I recently bought my dog a halti (for her birthday lol). It came with a booklet telling you how to use it, how to adjust it, and how to train things like sit and stay using the halti. It was fairly detailed, and told you how to get stubborn dogs used to it, and it even has a safety hook that attaches to the dogs collar, in case the halti slips off (or your dog rubs it off). It seems to be working, (although Sadie doesn't like it much). When she walks without it she pulls a lot before she's had a run (pent up energy), if she sees a dog or leaf, or if she just wants to walk faster, but with the halti on she's an angel. At least until she decides she wants it off. Then she lags behind, and tries to rub it off. When this happens, should I leave it on her? I've been leaving it on her until she stops struggling, then taking it off. Then when she starts pulling I put it back on. Does that teach her anything?

I've also been using a makeshift halti from her leash for about half year, doing this same thing, and it hasn't helped. Also, when we bike she's much better then when we walk, I don't know why, I used the exact same training method on my bike as I used before I began using the makeshift halti. So maybe it has something to do with the speed we're going?

Oh, and for those of you who don't know how the halti works, when a dog is walking beside you, not pulling on the leash, then the halti is loose on the mouth, and when the dog is pulling, it forces the dog to close her mouth by tightening a little bit.

I'd like to know about your experiences and opinions about halti's, and if anyone has any advice on how to stop her from pulling when she doesn't have it on, that would be great! I've tried all sorts of methods, but nothing's worked, and I hate having her pulling on her neck all the time. So please let me know what you think about this training method, and especially how to stop Sadie from pulling on the leash when she doesn't have the halti on. Thanks!

I've never used a halti or any form of training aid. I personally don't believe in using them as a substitution for proper training and your situation is exactly why. If the dog isn't weaned properly off of them, then you will always have to use them. The dog knows very well that you have no control over her when that training aid isn't on her (in this case, the halti) and she'll take advantage of it when you take it off.

I honestly have no clue how to get your dog off the halti other than to restart training from square one without one. One good method is to stop whenever she starts to pull. Because pulling is a reinforced behavior (she pulls, she gets to where she wants to go), if you stop reinforcing it and redirect it, it'll stop and she'll perform the new behavior instead. In short, when the leash gets pulled taught because she pulls, you stop. You call her to a heel position and begin to walk slowly, praising her for keeping pace and a slack lead. If she begins to pull again, simply stop and do it over. Pulling no longer gets her anywhere, but walking nicely does.

Another method is to turn randomly when she pulls. She'll learn that your not just going to follow her where she wants to go so she'll have to slow down and keep pace so she can pay attention and keep up with you when you turn direction.

All this is of course done with a normal flat buckle collar and regular leash and you won't be pulling or yanking her around at all.

Simply turning and using the flat collar however isn't going to work for a lot of dogs. Neither is the simply stopping. Headstrong dogs that are pulling will keep pulling whether you're moving or not.

If the problem here is the dog getting overly distracted and they're going after something the only way turning and walking in the other direction is going to work is if there is something that can pull them out of that zone when they are going after whatever it is. It has to be able to re-direct immediately as well or the training is ineffective because the dog realises they don't have to instantly pay attention to you.

Oh it'll work, you just have to be more headstrong than the dog is and have your own distraction. Be more interesting than the thing that your dog is trying to get to.

Trust me, one of the most difficult dogs I've ever worked with was a wolf hybrid and the stopping with distraction and reward method worked perfect after about a week of consistency (not to say you still didn't have to stop once or twice every so often, but he did learn pulling STILL wasn't getting him anywhere). Saying that he had a mind of his own would practically be an understatement.

Thanks for the advice, and sugarbird, I have tried the stopping method, but it didn't work, mostly because my family didn't use the same method. I may be able to work with Sadie more over the summer on my own, as everyone gets sick of her pulling and always end up giving me the leash.

Also, one thing that I was wondering about is why she's such an angel when I'm biking with her. She rarely pulls, and the only training I gave her was a firm NO and occasionally I would tug on the leash (not hard, just to let her know that she's not allowed to pull) and lots of practice. She's amazing on the bike, and I've tried the same method on the ground but it didn't work, and besides that I hate pulling on her neck (but on the bike it was about the only thing I could do to keep her from getting in front of the wheel). Any ideas why she's bad walking but good biking? I really haven't got a clue.

