Stop Cutting Me Off!

[XTRAWLD]

Any thoughts about how to discourage Ryder on cutting me off on our walks?

 

I ask because I would like to start running with him. I'm not talking endurance running and working up to like half hour or hour runs. I just want to run for 5-10 minutes with him, to get his muscles warmed up to prevent any injury before going out to the dog parks, etc. However, on our walks, and on the odd time that we run for fun on our walk, we do a nice trot and he'll suddenly dart in front of me and stop, or just completely cut me off and I have to change direction or stop moving all together. Thoughts on how to discourage cutting me off? He does it SO FAST I hardly have time to react. He currently runs/trots at our side....

[OwnedBySummer]

So weird! Maybe now we know why he retired? I'm sure many, many others will make great training suggestions. Whenever Summer did weird stuff, I just checked her with the leash/martingale and that's all I had to do, she walks and runs great on the leash. I also don't give much leash -- in fact, my fingers can touch the leash clip at all times. This is for "working" walks. When I release her to do her own thing, I put her on my other side (I'm not consistent with that, I sometimes forget, I need to work on that more), the "free side", and tell her she's free and then she can wander about more.

[LaFlaca]

Shorten the lead. Use a walking stick to gently discourage him from getting ahead of or in front of you by placing it against his chest when he does. Stop walking when he gets in front of you and do not resume until he is calming standing at your side.

 

So weird! Maybe now we know why he retired? I'm sure many, many others will make great training suggestions. Whenever Summer did weird stuff, I just checked her with the leash/martingale and that's all I had to do, she walks and runs great on the leash. I also don't give much leash -- in fact, my fingers can touch the leash clip at all times. This is for "working" walks. When I release her to do her own thing, I put her on my other side (I'm not consistent with that, I sometimes forget, I need to work on that more), the "free side", and tell her she's free and then she can wander about more.

 

This is how I hande Wendy (Summer's sister!). Do you always keep her on your left side for "working walks", thus making the right side the free to sniff and mark side? Does it really matter which side we have them "heel" on?

[XTRAWLD]

OH! A walking stick. Great suggestion!

[LaFlaca]

OH! A walking stick. Great suggestion!

 

Yup. I use it for it's intended purpose as well as a reminder to Wendy not to cross in front of me, and to ward off off-lead dogs. It's a handy tool!

[OwnedBySummer]

Riding crops work well, too, for all the listed reasons. Plus they're really, really light.

Edited April 8, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[OwnedBySummer]

 

This is how I hande Wendy (Summer's sister!). Do you always keep her on your left side for "working walks", thus making the right side the free to sniff and mark side? Does it really matter which side we have them "heel" on?

 

I have always walked with the dogs heeling on the left side (the dog training, obedience class "correct" side). I'm sure there's a reason why someone determined that the left side is the walking side. I am more comfortable with her on the left side vs the right. It may be because I'm VERY right-handed (left arm was broken as a child and it's still bent a bit and weaker) and I like the leash handle to be securely in my right hand, with finer controlling being done by the left hand. She is perfectly behaved on leash and will even ignore rabbits and the like ( not that I'd ever relax and TRUST her!).

[LaFlaca]

Riding crops work well, too, for all the listed reasons. Plus they're really, really light.

 

Thanks for this. I've thought about investing in a riding crop, but wasn't sure it would be appropriate.

[sarabz]

Interesting - I've always walked with Bella on my right side, I guess from all of those years leading horses around.

 

Typically when I'm walking with her and I have a destination or just don't want her darting around to smell interesting things, the leash is quite short so that she doesn't have much of an opportunity. When it's looser then it's ok for her to sniff around and wander. She's learned this very quickly with me, but DH doesn't shorten the leash and then gets frustrated with her wandering. Sometimes it's harder to train the family than the dog

[Laurenbiz]

How long is your leash? Bernie has a 4-ft leash, and if I just have the end wrapped around my hand, sometimes he gets zig-zaggy and can cut me off, too.

 

If I wrap it around my hand more and only give the leash a foot-long gap between me and his collar, he does a better job.

 

You may want to try that, and also try the short leash walking on either side of you. I have no clue why, but Bernie is still hap-hazard with a short leash on my left side; when he is on my right, he walks perfectly.

[krissy]

I take the opposite approach to what most people have suggested in some ways. Summit is generally very good about not changing sides on me, or if he does he's smart enough to try to do it behind me. On the odd occasion that he smells soemthing REALLY good and tries to cross in front of me, I just keep walking right into him, and give him a little "bump" with my leg back to his side (all in stride). To the best of my ability I try not to slow down or deviate. He needs to understand that he stays on his side and that it's his job to stay out of MY way.

 

Like I said, Summit is usually pretty good. When we first got foster dog Sunny though he was atrocious. He would lean into you while walking, he'd try to cross in front of you, etc. I did the same thing. I just kept walking on my original trajectory. If he was in the way (which he inevitably would be if he kept trying to cross) then he got bumped. He learned pretty quickly to stay on his side.

 

I also keep things simple for Summit. He always walks on my left. Always. And he knows this. Sometimes when I'm carrying things and end up with the leash in my right hand, he will still walk on my left even though that means the leash is around my back and super short on his side, he doesn't change to the right where he'd have more slack.

[Guest Celestrina]

Riding crops work well, too, for all the listed reasons. Plus they're really, really light.

 

Thanks for this. I've thought about investing in a riding crop, but wasn't sure it would be appropriate.

 

All that matters is how its used. Smacking him with it and tapping his chest are two different things.

