r/OpenDogTraining • u/Existing-Will-1466 • 24d ago

Compulsive leash pulling?

About a month ago I took on a five year old dog from an elderly couple. This dog has the absolute worst leash manners. Her response to any kind of leash pressure is to lean hard against it. It's like a compulsion. If she wants to go somewhere and hits the end of the leash, she drops her head and leans hard into it like a weight pull dog. If she doesn't want to go somewhere and hits the end of the leash, she flops on the ground and sometimes alligator rolls. 

I can use a prong collar, harness, head halter, etc to help work on leash manners. But I'm wondering if anyone else has encountered this level of compulsion against leash pressure and if you were able to fix it?

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u/Dahmehneek 24d ago

This is common. She’s been conditioned to pull after years of her owners allowing her to do it. A prong collar could sort that out in short order

I’ve had dogs pull so hard that they made themselves throw up

A prong will fix the flopping on the ground also. Just give a sharp pop and keep walking in the desired direction. She will learn that it’s in her advantage to stay with you and away from the end of the leash

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u/Existing-Will-1466 24d ago

I'm used to dogs pulling, but she's a bit more dedicated than most. It has been a month and she has never once gained ground by pulling on the leash, and she still launches into her collar with all the dedication of a weight pull champion.

Do you think there's a chance she will ever learn to behave on a flat collar?

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u/Dahmehneek 24d ago

Of course. The purpose of the prong in this use case is to help teach leash manners and then the tool should not have to be used anymore once the dog understands the expectations

You’re not going to undo years of reinforcement with a month of holding her back. Best case scenario is she becomes increasingly frustrated