Also, a friend of mine suggested using the halti as a punishment (because she still doesn't like it), whenever she pulls, it goes on, when she walks nice, I take it off. Would that work?

As you can see, I'm pretty much a first time dog owner (I had a german shepherd/ collie mix, but by the time I was born she was already trained), so, with so many methods out there, I'm confused as to what's good and bad.

Thanks again for all your help!

I just started using the Halti a couple days back with my border collie and brittany, they're both herky jerky walkers that tended to be excitable and pull on walks no matter if we used collars or chest harnesses. Now that I am working with Ash <border> I am swapping between both the Halti and the chest harness and he is responding MUCH better! His heeling has improved by leaps and bounds. Mya <brittany> who was completely untrained on the leash had her first serious round on the Halti today and once we got her to relax into it, she didn't do too badly. For Mya being made to sit still in the middle of a walk is SHEER TORTURE! So it is our refocus mechanism, once she calms down and listens we proceed. We are going to wean the two off it as we train in tandem with the chest harness.

So far as using the Halti as a punishment, probably a bad idea! No object should ever be employed as a punishment. What she needs is consistency across the board every time that leash is in hand the same expectations and gentle corrections be used. And TONS of praise for heeling!!! It's not a quick task, but it will happen with time.

I have no clue why she's great on a bike, but pulling on a walk... other than maybe she really wants to run instead of walk? I know that is part of Mya's issue as she doesn't pull so much on the leash when we roller blade with her as when we walk. That is our own theory.

Good luck!

Dogs seem to go in a different mode when they're running, it's just the way it is for some reason. Once you get them focused on running, they run. With just walking, there's alot of distractions, not much to concentrate on.

I go take my 80 pound german shepherd out to pull me on roller blades. I was very afraid at first that she would take off after another dog or cat and would take me with her and of couse I have very little control over her on wheel. But she's very good. She pulls me, but stays on the road and doesn't stray off into yards or anything. The only thing she is focused on when she is running and pulling is just that, running and pulling.

Also, B-lyn, continue using the stopping method. Even though other people in your family are using something else or doing something else, it'll still work. With patience and consistency, she will learn to heel with you and respond to the stopping method. My family is also very ignorant when it comes todog training. They wouldn't listen to me or be consistent with the methods I wanted to use on our older dog Trina. So the end result? Trina now listens to me much better than anybody else.

Thanks for all your help. I just got off school, so I'm going to have a lot more time to work with Sadie now, and I'm going to use the stopping method again. Another thing that I am going to do is bring her for a run before I start training her.(although on the way to the highschool, where I let her loose, I'll use the training method) That way she'll be less hyper and maybe the training will go faster.

I've also been having another problem, which I believe is dominance. Sadie likes to steal socks and toys that she finds in our rooms/ on the floor. Oftentimes my mom tries to take the item from her, but she just sits down, won't drop it, and ignores mom. So mom tries to open her mouth, and pull it out, still she can't get Sadie to let the item go. But then when my dad or I walk into the room, she drops it, we don't even have to say anything, she just drops it. Sadie does the same with my siblings.

Basically, she has no respect for any of them, how can we correct this? (also, Kyle is only 8, so he can't walk her or anything like that without someone holding the leash). To me, she seems like a dominating dog, she's always 'testing' her boundaries.

For example, sometimes she just refuses to go in the house, especially if we're in the pool and she's running around barking at us. So when I grab her collar (i can't even get a leash on her) she twists around so she's on her back and bites me (not hard, but it's still biting, and she's not allowed to do it). This gets so bad, that if I let go, she runs around again, and if I hang on to her, she keeps biting. Lately I've just sat on her. I know it's not a good thing, but I sit until she calms down, and then I put her in the house, because I don't know what else to do.

Also, since I've began using this method she's done it less often, but I don't know if she's maturing (she just turned 2), if it's just a fluke that she hasn't fought me lately, or if by sitting on her, she considers that to be dominating. (Maybe I should mention that we beleive her to be too closely bred, because of the way that her other siblings have turned out, and because of the way she acts. [her other siblings either ran away, were given away, or are hyper maniacs] although Sadie's not nearly as bad as they are).

