For those with dogs who pull

[Pearlsasinger]

We have Rottweilers, which are a similar body shape to your Staffyx, OP, an ordinary collar and lead are no good because the collar just slides off if the dog steps back. We do use harnesses but also use figure of 8 leads, so the dogs have 2 leads at all times.

 

[blackcob]

Also the strap across the front of the Julius goes across my dog's chest, nowhere near his trachea?!

It's possible that I've only seen badly fitted ones, this is almost the kind of thing I mean - as soon as there's tension on the lead the 'saddle' lifts, the front strap goes too high on the dog's neck and a strong puller starts honking. Maybe that happens when it's too large?

My preference is for a Y-shaped front with a fitted neck collar and as little as possible over the shoulders but even then it's a case of trial and error, I've yet to find a perfect harness. One of mine is a bloody awkward shape as well with a pigeon chest to account for.

 

[CorvusCorax]

The ones I've seen have a lot more coverage and a bejaysus handle

 

[planete]

The Julius K9 does not fit some body shapes. I sent back the one I had ordered for my very deep chested but narrow lurcher as it was literally cutting across his windpipe at rest.

 

[Cahill]

imo harness is an aid for pulling.
the best headcollar is a SWAG as it attaches from behind the head.
pulling is a training issue.

i have one that pulls for the first 5 mins of our walk,i put up with this because we on are a road with very little path/verge so we just hurry along till we get off road and i can work with him.it has become a habit.

 

[eatmyshorts]

Going a bit off topic here but am I the only one who dislikes the Julius K9 style harnesses? I don't like that the 'saddle' area is so large and think it must impinge on shoulder movement, the front neck strap cuts straight across the trachea and I've seen more than one dog reverse out of them.

Looking at that pic, i can see what you mean. We use one on our GSD/Doberman but not as the main method of control - more just a visual for the "Do Not Pet" labels on the side. Although if he does react the handle on the top is quite a nice backup to his leash.

 

[eatmyshorts]

I don't agree that pullers necessarily pull harder in a harness-that hasn't been my experience at all. dogs don't know they are meant for pulling in until you teach them so. I had a rescue dog last year who pulled in a collar and not at all in a harness.my own dogs didn't pull in harness until I did canicross. if a dog can be taught to walk in a collar then the same principles apply to teaching a dog to walk in a harness and at least they arent being half throttled in the process.

We might need to agree to disagree on this one ;-) I just think if you consider the design of, for example, a horses harness, it's to allow the animal to put maximum pull of it's body into it. Therefore if you have a dog who will use a harness against you (& of course, they're all different so a harness may work for some), it's probably going to give it more leverage, than if you are controlling just the head. Maybe in smaller dogs it'd be easier, but a staffie? From what i've seen out & about, the tendancy also seems to be to allow a harnessed dog to walk slightly in front (perhaps just because of the positioning of where the lead is attached) which i don't think helps the mindset of pullers.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

We might need to agree to disagree on this one ;-) I just think if you consider the design of, for example, a horses harness, it's to allow the animal to put maximum pull of it's body into it. Therefore if you have a dog who will use a harness against you (& of course, they're all different so a harness may work for some), it's probably going to give it more leverage, than if you are controlling just the head. Maybe in smaller dogs it'd be easier, but a staffie? From what i've seen out & about, the tendancy also seems to be to allow a harnessed dog to walk slightly in front (perhaps just because of the positioning of where the lead is attached) which i don't think helps the mindset of pullers.

yes, I see what you're saying but I did say 'not necessarily' (the dog I spoke about was a beagle staffie cross). I dont like most headcollar arrangements tbh but I hate to see a dog throttling itself on a collar more than anything.

