# Harness Advice



## James Q

Hi, Brontie has taken to pulling like a train whenever she thinks we have turned for home, or back to the car. Am worried she is going to hurt her windpipe / throat. Do any of you use a harness and if so, which kind should I try? We stop every step and say 'don't pull' but even though I think she's starting to understand that, she must still be hurting her neck pulling so much. She's nearly 4 months now. Thanks, Kate PS. Puppy class again last night, chaos with 12 puppies but she came third in the 'leave it / take it' test, lol!


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## kendal

i personal am not a fan of harneses as i feel it gives the dog more controle, you are tryingvto controle the dog from the moddle of its body. also with a harness they can pull easier(what is it you see a husky weiring when the pull a sled) itz like us weiring a back pack it distributes the presur acros the sholders. 

however some dogs do very well on them but they are usualy quiet dogs. 

keep working on her get her attention on a treat or a toy. please remember a loose lead does not have to be the lenght of the lead it can the length of your wrist to you elbow and still be loose.


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## weez74

I was reading the other day about the different types of harness and the book said pretty much what Kendal has just said, but then it recommended a harness that resulted in the dog lifting up off its front paws if it pulls. The book said that made the dog feel less in control and therefore it stopped it pulling. Any idea what that is? Would that be a better one?


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## kendal

weez74 said:


> I was reading the other day about the different types of harness and the book said pretty much what Kendal has just said, but then it recommended a harness that resulted in the dog lifting up off its front paws if it pulls. The book said that made the dog feel less in control and therefore it stopped it pulling. Any idea what that is? Would that be a better one?


haha a dog will do that on a flat collar. no that gives the owner even less controle.


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## weez74

I can see I'm going to have a steep learning curve with regards to training! (I Have already got Rosie to 'sit' though - very proud of myself).


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## Enneirda.

I've heard good things about some harness, like this http://www.amazon.com/SENSE-ation-No-Pull-Dog-Harness-Large/dp/B0013JYDEG

But normal harness are junk.

Also, please try not to just get a normal harness and turn her into a freight train. The more she is allowed to pull, the more normal it is, and the more she'll do it.

If you don't know of them, these two are really really smart about dogs.

kekopup (youtube channel) Teaches mainly tricks, but she goes over just about everything and is very smart about training. You'll learn fast! Loose leash walking vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFgtqgiAKoQ

and Suzanne Clothier's http://flyingdogpress.com/ articles and blogs (about everything dog! this lady is brilliant.)

Control unleashed - book, great for understanding dogs actions, and working with dogs to correct them.


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## Dylansmum

Those are really interesting links. Thanks Enneirda x


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## embee

Flo is a puller. I tried a 'stop pulling' harness which worked for a while then she learnt how to pull into it. Like Kendal says the harness causing their front legs to lift a bit when they pull doesn't always work as some dogs will almost hang themselves on a collar and still pull forwards.

I tried all sorts of techniques including stop when she pulls, treats, clicker to tell her when she was doing the right thing, keep changing direction so she had to stay near to work out where I was going and even walking backwards. Me walking backwards did stop her pulling but only because she (and everyone up my street) thought I'd gone completely nuts.

In the end I started using a gencon head collar which works really well for Flo - she's quite accepting of harnesses and headcollars. She's still not brilliant on a standard collar and lead unless she has had a really good off lead run first.

I think the only problem with most training techniques for getting them to behave on a lead is that it is all very well if you don't actually want to get far but if you just need to get on and walk so they use up energy or you need to be somewhere then you just let them go back to pulling and unless you are consistent they just don't get it.

I will look at your links Enneirda to see if there is anything I haven't tried but for now a gencon works best for me.


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## James Q

Thanks for the advice everyone, and we will watch the clips. I wonder why she doesn't pull on the way to wherever we are going and only once we turn back - you would think she would want to stay out playing! Will persevere with the lead and report back. We just got her chipped this afternoon and she was good as gold. Got my husband to take her, in case it hurt, lol!