Any ideas about how to deal with this? We can't hire a trainer, and she's really not aggressive, so I'm stumped, and sick of her fighting me.

Thanks for all your help.

Heh... hard to tell what's going on there... it does sound a bit like a challenge, and yet if she's rolling onto her back, that's typically submissive. Best would be to get a trainer to peek at the behavior, but if that's not an option at all, it sounds like there may be at least some confusion in the pack order.

First thing to try is something as simple as tricks. Get it so EVERYONE in the family can command Sadie to Sit, Lay Down, Stay... and anything else that won't require getting dragged across the floor with a leash! 'Drop It' is a MUST learn command! Everyone who issues these words should be respected, period! Without having to pry it out of the mouth! Use positive reinforcement and it may produce good results.

Now, as far as the running away bit... your best bet here is to use a long leash and do the typical training for Recall, A.K.A Come. After she's good with Sit and Stay... have her Sit, back up a few feet and say Come! If she refuses, give the leash a real gentle pressure <not a sudden jerk, just an enticement to come>, when she comes praise the heck out of her, or give her a special treat!!! Gradually increase the distances, and with luck she'll learn to come EVERYTIME! Since it's hard to tell if this is really dominance oriented, don't sit on her or flip her over... if she's actually submissive this could be making things worse. Try to train her to respond more reliably to commands, no matter who is saying them.

It takes time, so don't give up.

I don't really think that the rolling on her back is a submissive thing, because she's biting at me, and her tail's not even slightly tucked. She also has a pretty good recall, we can let her loose and not worry about her not coming back (unless she's in heat, then I don't let her loose unless the area is completely enclosed, just in case). I think the problem with the rolling and running is that she thinks it's a game when she's running and barking, and when I grab her collar (to prevent her falling into the pool/to put her in the house) she rolls over and bites at my hand, maybe because she wants to continue her game? She does this to everyone in my family, although I'm not sure if she would do it to my dad ('pack leader').

Sadie's a smart dog, so maybe she's figured out that if she rolls and bites, she has a good chance of getting away, and playing her barking game. She almost never does this when she's loose elsewhere, it's just when she's in the yard. I really don't know how to prevent this behavior, or how to stop it once she starts (which is why I sat on her, so she can't bite, and stops struggling).

The first thing you need to do is work on your dogs' recall. When you call, your dog should COME immediately. Never call your dog to you for dicipline, if your dog is in trouble for something, you go to her. If you and your family have been doing this it must stop. This is one of the biggest reasons dogs won't come when called, they're not sure if they're going to get a smack or not.

As for sitting on the dog to calm her down. I say if it works, and she's not being hurt, there's no harm in using that method. It is a common way to establish dominance over a dog.

This honestly doesn't sound like a dominance problem. It sounds like your dog has found some pretty fun games to play with you and has you well trained lol.

Some basic obedience training and practice on the recall as Texgirl suggested should work it's magic here.

Also, many dogs become sensitive to having people grab their collars because it's often used as a bad thing. They are sometimes dragged where they don't want to go when somebody grabs their collar, or it's done as a punishment or it stops them from going where they want to go.

To fix that problem, first of all, your obedience will come in. A reliable recall will have the dog coming to you so you don't have to catch her and obedience commands will have her paying attention to you and not running all over. To redirect her sensitivity to having her collar grabbed, start by making a pass to grab it without doing so and then praising her. Go to pet her on the head, move your hand down to her neck, stop at the collar and praise her. Gently grab it without shaking her or dragging her anywhere while praising her. You touching her collar should be a really great thing.

You can teach her to walk along side you while you hold her collar using praise and positive reinforcement as well. Just take hold of her collar after you've got her to the point where she doesn't mind, take a step forward and use an encouraging voice to call her to you and praise her when she does.

As for the sock thing, again, she's found a game, a way to get attention. It's not that she doesn't respect your mom or is trying to be dominant, she just thinks that your mom is playing with her. You just need to teach her to "drop it" on command. Your mom can do this by offering her an irrestible treat like a piece of cooked chicken and saying "drop it". Your dog has to drop the sock to get the chicken and the chicken and praise is the reward. Gradually your mom can train the dog to rely on the command and not the chicken bribe by moving the distance between the chicken and dog farther and farther each time and then gradually, behind her back. This way, the dog learns that obeying "drop it" is what gets him the chicken.

