Need some advice

[kosobo]

Hi I have a 4 month old siberian husky and i really dont know too much about dog training.
I take my dog every night for a walk but she always pulls on the leash, she always gets distacted with other people and other dogs. She will come when i call her name only when we are at home but outside she doesnt even turn around when I call her name.
Ive read that huskies are very smart dogs and a little hard to train.
All I need to know is what can I do to get her attention when we are outside, what can I do to walk on the park without her pulling the leash around everywhere.
I dont know if its too early to start training her or if its too late since i have allowed her to walk pulling on the leash.
Thanks

 

[josiebell]

I would definately try the 180 turn as soon as your dog starts to pull. I have to do this with my dog. Sometimes I spend ages (the last time being when I was trying to walk off the affects of a bottle of wine for an hour and a half), going backwards and forwards.

He still trys to pull like a steam train at times but with patience, firmness and kindness you will get there.

 

[CollieMan]

Just to mention, as I don't think I have in my original thread. Don't get too hung up on the 180 degrees. Make your changes of direction completely random. Sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, sometimes a full 180 degrees, sometimes a full circle. Sometimes, just put a string of random direction changes together. (Makes note to put a video together.)

 

[kosobo]

Well Ive been doing the 180 turns since tuesday and it makes me feel kinda silly.
I dont really know if she actually knows why im turning around but ill keep trying as long as possible until she understands.
Thanks for the help

 

[Jean Cote]

The best way to send your dog clear and precise information as to why you are changing direction is to feel tension in the leash. As soon as there is tension in the leash turn around and go the opposite direction.

I know it feels weird doing this and you look like a cook on the sidewalk, but it does work. Huskies are very stubborn and if she's already learn t that pulling gets her walking then it will take more time to undo that.

Also you should give your dog praise and treats when walking nicely on a loose leash. :dogsmile: This way you utilize both the carrot and the stick (sort of). HeHeHe

A park is ideal because you can go in any direction as CollieMan pointed out. You can also speed up and slow down. Usually the dog will chase you if you start running away so you can use that to get her to follow you.

Keep us updated on your training.

 

[CollieMan]

Well Ive been doing the 180 turns since tuesday and it makes me feel kinda silly.

Feel silly for a couple of weeks now, or for a lifetime later when your full-sized adult dog is pulling you down every street you walk on. That's the way I look at it.

 

[josiebell]

Dont feel silly when you do this. Most people realise that you are training the dog. I was amazed on Wednesday evening when a young lad, about 14ish, asked if I was training my dog and that he was most impressed with how we were doing.

I often also say to strangers that are walking past giving me funny looks that I'm training and could they make a noise after they have passed to assist me. That usually gives the oh I did not realise and of couse we will response. Then the dog usually gets admired by the strangers, so double whammy that he has to sit and behave when they are talking to us too.

Go for it, what have you got to lose? only your arm out of your socket if you don't keep trying.

 

[kosobo]

4 days have passed since I started with the 180 turns and it seems that she is understandig the whole concept of turning everytime she pulls on the leash.
She gets close to me but 10 seconds later she starts pulling then I turn around and she walks close to me then she will pull again.

I was just wondering about the treats. What kind of treat can I give her that I could easily find in the kitchen? I was thinking about carrots but I dont really know if that would be too good cause she is a puppy.
Ive read all the recipes in the treat section but i was thinkin in somethin I could always find in the house.
Thanks for the help

 

[Jean Cote]

When you are training in a distracting environment (usually anytime you are outside), the dog will most likely ignore any treats that isn't worthwhile.

A dog will eat carrots inside the home, but if he has to choose between eating a carrot and seeing and smelling a million new things outside, it's an easy choice. So usually treats that are yummy, smelly and given sparingly works best in these type of environments. You can use chicken wieners or pieces of cheese. If all fails try the Beef Heart recipe in the Recipes section as most dogs cannot resist it.

 

[del01]

Hi there,huskys are a little bit harder to train only because they are too smart.You have to bring into the training different things so he doesnt get bored, My daughter has one and when she throws the ball for him, he will get it once but any more he thinks if I get it you will only throw it again.He is the right age to start training,and make it interesting for him.The pulling I sugest that when you take him out for his walk when he pulls on the lead stop in your tracks dont pull him back just stand ther not saying thing, when the lead gos loose walk again and again when he pulls stop,continue this and he will learn that when he pulls he goes nowhere.And start teaching him to come to you and his name at home with plenty of nice treats,then introduce destractions a little at a time.Good luck, Del.

 

[love siberians]

siberians are a wonderfull breed however a chalange to train. it sounds like you are on the right track well don.

another thing you can start to do is have a long line and attach it to your self (you can get walking belts that make it ease) let the dog walk around and figer out it has more space. gain your dogs attention, and start running, change direction oftern, side step, sudenly stop, run in circles ........... make it as interesting as you can always saying yes, good dog it's name in a high tone voice. doing this keeps the dogs attention on you, it is gaining appesment from the running and your praise, and i would recomend sitting down and giving a good pat with your dog after it.

you need to mack your self worth wild to your dog, this is one way of doing it.

 

[kosobo]

Thanks a lot for helping me. She is doing great when we go for a walk.

But I have now a very very bad problem.

