harnesses???

Hi, now I know I should be patient and covering the same ground, literally, until we Get a loose lead, but my poor Buddy would go stir crazy if he didnt get his hour walk in mornings and evenings. He is a very lively bearded collie cross. Pulls a lot, which is not enjoyable for either of us! I have tried a harness and also heel training at the same time. Which I would like to continue. However he seems to really dislike the harness, he walks much better, but scrapes himself along walls, seemingly to get the harness off. Has anyone who has successfully used a harness any recommendation of a comfortable harness I could use please?:confused:

Are you talking about a "no pull" harness or a regular body harness?

My dog uses a normal body harness which works well for her she is a border collie Shih Tzu cross. I have used a halti harness in the past with a previous dog, it enabled him to learn to walk properly and he eventually went back to a normal collar and lead.

I would try a haltie rather than a harness you have more controll as a harness just gives him the oppertunaty to pull harder :rolleyes:

Hi, its a no pull harness, which is making me think it must be putting pressure on my dogs legs and feeling uncomfortable. Would a regular harness reduce any discomfort and yet still help reduce pulling moreso than a collar maybe? thanks for your interest. It isnt a harness that goes around the mouth.

just to add, buddy DOES actually not pull when he on the harness, but obviously dislikes it as he scrapes his side along any wall he can.

A regular harness will not help your problem, rather agravate it. Remember that sled dogs wear regular harnesses. A regular body harness encourage your dog to pull. I prefer a Gentle Leader head harness to the haltie. Problem is that once you have him walking nicely on either of the head harnesses, this behavior doesn't transfer easily to a regular collar.

I prefer to teach loose leash walking with a regular collar. It takes a little more effort but once he has it, he has it. You could use either of two methods. The "be a tree" method or the "take a few steps and reward" method. I don't know that one is superior to the other. You could also teach loose leash walking by holding a treat in your hand down by your thigh as you walk. Mainly you need to keep his attention on you and keep him close to you.

I've used harnesses (regular) since I realized they were on the market. I just squirm at a regular leash now. Anyway, none of my dogs have ever reacted badly to the harsh. Are you sure it is fitting properly (not too tight or scraping against sensitive areas)?

I like a harness for small dogs like mine, she doesn't pull, she walks nicely on a lead with either a collar or a body harness but she seems to find the harness more comfortable.

They just make me feel better. There's not as much tugging, that's for sure.

We have had some lovely walk this week, Buddy and I... Using the harness, I have loosened it and he has only scraped along one wall and I think that was in a "habit" manner. I can see the merit of being leashed trained NOT to pull in the long term, but in the short term it is so much better than feeling tearful and with no control. In the meanwhile my husband is using the collar and lead and heel approach. So my thoughts are dont feel guilty for taking the harness approach even if it is the easiest solution, as long as the dog seems confortable.

There are times when having taken account of all the information you have to do what works for you.

Just don't confuse your dog. If you are doing one thing and hubby another, it might get confusing.

I have a golden retriever and he has a tendency to pull the leash. so I use the kind that is looped around the chest rather than on the neck to avoid choking.

There are several kinds of leash you can see in the market nowadays. Look for the kind that puts the pressure on the torso, there's also one that has a clip for the leash at the back so it won't tangle with the dog's legs.

I don't think the leash training and using a harness will confuse the dog, it will just take a bit longer to sort out the leash training. I have done that in the past because it is good to have a dog that will walk well on a collar and lead, but in some circumstances a harness is more practical (especially with a small dog).

I have only used a harness with a small dog, but I did manage to train him to work well with a collar and lead too.

A harness is ok for a small dog that do not pull but not for a larger dog that does as they are desined for pulling or trecking I use treat based heel training or a halti when training a dog not to pull .

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Originally Posted by Pauline

A harness is ok for a small dog that do not pull but not for a larger dog that does as they are desined for pulling or trecking I use treat based heel training or a halti when training a dog not to pull .

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There are two or three harnesses that are designed for any size dog on the market, specifically designed to stop the dog pulling. One is made by Halti. They have two rings for lead attatchment one on the chest, which if the dog pulls will turn it towards the handler, and the other on the top of the harness. Most people that have used these with their larger dogs, say that they are very good. Not all dogs will take to a headcollar, and can get really stressed out, even when introduced to it gradually, so this seems a much kinder option.

Of course teaching your dog to walk on a loose lead using reward based methods are the ultimate goal, but as a training aid I think that the anti-pull harness is a great idea, allowing the handler to relax and take the stress out of taking the dog for a walk.