Is there another way to teach springer spaniels to heel without pulling their lead?

Maggie our springer spaniel puppy is now nearing nine months and has turned out to be a lovely dog.

Problem is: she pulls when we walk. She is in obedience training, but we disagree with our trainer, as she wants us to sharply pull Maggie's neck when Maggie wants to run ahead. We refuse to sharply pull Maggie's neck in to submission. Any suggestions?

From Anna@love-springer-spaniels.com

I have used that on George and it has worked, but there are other methods. One which is currently very popular is to change direction every time they pull, sending them the message that you control where thry want to go.

It takes time and patience and at first it takes a long while to get anywhere, but it is good with springers as they are bright, and really want to go on their walks.

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Is there another way to teach springer spaniels to heel without pulling their lead?

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Feb 07, 2011
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Is there another way to teach springer spaniels to heel without pulling their lead?
by: Anonymous

Hi, a reply regarding the pulling of the lead,
While walking your dog it is important to not let the head go to the floor, if this happens they go into migration mode and will take no notice of you.
You don't have to jerk the head up too hard, try not to look down at the dog too much as the dog see's this as a weakness on your part, as though you are seeking his/her advice.
before you set off on a walk, make sure you leave the doorway before the dog, this helps to put you as leader, once outside stop and have he/her sit and don't set off until he/she is sat calmly.
this tells the dog you are in charge, if the lead is long enough, have it in both hands, keep the hand on the dogs side relaxed but firm with just enough lead to feel when the head lowers.
Everytime the head lowers just a light snatch of the lead upwards and stop walking is enough to correct it.
But when snatching, the lead must come up not back, pulling back urges the dog on more.
Another tip, If you have trained the dog to heel, while walking every time she pulls stop walking and gently guide him/her to the heel position and don't set off again until they are calm, they soon get to realise that if they want to proceed it must be in a calm manner.
Hope this helps, our 10 month old Springer is walking on a loose lead now, it took a few months but it's worth it now

Jan 03, 2011
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Pulling on lead
by: Michaela

Hi, my dog is slightly different being a cross between springer spaniel and labrador, but he pulled for ages to sniff, no matter what I did, but I found out that the muscles lower down on any dogs neck are so tough that leads dont have much of an affect\ effect...(effect affect I never know which one it is!) BUT if you put the colar\ lead higher up on their necks, just behind the ears and make sure you can still get two fingers inbetween it so it doesnt hurt them they become much more aware of the collar and it works brilliantly, it has really helped my dog to walk on the lead and I'm much more relaxed now because of it, which is another thing, make sure you are calm and assertive when you walk, I found it hard to stay calm and he picked up on it and would become tense :) hope it helps, I highly reccomend this site for guidlines in future in case you don't know it! http://www.cesarsway.com/ and there is also a collar for pulling called the Illusion collar and though I haven't used one, they seem to work pretty effectively for those who do! Good luck! :D

May 09, 2010
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Walking to Heel
by: Springer Rescue

I work in a canine hydrotherapy pool and we see a lot of neck injuries caused by folk pulling on the lead to get their dog to walk to heel because their trainer has told them to do it. So well done for not going with your trainer's suggestion!

It is far better for health reasons to use a harness as that spreads the load across their muscles and doesn't put pressure on an area which can be easily damaged.

You can use a number of methods to lead train but they do take time and patience! You can use the changing direction as suggested above by Anna - make sure though that you change direction with enough lead left that you don't end up yanking the dog! Or you can use the stop start where you stop moving when the dog pulls and only move forward when the lead is loose.

Or you can clicker train them starting off from a sit to heel and moving from there.

Good luck.

May 05, 2010
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pulling on lead
by: lynda

i had the same problem with sophie, she pulled to sniff things, she did not like the gentle leader much, I found a harness which goes around her body was the best for me as i have bad shoulders, It is not much good i suppose for training, i just needed the help when taking them for walks, As she has got older she is good now.

Apr 22, 2010
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Pulling
by: Kelly

Our 8 month old Springer Juno is a terrible puller. She's great off lead but there are times when we need her on the leash and, until this week, she was ripping my arm out of the socket. We have her in training and she will heel for short periods on command - in fact she's GREAT with all other aspects of training. This week I purchased a gentle leader for her and it works great. She doesn't like it but I was told to expect that by other owners. She willing walks on it but spends some time pouting when I first put it on. It has completely eliminated the pulling. I use it with my extending leash as well and that's a good combination. She walks only to the end of the extended leash but no further. It's making leash walking much more pleasant.

Apr 15, 2010
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pulling springers
by: Lucy

Our 9 month old springer is the same he seems to pull me more than my husband, when i take him out he goes on a shorter lead and my husband takes him out on the training lead.
The problem with Hendrix (our springer) is that he loves to be off his lead but there are occasions when i have to lead walking him which he doesnt always like as he does like the freedom. But with the help of this website im slowly learning how to manage a very loving and loyal and hypo springer.

Apr 15, 2010
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try a halti
by: sue dyhouse

I had the same problem with bonnie this was cured by using a halti and a long lead also I used the clicker trainging method with bonnie where she recognised the click that she was doing things correctly for which she was rewarded bonnie no longer has a halti and I can pull her back just by the way I hold her lead good luck

Apr 15, 2010
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HEEL TRAINING
by: DREW

i use a traning lead to train jerry not to pull i start him from the sit keeping him close to me.
I guide him round handy picnic benches in the park.
If there are no benches i walk him 12 to 14 feet and change direction without notice.
This is done for a 10 minutes session on every walk and it works like a dream (remember you are not only training a dog you a training a human too)

Apr 14, 2010
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Same problem
by: Gary

Tomorrow I'm headed to PetSmart purchase a gentle leader. Its a harnes that goes around their nose. Around $20 I think. I'll let you know how it works. Our Ruby is 10 months old and getting very strong at pulling. Hope this helps.

Apr 14, 2010
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Pulling
by: Michele

Pulling the lead is the most common way to train a dog to heel. I've always used that method and my dogs heel well. Tugging on the lead does not hurt them, but it does get their attention.

As already suggested, pulling the lead to the side can also work, but in my opinion it takes a lot more patience and longer to train. If you decide to try that there are special leads that also wrap around the nose, making it easier to move their face in another direction.

One thing I am wondering is this; if you are not a trained dog obedience trainer why do you disagree with your trainer?

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