Can you keep them from pulling?
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My basenji pulls very often on his leash and I'm afraid he'll hurt him self. I live in a big city and there are way to many distractions for my B to stay focused.
Is it possible to have them walk at your pace and at your side or is he going to need a chest harness?
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You can teach them to walk on a loose leash. I have posted a couple of link before to a couple of different approaches. For walks where you can not focus on training you should use an Easy Walk Harness, Sensation Harness, or Gentle Leader that will keep him from practicing the pulling while you work on loose leash walking.
Here are some links for loose leash walking
http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/LLW/index.html
Leash starts at Level 2 of the Levels book
http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/%20Dog1/levels.html -
You need to learn how to properly use a choke chain for training - the heel position. The key is correction and release rather than getting into a tugging match. A chest harness fosters pulling as well.
One training tip is what I call "change direction". Handlers use it when they pick up a new dog to show and have to get it ready to go in the ring with little notice. You have the dog on your left - with a properly applied chain collar. walk forward and if the dog and then with little warning make a turn and change direction - and again and again. never give your dog more lead and never take in less - when you change direction - they get pulled and soon learn that staying with you is the path of least resistance.
Next a basic command like sit - and when there is something on your walk that they see and is distracting or interesting - put in a sit and when they attend to you again - continue forward.
You do really need a training class to make sure you get the hang of the chain collar.
FYI - to reference your comments on another thread - I've bred, raised and showed basenjis since 1984 - and this is the kind of information that people that I've placed a puppy with can count on getting from me - forever. This is what sets the reputable breeder apart.
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Danny we just bought a Gentle Leader today. Our Basenji Roo does pretty well with me except for times when he sees new people or young kids. I have socialized him so much he just wants to see and greet everyone. So at those times he will attempt to pull and walk on his hind legs until he gets close or the people pass by. Miranda just put the gentle leader on him and took him down the street. Miranda's first words for the Gentle Leader were "Amazing, who would have guessed it would work that well!!"
Of course we strongly suggest that anyone that decides to use the gentle leader throughly read the directions that comes with it and also watch the CD so you fit the collar properly(it does fit different than other collars), and to understand how you use it because old traditional correction techniques will not work.
Jason and Miranda
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For those that are a bit more interested in the Gentle Leader - it was designed by a long time trainer in MN Ruth Foster with a vet from the University of MN. Here is the story for some background that might interest you.
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Training slip collars (choke chains) work well if placed on the neck right-side-up and used for short corrections. If placed upside down and/or used to the point of choking you could cause physical damage to your dog.
Many pet owners don't even realize there is a right way and a wrong way of putting these on their dog.
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For those that are a bit more interested in the Gentle Leader - it was designed by a long time trainer in MN Ruth Foster with a vet from the University of MN. Here is the story for some background that might interest you.
Thanks for posting the link Diane. Even though we use Martingale collars we have always been concerned that there could be damage to the dogs trachea if they pulled hard enough or decided to lunge.
We can see the Gentle Leader assisting our Basenji to teach himself without causing him undue stress or the possibility of him harming himself as he learns.
Jason and Miranda
