In their dog run. I left the house just before 7am and will go home around 12:30 to check on them and hope they are still in the run and not the yard! I will then put them inside in their crates with the fan on them for the rest of the day and night. I feel so bad but with Ken gone and I have to work tonight I though it was the best idea I had. It is cooler in the morning and they have about a 11x12ft run and by the afternoon it will get hotter and chance of rain so inside they go, will run home real fast between jobs to let them pee and then I should be home no later then 10:30pm. I will take them for a long walk and might make it to bed before midnight. Thank god Ken is back for the weekend to walk Jack he is just killing my arm pulling me!

Good luck! With two there, I would hope they should be fine If it were Koda alone I would be hard pressed to return with him there, but I will wish the best! I've heard of other people doing this as well, so I'm thinking you'll be okay

We have left them out before but never longer then 4hrs and that time they got out; I have big bricks around all the corners on the inside to prevent digging again.

A Gentle Leader, instantly stopped the pulling while walking. I mean night and day difference. A monster puller to almost a gentleman.

How did your yard fair with the two running around? Any hijinx to report?

Gentle Leader is a great option. Sitka doesn't really pull and I didn't find out about the Gentle Leader until after he learned to walk with the choke chain. Now the leash always has a bit of slack to it, but I probably would have preferred the more humane Gentle Leader if I could do it all over again.

Dino is like two different animals when on a head collar vs a normal lead. With his head collar he is a complete gentleman - a normal lead he pulls like a bull!

I am going to get a canny collar soon -apparently they are supposed to be better. They are like a head collar but the lead is at the back of the head instead of the side so there is less risk to the dogs neck. Has anyone used one?

http://inventorspot.com/files/images/canny_collar_main.img_assist_custom.jpg

Canny Collar - Maybe this is worth a new post...
It looks very good, I like the concept behind it (bit-less horse bridle made dog size.)
I was googling to try and find some comparions between the two and could not find any. I'm curious as to how it compares in performance to the gentle Leader. If Sinatra sees an "enemy" dog before I do he gives himself extra slack on the leader and tries to charge at teh other animal jerking his neck pretty fearsome. This may be the solution I am looking for, but would like to see them compared.

Even though these head collars may be great they are meant to be used for training, not long term. I have a Halti head collar and like Catherine noted, the difference is night and day. I swear when I put the Halti on my sibe he sprouts wings and turns into an angel. I rarely use the Halti though b/c you don't want them to learn that when they're not in the head collar they can pull. But the head collars make a good starter tool for more aggressive pullers.

Another drawback to long term use (which is not what they are intended for anyway) is that dogs tend to figure out a way to pull in them over time if the owners do not work on training them not to pull. So please understand there is more to using head collars than just putting them on and "watching the magic".

Huskyluv wrote:

Even though these head collars may be great they are meant to be used for training, not long term.

Hmm, I'm pretty confident that I'll be using training device of some sort to walk Sinatra for the duration that I have him. Every attempt to use a normal leash has resulted in an immediate return to very drastic and continual pulling.

Huskyluv wrote:

Even though these head collars may be great they are meant to be used for training, not long term. I have a Halti head collar and like Catherine noted, the difference is night and day. I swear when I put the Halti on my sibe he sprouts wings and turns into an angel. I rarely use the Halti though b/c you don't want them to learn that when they're not in the head collar they can pull. But the head collars make a good starter tool for more aggressive pullers.

Another drawback to long term use (which is not what they are intended for anyway) is that dogs tend to figure out a way to pull in them over time if the owners do not work on training them not to pull. So please understand there is more to using head collars than just putting them on and "watching the magic".

Val I couldn't agree more and we only use the head collar on Dino when we are walking the streets - I feel a lot happier with him in it because I have much more control over him. This makes me a lot calmer which he picks up on and our walks are very enjoyable. I also feel safe having such control because then I can tackle any unexpected thing that happens - like the other day when he came face to face with the biggest Dog de Bordeaux (?sp) that I have ever seen - this dogs head was the size of the whole of Dino!!!! Dino was very unsure of this very large animal and went a big crazy! Ava mean while laid down for a sleep on the pavement hehe.

When we take him for a good run we use an extender lead and he is ok walking on that at the end of a good run - at the beginning its a different matter but I think thats because he is excited to be in the park

I will hopefully be getting the canny collar this weekend - our little tiny local pet shop sells them and the guy in there was very nice and told me to bring Dino in and they would make sure I get the right size. So hopefully providing he has the right size in stock I can give you my opinion on it very soon

I totally understand Cath! I only use the head collar when I MUST have complete control for both his and our safety.