 

[eatmyshorts]

"Not necessarily" ... "maybe" .... i was speaking generally ... hey, maybe we don't disagree so much as lean in different directions? I probably should have added that non-pull harnesses are different. Can i ask why you don't like headcollar type arrangements? I guess at least there are options out there so no excuse for dogs being throttled. Your thoughts on my last point?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

"Not necessarily" ... "maybe" .... i was speaking generally ... hey, maybe we don't disagree so much as lean in different directions? I probably should have added that non-pull harnesses are different. Can i ask why you don't like headcollar type arrangements? I guess at least there are options out there so no excuse for dogs being throttled. Your thoughts on my last point?

lol-I dont think we are disagreeing majorly. I would rather use a harness than a headcollar, but I'd rather use a headcollar than a collar with a hardened puller. I've used a halti for a dog some 20 years ago and a dogmatic on the setter (which I binned rather than resell). I didnt like either-a dogs nose/muzzle/lips etc are very sensitive and I would personally rather have a dog pull in a harness a bit with a bungy lead if all other training methods failed, thats all.

 

[eatmyshorts]

lol-I dont think we are disagreeing majorly. I would rather use a harness than a headcollar, but I'd rather use a headcollar than a collar with a hardened puller. I've used a halti for a dog some 20 years ago and a dogmatic on the setter (which I binned rather than resell). I didnt like either-a dogs nose/muzzle/lips etc are very sensitive and I would personally rather have a dog pull in a harness a bit with a bungy lead if all other training methods failed, thats all.

Thanks for clarifying x I've had dogmatics in the past but didn't like them - they were leather & even with softening & shaping/moulding, around a wine bottle i found them quite restrictive - never did try a fabric one, but i know many who swear by them. Horses for courses i guess

 

[millmo]

I know how you feel, I got a 2year old rescue staffie nearly two years ago and nothing I did stopped her pulling. She stopped me enjoying her and enjoying walks, I tried nearly everything even the K9 which claims to stop pulling in most dogs that didn't work. This was until I bought a walkeez harness, it was instant, no pulling (unless she sees her boyfriend coming), she is now a dream to walk. I clip the lead to just one side of it and bizarrely it only works on her if it is put on up side down, i.e. the clip is under her belly. Good luck

 

[vallin]

When we had Daisy we used the set up below, it's a harness and a SWAG headcollar. We also spent lots of time teaching her to heal off the lead with a line attached to either the collar or the harness and dragging on the ground, as soon as she gets a too far away we stand on the line and she has to come back and when she's walking nicely she gets lots of praise/treats. We had far more success teaching her to heal off lead than on lead! I would also echo what others have said and find somewhere he can let off some steam, Daisy would be horrendous if she never got to fully stretch her legs

 

[Rupertthebear]

There are so many variations of haltis/harnesses but they don't address the pulling problem. Maybe a lesson with a dog trainer, they will show YOU what to do. Chances are the dog will be walking to heel within 10 minutes, with a small correction you may have overlooked it will boost your confidence in your training abilities and you wont need to rely on gadgets! I walk my 4 springers on slip leads, but I had to practice to get them walking off a little finger (I use haltis for older family members just incase a rabbit runs across their path!) - and a little bit of a kick up the bum.

 

[SpringArising]

Thanks guys

I bought a harness at the weekend - bargain at £8 too. He walks lovely on it.

And millmo - they are something else aren't they! So blinking strong.

 

[eatmyshorts]

Brilliant! That sounds like a result x

 

[lexiedhb]

Best bit of advice I ever had for my Staffy X (was dog reactive etc, so not an off lead dog) was from here actually. Find a field. Hire one if needs be, and let him just RUN, and run and run and run. Makes training a shed load easier if your dog is not a huge ball of energy to begin with.
LL walk training is the most boring training in the history of the world. I used a harness with a front clip, and a double ended lead. Every time that lead went taut I stopped, waited for slack then off again - literally sometimes for 2 steps at a time- my god is it boring. I got nowhere fast. I actually took a good six months for it to be consistent.
I now use a Julius K9 - I like them, they seem to fit the "squarer" dog well. I do however use their "belt" harness as he's a dog that gets hot quickly and I dont like all that saddle padding bit
https://julius-k9.co.uk/dog-harness/idc-belt-harness/

You can also get a Y attachment to stop them being able to back out if they have escape artist tendencies- which also comes with that all important front ring
https://julius-k9.co.uk/front-control-belt-with-ring-for-powerharness-size-0.html

 

[Goldenstar]

I am tremendously old fashioned so I would use a large link check chain.... as with any bit of kit, if they are used correctly they are effective without being harmful or injuring the dog in any way

That's what I would do