A bit of a preventative measure might be helpful here as well. If you know she's going to bark and run around when you guys go in the pool, then why not put her in the house before you get in?

Hey everybody, sorry I haven't replied for so long, anyways, I think that I've pretty much figured out what I'm going to do, and I just had a few questions.

1. I've been working on the come command when she's distracted with different things, for example, when she's chewing on something. What I do is call her, and when she comes, whether she drops the item or not (before I tell her to) I praise her, then I tell her to drop it, and when she does I praise her. (although usually she comes to me, and just before she gets to me she drops the item). Now, if she doesn't drop whatever it is, and I can't get a treat, should I make her open her mouth, take it, and ignore her? (that's what I've been doing).

2. When she rolls, I try to slip her leash around her neck, and if I can't, then I sit on her.

3. I'm going to work with her on the collar, as sugarbird suggested. But the only problem I have with that is that she lets me grab her collar, unless she knows she's doing something bad. Will this method still work?

4. I'm going to work on her walking using the stopping method, but if I do the training in one place (the highschool nearby), will she still heel elsewhere? (the only reason I'm doing this, is the roads near my house are busy, and I have to cross often, if she pulls on the roads, I can't stop, so if I work at the highschool then the training will be more consistent.)

Please, let me know what you think, and thanks for all of your advice.

ok

1) No, I wouldn't recommend physically taking the toy or whatever from her mouth. The point of training drop it with nothing but positive reinforcement is for her to think of giving up her posessions as a good, fun thing to do. The act of dropping the toy can be a game in and of itself. You can make it much funner than playing keep away. When she doesn't want to give it to you, bribe her with a little treat (just carry a small treat in your pocket). Every time she drops it, make a HUGE deal out of it and give whatever toy she dropped back to her with a game of tug or fetch or whatever you'd like.

2) Sitting on her I guess is OK. But it would probably be better for you to get up and walk away. She's rolling for attention when you put the leash on and you've been giving it to her (sitting on her can be a form of attention to her). After you turn your back and walk away, wait for her to get up and then call her to you and have her sit. Try to attatch the leash. If she rolls, turn around and walk away again. If you already have the leash on her, take it off and walk away. Keep doing this and she'll eventually learn that the only way the leash is going on (and she's getting attention) is if she sits nicely. My shepherd used to get excited when going for a walk and wouldn't hold still. But did the same thing, walking away and ignoring her and only attatched the leash when she was sitting. Now she sits down in front of me automatically when I get the leash out.

3) Don't get angry with her. It's your body posture and voice tone that lets her know your upset with her and when this happens, she won't let you get to her. So yes, it'll still work, but practice controlling yourself too. Don't get mad, don't yell....she doesn't understand it.

4) She will get used to heeling in that area only so it's very important to keep working with her and taking her everywehre. So start at the highschool heeling and then walk to your house and the roads but don't cross any yet and make sure she still heels. Anytime she gets a little crazy and starts to pull, stopping in your tracks will remind her that it's not going to work. I understand you can't do this crossing the street, so keep working with her in other places. When your ready to cross the street, stop, make sure she's calm, and start to cross and talk to her and make kiss noises as you walk to hopefully get her to pay attention to you. Just don't rush it. Make sure she is walking at a heel reliably everywhere else before you cross the street.

Haltis are a great training tool because you have so much control of her head. But even if she stops struggling, leave it on her. You taught her that if she stops struggling she gets the halti taken off.

Hey everybody, it's the first time I've had a chance to get on in a while!
Anyway I just wanted to let you all know that I've solved the halti problem!! Here's what happened: After our vacation Sadie came home with hotspots that prevented us from using a collar or halti on her, so we had to buy her a harness. I started using it adn she seemed to like it, and when I took her for a walk she was AMAZING!! She didn't pull or anything, she actually brings it to me when she wants to go for a walk sometimes! Also, it's much better because she's not pulling on her neck, and she's comfortable in it.