No pull harnesses...

[BoggyGirl]

I have been endlessly reading online about various harnesses. Obviously the best way is training. Mine have been to the trainers during lockdown and we do practice at home. One is fantastic one is mostly there the other is a pest. Fine alone but when I have all three and small children it’s tricky.
Post lockdown we will get back to training but with no childcare for now and having to walk together can anyone recommend something that might help? She is a big Labrador one year old .
The main issue is her on the lead when other dogs are racing round it is very hard to keep her attention focused on me not lurching and pulling. It’s better but still very tricky with two other dogs and holding a small child’s hand that likes to bolt too..
Any suggestions for something humane that might help?
Currently using slip leads as suggested by the trainer. I had tried a halti but she hates anything on her face. Appreciate any thoughts. Trainer says keep going which we are but something in the toolkit to reduce stress if we get mobbed at the beach would be great.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

If she's too busy hating the Halti when you put it on, does she stiłl have time for lurching and pulling? Or does she hate it so much she just throws herself on the ground to rub her nose trying to get it off, so you can't just ignore it, and make her have to walk along?

Have you tried one of those harnesses where the lead ring is attached to the breastplate? Haven't needed to try one on any of my bitches (yet), but they seem to work for some owner, and their dogs.

What kind of treats do you carry with you? Could you try other things to see if there is something which she might find more irresistible, for example I'm sure I've read how to a easily make homemade livertreats online.
Or if you're truly desperate, I knew someone with Bernese Mountain dogs who bought some type of army pants with large pockets on the legs, and simply stuffed a raw or cocked whole chicken down one of the pockets during obedience training. Worked great, until she tried it under a competition, and the chicken somehow fell out of the pocket.

Could you do some brain training with her before you go out, so that her brain is a bit tired, which might make her less interested in what others do out on your walks? My bitches enjoys it when I let them work a bit to find their food/treats, by using my Nina Ottosson brain training toys. I bought mine many years ago, but the Tornado, Dog Smart, Treat tumble balls, and two other things which I don't think they sell anymore, still works.
https://www.nina-ottosson.com/products/
My old Tornado is made in wood, but this is the "modern" Tornado:

Something else to make her brain more tired, is Scentwork. Squee/Levrier recently started training scentwork with her Millie:
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...t-work-training-tonight.791084/#post-14328463

 

[BoggyGirl]

Thank you some fab ideas there. We use sausage which seems to work. The main issue is I’ve got two others in my hands which makes it tricky. Alone I can deal with her quite well and keep her focus it’s in a group off the lead she’s fine. She throws herself on the floor the whole time with the halti and somehow managed to snap the last one. I had a chest one Easy Walker I think it was called but she pulled just as hard in it- well hard enough for it to be a problem still. The brain training sounds good I will read thank you.

 

[planete]

If you are walking three dogs at once it might help to have your hands free for your labrador. I wear a dog walking belt when walking multiple dogs on lead. It means both my hands are free to control and treat any of them who threatens to misbehave. (I would be inclined to fasten the child onto it as well but then I am not very good with children). I never got on with head halti type stuff and I do not know of any gadgets that will stop a determined dog pulling unfortunately. I have been known to carry a walking stick and hold it horizontally at dog nose level as a barrier in an emergency but training is the long term answer as you know.

 

[ponyparty]

My dog wouldn’t tolerate a halti but went fine in a rope figure of 8. Which once he got over pulling, I just altered into a slip lead. May be worth experimenting as I find that with body harnesses it just enables them to pull even more effectively and get their body weight behind them.

 

[twiggy2]

If your getting mobbed by other dogs when your three are on the lead and you have a young child to deal with too then I would look at driving somewhere the dogs can run free straight from the car and training the one problem dog on its own when you can concentrate and have both hands to deal with the dog.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

The only harness that has worked for me is the one shown. It isn't going to 'fix' a pulling dog but it does give me more control than any other I have tried. I have a selection of harnesses and swap around depending on what we are doing. My youngster is only about 16 kgs but is incredibly strong and despite a lot of training still pulls. One plus about this harness is that they can't wriggle out of it unlike some harnesses I have seen.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We have found that a fig-8 works best and you might have to experiment with different thicknesses to see which your dog responds to best/prefers. As above it can easily be used as a slip lead when the dog's training allows.

