# I cannot get my 6 month cocker spaniel walking on a short lead!



## monty (Feb 24, 2008)

Hello there,

We live in the country side and have always had a dog. My parents just bought a new pedigree cocker spaniel with the intention of working the dog as a 'peg dog' picking up a few pheasants on shoots. 

He's a great dog and does learn quickly and does what we say when we discipline him. He's still learning, so we're never overly harsh.

He is the most willful dog i've ever seen! He hates being told what to do, so if i tell him off he will often run in laps of the room a few times and bark. But he will stop doing what i told him off for.

Anyway, our huge problem with him is he cannot be trained to walk on a short lead. From the early stages we had him on an extention lead so he could walk around with are 12 year old (overly passive relaxed lovely old cocker spaniel) because the two dogs get on so well.

But now he is 6 months we want to train him to heal and be on a slip rope lead. No matter what situation or what we do, how much we bribe him with food, smack him, hold a stick in front of his nose, praise him - HE WILL NOT stop choking himself. 
He just tries to run in front and chokes himself to the point of his eyes being red. As soon as i walk out of the house with him, he has to try to be in front of me and pulls and pulls and pulls on the lead.
On the long lead he isnt bad at all, but i guess it was a horrible idea of my parents not to have him on a short lead from day 1. 

Does anyone have some advice how i can get him to stop pulling and walk next to me, without hurting him anymore than he is! I refuse to give up with the short lead because i dont want the dog the win, so that results in me walking him 2 miles of choking himself.


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## crazydays (Jul 24, 2007)

Remember you are the pack leader. This wilful 6 month old needs to get the message with posive reinforcement- smacking or threatening with a stick must stop. It has been proven that dogs don't respond to this or even understand its meaning. My suggestions are 1) obedience training-dog needs to work with you-sit,stay,leave it, come,walking on a leash etc. 2) personally at this stage I would get a gentle leader--it will give you much more control of the dog who will have no other recourse but to listen and follow your lead. The gentle leader instantly helped me with my very wilful standard schnauzer pup. Once we got her through that stage we were able to use a normal collar. I have a 11 month ESS. This little one wants to hop, pull and run like crazy. I use a harness on her- she doesn't choke herself and I can control her better.
Obviously the key is to positively reward good behaviour. Always be the first to get out the door and tell him when he can come-then reward. Practice healing as you walk by rewarding with treats by your side. It is a continual struggle so you are not alone in this at all. My biggest suggestion is obedience training-a must for pups.
Good Luck


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## monty (Feb 24, 2008)

Thanks for the reply.
Don't worry, I dont smack or hit him with the stick. Well, i do smack him sometimes in the house, usually to reinforce when he knows he has done wrong. The stick i tried just to put in front of his nose, but its impossible he is too agile. 

I just tried with bribing food and stopping when he pulls. He sort of jumps up constantly to my hand with the food trick, but for the 2 second stints he did heal on the walk i rewarded him with goooood boy and lots of attention, but then he pulls again. 

He's a little bugger! Its interesting about going out the door first and letting him come out. We always let to two dogs run off first and then we walk out. Will have to try that! The dog adores me, so i shouldnt have too many problems. I guess i just need to do it 1 on 1 every day


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## Chris_Texas (Feb 21, 2008)

monty said:


> Hello there,
> 
> We live in the country side and have always had a dog. My parents just bought a new pedigree cocker spaniel with the intention of working the dog as a 'peg dog' picking up a few pheasants on shoots.
> 
> ...


CHRIS'S (USUALLY WORTHLESS) THOUGHTS:

First, don't HIT HIM as a training tool. Punishment is not called for -- your brains are. I suggest an actual trainer to show you how, but if you cannot afford that....

Understand exactly what you are trying to teach the dog. Walking by your left side is not a natural canine urge for you to encourage, it is a behavior you want to establish as a habit. You do that by controlling the dog -- not fighting -- controlling. You want him to look to YOU to guide him, his attention needs to be on you. You do not allow him to drive your car. Don't allow him to drive your leash.

Try this: put him on a lead, park him by your side, and praise him. Now begin screwing with his mind; you want him out of HIS comfort zone where he drags you around and strangles himself. Put him on lead, PRAISE him, and begin walking. The second you see him beginning to pull, TURN AROUND and take off the other way, praising him as you go. 

Do it every time he gets out of position. Turn left, right, around, stop, go faster, make it a GAME, laugh at him and praise him when you win, laugh with him and praise him more when he wins by staying with you. He gets pets and treats and hugs regardless, because learning to heel is FUN FUN FUN. If your entire "walk" covered a 20 by 20 area, so what? 

Tips: Do not keep the leash tight. You need a little slack to control the pup. The dog must be allowed to do it wrong before it can learn the difference between wrong and right. Also, keeping it tight turns it into a tug of war and that is a game you no longer play.

Do not correct the pup by tugging UP or BACK on the lead, corrections are down and sideways to avoid hurting the dog. Do not jerk hard on the leash -- you don't need to and it can actually make it harder on yourself.

Usually a regular collar or choke collar is all you need. But, if the dog is really wild a gentle leader type collar (controlling their nose) can help. But really, I think the problem you are having is you rather than the dog. Take control right now and see what happens.

Good luck!


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Heelwork is one of the hardest thing you'll ever teach a dog how to do....it takes about 2 years of daily training. Do you really want heelwork or just loose leash walking which is much easier?


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