My dogs all walk on harnesses (there is the odd day I'll walk them in collars, if it's just a quick toilet walk, but it hardly ever happens). They can get excited and pull a bit for the first couple of minutes, but no more than on collar, and I know it won't hurt them like a collar could. Also walking 3 dogs, one always stops dead in its tracks (although I have a rule that stopping to smell something is allowed -even encouraged, going backwards is not, for practical reasons. You miss it, tough luck), and rather than the others being strangled or jerked back, they at most get an annoying pull, when my arms can't reach any further

I'd just like to add: Takara is being trained to walk on a collar and lead without pulling but if we are going somewhere where I don't have the time to be stopping and starting and clicking and rewarding, turning round and doing tricks (yes - it's hard to keep her interested in me!) then she uses a walkezee harness which is fantastic!

I also sometimes use this during training if I'm not feeling strong enough to take her on a normal collar and lead and rather than it only taking the strength out of her pull it does also prevent her from being able to pull as much due to it having a thick slip line across the top of her front legs/her chest.

I've tried many stop pull harnesses and have had all the problems of sores under her front legs from the daft figure of 8 types etc. the headcollars have rubbed the hair off her nose. I'd much rather she walk sensibly on a collar and lead but will use the walkezee when needed.

Patch - what is the trail type? I did start using a harness on Eddy before I realised that the terrifying coughing he was doing was canine reverse sneezing and thought it was something to do with his throat! Unfortunately it really bothered him and we had to stop every two steps to scratch

Just googled it - I take it you'd still need to do the same level of training to get your dog to walk well in one of these but they're just safer than being around the dog's neck?

Im actually quite worried. On wednesday night at minnies bronze class we were dong heelwork. On some of the dogs that pulled the trainer advised to pull the collar up the neck, of course those at the class did so as they trust him and are not knowledgeable in dog training. Their dogs did seem to walk better. After reading this thread im shocked, they were obviously walking better because its hurting them. (one dog had a choker chain on which i dont agree with anyway) Should i say something? I dont want him thinking that i think im a no it all!

I`ve pm`d you Lottie :smt001

For anyone who is`nt sure what a Trail type is, [ not all are advertised as Trail ], its one of this configuration [ posting these which are `correct fit` photos just so people can see the harness from different angles for identification ]






When looking in shops, this is how the Trail configuration looks, [ its not always easy to visualise which they are when not on a dog and can easily be mistaken for the similar but less effective type [ imo ], which has a double clip where the lead attaches ].

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product_g...d=112&pg_id=71

HTH :smt001

What a beautiful model you've got there.
It's good to see how to properly fit a harness, thanks for posting this. :smt001

Hi. I'm new to this site and I don't want to come off rude but I wonder how many of the people that are complaining about Cesar Millan have actually watched or sat through one of his seminars. While I agree that positive training is usually the way to go, there are some situations where a different approach is needed. What Cesar preaches is exercise, exercise, exercise. He is not physical with a dog unless the dog is extremely aggressive and poses a threat. Claiming space in your house by calmly asserting your presence is not a bad idea with dogs. He does not yell or hit a dog.

I came on here because I was looking for advice on the Illusion head collar. I am purchasing this collar as a last resort. I have a 9 month old German Shepherd. The dog is great in the house. All the positive training has done wonders in terms of his obedience and and behavior in the house. The problem is on walks, he is completely out of control and extremely aggressive.

I have worked with 'positive' dog trainers and have spent over $1000 on private lessons. Like I said, this has been successful for his in house obedience but does not work on walks. Since day one when I got this dog, he has been red-zone towards other dogs, he even flips out when he sees another dog on TV. The 'positive' methods the trainers have tried on walks have all failed. Luring the dog or distracting the dog with treats when another dog is approaching does not work. MY GSD has absolutely no interest in treats when another dog is around. I've even tried bits of steak. Confidently holding the collar up high and briskly walking past the other dogs doesn't work. Stopping and changing directions does not work. Positioning myself between my dog and the other dogs does not work. In fact these suggestions from my dog trainers have gotten me bit twice.

