Dog Restrainers

We have always had big dogs, mainly GS`s and Rotties.

The dogs have been around 40-55 kg. The GS`s had a very hard pull and when they suddenly took off on seeing say a cat, it was a real job to hold them. We have been floored a few times when this happened unexpectedly.

The Rottie has a tremendous pull of course being very muscular and bred for pulling etc.

Would you all please tell of your experiences and solutions to this tug of war between man and beast ?

We have had Halti, Canny and Gentle Leader nose restrainers which have achieved some success, but with the expception of using harnesses have not provided a real satisfactory solution.

There may be other makes which you know of that perform better. I would dearly like to know of them and your verdicts on their effectiveness.

John Bull

Or you could train your dogs?
I wouldn`t use a Halti as a `restraint` - you can damage the neck as the head is whipped round.
I find training your dog to walk properly takes time but eventually pays off. Daisy will pass cats now, with me using the Leave` comand.

Doesn't matter what gadgets and gizmos you use. They are all simply aids towards training the dog to walk correctly on lead.

I would agree with the other comments. I use a Mikki walk rite harness for Dan, but it's an aid to teach him to walk with me, rather than a solution to his pulling. We are about to start using a clicker too, as this is what worked with Loki to teach him to walk to heel. I never managed to get Loki out of the cat lunging thing though, but then I only had him for two and a half years. These things can take time.

I find a good 'leave' command vital.... If there is a cat (which there often is) the dogs are commanded to 'leave it' and we walk on. I would never even stop the momentum of walking if a cat was near us, as it gives the dogs a split second to turn and chase.

Walking both dogs on my own (a combined 10 stone) means I can't be lax about it, as (despite being a rather hefty wench) they could easily drag me into the road/over onto my face etc....

Buy this book....read this book...spend a lot of time working with your dog....read the book some more...enjoy your walks
http://www.canineconcepts.co.uk/item...og-pull---dogs

Hi,

I have used no end of collars, leads, harnesses, head collars etc but never for actually restraining my dogs. Only to help me teach them how to walk. Once they have the basic idea of what I expect, I move to a flat collar and "normal" soft lead.

Please don't ever use any sort of head collar as a restraint. It can cause a lot fo damage and pain for a dog if they choose to pull. I used a halti head collar purely to get my lot to start to walk to heel (as in with their head almost glued to my left thigh). Once they did this of their own accord (which took next to no time), I stopped using them.

There is a harness (don't know the make) which brings the dog's front legs together if they pull away from the handler. I've not seen one of these but Jesterjen has one I think for her dog. (Sorry Jen if it's someone else). She should be able to advise you better than I can about harnesses.

I use a basic, very soft padded harness for a bassett hound I walk for a friend of mine every lunchtime. As soon as she has it put on, she sits nicely, waits for her lead to go on and other than dragging me down the drive to the pavement with her nose glued to the floor (as all hound noses should be), she walks fantastically well on it.

Laura xx

Laura xx

I'm using a halti with Ben.... The important thing with the Halti or any head collar is that they're self correcting... Never yank a head collar...

I walk Ben of a very short lead (he's right beside me), so he's got no opportunity to take off.. He's got about 15 cm of loose lead, and it mostly stays that way...

Ben is very big and very strong.. and I need this extra control - at least for the time being.

ONE WORD....dogmatic

And if any breed was bred to pull its two Alaskan Malamutes competing for the front

Training! Never felt the need for anti pull harnesses or headcollars with my own dogs.

I have thought about buying a mekuti balance harness recently as I've not tried it out and want to see how well it works.