At your local dog park.

[ElleBelle]

My dog sucks at walking on a leash.

He's a little too pampered. :/

What exactly is the problem(s)?

Shutter was a pain in the ass on a leash but we've gotten much better. I might be able to suggest a few things.

He never wants to be on the leash. He's a strong dog, so I struggle with it. I got him one of those harnesses, so I could walk him comfortably, and now everytime I put him in it he just sits down and refuses to move. If I can get him outside on it, he lays on his back and howls. Embarrassing!

Suggestions would be much appreciated!

[thesummerqueen]

I think Min has the right of that one - eventually he's going to have to pee (unless you have a yard for him to go in).

We had success carrying around a bag of treats Shutter really really loved. He had a problem with heeling (or even walking around us at all) and pulled constantly. So we used the treats to keep him moving beside us and his attention on us. I've had to use them less and less to the point of him even automatically sitting down next to me when I stop at a crosswalk.

It's hard to pull a big dog into action, so the treats might prompt him to give up his howling and follow you around. You might try keeping the harness on him in the house too just so he gets used to wearing it. It's not worth punishing them at all for not listening - just like stubborn kids, they know what they want and they'll run roughshod on you unless you stay consistent and insistent.

[ElleBelle]

I think Min has the right of that one - eventually he's going to have to pee (unless you have a yard for him to go in).

We had success carrying around a bag of treats Shutter really really loved. He had a problem with heeling (or even walking around us at all) and pulled constantly. So we used the treats to keep him moving beside us and his attention on us. I've had to use them less and less to the point of him even automatically sitting down next to me when I stop at a crosswalk.

It's hard to pull a big dog into action, so the treats might prompt him to give up his howling and follow you around. You might try keeping the harness on him in the house too just so he gets used to wearing it. It's not worth punishing them at all for not listening - just like stubborn kids, they know what they want and they'll run roughshod on you unless you stay consistent and insistent.

I'll try the treat thing. Spring weather is coming back.

My dog has a fenced in backyard and a dog door, so he usually comes and goes as he pleases. I think he favors the independence of that. I've tried the approach Min said, but didn't at all stay consistent with it. He's just my big loveable lug, so I usually give into whatever he wants. (I know, I know, bad dog owner.)

Hopefully I can make progress again this spring. I'd like to be able to bring him along for stroller rides.

[Minimalist]

(I know, I know, bad dog owner.)

Virtually every episode of The Dog Whisperer is the same. People tell Cesar Millan why their dog is bad. He checks the dog out. Finds the dog is fine; he's just being a dog. Spends the rest of the segment telling the owners that they are schmucks and teaching them how to be better owners!

[ElleBelle]

(I know, I know, bad dog owner.)

Virtually every episode of The Dog Whisperer is the same. People tell Cesar Millan why their dog is bad. He checks the dog out. Finds the dog is fine; he's just being a dog. Spends the rest of the segment telling the owners that they are schmucks and teaching them how to be better owners!

See, I know that it's predominately my fault, but I just find it hard to fix it within myself. I tend to be such a pushover when it comes to him. I feel like not even dealing with the headache of trying to get him up and going on the leash.

[thesummerqueen]

See, I know that it's predominately my fault, but I just find it hard to fix it within myself. I tend to be such a pushover when it comes to him. I feel like not even dealing with the headache of trying to get him up and going on the leash.

Shutter's only 15lbs. I was raised with dobermans. Understandably, my father was fairly insistent on them being trained from day one, and when David and I got together, I immediately added onto Shutter's training.

I'm frequently told by other people in a surprised voice that he's extremely well-behaved. After comparing him to other small dogs in our condo building, I see why. Many of them are downright horrible - the exact reason I used to hate small dogs. Lo and behold, it's because they're so small that most owners can act like you and not deal with much trouble - most of those dogs can be pushed aside with a foot, or dragged (note: I'm not condoning this). This is harder, or next to impossible, with a large dog.

I totally understand being a pushover about your - we find it really, really hard to resist feeding him scraps from the table, and thus have to deal with him begging. You just have to gird your loins and realize that after a while it won't be so hard to deal with because he'll accept the boundaries you give him.

