[FranMan]

It is now time of you to go research your options.

prong collars
http://leerburg.com/ (has a 4 hour video that will help you)

Clicker stuff
http://www.clickertraining.com/

As for major damage to his neck. No I don't think so. Dogs are pretty tough, even more so a GSD. The pinch collar looks 100x worse then it is. It kind of like a guy that a the circus that lays down on a bed of nails. The trick is there are many nails to take the weight. There are lots of prongs on the collar to take the pressure. Here is want you need to do go to petsmart. Pick up a pinch collar stick around your arm and jerk it some. The hold the ring and pull away with your other arm. You can see how little it hurts unless you reall snap it. If you feel it is too much it is back and look for a clicker

Before you go on walks you need to make him settle down. This maybe hard but just wait until he clams down some. I think you are starting the whole walk off wrong by let him go ape crap crazy right before the walk.

[Curbside Prophet]

Originally Posted by Babs89

I looked at a pinch collar, wow, the first pull would do major damage to his neck, or am I wrong? When I get the dog he is jumping all over me while I attach the leash. Then he immediately starts to pull me with all of his might. He must weigh 25 lbs by now. If the pinch collar will do the trick quickly I want to try it. I can't manage his pulling any longer. My wrist is starting to hurt when I am not with him. I don't want permanent damage!

Is there an online video of a Pryor trainer? Your discussion about popping, Pryor, clickers, etc has lost me! As I said I am a novice.

An ill fitted and improperly used pinch collar can cause serious trachea damage, not to mention possible psychological damage. However, if fitted properly, and used correctly a pinch collar can be safe. However, if you're looking for a quick fix...don't expect one from a pinch collar or any other training method for that matter. You have to be of the mind set that whatever happens you need to be consistent and patient for any training method to work. I think FranMan makes an excellent point about letting the dog go crazy from the get go. It may be of more value to you to teach this dog some basic obedience like "sit" so you can give him an option before you're forced to ignore him and his naughtiness. If you can tire him out too before the walk with fetch play, that may help.

ClickFlicks -- Loose Leash Walking :: Dog training videos for download from Karen Pryor Clickertraining

[harleynstorm]

Originally Posted by FranMan

A harness isn't going to help you control a dog. You need a pinch collar. Quick pops on the leash let the dog know he is in the wrong. He'll learn quick.

Another thing is feed the dog treats as you walk. As the dog walks beside you give him a piece of food. Make sure you say good heal, good boy , good whatever the name. good heal. feed a piece of food. You can use the cheap dog food. give one piece every couple of steps.

I totally disagree with you. I have a one year old male doberman pincsher and I used to use a pinch collar and it did not help he would pull anyway and end up hurting himself. I now use the gentle leader and he acts perfect when we go for a walk. At first he tried getting it off but I have no problem with him pulling. Babs please don't take this guys advice and I believe everyone else but him will agree with that!!! Good luck.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...N=2025643&Ne=2 This is the gentle leader that I use on my doberman. He weighs about 90 lbs. so maybe you should consider this instead of the pincher collar. If it is properly put on then it will work great.

[FranMan]

Originally Posted by harleynstorm

I totally disagree with you. I have a one year old male doberman pincsher and I used to use a pinch collar and it did not help he would pull anyway and end up hurting himself. I now use the gentle leader and he acts perfect when we go for a walk. At first he tried getting it off but I have no problem with him pulling. Babs please don't take this guys advice and I believe everyone else but him will agree with that!!! Good luck.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...N=2025643&Ne=2 This is the gentle leader that I use on my doberman. He weighs about 90 lbs. so maybe you should consider this instead of the pincher collar. If it is properly put on then it will work great.

Wow! I think someone needs to take a chill pill.

Just because YOU don't know how to use a pinch collar doesn't mean it is wrong. LOTS of people use prong collars. Your doberman is pulling you because he is the boss and not you. If your dog got hurt it is your fault for allowing him to keep tension on the leash which is the WRONG way to use a prong collar. If you read this whole thread you will see that.

My statement about a harness not having control is true. A normal harness allows your dog to safely pull and gives you no control. A "gentle leader" isn't a normal harness... Which again if you read the whole thread you would have seen that was discussed.

