How To Stop Your Dog PULLING On The Leash

Summary

In this video, a dog behaviorist works with Sandy, a golden retriever with severe pulling issues on walks. The goal is to transform Sandy from a strong puller to a dog that walks nicely on a leash. The trainer focuses on building engagement and leadership, using directional changes and positive reinforcement to establish a connection. By the end of the session, Sandy shows significant improvement, walking calmly and responsively with the trainer, demonstrating the power of proper training techniques.

Takeaways

• 🐾 The trainer is working with a golden retriever named Sandy who has a pulling issue during walks.
• 👮 The trainer usually works with death row police dogs but is helping a friend with this case.
• 🕒 The goal is to transform Sandy from a strong puller to a dog that walks nicely on a heel in about 30 minutes.
• 👶 Sandy's pulling has made walking difficult for the owners, especially with young kids, affecting the dog's exercise and behavior.
• 🔄 The initial step is to build engagement with Sandy, who is currently not responding to the trainer's movements.
• 🧶 The trainer uses a slip lead for directional changes to start building engagement and responsiveness.
• 📈 Progress is evident as Sandy begins to check back with the trainer and show signs of engagement.
• 🍗 No food rewards are used initially; the focus is on building a relationship and communication for engagement.
• 🔄 A long line slip lead is introduced to give the trainer more time to make directional changes and enhance engagement.
• 👀 The trainer emphasizes the importance of eye contact and will later reward Sandy for making it naturally.
• 🎖 The transformation in Sandy's demeanor from anxious and energetic to calm and relaxed is significant, indicating the success of the training.

Q & A

What is the main issue with Sandy, the golden retriever?

Sandy is one of the worst pullers the trainer has ever seen, making walks a miserable experience for the owners and causing a lack of exercise for the dog.

Why is the trainer helping with Sandy's case?

The trainer is helping with Sandy's case as a favor to a friend, despite typically working with death row police cases on a volunteer basis at shelters.

What is the trainer's initial goal for the session with Sandy?

The trainer's goal is to transform Sandy from an extreme puller to walking beautifully on heel within about 30 minutes.

What is the foundation of the training approach used with Sandy?

The foundation of the training approach is building engagement with Sandy, as he shows no engagement with the trainer at the beginning.

What tool does the trainer initially use to work with Sandy?

The trainer initially uses a training lead to get a feel for Sandy and then switches to a slip lead to start building engagement through directional changes.

How does the trainer plan to build engagement with Sandy?

The trainer plans to build engagement by using directional changes and praising Sandy when he follows the command, along with using lead pressure from the slip lead to correct him when he doesn't engage.

Why does the trainer switch to a long line slip lead?

The trainer switches to a long line slip lead to give himself more time to make directional turns and allow Sandy to reach the end of the lead, providing more opportunities for engagement.

What is the significance of building engagement before teaching heel work?

Building engagement is crucial because it establishes a relationship and communication with the dog, making it more responsive and willing to follow commands without the need for bribery or extreme correction.

How does the trainer handle distractions during the training session?

The trainer uses minimal lead pressure to bring Sandy's attention back to him when distractions occur, reinforcing that looking up to the trainer brings positive outcomes.

What is the trainer's strategy for reinforcing eye contact with Sandy?

The trainer plans to appreciate and reward eye contact behavior over time, using praise and potential food rewards to condition Sandy to associate eye contact with positive outcomes.

How does the trainer ensure that Sandy remains a happy and relaxed dog during the training?

The trainer focuses on leadership, engagement, and relationship building, ensuring that Sandy understands he is not being abused or in pain, but rather is learning to work together with the trainer.

Outlines

00:00

🐾 Dog Behavior Modification for Sandy the Golden Retriever

The paragraph introduces a dog behavior modification session with Sandy, a golden retriever with severe pulling habits on the leash. The trainer, who usually works with police dogs, is helping a friend's dog on a volunteer basis. The goal is to transform Sandy from being a strong puller to walking nicely on a leash within 30 minutes. The trainer emphasizes building engagement with the dog as the foundation for the training, using a slip lead for directional changes to create a connection. The process involves positive reinforcement when Sandy responds correctly to commands, and gentle corrections with the lead when he doesn't, aiming to make the walk a positive experience for the dog and its owners.

05:01

🔄 Building Engagement and Leadership in Dog Training

This paragraph continues the training session, focusing on deepening the engagement between the trainer and Sandy. The trainer uses a long line slip lead to give Sandy more freedom to move while still maintaining control. The goal is to have Sandy follow the trainer's directions without needing food as a bribe, instead relying on the relationship and communication they are building. The trainer demonstrates how subtle lead pressure can redirect Sandy's attention back to him, and how the dog's responsiveness improves as engagement increases. The session shows the power of positive reinforcement and the importance of the trainer's leadership in shaping the dog's behavior.