When the walk starts, my dog is calm and walks right by my left side when there is no distraction but once there is another dog (now progressing to bikes and even strangers), the dog immedietly red zones. I've tried normal buckle collars, harnesses, head collars, choke collars, pinch collars... nothing works because they all operate around the dogs most powerful part of their body.

MY GSD is now 9 months old, I walk him for 1+ hour every single night since I got him and consistantly try to work on the techniques the trainers have given me along with the books and DVDs I have bought. I have had 0 success and I am extremely patient. And I have had large, stubborn dogs in the past and never had a problem like this.

Now I am going to try Cesar's collar as a last resort. How is Cesar's collar any different from the 'humane' head collars my trainers have preached about? Those collars wrap around the dogs muzzle and at the top of the head, exactly where Cesar's collar sits (although they don't constrict). When the dog pulls on the head collar, the dog's whole head yanks and twists. My trainer insisted that the dog will not pull on this collar and that was completely not true. I found this 'humane' collar to be quite cruel actually. And my dog refused to wear it. I tried it on 5 walks... by the 5th walk, he was diving and rubbing his face into the concrete to try to get the collar off. What do you do then? Yank the dogs head off the ground by his face?

I'd like to know how many people on here criticizing Cesar's methods actually have problem dogs? My first 2 dogs didn't need this method but this dog clearly does. I've worked consistantly for 6 months with this dog and his leash aggression has only gotten worse.

So I am going to try the Illusion collar and will see how it goes. I'll be sure to post my experience on here. I'm not saying its right for every dog (or even most dogs) but in extreme cases, sometimes you have to try different methods.

JMO:

Its a "Brace" to hold a Thin slip collar in place, as to cause ALOT of Discomfort ALOT of the time.

I am sorry you have not had sucess for all the money you have spent on trainers

Now I know all dogs are different but my foster Mia started out a nightmare on the leads and majorly agressive towards any other dogs
But it was a total fear response and if I had used any form of correction she would have got worse - something like a choke coller would have done so much harm to her

She is not 100% yet but she is so much better and I havent had to resort to anything - she traines herself
Basicaly when she was in a mental I just stood totaly still and ignored her until she calmed down then I rewarded her and we carried on our way
Sure it took a loooong time to get anywhere but it has acheived several things
1. when she pulls on the lead or when I am still she has decided to sit and wait for me (I didnt tell her to do that, that was just her choice)
2. She has learnt that she isnt going to be forced to encounter strange dogs if she dosent want to
3. as she is calmer when we do go and greet a dog she dosent offend them so much so she is having nice encounters with dogs and she is learning that they can be fun

as she is learning that things are fun and I can be trusted not to tell her off, or put her in a bad situation she is relaxing and becoming more of a puppy rather than scrappy doo

Remember most agression is fear - or overexcited bad manners
If you are scared the last thing you would want is to be restrained and strangled

Good points and thanks for the response. The issue with my dog is that he doesn't calm down or respond to any command once in that 'red zone'. I am totally open for other suggestions - trust me the last thing I want to do is hurt my dog. I just haven't had any success.

One thing the dog trainers stressed with me was that you have to havce instant recall when you call his name on the walk. I am able to acheive this when there is no distraction around. I call his name and his head immediately snaps back to me. But when there is another dog around (or now it's even beginning to happen with people) he completely zones out.

The other thing the trainer told me to do was to find the safe distance for him to be calm around other dogs. Then to gradually move closer and closer with each exercise as he seems to progress. This hasn't worked for me either because there is no safe distance. He can see a dog 5 blocks away and immediately go 'red-zone'. In fact, sometimes he sees a bagh blowing in the wind or a traffic cone and think that is a dog and flips out.

That's my dilemma. The training techniques work when there are no distractions but do not work when there is one. The trainers kept insisting that with persistance, the dog will succeed but 6 months later, it's only gotten worse. And he looks and sounds extremely scary when he gets like this so there is no one that is willing to help me out wih their dog.

So that's why I am down to the illusion collar. But if anyone has any unusual suggestions I could try, I would love to hear them. Like I said, the last thing I want to do is hurt my dog. But I'm afraid he will hurt someone or himself if I can't solve the issue.

Does anyone know of a good dog trainer in NYC that deals with aggressive dogs? So far, the two I've had haven't helped.