[imported_eastcoastmom]

I know this should probably be in the training section, but I figure I'll get more traffic here

Angus has graduated level one obedience, but that doesn't mean much when we are out on a walk. Sometimes he's great, but other times...70lb of 8 month old puppy tearing my arm out of the socket. Tried 'being a tree", did nothing to help. Tried a choke chain, I don't feel competent enough to use it correctly and don't want to risk injuring Angus because of my incompetence. Have a martingale...may as well use nothing. have a gentle leader, doesn't do much and is thinning/balding his nose . I know i need to train him more, but I am wondering what everyone uses/suggests for collars. Does anyone use a prong? I have searched in the training section and it all seems pretty split. I just don't like that GL at all and would prefer something else, but I don't want to use negative methods either. *sigh*. Help?

- Momma of a bald-nosed black lab

 

[kaytris]

I swear by the easywalk front clip harness for my dogwalking clients and my monster-puppy (it's made by gentle leader - the Sens-ation is similar). Same principle as the GL, but instead of turning the head, it turns the whole front end when the dog tries to pull.

 

[Apollopuppy]

I am very lucky Apollo NEVER EVER EVER pulls on his walks.

 

[imported_Aim]

Tucker is 7 and only pulls on his leash occasionally. I do not use a prong all the time with him. But I do use it when I know we are going to be in situations when he is going to pull, like a crowd or when we may see a lot of other dogs. Normally, he ignores dogs on his walk, unless the other dog starts pulling towards him or reacts in some way. For us, the prong collar works.


We tried the gentle leader, as well. I wasn't a fan. I know some people swear by them, but Tucker used to lurch a lot and I just felt like it might hurt his neck/spine. Plus, he spent a lot of time on the ground trying to get it off. lol

 

[kaisdad]

I use the Sens-ation harness for my guys when they need a refresher. Which is often :-\

 

[regarese]

I swear by the easywalk front clip harness for my dogwalking clients and my monster-puppy (it's made by gentle leader - the Sens-ation is similar). Same principle as the GL, but instead of turning the head, it turns the whole front end when the dog tries to pull.

Ditto-I LOVE this harness. Shelby is almost a perfect walker with this. I almost cried (literally) the first time I put it on her-the difference was THAT noticeable. Good Luck.

 

[CoCosMom]

We tried the harness, not sure why but it didn't really work for us. CoCo would start to take off towards a bird or something, and the harness would trip her, so I was worried she would hurt herself. Then we tried the Gentle Leader... OMG she HATED that thing. You couldn't go 5 steps without her stopping to paw at it. I gave it 2 weeks.

We now use a prong collar (got it at that R&B Supplies place in Windsor Junction!) when we go for a "road" walk. It helps a lot, but she will still pull a bit. That's more our fault for not keeping up with the training. If we are in the park, we use a regular collar with a flexi (tape-style) lead so she can sniff and get more exercise.

I have to admit, we've become lazy "masters"... We did puppy, beginner and intermediate obedience classes, and don't have a whole lot to show for it because we never did keep it up!

 

[kpowers3]

Dakota is an angel on walks.....except of course if she sees a bird or a squirrel.

Denali on the other hand is my handicapped walker...he is an idiot.....but I might try this harness....we use the gentle leader with Dakota but she hated it......

 

[Di]

"Gentle leader" is all I have to say ;D

 

[JollyMolly]

Molly is very obedient except for walks. She does not heel. I cant for the life of me get her to heel. I've trained her to do everything else. Heck, if I say "slippers" she'll search the house for them, but if I say "heel" she couldn't care less. It is very frustrating. The prong caller helps, but not fully. :-\ I tend to walk her late at night when everything is quiet. I tend to play with her in the backyard to exercise her instead of long walks.

 

[imported_Melissa]

"Gentle leader" is all I have to say ;D

Otis slipped his Gentle Leader (the snout part) while my friend was dogsitting and dragged her through the mud to get to a golden retriever. So, we don't recommend those.

 

[imported_eastcoastmom]

Thank you for the helpful replies. Well, we have the G-leader, I guess I will try a prong next. I tried a harness on him in a store (Best Friends) in Tantallon, and the lady let me take him outside to the parking lot in it, but I didn't notice that it deterred the pulling. If the prong doesn't help, harness it is. For prong useres, how many dirty looks do you get when you have it on your dog? . We really need to step up the at home training, it's a shame to waste all of that puppy & obedience class money, lol!

 

[CoCosMom]

For prong useres, how many dirty looks do you get when you have it on your dog? . We really need to step up the at home training, it's a shame to waste all of that puppy & obedience class money, lol!

People give us a REALLY wide birth when we are walking CoCo with her cousins the Boxer and the Rottie and they all wear prongs! lol!

I agree about not wasting the moolah, I hope to work a lot more with CoCo when we are out for walks this summer. DH will be home with me, so he can push the stroller and I can work on heeling, so hopefully by the time he goes back to teaching in Sept I can manage her and the stroller together!

 

[kym]

My Lola is just the best dog, she never pulls on a walk.......unless she doesn't have her Gentle Leader front clip harness on, smells some poop that would make a tasty treat, sees another dog she just has to say hi too, sees a person she just has to say hi too, or pretty much just feels like pulling on her leash But in all seriousness, the harness is the best thing ever. It made me actually enjoy our walks instead of dreading every minute of them. Good Luck!!

 

[Princess Zoe]

I use a prong, Zoe never pulls with that.

 

[Labs4life]

For prong useres, how many dirty looks do you get when you have it on your dog? . We really need to step up the at home training, it's a shame to waste all of that puppy & obedience class money, lol!

I don't get dirty looks when using the prong collars. Perhaps it's because I make my dogs wear "Dog in Training" signs.

 

[imported_oakley]

Right now I use the gentle leader on Oakley. It works somewhat, she doesn't pull too much but still a little.
Our Trainer recommended the harnes that restricts their front legs when the pull, she tried hers on Oakley and it worked great.
She has only found it in two places around here a vet clinic in Dartmouth and one in Clayton Park.
It is $30, I haven't decided if I am going to get it or just try to work harder on Oakley's training.

 

[kaytris]

A regular harness won't do anything to stop a determined puller (think what sled dogs wear!).

The harnesses mentioned are front clip models, where the leash attaches to a ring at the dog's breastbone/chest.

 

[imported_eastcoastmom]

Angus would make a kick-ass sled dog.

I bought a prong tonight (at B&R ) and took Angus to the soccer field. I don't think I took enough links out, because it slipped down his neck a lot. Will try again tomorrow. Barring that, we will try a front clip harness. Angus found a lovely mixed breed & boxer to play with tonight, so I didn't get in much "training". How snug is your prong? I read an article at Leeburg.com that shows it under the dog's chin & behind the ears, but that would make the prong awfully tight, even on the dead ring. is this correct? (prong users) .

 

[ohenry]

I use the prong with Henry. When I first got it I used it on all walks. Now, I just use it when I really need more control.