10:01

🎉 Transforming Sandy's Behavior with Leadership and Engagement

In the final paragraph, the trainer demonstrates the significant transformation in Sandy's behavior after just 20 minutes of training. Despite distractions, Sandy is now walking calmly and obediently, showing a strong connection with the trainer. The trainer explains that the key to this change is the focus on leadership, engagement, and relationship, rather than harsh corrections. The session concludes with the trainer rewarding Sandy with playtime, showing that the dog can now switch between work mode and play mode, reflecting the successful establishment of a new, well-mannered behavior pattern.

Keywords

💡Behavior Modification

Behavior modification refers to the process of changing an individual's behavior patterns, often used in training and psychology. In the video, the trainer aims to modify Sandy the golden retriever's pulling behavior during walks, teaching him to walk calmly and obediently by the trainer's side.

💡Engagement

Engagement in this context is the level of attention and interaction a dog gives to its handler or trainer. The video emphasizes building engagement as the foundation for effective training, with the trainer using various techniques to get Sandy to focus on and respond to commands.

💡Death Row Dogs

Death row dogs typically refers to dogs that are at risk of being euthanized, often found in shelters. The script mentions that the trainer usually works with such dogs on a volunteer basis, indicating a commitment to saving and improving the lives of at-risk animals.

💡Slip Lead

A slip lead is a type of dog lead that can be tightened or loosened to control the dog's movement. The trainer uses a slip lead to apply gentle pressure on Sandy, redirecting him and reinforcing the desired behavior without causing harm or discomfort.

💡Directional Changes

Directional changes involve guiding the dog to move in different directions, a fundamental aspect of obedience training. The trainer uses directional changes to build Sandy's engagement and responsiveness to commands, as seen when he is praised for following the trainer's lead.

💡Free Shaping

Free shaping is a training technique where the trainer reinforces any behavior that moves towards the desired outcome, without explicitly instructing the dog. The video shows the trainer using free shaping to encourage Sandy to naturally adopt the heel position as he becomes more engaged.

💡Eye Contact

Eye contact is a form of non-verbal communication that signifies attention and connection. The trainer seeks to increase eye contact with Sandy as a sign of engagement and trust, using praise to reinforce this behavior when Sandy looks to the trainer for guidance.

💡Lead Pressure

Lead pressure is the slight tension applied to a dog's lead to guide or correct its movement. In the video, the trainer uses minimal lead pressure to redirect Sandy's attention back to the trainer, helping to build a responsive and obedient walking behavior.

💡Heel Work

Heel work is a specific obedience training exercise where the dog walks closely by the handler's side, maintaining a consistent position. The video's goal is to transition Sandy from pulling on the lead to performing heel work, demonstrating the trainer's expertise in modifying behavior.

💡Relationship Building

Relationship building is the process of establishing trust and rapport between a dog and its handler. The trainer in the video emphasizes the importance of building a relationship with Sandy as a key component of the training process, using praise and positive reinforcement to create a bond.

💡Anxiety or Fear

Anxiety or fear in dogs can manifest as hyperactivity or difficulty focusing. The video script notes that Sandy's previous behavior may have stemmed from such emotions, and through the training process, the dog's demeanor changes to a more relaxed and calm state, indicating a reduction in anxiety.

Highlights

Behavior modification work with a death row police dog named Sandy.

Sandy is a golden retriever with a pulling issue, causing difficulties for the owners.

The goal is to transform Sandy from a bad puller to heel walking within 30 minutes.

Building engagement is the foundation for addressing Sandy's pulling behavior.

Using a training lead to gauge Sandy's responsiveness and starting tune-up.

Switching to a slip lead to perform directional changes and build engagement.

The importance of timing and finesse in applying lead pressure for correction.

Progress in engagement without using food as a bribe, focusing on relationship and communication.

Introduction of a prototype long line slip lead to extend engagement opportunities.

The power of engagement demonstrated through free shaping without formal heel commands.

Minimal lead pressure required once engagement and responsiveness are established.

The transformation in Sandy's demeanor from anxious to calm and relaxed.

The impact of leadership, guidance, and direction on reducing a dog's anxiety.

Practicing and reinforcing eye contact as a positive behavior.

Leveraging distractions as opportunities to reinforce engagement and leadership.

The final outcome of a well-mannered, calm Sandy after 20 minutes of training.

The importance of balance between work time and playtime for a dog's well-being.

The overall impact of the training on Sandy's life, showcasing the weight lifted off his shoulders.

