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Thread: Harness?

  1. #1
    Puppy PuppyLove28's Avatar
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    Harness?

    Anyone find a harness that works well for a pulling dog? Presley will pull until he chokes and gags himself.
    Things we have tried with no luck:
    - choke chain (continues to choke himself and doesn't correct)
    - prong collar (continued to pull and I didn't want to hurt him)
    - gentle leader (rubs his face on the ground until it bleeds... yes we have given it time, years and years.. he's a stubborn boy!)
    - Lupine no pull harness (he will just hop on 3 legs instead)

    He's over excitable and an alpha, so he always wants to be in front and getting ahead. He's 5 and after training and using different techniques, I think this is just the way he is. Im just looking for something for him where he isn't constantly choking himself and can be comfortable.

  2. #2
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    I use a Hurtta harness on my younger dog. She will heal if I ask her to, but on walks I don't require healing, it is all about sniffing and walking ahead on the flexy. She still pulls but doesn't choke herself. Of course you can teach them no to pull which isn't that hard just takes lot of patience and some very frustrating walks at first. My dogs have to heal nicely when we run, pulling is not an option.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    It sounds like the issue is training not the tool. He's praticed this behaviour for 5.5 years so it's going to be that much harder to change the habit. Likely will need to play hardball - he pulls, you stop. this means not getting very far for many walks.

    was the prong well fitted? are you working with a trainer at all?

    Pulling has NOTHING to do with being "alpha". dogs pull because they can and because they haven't been trained (yet) not to. Humans walk slow and in boring ways for dogs.

    I have used the Sense-Ation harness and it worked well for some dogs. The (easy-walk?) No-Pull harness is ok but can cause chaffing and dogs can slip out - and it's hard to fit. I used the silverfoot no pull harness with some success but also some chaffing issues. I tried the Lupi harness with no real success, major issues with digging into the dogs's "armpit".
    Last edited by Tanya; 08-29-2014 at 02:26 PM.

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  5. #4
    Puppy PuppyLove28's Avatar
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    Yes the prong was fitted at the store. I was unhappy with the results, and concluded I didn't want to cause additional pain/injury if it was not working. (He continued to pull and had red marks on his neck, not ideal)

    Both dogs have been to trainers (a few) and one heals and walks well on lead, and Presley does not. If I am working with him (which we do), walking back and forth, switching direction to keep him focused and using commands he will listen. He is 5 and we have been doing this for a while... But on a casual walk he has the drive to pull forward. He has to be in front of the other dog. Im sure we can work on training as well, but I'm looking for a comfortable option for him so he is not constantly yanking solely on his neck.

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  7. #5
    Senior Dog Charlotte K.'s Avatar
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    I suggest that you need to work with a trainer and achieve success literally one step at a time. Reward the dog for one step without pulling, then two, etc. If one normally walks with a flexi lead, one is of course allowing the dog to pull the flexi. Go back to a shorter lead, and try several shorter walks with the prong, with maybe a no pull harness for pottying. If you bought a Herm Sprenger Prong collar, you can get rubber tips for the prongs. One can put the prong through a big hair scrunchie that you have opened up on the end and from which you have removed the elastic, or wrap the collar with a bandana, if the dog has a thin coat and sensitive skin. You need to pull it up relatively high on the neck and keep it there for a dog like this who gets so driven to explore or exercise that he ignores pain. If you allow it to drop down below the mid point of the neck, it becomes a yoke and helps the dog pull, much as an ox or horse in harness. I don't really like harnesses for dogs without back or neck issues; they are difficult to fit and use properly. With the neck, there is only one measurement and area that needs to be fitted.

    Good luck with your boy.

