Dog trainers HELP!

[Weeg]

Start in your back yard! And consider a better collar, as a chain slip collar, at least.
The leash should always be loose, no tensing on it at all. When she gets out of position, next to you, pop it sharply, no pulling. It's about timing, and learning new behaviors yourself. Practice doing 'about turns' and turning left and right, fairly fast, without her, before you add her to the mix.
Having her lead you around makes her the actual leader, not a good thing.
Classes! Call some trainers, ask your vet clinic for opinions about trainers, and watch some classes. Then, sign up somewhere, and see how it goes. If the first choice isn't helping, try another.
This is a very solvable problem, but it takes effort.
Mary

My thoughts exactly.
Another tip, if you use a check chain, (chain slip collar) make absolutely certain that you put in over her head in a P shape. Then, ALWAYS walk her on her left side, or the chain will be on incorrectly, and wont release. It should look like this on the dogs neck-

https://brierleyhilldogobediencetrainingclub.weebly.com/how-to-put-on-a-check-chain.html

 

[Isadora]

Good, but a harness is NOT a good way to train proper obedience. It actually give the dog all of the upper hand in puling, and has no way to initiate a correction. A proper slip collar or chain (prefer a chain since its weighted and releases immediately) will work well.

Glad I read through the pages. As soon as I read the initial post, I wanted to add the input that harnesses are not good for teaching dogs to heel. All they do is encourage to pull. You can get away with harnesses on really tiny dogs like chihuahuas or dogs that are respectful and don't drag you all over the place.

 

[Folly's place]

Agree, that harness would work fairly well pulling a sled!
Practice, but it needs to be good practice, not doing the same ineffective things you've been doing. A good horse trainer I've seen said "Make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard", and that's exactly what you need to be doing. Lots of praise when she's right, and uncomfortable when she's wrong.
Mary

 

[Weeg]

Agree, that harness would work fairly well pulling a sled!
Practice, but it needs to be good practice, not doing the same ineffective things you've been doing. A good horse trainer I've seen said "Make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard", and that's exactly what you need to be doing. Lots of praise when she's right, and uncomfortable when she's wrong.
Mary

Yes, and always remember that just because she's agin fantastic in teh back yard, does not mean she will do anything close to that on teh side walk. Distractions are key, distractions, distractions, distractions. Start with easy distractions, and eventually work up to going to the park, and walking by a bunny with her at your side in a perfect heal.

Ps. Commands never expire. You could go on a 20 minute walk at the heal without stopping, and you never need to repeat the command. You only need to repeat the command if you stop.
Eventually you want to work to being able to stop, and her instinctively going to into the sit, because thats what you've taught her to do in the stop.

 

[Weeg]

We've had three dogs who needed a prong collar, but I've never met a poodle mix that tough! A chain slip collar is a good choice.
Consistency is the key here too; one command, once, and enforce it every time. Don't let her do it her way sometimes, you'll never win, or be the leader you should be. I never tell one of our dogs to do something unless I'm prepared to make it happen! I am the queen!
Mary

This is put perfectly.
Most dogs prefer for you to be the leader, it takes a lot of weight off their shoulders. Does she know down? If not, you'll show leadership when you teach that.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

You might practice walking on leash IN the house, where there are few distractions and where she is used to behaving well.

You might also go outdoors and practice the things that she usually does indoors, so she gets used to obeying commands outdoors as well.

If you have a yard, especially if it is fenced, you can work with her there (fewer distractions) and then progress to the areas with more dogs and where she has more problems.

we have a fenced in yard.

 

[sourland]

Great tips have been offered. Golden doodles need constant reinforcement. Coincidentally our Maggie Mae who just turned one year old is somewhat similar to your Maggie. She acts property defensive yet is really a bit insecure. She is very people and dog friendly, but her energy level causes her to act out. We have had 3 golden retrievers. There is little of the golden retriever behavior in this dog, and apparently in most golden doodles. The Princess is part of an on line 'doodle' community, and your problems are common place. Consistent training and daily exercise help, but part of it is the 'nature of the beast'. All that being said, she may be the most fun dog that we have ever had.

 

[NatJ]

I want to take her for a walk but its sooooo windy and cold

Maybe do a little bit indoors, or in your yard if you have something there that blocks the wind (house, fence, trees).

Of course you won't walk any real distance in the house or even the yard, but even a short distance can be a start for leash-walking manners.

 

[Weeg]

how does her harness look?

Good, but a harness is NOT a good way to train proper obedience. It actually give the dog all of the upper hand in puling, and has no way to initiate a correction. A proper slip collar or chain (prefer a chain since its weighted and releases immediately) will work well.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

so i took her on a walk... and she was okay we saw two dogs both times she did not bark but she was jumping up and down on the leash and growling. we also saw a rabbit which is her biggest weakness.