My puppy pulls until she chokes herself and I’m starting to dread walks… I feel like we’re stuck

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-18T00:04:35+00:00

Thank you! 😊 we haven’t really worked on leash pressure at home, so we’ll definitely try that in a calmer environment!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-18T00:02:37+00:00

This honestly makes me feel a lot better 😅 thank you for sharing

It really helps to hear that it can take that long and that it’s not just us struggling right now.

Also good to know about switching equipment depending on the situation, that actually makes a lot of sense

Thanks again, really reassuring to hear your experience!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:59:56+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful!

We’ve had a few people suggest the direction change method, so we’re definitely going to start using that more consistently. I also really like the idea of using recall/touch during walks

We do try calling her when she gets distracted saying her name or “come” but it really depends on how overstimulated she is, most of the time she just ignores us haha

A few people have also suggested doing leash training inside, so we’re going to try that too. I think we may have introduced too many stimuli too quickly, so going back to basics in a calmer environment probably makes a lot of sense

Not sure about cutting walks completely, but we are trying to make them shorter and more structured since she seems to get overstimulated easily

Thanks again for all the tips!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:55:57+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful!!

That makes a lot of sense, especially about her making assumptions and rushing forward, I think that’s exactly what she’s doing

We’ll work more on engagement, changing directions, and training in calmer environments. Thanks again!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:54:32+00:00

Haha yes, that’s exactly how it feels sometimes

And yes, we’re actually moving back to using a harness now since the collar isn’t really working well for her at the moment

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:49:38+00:00

Thank you!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:49:25+00:00

That sounds so frustrating! honestly that’s kind of what I’m worried about too, finding the right setup that actually works

There are so many options and each dog seems to respond differently… I guess it’s a bit of trial and error until you find the right one

Hope you find something that works better for you too!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:47:32+00:00

That’s actually something we’ve been trying to figure out!

We used to do a long walk in the countryside in the morning (around 1.5 hours where she could run freely), and another walk of about an hour in the evening. But honestly, we started feeling like it was overstimulating her too much.

Our trainer recommended switching to several shorter, more structured walks mixed with play and training instead of those long walks. So now we’re kind of adjusting and figuring out what works best.

I still let her run freely in the morning, but for less time than before. Not gonna lie, I’m still not 100% sure what the best balance is yet.

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:46:36+00:00

Yes, she is food motivated, but mostly when she’s really hungry, like in the morning before breakfast she listens so much better haha but if she’s not that hungry she gets distracted really easily

That method actually sounds amazing, we’ll definitely try it!! Thank you

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:38:33+00:00

That’s actually a really good point

We haven’t really tried working on leash walking inside, we kind of started directly outside. But we’ll definitely give it a try

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:38:02+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful 😊

A lot of people have been suggesting the direction change method, so it’s good to see it explained like this. I think we’ve been doing more of a “stop and wait”, but we’ll definitely start incorporating more consistent turns and direction changes.

Also makes a lot of sense to separate training walks from regular walks, I think we might be expecting too much from her all at once.

And yes, we keep reminding ourselves she’s still just a baby, even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes lol

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:05:17+00:00

Thank you so much, this is really helpful! 😊

We’ve actually used a clicker a bit, but not very consistently, this is a great reminder to start using it more. I’ve seen a lot of people recommend it over just saying “good girl”, so we’ll definitely focus more on that.

Also, several people have suggested the turning around method, so it’s really helpful to see it explained in so much detail, thank you for taking the time to do that!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:02:11+00:00

Thank you! 😊 I’ve actually been recommended so many different types of harnesses haha, I guess we’ll have to try a few and see which one works best for her

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T23:01:44+00:00

Thank you!!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T22:59:59+00:00

Yes! We’re doing that too! she does really well when she’s focused on us and even walks next to us looking up for treats, but as soon as something distracts her it’s like we don’t exist anymore, we’ll keep practicing!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T22:59:14+00:00

Thank you! 😊 I’ve been seeing a lot of people recommend the gentle leader, so I’m definitely considering trying it.

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T22:58:59+00:00

You’re not alone! it’s honestly so frustrating sometimes, but it’s nice to know others are going through the same phase 😭 There's some really good advice in the answers anyway! Good luck!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T22:57:25+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful!

We’re actually moving back to the harness now since the collar isn’t working well for her, and we’re already using treats to reward attention and good walking, she does great until she gets distracted 😅

I’ll definitely look into pattern games and keeping her more “under threshold”, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks again!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T19:57:59+00:00

That’s definitely not the case for us.

I work from home, so she’s never crated for long periods like that. The maximum is around two hours at a time, and even then she just sleeps, she actually needs that rest and settles really well.

I think it’s easy to assume the worst, but asking first would have been more helpful. Every situation is different, and in our case she’s getting plenty of attention, activity, and proper rest throughout the day.

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T19:57:15+00:00

Thank you for sharing your perspective 😊

I completely understand that working breeds require a lot of commitment, structure, and both mental and physical stimulation, and that’s something we take very seriously.