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## Fifi's mum

Hi James,

I use a Harness for FIFI and have done since she was four months old. I have found an excellent Non-Pull Harness from The Company of Animals and it works perfectly for FIFI. It has not given FIFI more control as I have trained her to walk to heel (which took a while) but when I do let her go and sniff it is excellent. I was experiencing the same problems of her chocking on a normal lead.


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## Dylansmum

James Q said:


> I wonder why she doesn't pull on the way to wherever we are going and only once we turn back - you would think she would want to stay out playing!


Maybe its because she is confident then that she knows where you are going. I find the same thing, although if you always go the same route to the same place, they soon get to know that too. Even though they love their walks, they always seem overjoyed to get home as well.


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## embee

ohhhh forgot to mention it but if you do try a harness that goes under the front legs make sure you brush under the front legs regularly as the friction from the tape/rope can cause a lot of matting to the fur there.


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## wilfiboy

I bought one for Mable just to keep her secure in the car ... well packed that in could nt make head nor tail of how it was supposed to go on lol .. just sat with all these straps x


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## parapluie

wilfiboy said:


> I bought one for Mable just to keep her secure in the car ... well packed that in could nt make head nor tail of how it was supposed to go on lol .. just sat with all these straps x


ahaha I feel like generally things with a lot of straps are more annoying than helpful


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## pammy67

*harness*

Hi
I dont have trouble with my cockapoo but bought a canny collar for leo my labradoodle, its basically the same as a halto but doesnt slide to the eyes and the lead fits at the back of the neck rather than under the chin. It works well for leo.


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## parapluie

aww what a cutie!


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## barrelman

I bought a "Halti" collar for Stanley today. Wow, he didn't like it on at first but distracted him with a treat. For the first 100 meters of our 1 hour walk he tried to pull the collar off with his front paws. Then he gave in and simply walked perfectly by my left leg. Didn't pull once for the rest of the walk. Brilliant, he didn't pull too bad before but the little he did was very frustrating. He was great today a really easy walk. If you're unsure about a halti collar id recommend giving them a go.


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## Curottofran

James Q said:


> Hi, Brontie has taken to pulling like a train whenever she thinks we have turned for home, or back to the car. Am worried she is going to hurt her windpipe / throat. Do any of you use a harness and if so, which kind should I try? We stop every step and say 'don't pull' but even though I think she's starting to understand that, she must still be hurting her neck pulling so much. She's nearly 4 months now. Thanks, Kate PS. Puppy class again last night, chaos with 12 puppies but she came third in the 'leave it / take it' test, lol!


Hi James, 
hey I'm from Bramhall Cheshire!!! We should meet up in Tatton Park and take the digs out? 
I was advised by our trainer that Cosy Dogs harnesses were really good and got one for Murphy. The are fleecy and really snug. He seems much better on his harness than on his collar as he was pulling a lot when he knew we were on the home stetch too.


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## Curottofran

James Q said:


> Thanks for the advice everyone, and we will watch the clips. I wonder why she doesn't pull on the way to wherever we are going and only once we turn back - you would think she would want to stay out playing! Will persevere with the lead and report back. We just got her chipped this afternoon and she was good as gold. Got my husband to take her, in case it hurt, lol!


Murphy is the same and the trainer said that it's a confidence issue. he woukd almost walk behind me on out way out and the trainer said that its almost like using me as a shield. We are now taking Murphy for shorter walks about 15 20 minutes so as not to over do things for him. He is getting better. We give him plenty of praise and treats along the way too.


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## alfiedoo

Hi James

We got a soft material harness for Alfie as we had a problem with pulling on his collar. He took a bit of persuading to put it on at first but walked like a dream with it on. We couldn't believe the difference was immediate and he just trots along to heel now. He got used to putting it on with a treat and now even gives us a paw so we can loop it through his front legs!!


