General Chat

Has anyone used one & did it work?

Yes I have and no it didn't.

Kept moving towards her eyes ..just couldn't get it to fit comfortably whatever I did.

Got an easi walker harness...that did the trick much better.

I have a harness but she's still pulling even with constant reward based training. I'm trying to avoid getting one very long arm. :-|

The easi harness is a bit different from a standard one....it has a kind of choke chain effect to the shoulders to it that standard harnesses don't have...hard to explain. My collie is so powerful when she pulls it's the only thing i've ever found that works.

Thats what mine have...it's having no effect, worked a treat on my other dog though. Just need something to take the weight, she walks a bit better on a slip collar but will pull till she's gasping...sounds like a naughty phone call lol

Ha ha...know what you mean Fleur does the same ...

Well any ideas would be gratefully received, I can't afford to land on my bum :-(

Owned several boxer dogs over my life and trained them all to walk at heel with the old fashioned choker chain.

I've used them in the past but they've had such bad press I'm trying to avoid them, that said you have to wonder if the bad press has come from the firms who've invented the new anti-pulling devices.

Eeyore13, trained six dogs in total with them, just a quick jerk coupled with the word heel, followed by good boy/girl and a small dog biscuit. it did not take them long to learn. I loved every one of my dogs and would never have done anything to hurt them in anyway.

As you say, a lot of bad press, probably originating from the firms who manufactured the anti-pulling devices.

Halti did not work for our pointer cross.

I always found quick jerk and command 'heel' worked. We had a newfie years ago and he was both big and heavy - needed a choke chain.

Methinks I'll give it a try. I have one knocking about somewhere. All these newfangled things cost an arm & a leg & it's so frustrating when they don't work.
Thank you for your replies.

Eeyore13 - good luck, just a gentle quick jerk does the trick, also I used to always rattle their choker chain when I said walkies to them and that helped them get used to it :-)

I cannot believe that I am seeing people recommending using choke chains on dogs! They are banned by nearly every dog training group. They are painful for the dog, as the name implies - would you like one around your neck? Haltis sometimes work but most harnesses encourage pulling rather than stop it - why do huskies have harnesses?

If your dog pulls on the lead, the best way to train it not to is simply to stop, turn round and walk the other way. Yes, it will take time and you won't get far to start with but your dog will soon learn that if he wants to go anywhere, he will have to stop pulling. Also, train him to walk off the lead to heel (do this indoors or in the garden); once he is walking well to heel without a lead, use the same command when he is on the lead.

One simple thing that often works is just to loop the lead (as long as it is fairly soft and long enough) across the dog's chest, so that you are holding two ends. This works well with our collies.

Potty, I have to agree with your recommendations, I have an Akita and did exactly as you suggested and although it took time and patients it did work, Akita's even as puppies are very strong and can pull for England

Roy

When I had a German Shepherd who pulled like a steam train The Halti was a life saver, it worked like a dream :-)

It is only my opinion but I do think the Halti works better with dogs with longer noses we also used it with a Husky with good results

You're right, Lolly, it certainly wouldn't work with a bulldog or a boxer!

Porkie-Pie, yes training a dog does take time. One of ours, a large Irish collie, liked to chase cars (and lorries and tractors!) We spent nearly an entire day walking along roads with fairly regular but not too busy traffic, putting him in a down when a vehicle approached or came up behind us. He has never chased one since. Wish I could find a road lined with cats!

i used on on my bouvier des flanders
and it was really good

but on my akita
well it was usesless :-(