Transcripts

so got a fun case today i haven't done

one of these for a little while if

you've been following the journey you

know that i tend to do

all my in-person behavior modification

work is done with the death row police

cases

on a volunteer basis at the shelters but

this was for a friend

we've got a beautiful golden retriever

called sandy sandy

yeah good boy good boy wonderful

temperament very happy-go-lucky

lovely dog butt is one of the worst

pullers we've ever seen

and has made for its owners who's a

friend of a friend so i said i'd help

them out

it's become a miserable experience for

them they've got young kids

their cycle has begun where they are

finding it very difficult to walk it so

it's not getting as much exercise or the

behavior start to slip in so

my goal of today it's a very

straightforward case for me bread and

butter i miss doing these quite

straightforward ones

is to go from a extremely bad puller

through to beautiful heel walking and

i'm hoping we can do that in about 30

minutes it'll be a really lovely thing

to do for them

so classic case not a bad dog

not an aggressive dog not a reactive dog

just a dog with

no engagement so the foundation of what

we need to start with is just simply

building engagement

now as you can see even just me moving

around here sandy's not engaged with me

at all

he's doing his own thing he's looking

where he's going it's not a bad thing

it doesn't come from any kind of

problems like i say aggression the

dominance reactive it's just

no engagement so all we're going to do

is we're going to start with a tune-up

i've brought him out on the training

lead to start with just to kind of get a

feel for him and i think all we're going

to have to do

is we're going to swap out to my trusty

slip lead

and we're just going to do some

directional changes start to build up

that engagement

once i get that engagement we're 75 of

the way then we'll tune it up turn it

into a heel with a bit of free shaping

and hopefully in 30 minutes or so we'll

give this dog back beautifully he'll

train with stunning engagement

right so all we're going to do is we've

got the slip lead nice and high on his

neck

and what we're going to do is start just

doing some directional changes so i'm

not looking for any heel yet

but as he goes sandy let's go

sandy let's go good

sandy let's go yes good straight away

sandy let's go

good boy sandy let's go

good sandy let's go yes good boy

that one i'm going to lavish with praise

so we're going to go back and talk about

that one again i'm not bothered about

this we're going to deal with all this

later

what i'm looking for is when i mark it

with that sandy let's go and i turn

is that he's engaged with me and comes

if he doesn't engage with me

and ignores my command and he's off in

the distance somewhere else

a little bit of lead pressure from the

slip lead is going to inherently correct

that for me

and it's going to make him just snap him

out i think oh yep this way

next time sandy let's go is going to

mark that behavior

oh we're going this way that's how we

build that engagement it really isn't

rocket science

it's just a little bit of finesse at the

right time of when you apply that lead

pressure so i'll show you that again

let's go

sandy let's go oh yes good boy

let's go

oh good boy let's go yes

good so already you can clock this

he's starting to engage with me already

because he's waiting for me

to make my movement sandy let's go yes

that could be a little bit better so

he's still doing his own thing

but we're at that 50 where he's checking

back to me now so we're starting to

build

engagement sandy let's go oh good boy

yes

oh good boy and you'll notice at this

point i'm not using any food

work look at the difference already from

a little bit of engagement sandy let's

go

oh good boy we're already at a one

finger walk

this we can tune up

let's go oh good boy yes

vocal inflection no food works i don't

want to bribe that behavior

i want that behavior to come from

legitimate relationship and engagement

with me

later on i'm going to bring in food

reward i'm going to lavish it with food

reward when we're really dialing in the

heel work but for now

engagement shouldn't be a bribery a

result of bribery

it should be a result of relationship

and communication

so as you can see we've swapped out to

one of our prototype products that we're

working on which is a

a long line slip lead the reason i've

done this is because

as you already saw making huge levels of

progress with engagement

but within being so energetic so

boisterous so lively

he is naturally reaching the end of the

slip lead very quickly which isn't

giving me

a lot of time to get my timing and

finesse for those directional changes in

swapping out to a long line as you'll

see in a minute will give me a little

bit

more time to let him go out for me to

make my directional turn

and give him the opportunity to engage

with me and come

if he doesn't then he gets a little bit

of lead pressure to redirect him and

build that engagement

so we're just going to drill that now

i'll have joe film it for a little while

so i'm going to let him have a bit of

space sandy let's go

yes good boy what a good boy what a good

boy

again i'm not after any kind of heel

work yet he doesn't know what the term

heal means he's never been taught it

so to expect that from him would be

completely unfair

and to correct him would just be cruel

but what i want to do now is again sandy

let's go

now he ignored me a little bit of lead

pressure good boy yes oh thank you

again we're in this together good boy

this i don't mind

we'll deal with this afterwards it's all

about engagement we swap back to the

