Obedience school.
If you can’t control him you are asking for trouble.
“””Rocky is an aggressive mix”
Is part of the mix Rhodesian Ridgeback?
Sounds like you’re in over your head. I’d immediately get Mr. Rockwell some professional training, because this could end very badly. Good luck!
Get a “tactical harness” with back and front metal D-rings. If you front hook the dog, he/she can’t pull effectively. Working with them so they don’t pull is the best solution, but I found that while working with my two Chows as puppers, simply front hooking them was enough for them to get the message that pulling was not tolerated. Now they are great on leash, I usually hook them together with one as lead and other follower.
IMHO, harnesses are why dogs pull on a leash. My dog was started on a choker collar at <12 weeks. I am constantly complimented on how well she behaves. She never puts tension on the leash at all. Choker collars are extremely effective when used correctly. When used “angrily”, they are counter productive.
The overwhelming number of dogs I encounter that pull when leashed are wearing a harness.
You have to constantly asserting your authority if you have strong willed dog.
One suggestion I do have is obedience school, so you can learn how to be constantly asserting your authority.
Dogs like your dog will smell weakness instantly and you cant have that if you are going to keep it.
suggestion per request:
take doggie to professional doggie obedience training school
(where you will be part of doggie’s training, with guidance of experts)
doggie looks like he could make a great pet (and yes, protector) ...you made a nice choice! you simply need to get in charge of doggie and the two of you should be a great pair together
While on a walk with him, pick an area of maybe 40 or 50 yards. Let that little area be your Slow Walking Zone.
Once you enter the Slow Walking Zone, you slow your gait.
If he keeps yanking and tugging, say in a normal tone of voice “Rocky slow down”.
If he does slow down, walks at your pace, give him a biscuit or a small piece of one. Then pick up the pace for the rest of the walk.
Later, you may do a Slow Walk at the beginning and near the ending of the walk, so that he becomes more used to controlling himself.
Lavish praise when he follows your command.
Only give the order one or two times per attempt.
Say it with authority, but not by hollering.
Make him listen closely.
Head harness
Dog head halter
We’ve had great success using a prong collar when training our large breed dogs not to pull when being walked on all leash.
Obedience school is stupid; the dog is yours and in the end he has to obey you, not a trainer and large breeds with prey drive are often not responsive to treats or praise. If you spend the time, it is easy, just put him on a leash. Point a direction and verbally command, “This way” with authority, if he pulls, change directions, pointing and verbal “This way”. “Halt” is good too, but you need to be strong enough to make him stop. I like “Wait”, which I start the very first time when they are small. It means I release the leash, and command “Wait”... they freeze in place until I physically touch them and say “Good boy/girl”. I’ve been doing this with Chows (a stubborn a breed as any you will find) for forty years and they are all wonderful companions before they are even one year old.
Have you considered a muzzle?
Next time, go for a lab or a golden. Or smaller.
My first recommendation is to get a prong collar in addition to your flat collar. The prong is for amplifying communication, not punishment, but they have been known to pop loose. Hence, you will need a leash with dual clips, one for the prong and one for the flat collar backup. There is an Amish flavor that is excellent.
You can buy those at Leerburg.com. There you will find EXCELLENT training videos, many by Michael Ellis, whom I recommend highly. Please take in his video on his philosophy of dog training.
Unless or until you get this resolved, tie him to your body so he can’t really do some serious harm.
I once had a 170 pound Great Dane female who pulled a lot.
I got a “Gentle Leader” which corrected the problem. This leader has a collar and a strap that fits over the nose. When the dog pulls, the leash pulls the head down which stops the pulling very quickly.
The first time I used this, she stopped pulling within 50 yards. After a couple of weeks, when I wanted to put the collar on, she would stick her nose out to help putting it on.
Fairly inexpensive, under $20 at amazon.
This is probably too far-fetched and potentially dangerous. But was unbelievable to see.
My son and his wife had a large puppy, some mix of lab and pit.
The dog eventually could be mostly controlled when walking. But when our little granddaughter was about 4 and had the leash, he would trot slowly along side of her, never pulling or running.