# Border Collie lead training.



## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

My Border Collie puppy (3 months old) is doing brilliantlyl off lead in the countryside with his commands like "sit" "down" and "come" but i'm struggling with him on the lead.

Am I expecting too much at such a young age, but there doesn't seem to be an "off" switch and he just pulls on the lead continually. I don't think he has ever really walked, just cantered. 

I've slowed down my walks and i've tried all the stopping and walking in the opposite direction techniques but he always ends up in front and pulling.

As I say, am I expecting too much having only been going out for 3 weeks now. (Just 2 with the lead)?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

samuelsmiles said:


> My Border Collie puppy (3 months old) is doing brilliantlyl off lead in the countryside with his commands like "sit" "down" and "come" but i'm struggling with him on the lead.
> 
> Am I expecting too much at such a young age, but there doesn't seem to be an "off" switch and he just pulls on the lead continually. I don't think he has ever really walked, just cantered.
> 
> ...


When you say just 2 weeks with the lead, Does that mean the total time he has actually been going out, for the first week he couldnt? Or that you let him off free range at first then after he had been doing that, then he was put on the lead? It might just be over excitement to get to where he wants to go, and then he is rewarded for the pulling, by being let off whilst still pulling. (If this makes sense) It might be an idea to concentrate on, on lead only walks for the moment, carrying on with what you have been doing to rectify it, and not letting him off, until he walks properly,listens to you and obeys commands on the lead first. Once he has done that, then perhaps try letting him off, calling him back regularly to practice more on lead walking, and again when he walks properly and pays attention, then rewarding with the free running again.


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

Hi, thank you for the reply. Yes, when we first went out onto some moorland I had him on the lead for a little while but because he seemed so uncomfortable (he kept stopping to scratch his neck) I let him roam free. He was so good with his commands to "come" etc I was more than happy with this.

I think maybe now I will just walk with the lead. Is it just a matter of being firm and not letting him run ahead by standing still or walking very slowly?


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

Hi again. Sorry, I've just re-read your post Sled dog hotel, and I think the answer was in your reply.


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Lots of stuff on this thread SamSmiles: http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-training-behaviour/139292-he-always-wants-walk-ahead-me.html


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## Bobbie (May 3, 2008)

As you have already learnt BCs learn very fast so if you try and incorporate some teaching as well as the lead walking this may help like saying left when turning left or stand when you want to stop and then heel this may help plus bribe with a tit bit. Try not to walk the way the dog wants to pull you.


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## Jasper's Bloke (Oct 30, 2009)

I agree with SDH, but would add that you need to teach him what it is you want, eg to be at your side rather than in front of you. The best way to do this is actually without a lead at first. You can start off in the house but then move on to a relatively enclosed outdoor area. Basically you let the dog run free and whenever it just happens to come close to you you give it a treat, might take a while at first but they catch on quick. As soon as they realise that there are treats to be had they will start coming closer more often and at this point you need to make it more specific by only treating when they are in the correct position, it really helps if you feed the treat to the spot that you want, for example if you want the dog on your left side, next to your leg, then hold your treat there.

Once that is having an effect start to move around with your treat in place and letting the dog have it whenever he hits the spot, build gradually until he is walking with you more than he is away from you and then finally start to add the lead. You may find that with the lead he will take the treat and then push on ahead again, if so just stop and wait for him to figure out what's going on and once the penny drops, he will pop back to your leg for his treat.

When you start to get some consistency just slow down the rate that you give treats, every other step to begin with, then every three steps, every four steps and so on. If you get to a point where he consistently breaks the behaviour just wind it back a bit and build up again. 

This is a difficult one to train in a dog that wants to get on, so you will need to be consistent and very, very patient. Good luck.


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

I trained last summer a BC pup to walk without pulling on lead at same age. I used a pup training lead attached to a double ended training leash to give maximum flexibility. I had him off leash as much as I could, with leash training bursts whilst out for short periods of time, when things weren't too exciting for him.

This has worked out well, with his litter mate (fostered for short while) to who did pull, I found Clicker training to Heel, on & off lead, was practical. I'm a bit surprised such a young pup is pulling, rather than following you, so I would make sure I was not following. What I did was stop, or turn direction when pulling started, and avoided it becoming a habit. Having walked a yr old BC dog trained by someone else who pulled like crazy and took years to eradicate the habit, it's much much easier to do something sooner than later when the dog has got stronger.

