Pulling on the lead and jumping up at people.

Question
My 5 year old dog Sid is a Staffie cross Alsatian and he is very strong my dad has to walk him because he can pull me and the rest of my family over. He drags everyone along when he is on his lead. I don't know how to train him not to pull please can you tell me? Also when he is off his lead he runs away and appears an hour later after we have walked him in front of our house. He has also been found in a farmers field. So we don't let him free anymore. I wanted to know if there was anyway of preventing him from running away when he is off the lead? He jumps up at people as well how do i stop him?

Answer
Hi Rhiannon

You have a very strong dog who, with some training, will be much more enjoyable to own.

He MUST get off-lead exercise or he will become unmanageable.  It is unfair to expect him to be calm and trainable when he is unable to use up any of his energy.  Find somewhere secure where you can play with him, perhaps a field or large garden.  

I have given advice to someone previously about lead walking and recall training so have reproduced it below for you:

"Use treats and toys to motivate him to walk nicely with you at the start of a walk - it is likely to be excitement that is making him pull and of course he is far too big to be allowed to do it.  Dogs don't instinctively know how to walk on a loose lead, we have to teach them.  Reward him with a treat for walking nicely beside you.  Use lots of treats; you can always use part of his daily food ration if you are worried abut him having too much food.

You also need to teach a recall command to get him back.  Again use treats or toys and practice at home to start with.  Show him you have something nice, call his name then gently take his collar and reward him.  Gradually do it from further and further away, taking  his collar each time he comes to you and rewarding him.  Even if he has taken a long time you must praise him for coming.  If he is reluctant to return you may find running in the opposite direction helps - dogs don't want to be deserted!

Don't always put him on the lead when he returns, or he will soon learn that coming back means the fun is over!"

To stop him jumping up at people you need to know why he does it  -is he excited to see them?  Teach him a 'sit' command and use a lead to prevent him jumping.  Ask him to sit when you take him towards people and ask them to ignore him if he does anything other than sit.  If he jumps up, move him away using the lead.  Reward him if he sits, and the person can also greet him but must stop if he gets up again.

As I said, he will be much easier if you can find some way of exercising him off lead.

All the best

Lucy