I Hate What I Did!! Please Help Me!!!!!!

[RileyMay]

Okay, so Riley had a problem with pulling. She couldn't like drag me though. I am too strong for her. Well somebody introduced me to prong collars, so they showed me how to use it. I used it for her pulling only! I have completely stopped her pulling!! The collar worked so good, so this person said that I could teach her to sit, lay down, heel, and to come with this collar. Riley already knows how to sit and lay down, so I decided that come would be next. This person said to say the words Riley Come, and if she didn't I was to jerk her towards me. Remember, I am a newbie with this collar. I did what that person said, and I jerked her pretty hard towards me. She yelped, crouched, and then slowly walked towards. I felt so bad!! She came to me in fear, and in pain. I don't want that. I want Riley to choose to come to me, and to come to me happily. Well ever since this I feel like our bond went down the drain. She loves my friend more than me now. It sucks. I am crying so hard right now. I want our relationship to be fixed to where it's unbreakable!! Please help me!! How can I teach her to come, and to heel really good!? Most important, again, how do I fix our bond/relationship to where it's very strong!!! Please don't bash me, even though I most likely need it!!!!: help:

[Emoore]

Obviously, you've figured out that using pain and compulsion isn't the best way to teach a dog to come to you happily and willingly. Your dog will forgive you. It's what dog's do.

Are you in a good puppy or basic obedience class?

Here is how you teach a great 'come'.

Get some really supper yummy treas. Not like dog bicuits, but little pieces of cooked chicken, steak, or hot dog. The pieces should be small, like the size of your thumbnail. Start with her sitting in front of you. Say, "Riely" in a happy voice, and then give her a bite. Repeat this 5-10 times. Work on this every day. Say her name, give her something awesome. Never EVER call her to you to do something she doesn't like, only for things she likes. I guarantee that within a week, she will come running to you every time you say her name.

I taught Kopper to come using this method, and when we were out hiking I was able to call him off of chasing a deer.

When I call my dog now, I give him something wonderful 60-70% of the time, and I never ever call him to me for something he won't like. If I need to do something he doesn't like, such as trimming his nails, I go and get him, never call him.

[Stosh]

How old is she? It's not wise to use a prong on a dog under 6 mos. Sounds as though she was startled, but she probably wasn't in extreme pain. Don't let her get the best of you and give you such a guilt trip that you'll stop training. I would use a completely different approach without a lead at all- call her name, clap your hands, and run away a few feet. Make it as happy and exciting as you can and give treats, toys, whatever inspires her to run after you and make it a party when she gets there.

[Cassidy's Mom]

How old is Riley? Here is a previous thread with some tips on teaching a recall: No Recall?!!!

Links for how I teach loose leash walking: Short Leash?

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

Originally Posted by RileyMay

Okay, so Riley had a problem with pulling. She couldn't like drag me though. I am too strong for her. Well somebody introduced me to prong collars, so they showed me how to use it. I used it for her pulling only! I have completely stopped her pulling!! The collar worked so good, so this person said that I could teach her to sit, lay down, heel, and to come with this collar. Riley already knows how to sit and lay down, so I decided that come would be next. This person said to say the words Riley Come, and if she didn't I was to jerk her towards me. Remember, I am a newbie with this collar. I did what that person said, and I jerked her pretty hard towards me. She yelped, crouched, and then slowly walked towards. I felt so bad!! She came to me in fear, and in pain. I don't want that. I want Riley to choose to come to me, and to come to me happily. Well ever since this I feel like our bond went down the drain. She loves my friend more than me now. It sucks. I am crying so hard right now. I want our relationship to be fixed to where it's unbreakable!! Please help me!! How can I teach her to come, and to heel really good!? Most important, again, how do I fix our bond/relationship to where it's very strong!!! Please don't bash me, even though I most likely need it!!!!: help:

I really like prong collars and find they can be highly useful. That being said, as far as teaching things like sit, down, etc......What I tend to do is teach the command, correction free, once they know the command if they ignore then they get a correction (and I mean really, really know it). I don't know how most people taught come, but for me I got a really long line (20ft) I would back up, show her a treat and tell her to come, when she did she got the treat. Training just takes time, stick with it

I don't think you created some mortal sin, so fixing your bond, IMO, will just include things like playing, treats, walks, training. I'm sure it will be fine, none of us are perfect with our dogs, the important thing is to love them and do our best.

[Cassidy's Mom]

More: Leash pulling monster

[Stosh]

Patricia McConnell has a great dvd called "Lassie Come"- try that method. I also liked using a prong but never used it for teaching basic commands like that

[RileyMay]

She's almost 8 months old. She'll be one January 20-28th. I adopted her. I still feel guility. I really want to die because it hurt her. I know it had to have hurt her.

[KZoppa]

First, just because the prong collar is used as a training tool, doesnt always mean you need to listen to the dope giving the advice on how to use it. You dont want negative associations with the collar. Its meant to get the dogs attention, not scare them into listening which is what that yanking method causes. It also gets the dog to begin associating the harsh collar correction so she may not come to you off leash after that.

As for getting her to come WITHOUT being harsh about it, this is where using her favorite treat can come in handy. And making yourself look like an excited rambling idiot. When you say Riley Come! Do so in an excited cheerful tone and dance around. If necessary.... run away from her. When she listens and comes to you or chasing after you (playfully!) you treat her for it.

She also sounds like she doesnt need harsh corrections so the prong collar, used properly, can actually help in teaching a nice heel WITHOUT being harsh about it. Just enough to get her attention. I'm sure someone else has some heel methods that would work. i've always used the change directions quickly method with no problems. With our Riley (male), a friend leash trained him for us as he'd trained his Schutzhund dog and we were still learning. I leash trained Zena and Shelby and Shasta, though Shasta was trained from the time i brought her home at 12 weeks.

Prong collars are an excellent training tool and i much prefer them over slip chains/choke collars as the slip chains dont keep the dog from pulling, but they can put enough pressure on the neck to cause damage that can cause suffocation. Prong collars dont do that.

Leerburg On Demand | Prong Collar Safety

The above video will show you how to make sure your prong is properly fitted. I'm still looking for a video on heeling to post.

[RileyMay]

She fallows when I run away. She actually came to me off lead once. I don't like what I did at all.. I feel ashamed still. I know I'll get over it, but it hurt me that did I did that to her. Right now when I say Riley she get's a treat everytime!! No doubt, she's getting a treat. I know where to put it.. I think... It goes on the base of the neck?