A pinch collar isn't just for walking. It is also for OB training. I am glad you have an opinion on pinch collars and that you shared it. But don't say that I am wrong and not to take my advise. There are many many many ways to train dogs. People new to the site need to see ALL the options and then they can make up their mind on what to use. I didn't bash the gentle leader just said it isn't something I would buy.

http://www.dogforums.com/2-general-d...ader-help.html (Gentle Leader help)

[Babs89]

Hmm... more contrary info. In the meantime I have made baby steps with him. He now comes to me and sits for a treat. My efforts with a leash have yielded only a bit of success. I bought the pinch collar but have not yet tried it since he already had the bad habit of pulling when I started walking him so I think he would immediately hurt himself. Once I get him worn out a bit, calm and "eating out of my hand" I will try the pinch collar. Sound ok for now? Big, big thanks for all of the time people have put in to answering my questions. I am reading your suggessted websites and trying to find video clips with training tips. Thanks!

[FranMan]

Originally Posted by Babs89

Hmm... more contrary info. In the meantime I have made baby steps with him. He now comes to me and sits for a treat. My efforts with a leash have yielded only a bit of success. I bought the pinch collar but have not yet tried it since he already had the bad habit of pulling when I started walking him so I think he would immediately hurt himself. Once I get him worn out a bit, calm and "eating out of my hand" I will try the pinch collar. Sound ok for now? Big, big thanks for all of the time people have put in to answering my questions. I am reading your suggessted websites and trying to find video clips with training tips. Thanks!

Sounds like a good idea. Remember don't do anything you don't feel good about.

[Curbside Prophet]

Originally Posted by Babs89

Hmm... more contrary info. In the meantime I have made baby steps with him. He now comes to me and sits for a treat. My efforts with a leash have yielded only a bit of success. I bought the pinch collar but have not yet tried it since he already had the bad habit of pulling when I started walking him so I think he would immediately hurt himself. Once I get him worn out a bit, calm and "eating out of my hand" I will try the pinch collar. Sound ok for now? Big, big thanks for all of the time people have put in to answering my questions. I am reading your suggessted websites and trying to find video clips with training tips. Thanks!

Maybe this will help too.
(Loose Leash Walking Using Positive Reinforcers)Loose Leash Walking Using Positive Reinforcers - Dog Forums - all breed dog forum

[Babs89]

Thanks everyone for your messages and training video links.

Yesterday I only made a few steps without his pulling. He's going in circles around me so at least that's a bit of progress. I am tempted to take back the pinch collar and get a harness now!! Not sure if it's the brand you've all mentioned but it looks like the photo on the website. I've made real progress with the commands of stop, come, sit and lay down but using a leash seems a bit far off for now. Maybe I just don't have the confidence that I can really progress on that but I am motivated to try the halter, more than the pinch collar.

Is there a link to a short video clip that shows how to get a dog to simply sit and wait? For now the only thing he waits for is the treat when I've called him to me. I guess I have to wear him out a bit before I can expect him to calmy sit next to me.

I also have gotten him to sit while I take him from his chained area. He rarely jumps on me now. That is a huge step since he used to cover me from head to foot with his dirty paws. Now I can wear the same jacket the next day! I was able to do that because during walking he's learned to come and sit for his treat.

Unfortunately his space is very dirty and little attention is paid to it. I want to take a hose to it. They don't even separate his food area from where he defacates because his chain is too short! It is too sad. I am trying to win the owner's confidence so that what I say, CLEANLINESS!!!, is understood as important, and that it's for the long term benefit of the dog. He seems to think the dog doesn't care and it proves he's just a dirty animal. Sigh.

[Curbside Prophet]

Wow, you're a dog saint for wanting to help this dog. It's too bad this dog couldn't be owned by you. However, this site may be helpful...
Video: How to Teach a Dog to Sit from ExpertVillage

Good luck!

[FranMan]

6 months to heel?
http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/...ll-harness.htm

[Curbside Prophet]

Originally Posted by FranMan

6 months to heel?
http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/...ll-harness.htm

If she's using the harness alone and no other reinforcers, I could see this being true. But every dog and trainer is different as you know.

[FranMan]

Originally Posted by Curbside Prophet

If she's using the harness alone and no other reinforcers, I could see this being true. But every dog and trainer is different as you know.

That dog has seen some treats. You can always tell a treat dog. They stair at you waiting for a treat, like hurry it up I just sat now pay me!

