4.5 month old Mini - Constant Pulling

[EmilyRose92]

Hi All!

My Partner and I got our first Mini (and first dog as a couple having grown up with various dogs) just after Christmas. There have definitely been trials along the way but a lot of what have felt like phases which have passed with each growing leap.
However, our biggest issue seems to be Winston's constant pulling on walks. I can't count how many YouTube videos we've watched, how many tips and tricks we have tried but nothing seems to work for more than half a walk. His energy gets so ramped up that trying to focus him on treats etc just stops working.

We've tried stop and start a lot! He sits, looks at us, but as soon as we begin a step he's lunging out in front with his nose to the ground. Exactly the same with the turn around trick. As soon as he is back facing the direction he wants to go, he is off like a shot.

I bought a Halti branded head collar but firstly size 0 seems to be a little big around the back of his head, and he just got crazy wearing it. Getting the under chin strap into his mouth and when I try to remove it I got bitten pretty hard. I've seen a lot of folk recommending the 'Gencon all in 1' do you think this might help us? I'm at my wits end and we are starting to drag our feet about going for walks because it is such hard work and my arm/shoulder begins to hurt within minutes. I know he's only a baby but we are trying really hard to make sure that we can train him for success and not to have this follow us into adult hood.

Any help would be greatly appreciated everyone! Sorry for the long post.

[Dawnspell]

Hi and welcome
You've kind of answered why its happening yourself.

"Nothing seems to work for more than half a walk" Then only do a third of your walk.

"His energy gets so ramped up that trying to focus him on treats etc just stops working" Yep thats exactly whats happening he is so over aroused that hes got sensory over load and just can think straight. Once he's reached this point then no amount of turning around or starting and stopping will do any good because hes gone over threshold.

"We've tried stop and start a lot! He sits, looks at us, but as soon as we begin a step he's lunging out in front with his nose to the ground. Exactly the same with the turn around trick. As soon as he is back facing the direction he wants to go, he is off like a shot." When you set off ask him to do something rather than him setting off and doing his own thing. I use nose touch to my hand a lot its good because theyve moved but they are controlled by your hand. Then start walking very slowly in a figure of 8 so you keep moving but its the same ground youre covering. If done slowly enough you will get a shake off and the body language will become a lot calmer. This is also something you should practice a lot in the garden before you need it on a walk. If sniffing is his thing then put "sniffing" on command so sniffing is the reward not food.

I would make the walks shorter so he doesnt get over threshold. If you have a garden then practice lead walking in the garden before you go on a walk. If he cant listen to you in the garden then you've got no chance on a walk. If you got one of the long handled ball throwers you can use the cup end as a reward feeding device to save bending down.

You will get better results by practicing everything in the house where the distractions are lowest then practicing in the garden and finally on walks.

I hadnt heard of the Gencon so had to look it up. Personally I wouldnt use anything like that as it looks as though it works like a choke collar but instead it tightens around the muzzle. I use a harness with a front and back clip with a double ended lead or I use the back attachment and attach to a collar. The 2 points of contact, especially when doing figure 8 walking means you have more control a bit like horse reins.

[EmilyRose92]

Hi! Thanks for coming back to me with advice and for the welcome.

Unfortunately, his walks aren't particularly long to start with and I wouldn't really want to deprive our very energetic pup of those short opportunities to work that off.

Will definitely try the figure of 8 training you recommended!! We do try to guide him with our hands/treats when we set off from sitting but as soon as he loses interest or gets the treat he is off again.

Honestly, I'd never heard of the Gencon myself until I saw posts in the forum with similar pulling issues to ours and a few folk commented mentioning they had been using them. We do currently use the double ended Halti lead and use those attachments on his collar and harness. It gives little control but not a lot. So maybe it's our harness?

I've also booked a 1:1 training chat with a local trainer to see if he can come along on a walk to help give us some real situation advice. He doesn't display the same behavior when he is walking in his puppy class environment so it's hard for our group trainer to understand.

[Dawnspell]

You can tire a pup out with mental activity not just physical. Try things like scatter feeding kibble inside or outside so he has to use his nose find food. Use kongs or lick mats as calming activities and will occupy him. Toss food into a cardboard box with packaging in so he has to hunt food out.

He does well in puppy class because that's where he's practiced the behaviour. That's why it's important to start training in the house and garden so it becomes habit ready for going on walks.

[EmilyRose92]

Yeah we have several food puzzles, kongs and snuffle toys for him to use and he does absolutely love those. We read that Schnauzers need a lot of mental stimulation so that's something we have tried to include in our routine since day one.

We've always kept him on lead whilst in the garden throughout toilet training (our garden is currently a bit of a mess so we felt better having him on lead) but do you think that might be what's causing us the issues? Because he has been on lead but having the freedom to sniff around the garden etc

[EmilyRose92]

He's just a high energy little boy and needs a fair combination of both kinds exercise. He does great with his traditional training (sit, paw, wait, touch, bed etc) but like I say we are just struggling with his constant pulling and then becoming totally over stimulated on walks

[Dawnspell]

We've always kept him on lead whilst in the garden throughout toilet training (our garden is currently a bit of a mess so we felt better having him on lead) but do you think that might be what's causing us the issues? Because he has been on lead but having the freedom to sniff around the garden etc

That depends on whether you allow him to pull on lead in the garden. Dogs become what they rehearse thats why its important to practice things in low distraction places so it becomes muscle and mental memory for when they are in higher distraction areas. If they pull everywhere then that is the habit that is formed.

He's just a high energy little boy and needs a fair combination of both kinds exercise. He does great with his traditional training (sit, paw, wait, touch, bed etc) but like I say we are just struggling with his constant pulling and then becoming totally over stimulated on walks

This might sound counter intuitive but does he get enough rest ? A puppy of that age should be sleeping around at least 20 hrs a day. If they dont get enough rest then they become just like overtired toddlers not able to settle and appear to be full of energy.