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## embee

barrelman said:


> I bought a "Halti" collar for Stanley today. Wow, he didn't like it on at first but distracted him with a treat. For the first 100 meters of our 1 hour walk he tried to pull the collar off with his front paws. Then he gave in and simply walked perfectly by my left leg. Didn't pull once for the rest of the walk. Brilliant, he didn't pull too bad before but the little he did was very frustrating. He was great today a really easy walk. If you're unsure about a halti collar id recommend giving them a go.


Harnesses and head collars can make a real difference with some dogs. Flo is the same as Stanley. Just a bit of protest when I first put the Gencon headcollar on but within 5 minutes walking beautifully. She goes off lead a lot so I needed to make sure she's clear about behaving when street walking. As soon as the headcollar goes on she switches mode - much like a guide dog when it's harness goes on I think - she goes instantly calm and walks on a loose lead with her shoulder by my knee and keeps her head up and nose off the ground. She does get masses of off lead time as well to fulfill her working cocker urge to scent and sniff and belt around.


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## James Q

Thanks for all the advice. We watched the You Tube video Ennerida recommended and have been doing the treats things advised, which is also good fun. When Brontie starts to pull, we put a treat either on our welly or if the path is not too muddy just on the ground slightly behind left leg. She stops to check it out, eat it then doesn't pull for several yards. When she starts to, we do the same again and have had much better loose lead walks this week. Will see how we go, then if this doesnt reinforce the don't pull, will give the halti things a go. Thanks everybody. Hi Francine, where did you get your cockapoo from if you live in Bramhall? Was it Lucas? Kate (James' mum).


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## alfiedoo

Sorry Kate I called you James! (premature senile dementia I think!!!)


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## parapluie

James Q said:


> Thanks for all the advice. We watched the You Tube video Ennerida recommended and have been doing the treats things advised, which is also good fun. When Brontie starts to pull, we put a treat either on our welly or if the path is not too muddy just on the ground slightly behind left leg. She stops to check it out, eat it then doesn't pull for several yards. When she starts to, we do the same again and have had much better loose lead walks this week. Will see how we go, then if this doesnt reinforce the don't pull, will give the halti things a go. Thanks everybody. Hi Francine, where did you get your cockapoo from if you live in Bramhall? Was it Lucas? Kate (James' mum).


Glad things are going better for you guys! Rufus still pulls a lot but it's hard to get anywhere (and not get dizzy!) if we stop and turn every time he pulls! Someday


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## Curottofran

Hi James, I got Murphy from Jandaz in Wales. I struggled to find a breeder in Cheshire.


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## Wendy

Not so much an answer but more to say it's the same with our 19 week old puppy Dudley too.

In fact, when we say "walkies", instead of going into a frenzy of delight, he slinks away at the mere sight of his collar and lead and the other day when I turned my back to put my coat on he disappeared completelty and I found him hiding in his crate!! You would think he'd had nothing but bad experiences when out walking - which is absolutely not the case, as, once out he's as happy as can be but when we're on the home straight there's no holding him back and he strains at the lead and drags me along as if he weighed the same as me and not the mere 6 kg he is. I'm just hoping he'll grow out of it..............


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## kendal

Wendy said:


> Not so much an answer but more to say it's the same with our 19 week old puppy Dudley too.
> 
> In fact, when we say "walkies", instead of going into a frenzy of delight, he slinks away at the mere sight of his collar and lead and the other day when I turned my back to put my coat on he disappeared completelty and I found him hiding in his crate!! You would think he'd had nothing but bad experiences when out walking - which is absolutely not the case, as, once out he's as happy as can be but when we're on the home straight there's no holding him back and he strains at the lead and drags me along as if he weighed the same as me and not the mere 6 kg he is. I'm just hoping he'll grow out of it..............


Gypsy is reluctand to go for walks if my mum isnt coming but once out she is fine. 

to get him over the thing with the lead i would bring it out when your not taking him out and make it a fun thing, i would also leave his collar on so he gets used to it being just normal rather than something tat means he is being taken somewhere. 

also if you put his lead on give him a treat then take it off and put it back. do the several times. he will learn that the lead is a good thing.


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