If you can't manage to stop the pulling, by consistently stopping or turning direction soon, then a quick fix is a harness with front clip, I used a double ended lead which meant if the young dog (the litter mate) pulled or lunged at passing things (like cars) it turned itself round.

I *do not think* you are expecting too much!


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

Well, I thought I'd put some theory to the practice tonight and have just had a thoroughly miserable time of it.

Percy just ignored anything I was trying to do/say and was leaping and pulling and diving at cars, buses, people, inanimate objects, animate objects, me and just about everything else we passed.

Utterly depressing because he is brilliant off the lead in the countryside, so time to book him/us in for training. Has anyone recommendations for trainers around the Watford area please?


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## Old Shep (Oct 17, 2010)

It's a very common problem (a trainer once told me that BCs are bred to usually work in front of you when they are herding, so walking to hell can be difficult. Don't know if this is true--but it kinda makes sense).

I don't know of any trainers in your are, but you could do worse that get your paws on Turid Rugaas' book "My Dog Pulls, what do I do?". There is also an accompanying DVD.

There is also a bit on you tube you can look at now

YouTube - Turid Rugaas - What do I do when my dog pulls - DVD Trailer

Good luck! Just remember it will take time, though.


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

samuelsmiles said:


> Percy just ignored anything I was trying to do/say and was leaping and pulling and diving at cars, buses, people, inanimate objects, animate objects, me and just about everything else we passed.
> 
> Utterly depressing because he is brilliant off the lead in the countryside


BC's tend to be sensitive and very motion attracted, they are bred to herd, which is using modified predatory chase behaviours. This is why, you'll see so many Collies in parks mad keen on fetch.

You need to desensitise your pup to traffic/joggers/cyclists etc, by doing your lead training further away, and also gaining your pups attention and focus, from moving objects back to you. You can do that by finding a spot where there's space but the traffic is visible and teaching the pup to "Ignore", take in the passing vehicle then turn expecting a reward from you. Once they have locked on and got excited, they don't hear you any more, their full attention is on the thrill of the chase, and you have no chance of training anything.

People & Dogs, are bound to attract pups and actually you should encourage positive experiences, and try to avoid negative ones, so you have a happy, confident grown up BC. They have tendency to be nervous/fear aggressive, if they are not well socialised. It is far more pleasant with a BC that you can trust off leash and stays out of trouble, giving space to any anti-social dogs you come across; then they can get the free running they need without killing you with their tireless energy and stamina.

When I began my lead work, it was *NOT* on pavements next to traffic, but along woodland paths and (mostly) quiet back streets.

Reconsidering at 3 months old, you are likely expecting too much, to have your pup not react in an over exctied way when over stimulated.

Try to find a calmer more controlled environment for your training. I drove my pup to parks at first (also to keep his mileage down) so he could mostly play, walk off leash, but learn to walk on leash on pleasant quiet paths to begin with to avoid distractions. I did have to work later, to overcome a developing fear of traffic, but that wasn't too hard to sort out.

Training takes quite a while, if you're already playing with your pup and working on basic obedience type things, sit, down, stand, stay, recall, leave it, off, then I think you're building a dog with impulse control, and that focusses on you. That will stand you in great stead for more advanced training like heel work.

It takes time and patience, will be frustrating at times, as you seem to slip backwards, and working on one problem, tends to cause an unexpected behavioural bulge in another way. Common sense perspective is important IMO, not perfectionism.


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I think the walk I did with Percy a couple of nights ago was destined for failure. It was in the dark which he hasn't been out in much previously and with the car lights and people and noise it was just too much for him to take in.

I've now started taking him to the quieter areas with occasional passing traffic and he manages to sit when told and he can watch the cars and lorries go by at a distance of about 10 meters for a decent length of time.

I think common sense and Percyverence is all that is needed.


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

samuelsmiles said:


> I've now started taking him to the quieter areas with occasional passing traffic and he manages to sit when told and he can watch the cars and lorries go by at a distance of about 10 meters for a decent length of time.


That sounds great, well done! Your pup sounds quite like my energy bundle wot love run with whippets 

There's various fear stages, so you might find say a noisy lorry or bus, causes a reaction and it's dispiriting to have setbacks, but don't panic just keep plugging away again with desensitising, and ignore "scary things" rather than be upset and your intelligent pup will soon learn to deal with things.

