.
There is definately something about mastiffs and touch. Athena is almost like a junky jonesing for a fix - she pretty much always has to be touching or leaning against me or sitting right at my feet. I will try the peanut butter on the spoon thing to see if I can get her head where I want it and see if that helps.
i am 115 lbs. my 16 month old english mastiff has leaned on me since i got him as a puppy. they just do that. have not been able to stop that. thats not what i focus on in our training sessions though. anyone had success with this ?
I just step on the dogs feet and kick their legs a bit when they get in front of me. They learn pretty quick that I'm not going to move over for them.
Not very "positive," but quite "motivational."
Our Akita/GSD rescue tended to crowd as well (agree with Bob - he's a little 'lazy' on keeping track of me - uses the leash and/or my body to know when he's in the right spot - he likes to "sight see" while we are walking - "cruising chicks" I suppose). Haven't been stepping on him intentionally, but don't avoid him either. After a couple of natural knee bumps and foot squashes, he tends to walk in his own track. 'course he's also getting some juicy rf'ers and lots of "good boys" for keeping his lane and when leash is slack. After 4 short weeks, he's doing GREAT, I'm happy to say.
A dog has alot of friends because he wags his tail instead of his mouth.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Quote: rob abel
Haven't been stepping on him intentionally, but don't avoid him either. After a couple of natural knee bumps and foot squashes, he tends to walk in his own track. 'course he's also getting some juicy rf'ers and lots of "good boys" for keeping his lane and when leash is slack. After 4 short weeks, he's doing GREAT, I'm happy to say.
I'm with this train of thought too.
Walking where I'm walking without regard for where the dog may prefer to be (which in the case of two of mine, would be right in my way) works for more than one potential problem. One thing is that the dog watches out for me, and not vice versa. I am not at all likely to trip over a dog in the dark. There is no dance-step of who goes first in doorways. No dogs are right in front of me on stairs.
I think it all kinda stems from "the dog watches my feet, and not vice versa." And it's the human, in many cases, who has to implement this. Why should he keep an eye on the human's feet if the human is carefully maneuvering around the dog?
That is what I do as well, I don't purposefully step on them, but if they are in my way I just plow on through, but gently.
As Nico as gotten older she doesn't seem to be as aware of where she is in relation to me and will suddlenly stop right in front of me in tight spaces. I don't stop I just say excuse me and nudge her with my legs and keep going. I make sure not to step on her feet though, I worry I might break something since her bones get brittle with age.
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