From: Valaria_Vorlop@mindlink.bc.ca (Valaria Vorlop)
Subject: Re: GSD Heeling problem
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:26:59 GMT

> Octavia Camps writes:
>
> He has been always kind of a biter. In the beginning, he would
> even snap.
> Also when we go for walks,  sometimes (very often) he decides that
> he does not like the person passing by, and launches towards
> the person with a face not friendly at all.
> He can also choke to death if we are walking back home.
> He wont heel then. I *know* you are supposed to pull and release,
> but with his strength he does not let you much room for that!
> Everytime we go out, we launches against the cars,
> the same way he does with people he does not like. Sometimes,
> when I pull back, he will snap to the closest thing to his mouth:
> my knee. Also he weights 67lb now and he is becoming harder to
> restrain. To the point that I am scare of being run over
> by a car.


DEFNITELY try a Halti! This dog sounds like a prime candidate for one and
I'll bet you'd notice a big difference. With a Halti on, he can't bite or
snap, if he lunges at a stranger, his mouth will snap shut and when he hits
the end of this leash his head will be pulled right around towards you.
Pulling: I have recommended a halti for chronic pullers and it worked
miracles, they HATE the sensation of the halti pulling back on their head.
Finally, the halti simulates a muzzle grab and a scruff grab by putting
pressure around the muzzle and behind the ears. In dog language this will be
a constant reminder to your dog that YOU are alpha.

Getting a dog to accept the halti, particularly a dog that challenges for
dominance, will take some time. Expect the dog to rub, paw and do everything
it can to get it off. I generally fasten it firmly so that there is no chance
of it coming off and let the dog wear it indoors for a while with no leash
attached, supervised. This will teach him that pawing won't work and that it
will only come off when YOU take it off. The next step is to attach your
leash. Many dogs will kick up a fuss again at this point, pawing, rubbing,
getting the paws over the leash. I use strong verbal corrections and begin a
steady upward pull on the leash, bringing the dog's head up, shutting his
mouth and making it impossible for him to get his legs over. The second he
stops struggling, release all pressure and praise like crazy. Repeat as
needed.

Lastly, I find that trying to use a halti like a prong or choke is a mistake.
You DO NOT jerk and release with a halti, and you do not give the dog hard
JANKS unless it is being *extremely* obnoxious...remember this is a VERY
sensitive part of the anatomy AND you need much less force because you are
nice and far from the dog's center of ballance. I find firm, gentle, quick
little directional tugs work best. A steady pull will often cause the dog to
resist in the opposite direction, but gentle tugs will position the head
where you want it.

One last thing, I usually find it is better to buy one size smaller than the
package recommends. I don't know if this holds true for all dogs, but so far
it's been true for the one's I've fitted. Make sure you bring your dog to the
pet store to try a couple sizes before you buy. Too loose and it will come
off when the dog pulls too hard and that's the LAST thing you need :)

Good luck!
--
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Valaria_Vorlop@mindlink.bc.ca   *For YEARS I wondered what ceiling wax was.*
or:      a4080@mindlink.bc.ca   ********************************************
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