TyphonInc wrote:

Every attempt to use a normal leash has resulted in an immediate return to very drastic and continual pulling.

This is why I stated the need for training...

Huskyluv wrote:

you don't want them to learn that when they're not in the head collar they can pull. But the head collars make a good starter tool for more aggressive pullers.

Have you worked much on training him not to pull in harness or on the collar? Just curious how much time you've given it since it certainly is not a quick fix and will require a lot of hard work and patience on both your part and your dogs part as well. The end result is very well worth it in the long run for multiple reasons, not just saving your arm. You'll have a deeper bond and a dog that respects you enough not to drag you down the street. Ultimately it is your decision, I just hate to see people give up on training easily.

My aunt has a large, male Akita weighing well over 100 lbs who is a major puller. Her solution to the pulling problem was the head collar. She loved it and her Akita walked like an angel on it...for about a year. Then he started to figure out how to pull in the head collar and she's back to square one. If she had used it as a training tool and worked on training him not to pull on any lead or harness then she could very well be in a much better place right now. Instead she's now looking for the next quick fix that is easiest, rather than addressing the lack of training.

What is the best way to "train them" not to pull? I have tried shorting his leash till he has no choice but to walk next to me but he will still pull and we end up tripping over each other. I have the "no pull" harness on him now and that is useless as well, we have a trainer coming over next month to help us work on them but if I can start sooner it would be great since I am walking both now by my self while Ken is out of town.

I don't think there is any "best" way to stop pulling. Different methods work better for different people and their dogs. What I did for mine was every time he pulled (I only walk mine in a regular harness) I stopped right in my tracks and waited for him to stop pulling and settle down. And by settle down I mean if he was fixated on another dog or a squirrel or something he could not be fixated on that. I had tried the turn and walk in the other direction thing a few times before but that only further excited him so I do not usually recommend that with sibes. It is extremely simple, yet very slow going and requires a lot of practice and PATIENCE but they do eventually get it. The most important thing is to be absolutely and completely consistent. Took about two weeks of practicing this every time we went out walking every day for my boy to learn. It was a long two weeks but totally worth it in the long run. I can walk my dog and there is always slack in the lead and half the time he walks right next to me and I've never trained him to heel.

Jack is never fixated on anything but the ground he puts his head down and GOES! we have tried the stopping and making him sit till he calms down we tried the shorter leash, we tried tugging back on the leash and saying walk nice but like I said nothing is working and my arm is falling off he is so strong, if something comes up or another dog shows up I can foot my self and stop and hold them back but I am so tired after walking them it is crazy it is a total body workout!

If you could keep his nose off the ground does he walk nicely?

Well his head is not on the ground per say but straight and somewhat tilted down. If you look down his back while waking it is like a straight line. He still pulls some if his head is up but not as bad.

Before we tried the head collar we did quite alot of training with the walking in the other direction tactic (as I had seen Victoria Stillwell do this before) and as you say Val it was a complete waste of time with Dino - he thought it was a huge game I must admit since using the headcollar I haven't spent a huge amount of time with him on a normal lead for street walking because the head collar works so well I think when the kids break up for summer hols (17th July) I should have more free time and will spend it on some lead training with both Dino and Ava as Ava is starting to get a heafty pull on her little harness too!

LOL Cath, when I tried the walk in the other direction Dakota would get so excited and start running in circles around me. Made for some funny moments and great memories but was totally counterproductive to what I was striving for.

My boy does still have "those days" where he pulls like it's nobody's business and does not listen to a blessed thing I say or do. They are few and far between but they do happen. In those cases when he won't stop pulling no matter how many times we stop I just attach the lead to his collar (he wears a martingale style collar) and walk him at a heel with a very short lead so that his head is right next to or slightly in front of me. Works wonders for me when I'm out walking him and don't have the head collar with me.

I hope no one gets me wrong, the head collars are great and I highly prefer them to check chains or prong collars. I just don't want anyone to think that they replace training and wanted to warn that many a dog has learned how to pull in a head collar after a while which is why the pulling issue would be best fixed before that happens...especially considering what smartie pants sibes are. Hubby thinks I sound like a bee-otch with what I posted earlier, sorry I don't mean to come across that way.

