Starting your dog with weight pull!
Posted: January 7th, 2012, 2:43 pm
One of the most asked questions we get asked is"How do you start training a dog for pulling?" As most owners who ask this have a pup or young dog, I will describe how we start the training.
Soon as the pup has settled in his or home we put on a harness. This serves two purposes. It gets him used to wearing it & also by playing with him, it imprints on him that the harness equals fun. Once he has got used to it we add a bath chain. This is when we introduce the work command. This gets him used to having something dragging behind him. We use lots of praise & reward him with titbit's of food. Also at this time we start ob training. We teach the commands come, stay & sit. All the time making it fun for him. We do about 5-10 Min's a day, all the time playing with him. This is when we start lead training him & teach him the heel command. Rewarding him with food at the completion of each task. This forms a close bond & sets up for the next step.
The biggest mistake newcomers to pulling make, is too bait the pup. Never & I do mean never, bait your pup to pull. This only teaches frustration in the pup. It does not teach a pup to pull, only to do what it needs to do for the bait. Praise & reward will get you farther than baiting ever will.
When the pup has received his inoculations & can go out is the time we move to the next step. This is called the "back & forth's". What is needed at this time is a proper fitting harness, some lengths of chain & something that can be dragged. We use sash window weights but a plastic bottle will do. We start the back & forth's across our garden, about 25 foot, with the pup harnessed up. All the time praising him & making it fun. We pat our leg & say work. It does not matter what word you use, just keep it the same or you will confuse him. When we reach one end of the garden we introduce the turn command. Then head back & turn again. We do this for about a week & add a length of chain. This is a light type of chain. Using the work command. Remember always make it fun & use the praise & reward system. After a week, we slowly start adding more weight. A heavier chain, sash weight or bottle with some stones in. We use a chain that weighs 2lb. The most important part is that you do not add too much weight at one time or you will spook him. If he starts to look behind him just pat your leg & use the work command. If he is still focused on what’s behind him, a light tug on the lead while using the work command will be needed. Praise & reward him after each back & forth & make it fun all the time, he will soon realize what is wanted of him.
This is the time we introduce the pup to long distance drag pulling. We take him out on a walk with a chain attached for about a mile. All the time patting our leg & using the work command. When he has got used to it we add weight. We go up in weekly increments of 2lb. After weight is added we drop the distance & over a week build up to the mile mark. The moment the weight exceeds 20lb we switch to the sled. Personally I find it easier to transport a sled than individual weights, especially if your dragging more than one dog.
I hope you find this article of use. Just remember to use small steps in your training & use the praise & reward system. At the end of the day it’s all about having fun for you both.
Soon as the pup has settled in his or home we put on a harness. This serves two purposes. It gets him used to wearing it & also by playing with him, it imprints on him that the harness equals fun. Once he has got used to it we add a bath chain. This is when we introduce the work command. This gets him used to having something dragging behind him. We use lots of praise & reward him with titbit's of food. Also at this time we start ob training. We teach the commands come, stay & sit. All the time making it fun for him. We do about 5-10 Min's a day, all the time playing with him. This is when we start lead training him & teach him the heel command. Rewarding him with food at the completion of each task. This forms a close bond & sets up for the next step.
The biggest mistake newcomers to pulling make, is too bait the pup. Never & I do mean never, bait your pup to pull. This only teaches frustration in the pup. It does not teach a pup to pull, only to do what it needs to do for the bait. Praise & reward will get you farther than baiting ever will.
When the pup has received his inoculations & can go out is the time we move to the next step. This is called the "back & forth's". What is needed at this time is a proper fitting harness, some lengths of chain & something that can be dragged. We use sash window weights but a plastic bottle will do. We start the back & forth's across our garden, about 25 foot, with the pup harnessed up. All the time praising him & making it fun. We pat our leg & say work. It does not matter what word you use, just keep it the same or you will confuse him. When we reach one end of the garden we introduce the turn command. Then head back & turn again. We do this for about a week & add a length of chain. This is a light type of chain. Using the work command. Remember always make it fun & use the praise & reward system. After a week, we slowly start adding more weight. A heavier chain, sash weight or bottle with some stones in. We use a chain that weighs 2lb. The most important part is that you do not add too much weight at one time or you will spook him. If he starts to look behind him just pat your leg & use the work command. If he is still focused on what’s behind him, a light tug on the lead while using the work command will be needed. Praise & reward him after each back & forth & make it fun all the time, he will soon realize what is wanted of him.
This is the time we introduce the pup to long distance drag pulling. We take him out on a walk with a chain attached for about a mile. All the time patting our leg & using the work command. When he has got used to it we add weight. We go up in weekly increments of 2lb. After weight is added we drop the distance & over a week build up to the mile mark. The moment the weight exceeds 20lb we switch to the sled. Personally I find it easier to transport a sled than individual weights, especially if your dragging more than one dog.
I hope you find this article of use. Just remember to use small steps in your training & use the praise & reward system. At the end of the day it’s all about having fun for you both.
but the advice and the sport lives on