    Here is a link from Suzanne Clothier. Not all of us have the acreage that she has to allow us to train off lead and without collar aids, nor do we have her exquisite expertise. Note her cautions and her suggestions of ways to use the prong safely. Again, I prefer to have my prong collars with rubber tips.
    Training with the Prong Collar | Suzanne Clothier

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  9. #6
    Senior Dog Charlotte K.'s Avatar
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    One other suggestion: start training for no pulling in the house, with or without a leash attached. Will he heel in the house with no distractions? My best heeling work can be done in the living room in the middle of a snowstorm; we doodle and bond. I start puppies heeling with a long handled spoon with a sticky stew puree on the end. Give him a new command, maybe "With Me" for this noncompetition style. I have been known to feed a rescue for a whole block to teach her position, after we built up to that in the house, then in the yard, then in my drive. . . . one step at a time. We reverse direction and do not feed if there is a pull. As pointed out, it took him years to get this habit. I bet you can control it within weeks with practice. Every time you allow him to pull on a collar, you are undoing teaching him to walk with a loose lead. It is tough at first, but it may save your joints--or face--on slippery wet surfaces someday. See if you can get him tired out first, with a good game of fetch or after he has been playing hard with his sibling. Then once he has had enough exercise, you can connect with his brain.
    Last edited by Charlotte K.; 08-29-2014 at 02:52 PM.

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  11. #7
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    when you say "been to trainers" do you mean you send them to training? Have you worked yourself with a trainer or in a training class?

    It sounds like he is pulling a lot which can cause injuries to himself and to you so even though he is five it's still for the better to fix this once and for all. A harness can still cause injuries (chaffing and if you don't catch it fast enough dig enough to cuase cuts) and can throw off their gate to cause some other issues.

    A harness will stop you from yanking on his neck but will not solve the overall issue.

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  13. #8
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Since what you asked for was a harness.

    As far as Harnesses go the best one I have found for pulling is the Easy Walk Harness. This is the not muzzle like mask but the harness. PetSafe Easy Walk Black Dog Harness

    It is a front clip harness so when he pulls forward, it compresses the shoulders and spins him around to face you. Not where he wanted to go. However, keep in mind, harnesses allow dogs to actually pull harder. This harness does have power steering ability, however in the end a harness is the worst thing for a puller because... well ever see dog sled team or dog cart pulling competition, or Skijoring. Dog pull with harnesses because it allows them to use their full strength.

    However like everyone else said the main root of the problem is training. Most people give up on a pulling dog, just out of sheer frustration. It's frustrating trust me I know. However you have to be consistent and patient and there is no quick cure.

    My boy has been a puller from the beginning. I had to talk to several trainers before I finally realized the biggest problem was me. I got frustrated. Finally I gave in to my frustration and started training him and listening to the trainers. I spent literally weeks, every single night going maybe 1 mile in an hour. It took time. Lots of time. Still to this day every time we walk, I spend the first 5 minutes correcting him and reminding him. The rest of our walk is enjoyable and the last half is off leash as a reward. There are still some rare days he doesn't get his reward but that's getting rarer. However I still have to usually spend the first 5 minutes of every walk especially in a new place reminding him. I have long since given up harnesses collars really are better. However the best thing you can do when he starts to pull and get ahead of you. Be like a immovable tree. You simple don't move until he comes back to your side. Start walking again, the moment he pulls, You become a tree again. This could be one second, this could be 2 minutes, this could be a half hour from now. Once he comes back to you you can keep going. It really doesn't take them long to figure out every time they pull you stop. But it does take them a while to change this. Just like humans, this is now an ingrained habit for him, it can take weeks and even months to change a habit. Also always carry treats, when he is walking beside you and more relaxed then tell him he is being good and give him a treat. This is positive training, positive punishment. The reward is the walk and the treats. When he is pulling he gets neither. Which you should really find a good positive trainer to help you.

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  15. #9
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Oh yeah, and what kind of leash are you using. Retractable leashes are very bad at causing this behavior. They are bad for many thing, but they can cause a dog to learn pulling. Get a nice solid leather leash. When you need to be a tree. You grab with both hand and pull in tight to the center of your body, you remain frozen like that until he returns to you.

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  17. #10
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    harnesses tend to encourage pulling. think seeing eye dogs, always working on harness and pulling the person gently, ahead.
    i use a sporn on my frenchie.

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