It's the unfortunate rescues, who don't get the habituation & socialisation they need when growing up, who have much more difficulty than lucky pups like ours, though most do get there in the end, it just takes much longer.


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## sand2572 (Feb 8, 2011)

Hi i am aslo training a bc to lead walk resuced him 4 weeks ago and he had never been on a lead onlt free run and nevr walked in a street old in the counrty.Our trainer recommeded we tryed a mekuti balance harness about £30 and it is fantastic. no pulling and i dont have to stop or correct him at all now with in a week he is walking loose lead and looking at me most of the time ( so ignoring bikes ,cars ,dogs etc ) would highly recommend it .Stress free road walks loving it x:lol:


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## BorderCollieMadSooz (Feb 6, 2011)

Hi

I have two 7 month old border collies. I swear by halti body harness (not gentle leader round their nose) and a double ended lead. It attaches to their collar for safety. Clip one end of lead to back of the harness and one under their chest.... trust me. They work. Mine both pulled so much on the leads, it was almost like leaping down the road and certainly not enjoyable to walk until now. Give it a go. Harness is around £13 and double ended lead about £10. All the best


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

BorderCollieMadSooz said:


> I swear by halti body harness (not gentle leader round their nose) and a double ended lead. It attaches to their collar for safety. Clip one end of lead to back of the harness and one under their chest


I used this set up on my pups litter mate who when we tried to aid her re-homing by fostering her for few days. She was very reactive to cars so dangerous on traditional lead, and would pull; one trip out in the harness and she loved it, was very happy to be put in it again, suggesting it was more comfortable for her to. There was still a need to train LLW or heeling though, the quick fix did make training much more possible as avoiding the pulling kept her calmer.


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

Thank you for your comments. Tomorrow, after plenty of thought, i'm going to buy a harness for Percy.

Everything else is going fine...recall, sit, down, wait etc. Today I was so proud for both of us when walking on the lead on a playing field next to a road. As we walked towards the road I told him to sit and wait because a car was coming past, and he did so, and I looked up and the people in the car were all looking and smiling. I pretended I hadn't seen them but I was thinking...."that's my boy."

With a Border Collie it seems to be a game of chess...he's always trying things on but you just have to try to understand what he's up to and things become easier. 

ps. He is 15 weeks old now; how long will it be before he can sleep through the night without wanting to go out for a toilet trip? He does this just once at the moment between 2:00am and 5:30am.


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

Well, I've just taken Percy for a walk with the new harness (a basic £8.99 harness from pets at home) and the quick walk we had before the rain came was a million times better than with a normal collar.

As soon as the rain stops today we'll give it another trial, but it looks good.:thumbup:


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

samuelsmiles said:


> ps. He is 15 weeks old now; how long will it be before he can sleep through the night without wanting to go out for a toilet trip? He does this just once at the moment between 2:00am and 5:30am.


That's going to vary, my BC pup was dry at night from the get go so long as he was taken out late and then first thing in the morning. Perhaps you can alter routine a bit, have one late shift & early shift for taking out to avoid need for mid-night waking?

On the harness, the anti-pull vareities are attachable via a front clip so a pulling dog gets out of line and turns. The Halti double ended lead plus harness, gives you more control and flexibility because you can adjust the tension, or clip to top only, front or both.

Now you've managed to calm your collie pup down, I'm sure you'll really find training satisfying and enjoyable 
You haven't got too long before the teen phase starts, so it's probably a good idea to get lots of practice in, especially on recall; your pup will be developing physically greatly and need much more running soon. Hopefully you're finding good puppy play opportunities, apart from being lots of fun, it's nice to see later how they remember each other later.


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## samuelsmiles (Dec 29, 2010)

I've now been using the harness that was recommended on this forum, and Percy is a different dog on the lead now. Thank you for the advice, i'm chuffed to bits with his progress at just 16 weeks old.

After a bit of a panic yesterday, when I wasn't being attentive enough, he ended up 100 yards away and a bit disorientated and running further away. I just managed to see him in time and call him back.

I decided to buy a whistle for this kind of emergency and this morning gave him a crash course. Once he was a good distance away I called him and blew the whistle as he came back, and that was the training completed. He now returns on the whistle immediately whatever the situation.

I love my Border Collie.


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