The things is that my dog is demolishing all the clothes that my mom hangs outside to dry. My mom is freaking out and wants to get rid of the dog.
I really dont know what to do. Ive read that some people hit the dog with the newspaper but ive never hit her and im not planning on doin it.
Ive also read that some people say that dogs do that to get attention but I play with her everyday and I also take her for a walk everyday she gets lots of exercise.

Everytime that I see her jumping trying to reach the clothes I shout at her and I hit the floor with a newspaper and she gets scared and hides, im pretty sure she knows that she is doing wrong but I dont understand why she keeps on doing it.
Maybe is because of her age she is only 5 months old probably she wont do it anymore when she grows.

Any advice will be great.
Thanks

 

[sarhaspups]

Hi Kosobo,
I don't have any experience with huskys but some experience with puppies. My suggestion is to make it more positive. Don't 'correct' her in a negotive way for getting the clothes. Praise her for coming to you instead. She is very young and very trainable. I would say you should put her on a long line while she is outside and the clothes are drying. If she goes towards the clothes , call her to you and play tug or ball... or use her favorite toy for motivation to come and be with you.
The 'negotive' correction is not correcting the behavior, she does not connect the paper slamming on the ground or your foot stomping to the chewing of the clothes, she runs and hides b/c she knows you are upset but she does NOT understand WHY. Start with that and see how she does. Keeping her on a long line is keeping her intact with you. You could also, if she is a tugger, play tug where the clothes hang and really praise her for playing with her toys and not the clothes?
You could also teach her a 'leave it' command and when she goes to pull the clothes (before she does it) tell her leave it and praise her for leaving the clothes.
Hope that helps some. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck and keep us posted.
Sarha

 

[storm22]

i also agree with sahrapups, and the leave it command, koda went through a small stage of "helping" with the washing, and i taught 'leave it' by attaching her to a longline and when she went towards the clothes (sometimes coaxing her to try and get them) i said koda leave and gave a light tug on the lead and when she came near me id give her heaps of praise and a treat

now when im hanging out the washing, she sits between my feet waging her tail waiting for her praise

 

[snooks]

sibs need several hours of good hard exercise every day or they will get destructive. not just running in the yard. tired sibs = good sibs. can u go to a dog park or engage in a pulling dog sport?? also for the pulling maybe a head harness like gentle leader or halti. be sure and watch the video FIRST. there are 3 short ones at http://abrionline.org/videos.php one with a sib. good luck.

 

[kosobo]

thanks for the advice to everybody
Its been a long time and now my dog is 1 year old.
She stopped demolishing the clothes and then suddenly she started doing it again, i thought she fixed her issue with time but now it came back.
I dont know what to do seems like age is not going to fix her.

 

[snooks]

the 180 is on the top of my list. also try a higher rate of reinforcement. that's what finally got my golden pup. i use a clicker b/c it got her attention but you could do it without. experiment. do 2 steps click/or verbal cue THEN stop so you cued the walking at heel behavior not the stop then briskly 2-3 steps mark/stop/treat. if you go fast and change direction randomly and start in a low distraction environment it will work better. don't let them get bored but bam bam bam they must think think think to get wonderful treats.

The hearts are good, liver, dried liver jerky, tripe (really good), chicken, peanut butter on a spatula ( a lick or two and put the spatula up and out of sight behind your back, cheese etc about pea size so a fast no crumb chomp with no clean up to distract.

i agree the idea is to be more interesting than a million other things out there. so your treat or a favorite ball or toy whatever it takes to be more interesting than the world. i noticed that once i did very short distance, even putting little cones down and walking by or weaving in and out help her attention and her eyes were locked on me. the longer distances even in a low distraction environment were boring her. a smart driven dog like a husky wants to go and be engaged. change direction often even u-turning in front of the dog and cutting them off gets their attention-wait there she goes the other way.

sometimes frustration with the 180 will work so they get to go where they want and sometimes it will backfire and they'll get more insistent. sometimes i make silly sounds if she locks onto another dog etc like BOOP or OOP!! and she breaks off. I also put it on verbal and hand cue "let's go" and don't use heel since let's go is more relaxed and asks for loose leash only. more changes to up the frequency of treats. at this stage in your training the frequency seemed to make the most difference for me. and no it's NEVER too early. the earlier you start the less your dog will weigh while it's figuring out if you're fun to pull around. :msngiggle: Good luck.

 

[stormi]

I agree with sarhaspups about using a positive way to stop her destroying clothes. Also a 'leave it' command. I would still continue with both those things, and always remind her.

If calling her away isn't working you could try using "Ah-ah" in a gruff voice when she approaches the clothes then immediately she pauses, call her to you for a game of tug (keep her on a long-line initially if need be). This is the method I used the most to get my border collie not to look for sheep. She is now at the stage where if she realises there are sheep she will look away and come to me for a game without me having to say anything to her. Although this seems extreme it's a behaviour I am really pleased she has understood and I hope it will keep her safe around lifestock.

Could you always keep her on lead, or fence off the clothes line for a while so she doesnt get the enjoyment from tugging the clothes to try to break the habit?

 

[maven]

Both of my dogs really love the peanut butter oatmeal treats that are in the recipe section -- gotta watch the calories on that one, but they work hard for it and I usually have the stuff in the fridge.