Question Hello! My husband and I have been looking at a gorgeous Boxer/Bull Mastiff that is at the pound. I decided today that I am going to go ahead and adopt him. They told me he was turned in by his owners because they were moving into an apartment. He was adopted out shortly thereafter, but brought back 2 days later because he didn't get along with their other dog. Now, my only problem is that he is VERY strong. My husband is a bodybuilder, and is also very strong :) When he tried to leash him up, Brownie bolted out of the cage. My husband had to get him in a bear hug and wrestle him back into the kennel. He refused to be leashed, shaking his head. I went today, and one of the workers leashed him, he also bolted out and attempted to get out the back door before being tackled. He didn't let the worker walk him - he walked the worker. I played with him for about an hour before i attempted to leash him and leave the pen with him. I walked him inside the pen with the leash on and stopped as soon as he pulled, so he would know I was the one walking, not him. Well, I left the pen first, I wouldn't allow him out in front of me, and he was fine for the first couple of steps, then off he went. Basically dragging me behind. When I brought him back to his kennel I had to drag him back inside. He is very friendly, never tried to bite, loves to be petted. They told me he has been there about a month and a half. I see great potential in him, and really want to believe he will be better behaved once he is home. He does appear to be housetrained, as the kennel wasn't soiled the 4 or 5 times I've been there, and he did his business outside. I would guesstimaate he weighs about 115 now, but I know he will fill out once we get him home and on a good diet. I weigh about 130 and had to wrap the leash around me hand to keep him from bolting. The staff seems to think he will do fine once we get him out of there. Am I expecting to much to think that with training he will walk on the leash? Is 2 too old at this point? Suggestions?
Answer Well,there are tools that help stop the dog from pulling,the best for a dog that size is something called a 'prong' collar or a pinch collar,now it looks worse then it is,it has spikes that dig into the dog's neck when he pulls,but to the dog it reminds them of when they were puppies and the mother dog is sruffing them by the neck,dogs have very strong necks,so it won't hurt him,but will let him know what he is doing is not good-there's also something called a haltie that goes around there nose and looks almost like a muzzle but it isn't and basically does the same thing as the prong collar
And I would also recomend getting him into obediance school as soon as you can,as training really helps solve such issues,just look in the phone book and there is usualy pleanty of trainers around