[Guest dragontearz]

Oberon does this horribly. He crosses from side to side at a whim, and it makes walking him hard, so we started bumping him lightly with our leg when he decides to cross in front of us, and it's starting to work-we also went to a four foot leash from our usual six foot for easier control..also, the harness seems to help a bit with this.

[Guest sweetpea]

Interesting - I've always walked with Bella on my right side, I guess from all of those years leading horses around.

 

 

There are some who say this is why dogs heel on the left, because the horses were lead on the right....

 

I'm sure somebody will chime in soon to confirm or refute!

 

Buzzy

chock full of useless trivial information

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

I have scars on my knees from Aaron walking in front of me and stopping. He was my first dog, so I had to learn what to do to avoid bloody knees. Now that I have a bit more experience (still lots to learn though) from my fosters, I just bump them with my legs when they cross over and say, "Don't walk in front of me." (That just pops out, not part of the training.) They learn quickly. I've always heard that you should walk a dog on the left (because the horse is held in the right hand) and I've found that if I wrap the leash around my left hand and hold the loop in my right, I have more control of the ones that are pullers. I also don't give much slack between my left hand and the snap so they can't get in front of me unexpectedly.

[LaFlaca]

Riding crops work well, too, for all the listed reasons. Plus they're really, really light.

 

Thanks for this. I've thought about investing in a riding crop, but wasn't sure it would be appropriate.

 

All that matters is how its used. Smacking him with it and tapping his chest are two different things.

 

 

No, no...I would never, ever hit a dog. I just place the walking stick in front of / touching her chest to remind her to stay next to me.

[OwnedBySummer]

And I, too, walk with a 4' leash. I only ever use a 6' leash for hiking, where she gets more freedom.

[XTRAWLD]

Wow.

 

I have groom/hot walking experience, so I can relate to the walking of the horses.....but didn't realize the dog should be on the left. HMPH.

 

I walk them (because I have to walk 2 dogs at the same time often) in a myriad of different ways for different reasons. (I won't get into that yet).

 

When I have a single dog, I walk them on my right side. I'm right handed, so I've always found when controlling the dog, my right arm and hand are strongest. I loop the leash (5ft) over my right wrist, hold the slack in my left, and hold the leash with my right I'd say with about 1-2 foot away from his collar and Ryder/Kasey is to walk beside me. Sometimes I'm lazy and let him walk slightly ahead, but they are still in an offset track from my steps. When I let R or K sniff and do his thing I let him take the slack, but I always keep about a half foot available should he suddenly bolt and I don't end up doing a face plant. Ryder is still rather young, things get his attention, and sometimes he's so wound up he just wants to let loose on his energy. Kasey used to love to poop and just LAUNCH into a full run when he was finished. Stuff happens. I use a harness sometimes, collar most of the time, but in my obedience class last night they have introduced us to Halti's and Gentle Leaders....and I'm approaching that idea with an open mind.

 

So, when I decide to run because he clearly has energy, I gather up the leash again and run with him at my side, sometimes he'll speed up, catch a scent and off he goes RIGHT in front of me. I think a stick or crop would help.

 

Kasey has learned how to walk nice and straight with years of walking experience now in his memory. I remember when he used to wander just as badly. Except when we would bump into him he would learn his lesson. Ryder is a little stubborn. I've had him actually stop in front of me and bow to play!

 

I sometimes use Kasey to help me keep Ryder straight on as well....like Kasey on the right of Ryder and I want to walk straight and Ryder wants to turn, Kasey is usually smart enough to walk straight-on (via verbal command) and keep Ryder going straight for me.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions.

[Guest simile]

 

I have always walked with the dogs heeling on the left side (the dog training, obedience class "correct" side). I'm sure there's a reason why someone determined that the left side is the walking side.

 

Dogs walk on the left because of hunting. Most people are right handed and would carry their hunting rifles in their right hand.

[EllenEveBaz]

I like having the dog walk on the left because much of our walking is on streets with no sidewalks. Walking on the left side of the street facing traffic (in the U.S., anyway), having the dog on my left keeps it further from cars. My command to stay on one side is "On the left."

 

Back when I used to do something resembling running, I put the dogs on my left and said, "Let's jog." That was the message that we were not out to sniff the pee-mail.

[Guest Houndstown]

So weird! Maybe now we know why he retired?

 

Very true!

 

Anyway, Tera's just the opposite. She's all over the place when we're walking. She's getting better but still gets very distracted by people, squirrels and cats. However, when we jog, she stays right by my left side. She really doesn't even look around; I think that's why she doesn't get distracted. Do they make anything for greyhounds like blinders for a horse? Maybe that would help keep his focus ahead?

[XTRAWLD]

Today is his "walking" class and I will be trying a halti - since he pulls like a dickens on our walk. When we test fit last week, I was impressed and I really didn't think one belongs on a GH but seeing it in practice I'm willing to give it a whirl. I'm actually hoping this will control his swerving too as I would like to start to light jog with him..... Will keep you all updated.

[OwnedBySummer]

You can also attach the halti to his martingale so if the halti ever slips off, you've still got him!

[XTRAWLD]

You can also attach the halti to his martingale so if the halti ever slips off, you've still got him!

 

The halti tester I had hooked to him I did not see this option - perhaps that's with the Gentle Leader instead? (which I might also demo tonight too).

[OwnedBySummer]

It's something you can make. Two bridle clips and a short length of cord will do the job. Do you sew? Then you could use leash webbing and make a tiny weeny leash with a tiny loop at one end and a bridle clip at the other -- put the clip on the collar and the mini loop on your normal leash clip. There's all sorts of strange ways you can do it. There's also those 2-dog leash splitters which may work and you don't have to sew or know how to do fancy knots.