Dog training

[syaigh]

My new dog has not been a pet for very long. She is 2.5. Was a stray, boxer pit-bull mix. Very sweet and obedient except when on a leash. When on leash, and in an easy walk harness, she pulls so hard sometimes that it kills my low back and knees. She is very athletic and energetic. She is usually friendly with other dogs, but on leash sometimes gets aggressive.

Anyway, anyone have any tips? She needs a lot of exercise and I do run with her sometimes but her pulling kills my knees and and back.

[motherjuggs&speed]

This is what they told us in the training when I was a volunteer dog walker at the SPCA. Do not tolerate any pulling. At all. The leash should always have visible slack in it. When she pulls, stop walking and correct her. We used a correction collar (it's not a choke collar, people) and gave it a little jerk. Not enough to cause any pain, just enough to get her attention. Not euphamistically "get her attention" like the warden in CHL, actually get her to pay attention. Maybe squirt her with a water spritzer and use a sharp tone. Make sure she stops pulling. tell her to stay next to you. Try again. After 20 minutes of this you will both be tired and stressed so go back home, which will probably be about 20 feet. The next day, do it again. Maybe later that same day. When she stays next to you without any pulling for a while, stop and call her to you. Tell her she's a good girl and scratch her a little. Then tell her "okay, let's go" (the exact words Ike used to launch the Normandy invasion) and start again. You will then have to correct her pulling again. Don't expect her to get it right away but do not accept non-compliance either. She will test you, seeing if you will put up with just a little pulling. The right amount is zero and she will understand this quickly. If the walk is successful reward her. If not, don't. Try to make it so every walk is a success by making gradually longer trips. Between walks remind her that you do care for her and that you aren't just a big meanie. She will learn to understand that when you're angry she's done something wrong.

I taught my roommate's cat to stop meowing nonstop by being mean to him when he was meowing (threw things at him, threw water on him, yelled at him) and fed him treats and pet and played with him when he stopped. Since cats are stupid it took 10 days of this before he put it together. On the 11th day he made a little meow? and I yelled at him. A minute later he came upstairs, I called him to me, and we had a little scratch. No more meowing but only with me. I became his favorite person, not because he was a hardcore bottom but because I was nice to him, which was easy since he was no longer being annoying. Plus he knew what to expect so he was less neurotic.

[motherjuggs&speed]

You could also build a big hamster wheel so she can run any time she wants. I don't know why these aren't a thing.

[syaigh]

Thank you. :) She needs a giant hamster wheel or an obstacle course. Silly thing loves to jump.

[motherjuggs&speed]

Train her to jump. Make a little area for her to jump through or over things. Once she learns to do it under controlled conditions she won't be yearning to do it all the time.

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

One technique that's worked well for several dogs I've trained to walk on s slack leash is to get the dog to pay constant attention to you. Two good methods are a reward for looking up at you to see what you want it to do. Just a little bag of kibble you can dole out as she pays attention to you rather than pull like a steam engine.
And one of the best ways to get the idea across that attention needs to be paid is to change direction any time the leash gets a little tight and the dog begins to set its own pace. She'll quickly learn that any time she's not focused on you, you're likely to do a 180 while giving that little correction MJS mentioned above. Like he said, the correction collar can work wonders if used correctly. It's simply an attention grabber, not some kind of punishment tool.
Also, +1 on building some jumps. Active dogs LOVE agility, and it's not hard to teach at the "having fun" level. It's one of the things I'm planning on being involved with when we get our new dog.

[newguy]

Whatever happened to HLVN/Bogatir?

Is he still alive?

He had some deep dog knowledges.

[syaigh]

One technique that's worked well for several dogs I've trained to walk on s slack leash is to get the dog to pay constant attention to you. Two good methods are a reward for looking up at you to see what you want it to do. Just a little bag of kibble you can dole out as she pays attention to you rather than pull like a steam engine.
And one of the best ways to get the idea across that attention needs to be paid is to change direction any time the leash gets a little tight and the dog begins to set its own pace. She'll quickly learn that any time she's not focused on you, you're likely to do a 180 while giving that little correction MJS mentioned above. Like he said, the correction collar can work wonders if used correctly. It's simply an attention grabber, not some kind of punishment tool.
Also, +1 on building some jumps. Active dogs LOVE agility, and it's not hard to teach at the "having fun" level. It's one of the things I'm planning on being involved with when we get our new dog.

Thank you!