short lead and we're getting that

engagement really nicely sandy

sit oh yes thank you good boy and i'm

just always looking for this eye contact

again happy dog

relaxed demeanor and now what we've

started to do

again direction changes but now we swap

back to a short lead

is that we started to three shape that

behavior to the left

now what you're about to see is the

power of engagement in this level of

free shaping again i don't mind this

that's a problem for another day

because what you're about to see is how

let's go so again

demeanor i'm in charge of this walk

and that level of engagement changes

massively so if you've that you'll see

these subtle

changes in his head movement where he's

going to just quickly check to me and

see everything's okay

sandy let's go oh yes good boy

and he's responsive sandy yes so again

that was beautiful i was hoping that

would happen

so you saw that all the minimal amount

of lead pressure with a finger

is required just to bring him back into

position when he's in this position

happy go lucky tail wagging

looking up to me let's go good boy thank

you good boy

bit distracted by the camera man this is

another opportunity

sandy we just bring him back in again

we're talking literally a finger worth

of lead pressure

this isn't a dog that's being abused

this isn't a dog that's in pain

this is finally a dog with the weight of

his world off his shoulders

because somebody stepped in and taken

control of this walk so as you can see

now

shoulders back head up literally walking

in with a finger

i'm sure the cameraman can see that and

he's happy because we're now working

together

rather than separately and him having to

make his own decisions

and not used any commands other than

let's go

good boy if he goes too far ahead

a little bit of lead pressure just to

remind him bring him back in

now the reason this works so well and i

didn't have to jump to

extreme levels of correction or

corrective tools

is because of that engagement because it

became responsive

through the conditioning work that we

did during the directional changes drill

so it might seem silly that you're going

back and forward

the outcome of that drill is to build

engagement we built enough engagement

now

around distractions in a farm

environment where with the tiniest bit

of lead pressure

it can bring him back to me bring that

attention back

and have him looking now again this is a

dog that's how old is he joe

i think he's three three years old and

in

20 minutes his life has been transformed

through a little bit of leadership

guidance and direction now we just need

to layer on that build on that what i

would like to see now

is more eye contact i'm not going to

correct him for it because he doesn't

understand

but i'm going to appreciate that

behavior over time if when he naturally

gives it to me

he's going to get rewarded or i can lure

it oh goodbye yes thank you

so the little noise he got his attention

he looked up to me

then we praise and reinforce that

behavior what that starts to build up in

his mind

especially an incredibly intelligent

mind like you aren't you

is that oh when i make eye contact he's

nice to me

i could have food rewarded that if i

want to i don't think he needs it same

principle again

boy yes good good boy

he'll start to very quickly learn that

looking up to me for guidance and

direction

making eye contact to me brings in

positive things

i will start doing that more i'll start

praising and reinforcing it more

that display of behavior will increase

and that engagement then increases over

time

but what we've done is we've shaped new

behavior that now through practice and

repetition when we hand it back to the

owner

will become second nature the way that

for the last three years

pulling and not looking for any guidance

and direction has become second nature

and again we now have a well-mannered

calm relaxed if you can go back to the

start of the video

and look at the energy level differences

it's these things that mean more to me

when i talk about the weight of the

world comes off a dog's shoulder when

you step in and take the steering wheel

that's what you see in here

calm relax rather than giddy jump it's

not necessarily

hyperactive or playful oftentimes it

stems from anxiety or fear

so we've got a beautiful example here

what a lovely distraction somebody's

just rocked up to the farm

we're now going to do this again look at

different straight away

attention has been broken but i need to

bring this back to me oh good boy thank

you

good boy let him know that when you look

up to me everything's okay and we're

going to just write so he's distracted

by

this sandy let's go look at that

beautiful okay boss where are we going

one finger walking shoulders back

chest up i'm in charge of this i'm not

asking you to not look at that car

i looked at the car something new is

here who's that why are we doing it

but i've said it's time to go so we go i

say let's go

oh good boy thank you and i'm leading

this we're walking this let's go

oh good boy thank you good boy

again a little bit of lead pressure

brings him back in

good boy put in the space for 20 minutes

just through i can't stress it enough

focusing

on leadership engagement and

relationship

has transformed this dog's life and i

want him to be a dog i want him to be

happy

that was work time sandy sit oh good boy

thank you

i've asked for that from you now break

and off you go good boy

go and be a free dog go and have the

world is it your oyster

yes and we can play but now when it's

time for me to bring that back

up sandy let's go and it's work time

again

let's go good sandy sit

sit oh good boy yes sandy break

and now it's time to play and be a dog

you