For the record, we made Shutter wear his jackets or harnesses for a while around the house, like I said, to get him used to them, and now because they always go on when he goes outside, he knows they're associated with outside time and he practically puts them on himself.

Oh, you might also try boarding up the dog door when you're at home so that when he wants to go out, he has to do it on your terms. I'd probably leave it open while you're away just to avoid accidents, but this might increase his dependency on you enough to drive the message home.

[ElleBelle]

See, I know that it's predominately my fault, but I just find it hard to fix it within myself. I tend to be such a pushover when it comes to him. I feel like not even dealing with the headache of trying to get him up and going on the leash.

Shutter's only 15lbs. I was raised with dobermans. Understandably, my father was fairly insistent on them being trained from day one, and when David and I got together, I immediately added onto Shutter's training.

I'm frequently told by other people in a surprised voice that he's extremely well-behaved. After comparing him to other small dogs in our condo building, I see why. Many of them are downright horrible - the exact reason I used to hate small dogs. Lo and behold, it's because they're so small that most owners can act like you and not deal with much trouble - most of those dogs can be pushed aside with a foot, or dragged (note: I'm not condoning this). This is harder, or next to impossible, with a large dog.

I totally understand being a pushover about your - we find it really, really hard to resist feeding him scraps from the table, and thus have to deal with him begging. You just have to gird your loins and realize that after a while it won't be so hard to deal with because he'll accept the boundaries you give him.

For the record, we made Shutter wear his jackets or harnesses for a while around the house, like I said, to get him used to them, and now because they always go on when he goes outside, he knows they're associated with outside time and he practically puts them on himself.

Oh, you might also try boarding up the dog door when you're at home so that when he wants to go out, he has to do it on your terms. I'd probably leave it open while you're away just to avoid accidents, but this might increase his dependency on you enough to drive the message home.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to give some of those a try. He used to completely rule the roost...sleeping in my bed, going wherever he wanted in the house, etc. When I brought little ElleBelle Jr home, and a lot of that had to change, and when I did simply HAVE TO set those boundaries, he seemed to understand. He would try to slink back into bed from time to time, but he did seem to learn quickly that he was going to have to be a kitchen/outside dog for a while.

Maybe if I act that way again, using those suggestions that he has to walk on my terms, I can find some success.

[Whateverist]

If you have a big dog in a full body harness you're working way to hard. Those allow the dog to move freely except where you are able to bodily check him. It gives you no advantage.

I usually use what are commonly called a choke chain but of course I don't use them to choke the dogs. It simply gives me advantage. When I correct for surging ahead I just pop the leash, I don't actually strangle them. For really big and stubborn dogs they make a collar with teeth that dig into the dog. Those complete work but make you feel like a meany. The best one I've tried is called an English Training lead. It looks like this:

http://www.lambertvetsupply.com/product....fgodqBMACw

A loop goes around the neck and another around the muzzle .. but not in a way that prevents them from panting or drinking or biting for that matter. But you attach the leash to a ring just below the muzzle. That means the dogs head and nose is yours to lead where you will and he will follow. Gives you a tremendous physical advantage. My dogs hate theirs but are super easy on leash.

[ElleBelle]

If you have a big dog in a full body harness you're working way to hard. Those allow the dog to move freely except where you are able to bodily check him. It gives you no advantage.

I usually use what are commonly called a choke chain but of course I don't use them to choke the dogs. It simply gives me advantage. When I correct for surging ahead I just pop the leash, I don't actually strangle them. For really big and stubborn dogs they make a collar with teeth that dig into the dog. Those complete work but make you feel like a meany. The best one I've tried is called an English Training lead. It looks like this:

http://www.lambertvetsupply.com/product....fgodqBMACw

A loop goes around the neck and another around the muzzle .. but not in a way that prevents them from panting or drinking or biting for that matter. But you attach the leash to a ring just below the muzzle. That means the dogs head and nose is yours to lead where you will and he will follow. Gives you a tremendous physical advantage. My dogs hate theirs but are super easy on leash.

This is how I feel just thinking about trying to get my mongrel in a muzzle.