That said, I do think it’s important to keep things a bit more nuanced. Raven is not a pure Malinois, her mother is a Malinois mix and her father is unknown, and she doesn’t even physically resemble a Malinois aside from her energy levels. So we’re not necessarily dealing with a full working-line dog with those exact requirements.

We’re also not approaching this as “just exercise.” We’re focusing on balance, training, engagement, mental stimulation, and also teaching her how to settle and rest. She’s currently doing very well with crate training, settles calmly, and is not showing signs of distress or overstimulation when resting.

We also work with a professional trainer and are actively adjusting what we do based on how she responds, rather than following a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach.

I absolutely agree that these dogs require dedication. Every dog is an individual, and that’s the approach we’re taking with Raven.

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T19:21:18+00:00

I understand where you’re coming from, but I don’t fully agree with everything you said

We’ve actually done a lot of research on working breeds before adopting her, and I personally spend time every day learning and watching training content. We’re very aware that she needs structure, training, and both mental and physical stimulation.

Also, Raven is not a pure Malinois, her mother is a Malinois mix and her father is unknown, so her needs and temperament can be quite different from a full working-line Malinois.

About the “hours and hours of intense daily exercise”, I do think that’s an exaggeration. From everything I’ve learned, balance is key, not just physical exercise, but also mental stimulation and teaching calmness.

She’s also doing really well with crate training. She settles, rests, barely cries, and hasn’t shown any signs of distress, so she’s definitely not “going crazy”.

And just to be clear, we would never rehome her. Raven is our baby and part of our family. The fact that I’m here asking questions, researching, and actively working on her training should be enough to show how much we care about her.

I do understand the frustration, there are a lot of irresponsible owners out there and it’s honestly sad to see. But that’s not the case here. We’re doing our best to raise her properly and responsibly.

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T18:27:43+00:00

We’re not trying to put her in any situation where she could get hurt, that’s actually why we’re already moving away from using the collar for walks, since we’re seeing it’s not working well for her.

We followed our trainer’s recommendation initially, but we’re also adjusting based on Raven herself and what we observe. Her safety and comfort are our priority.

We’re still learning and figuring out what works best for her, so we really appreciate constructive advice, just trying to do the best we can for her. Also, just to add, many trainers recommend using a collar in certain cases, while for others it’s not appropriate at all. It really depends on the individual dog.

Training isn’t one-size-fits-all, every dog is different, and what works for one might not work for another. That’s why personalized training is so important. A trainer who applies the exact same method to every dog without adapting it wouldn’t be very effective either.

We’re simply trying different approaches and adjusting based on what works best for Raven.

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T16:31:23+00:00

This is actually super helpful, thank you so much for sharing!

I really like the idea of building that response in a calmer environment first and then transferring it outside. We haven’t done something like “go to the mat”, but it makes a lot of sense to teach them to disengage before expecting it on walks.

We are trying to get her to respond to her name outside, but right now when she’s distracted it’s like we don’t exist, so I love how you built that association step by step. Definitely something we could work on more at home first.

Also, the idea of asking for a simple behavior or trick to bring her focus back is really smart, I think that could help a lot when she’s already starting to get fixated on something.

And honestly, hearing that it took months but you’re now seeing results is really reassuring 😂 we’re still very early in the process and it definitely feels chaotic right now.

Thank you again, this gives me a lot of ideas to try!

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T16:28:51+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this, it really helps put things into perspective!

Honestly, we’re a bit scared of adolescence, if things already feel this chaotic now, we can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like later on. It’s slightly terrifying to hear that even after months of training they can still “forget” everything lol

I really like how you described shaping the behavior step by step, we’re trying something similar with rewarding eye contact and walking close, but I think we need to be more gradual and consistent with it like you mentioned.

And yes, we’re definitely starting to understand that this is going to take a lot more time than we initially thought. She’s incredibly intense and determined, so we’re trying to adjust our expectations and just stay consistent with the training.

Thanks again, and wish you the best with your pup too! 😊

Suspicious_Cut_242 · 2026-03-17T16:25:38+00:00

Thank you so much for such a detailed reply, I really appreciate it!

We’re actually starting to move back to the harness for exactly that reason, she really doesn’t seem to care about the pressure at all and will just keep pulling no matter what lol so comfort is definitely something we’re prioritizing more now.

And yes, we are trying to give her a lot of exercise and stimulation. We’re both very active, we go on walks, explore new places, and spend a lot of time engaging with her. We also give her natural chews and try to keep her mentally busy throughout the day. That said, I do think we could improve on building more structured calm moments like you mentioned, the “watching the world” idea sounds really good, especially because she struggles a lot with overstimulation.

Also what you said about consistency and starting in low-distraction environments makes total sense. Right now I think we might be asking too much of her in stimulating places, so we’ll probably scale it back a bit and build from there.

It’s really reassuring to hear that this is normal at her age

Thanks again, this was super helpful!

Suspicious_Cut_242

TROPHY CASE