[Curbside Prophet]

Originally Posted by FranMan

You can always tell a treat dog. They stair at you waiting for a treat, like hurry it up I just sat now pay me!

I see some monkey in these statements.

[FranMan]

Originally Posted by Curbside Prophet

I see some monkey in these statements.

Click, that's funny.

[GSDmama]

For my 5 month old GSD I keep him on an extremely short leash so he is directly by my side and I also have a choke collar on him. Before that choke collar he wanted to pull me all over the place. Now with a small snap from the leash he stops pulling me and will walk by my side. I've done this for the past 2 weeks and he has been doing SO WELL, I haven't had to do any snaps.

[Danny'sGirl]

I'd recommend at least trying a Gentle Leader head collar, or the Halti. Mine was about $20 at Petco, and it's been a great answer with Danny. He's 5, and was not leash trained at all well when I got him 2 months ago from a shelter. He was a big old 55lb puller.

The way a halti collar works, there is a strap over the nose, which drops down and has a ring you clip your leash to. There are straps which click behind your dog's neck to hold the harness on. From the ring below the chin, there is a little saftey strap you can clip to his normal collar, just in case he might somehow break out of the head collar.

Here's a picture of Danny with it on. You can see where your leash clips. If your dog pulls on the leash, the strap over his nose will tighten up, and since that's unpleasant for him, he'll stop pulling. That's the theory, and it works like a charm with Danny. For a while, he still used to bounce at bunnies and lunge at deer, but he definitely caught himself short and didn't nearly take my arm out of the socket like he used to. He's even stopped that now, and I am gradually making a changeover to walking him on leash without it - he's getting it that calm walks with praise & playing ball are more fun for both of us.

I'm also fortunate that I just call him, tell him sit, and slip the nose strap over his nose and click it behind his ears with no struggling or evasive behavior from him. He's very calm about it because he knows it means we're going out.

Good luck with your neighbor's dog!

[DOBERMAN_07]

Pinch Collar solved my dogs pulling problem in 1 day...

EDIT: But then again Dobermans are smarter than most dogs

[FranMan]

Originally Posted by DOBERMAN_07

Pinch Collar solved my dogs pulling problem in 1 day...

EDIT: But then again Dobermans are smarter than most dogs

GSD's are up there on the list, higher then Dobers or Rotties. Of course that's just the norm.

[DOBERMAN_07]

Originally Posted by FranMan

GSD's are up there on the list, higher then Dobers or Rotties. Of course that's just the norm.

GSDs are great dogs. I would love to have one, but here in SoCal it gets waaay too hot in the summer to own a dog with a coat like the GSD's

[Babs89]

Hey guys I'm baaaack! Here's an update and some more questions (of course).

The GSD has disappeared unfortunately. I don't know if what I've been told is the truth. I just hope he's with a good family and has not become roadside kill. He got loose and.... who knows after that.

Now I am walking a 6 month old Kangal puppy. He belongs to the security guards that patrol the city forest where I walk. They are too lazy to walk him and seem to be afraid of him. He needs exercise and I need a companion in this large forest. A Kangal is bred to be a livestock guardian dog and recently more as a family guard dog. They originate from a province in Turkey called Sivas. They are known to be fiercely loyal, intelligent and good with families. He is quite well behaved after my working with him with a pinch collar. He responds quite well to the quick clicks for sitting and waiting and walking with the leash.

Since I am still a novice and don't know that much about dog behavior, when he sees a female dog in heat (or smells one) I am uncertain whether I will be able to handle him. He gets very excited about other dogs, butterflies, even airplanes!! He's a lot to handle and is about 50 lbs and could become as much as 140 lbs! Right now he jumps straight up in the air to go after a butterfly and has refused to continue our walk if he wants to play with another dog. I am afraid he would be able to knock me down. When I need to continue after a bit of play with another dog I have simply been insisting, much to his dislike. Then is he hard to handle. With so many street dogs, untrained dogs, and unkind owners to their own dogs where I live I want to be sure I have some more good tips to handle every situation. Your previous tips and video instruction websites have been extremely helpful by the way. A friend will lend me a book on dog behavior she bought in the UK and I will also search this website for more tips in other threads. Some suggestions for this particular problem will be most appreciated!