FAO GinaB - P@H and choke chains

[Spudlet]

Henry has a harness, so there, shoot me already

He pulls until he chokes in a normal flat collar, so I think a check chain would actually kill him! Also I suspect he would reverse out of it and I can't be faffed with a double ended lead given that he actually only really goes on lead to cross roads and then goes off again - I am lucky I don't have to do much walking on roads.

The harness works for us, his heelwork is getting much better as I can correct more easily.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It's horses for courses - but I think using a harness for controlling a big dog is asking for trouble - unless you like skiing

A biddable dog can walk quite nicely in one, but for a strong dog that pulls heavily, you might as well wee in the wind, remember the old sled dog analogy which has been mentioned here many times.

I know it is really trendy to use positive reinforcement and front-leaders and so on, but when you have big, gobby, potentially anti-social dogs like I have had, sorry, for me, that ain't gonna cut it and I have learned that the hard way and have had to start from scratch and now he is doing well.

The problem is a one size fits all approach.
It would be incredibly hard to put any manners on the big fella using positive reinforcement, but for Bella it is ideal as she is that bit more sensitive.
I am not going to say 'don't use positive reinforcement, front-leaders are rubbish!' in the same way that some people say 'ban choke chains and pinch collars and zapping devices they are all evil'.

As one trainer said at the weekend - think about it from the dog's point of view - there's a rabbit. If I don't chase the rabbit, I get a biscuit. If I start to chase the rabbit, I get told off. It depends on the way your own dogs think, what way you decide to deal with that issue!

 

[Spudlet]

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It's horses for courses

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Totally agree, I would never have used a harness on Barney as he was a repressed husky and HUGE!

I'm just saying what works for us, that's all

 

[FinnishLapphund]

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Is this what you mean N?
http://www.ccvsales.com/aom/index.php?c=...e_chain_25_inch

As CC says we always used to show in those, I still use them all the time, and if I ever showed Evie that is what I would use, so good job I am not planning it. I had a real problem finding a link (oops no pun intended) to put on here so maybe they aren't so easy to get hold off. I always used to get people to bring them back for me from Sieger show, hope they are still available over there or I am stumped in the future

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I have a similar to one of those in a golden colour, bought the longest I could find and use as a necklace, nobody recognise it as a dog collar!

I also have maybe two just like on the picture that I have used on one of my late dogs. I have no problem with people using them correctly on their dogs.