lori.deese

Thanks for the suggestions. I have tried gloves, dropping treats, all kinds of treats, etc. I think I might try the Lickety Stik. I understand the Premack Principle but the problem is applying it on his first walk of the morning. He has to get outside to pee quickly so I think he was getting the idea that it’s okay to pull sometimes so was getting confused. In a couple of weeks we’re going to be able to fence in a small area outside the back door. So my plan is to take him there off leash for his morning potty break, then only let him go to the dog run if he walks nicely. If he continues to pull he goes back inside. This way I can reinforce the proper behavior every time he’s on the leash so hopefully he’ll figure it out quickly.

A couple of questions—I’ve read these articles and tried all of that before. He still bites my hand (alligator mouth is a perfect description!). I read somewhere on here about using a long-handled spoon with peanut butter for him to lick off. Is that a good option for training “heel”? Also, in our situation I have no choice but to walk him on leash outside. We have a dog run 50 feet from the house but the yard is not fenced. So while I’m still working on training by practicing indoors, what’s the best way to handle his walks to/from the dog run? I feel like he’s just practicing doing it wrong every time I take him out. Thanks for your help!

Bear is my 3 year old Chocolate Labrador. I’ve had him since he was 2 months old but have had very little success with training him. My biggest issues right now are loose leash walking (it’s more like dragging me across the yard) and using treats for training as he bites my fingers when taking the treat. I’m using a front clip harness which helps, but only a little. I’ve tried many things with very little success and don’t know what to do next. He is crate trained and house trained, but will sometimes pee in his crate first thing in the morning if he isn’t the first dog out in the morning (I have 10 dogs plus fosters for a rescue). I looked at the section on teaching heel, which is similar to what I’ve tried before. If I use treats he bites my hand and if I use a toy he ignores me. I need help!