Val, I don't think I could ever call you a beotch... LOL

Absolutely not Val!- I completely understand and agree with what you are saying

Thank you Ladies, I had hoped no one misunderstood my intentions.

me and thor have had this issue as well, i use the steady command and a leash correction when he pulls, so every time my leash loses slack i say steady and if he doesn't slow down immedietly he gets a correction, he still pulls but less and less everyday. I use a choke chain once every week or two when he starts to get real bad. ussualy one walk on the choker and hes very good boy again. (please don't get this image of me dragging my dog around on a chain whipping him around for no reason. It's not bad at all i promise.) One thing i have to say though is when i walk him off leash he is the most well behaved dog, it's wierd, but he will heel automatically, sit immedietly and if something gets his attention i say steady once and i've never had a problem. Which isn't to say i do that very often, the first time was only becuase my psycho ex-girlfriend took off with his leash in her car. Since then i try and walk him off leash once a week just to try it because its so rewarding when he behaves. I think he likes it too.

jdouville wrote:

me and thor have had this issue as well, i use the steady command and a leash correction when he pulls, so every time my leash loses slack i say steady and if he doesn't slow down immedietly he gets a correction, he still pulls but less and less everyday. I use a choke chain once every week or two when he starts to get real bad. ussualy one walk on the choker and hes very good boy again. (please don't get this image of me dragging my dog around on a chain whipping him around for no reason. It's not bad at all i promise.) One thing i have to say though is when i walk him off leash he is the most well behaved dog, it's wierd, but he will heel automatically, sit immedietly and if something gets his attention i say steady once and i've never had a problem. Which isn't to say i do that very often, the first time was only becuase my psycho ex-girlfriend took off with his leash in her car. Since then i try and walk him off leash once a week just to try it because its so rewarding when he behaves. I think he likes it too.

Your husky is a very very rare example of the breed. I say this just so any new owners do not get confused and think that walking their dog off leash is going to solve any problems

Huskyluv wrote:

I totally understand Cath! I only use the head collar when I MUST have complete control for both his and our safety.

TyphonInc wrote:

Every attempt to use a normal leash has resulted in an immediate return to very drastic and continual pulling.

This is why I stated the need for training...

Huskyluv wrote:

you don't want them to learn that when they're not in the head collar they can pull. But the head collars make a good starter tool for more aggressive pullers.

Have you worked much on training him not to pull in harness or on the collar? Just curious how much time you've given it since it certainly is not a quick fix and will require a lot of hard work and patience on both your part and your dogs part as well. The end result is very well worth it in the long run for multiple reasons, not just saving your arm. You'll have a deeper bond and a dog that respects you enough not to drag you down the street. Ultimately it is your decision, I just hate to see people give up on training easily.

My aunt has a large, male Akita weighing well over 100 lbs who is a major puller. Her solution to the pulling problem was the head collar. She loved it and her Akita walked like an angel on it...for about a year. Then he started to figure out how to pull in the head collar and she's back to square one. If she had used it as a training tool and worked on training him not to pull on any lead or harness then she could very well be in a much better place right now. Instead she's now looking for the next quick fix that is easiest, rather than addressing the lack of training.

Whoops didn't see that I was asked some questions.
Training; we walk/run Sinatra about 2 miles a day. The first half mile is always a training session for us. Once he has calmed down with the trainer on (and as long as I keep the gentle leader on) the walk will be pleasant. If we switch over to a normal leash the pulling starts right up again. I placed the walking issue along with dog aggression into a category I’m not sure I can correct, and something I will just have to put up with since he was a rescue dog.

TyphonInc wrote:

I placed the walking issue along with dog aggression into a category I’m not sure I can correct, and something I will just have to put up with since he was a rescue dog.

I would like to say that attitude plays a huge part in this. It seems as though you've already decided that the pulling and DA can't be fixed from that statement. I truly do hope you don't believe that and will continue to work with Sinatra. If you don't even believe it can be done in the first place, your chances of it happening will likely severely diminish as well. Believe in yourself and Sinatra's capacity to do better.

TyphonInc wrote:

If we switch over to a normal leash the pulling starts right up again.

That's exactly what you don't want to happen and even more reason to keep at the training in a normal leash. Have you tried walking him in both the head collar and normal lead. Meaning have the head collar on and carry two leads, one connected to the head collar and one connected to the normal collar (or harness whichever you use). Keeping slack on the head collar so there's no tension so that it's kinda like he's on a regular lead but you can quickly gain control with the head collar as soon as he starts pulling on the normal lead. Work on that for a while and when he starts getting better just put the head collar on without attaching it to the lead so that you can still connect the lead to it if necessary and in time work your way off the head collar entirely.

You could stick with the head collar long term but it would be ideal for you to be able to get off of it if possible. It will take lots of time, training and patience but I'm sure you would love to be able to walk your dog on a normal lead and I know it is possible. I also hope that the dog aggression is something that can be worked out as well.