 

[Clodagh]

I agree with PAS, a fine braided slip lead easily makes a figure of eight and they soon learn that pulling means the nose loop going back on. Look on youtube for how to.
Also agree with Planete about attaching the good ones to your belt.

 

[BoggyGirl]

Thank you for all the supportive answers I thought I might get it in the neck for using gadgets. She has been spayed which hasn't really calmed her down she is lovely for the most part but very busy and lacks concentration in busy situation's. We have been walking at night but as we are near the coast now lock down is easing everywhere seems to be rammed regardless of the time. The belt is a great idea I didn't think of that. The trainer mentioned the figure of 8 she keeps getting it off her face I will look at the videos that is a great idea thank you. The child running off would make things a lot easier if I didn't have to retrieve her the pair of them wind each other up a treat. It took me 15 minutes to travel about 300 yards last night stopping and making the puller walk nicely.

 

[twiggy2]

If the dog is constantly pulling, bouncing etc then she is over aroused and being put into a situation she is not ready to cope with. This will raise her stress adrenalin levels and they can take days to come back down so when dogs are over aroused it then carries to the next day etc so they never come back down from the high.
Easier said than done I know but you sound like you are struggling to set things up so you can succeed, the harnesses that tighten round the dog work on painful pressure points so I would go for the figure of 8 lead as preference.
Can you get her walked by someone else?

 

[Clodagh]

Thank you for all the supportive answers I thought I might get it in the neck for using gadgets. She has been spayed which hasn't really calmed her down she is lovely for the most part but very busy and lacks concentration in busy situation's. We have been walking at night but as we are near the coast now lock down is easing everywhere seems to be rammed regardless of the time. The belt is a great idea I didn't think of that. The trainer mentioned the figure of 8 she keeps getting it off her face I will look at the videos that is a great idea thank you. The child running off would make things a lot easier if I didn't have to retrieve her the pair of them wind each other up a treat. It took me 15 minutes to travel about 300 yards last night stopping and making the puller walk nicely.

If you possibly can do some work with her one on one once or twice a day, 10 minutes is plenty and just in the garden. Scentwork is great for tiring them out, I hide balls or dummies but the more technical use other things ,Squee has just taken it up with a young dog.

 

[BoggyGirl]

If the dog is constantly pulling, bouncing etc then she is over aroused and being put into a situation she is not ready to cope with.
Easier said than done I know but you sound like you are struggling to set things up so you can succeed, the harnesses that tighten round the dog work on painful pressure points so I would go for the figure of 8 lead as preference.
Can you get her walked by someone else?

I have been trying to get a local dog walker. She goes for days with the dog trainer but its a hour round trip. I need someone more local really. It seems to be hard here to get someone good. I see the dog walkers at the beach just letting them all off running its more a training type walk I want.

 

[BoggyGirl]

If you possibly can do some work with her one on one once or twice a day, 10 minutes is plenty and just in the garden. Scentwork is great for tiring them out, I hide balls or dummies but the more technical use other things ,Squee has just taken it up with a young dog.

Can definitely try that she is really clever. Has picked up lots of commands and is great in the house. It is just overload sometimes and then getting concentration is shot. She is better off the lead but I don't like them all running when places are busy and others seem to have no control over theirs around me. She is good natured and generally fine but I don't think its a safe situation.

 

[twiggy2]

I have been trying to get a local dog walker. She goes for days with the dog trainer but its a hour round trip. I need someone more local really. It seems to be hard here to get someone good. I see the dog walkers at the beach just letting them all off running its more a training type walk I want.

Very few dog walkers train dogs when they walk them your right, it's not easy the other option is sole use of a dog park

 

[BoggyGirl]

Very few dog walkers train dogs when they walk them your right, it's not easy the other option is sole use of a dog park

This was my impression. She walks with four on the lead with the trainer its just a skill I haven't mastered in all situations yet..

 

[ponyparty]

How old is your child? Could they go in something like this instead: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4347549?clickSR=slp:term:little tikes 3 in 1 trike:3:11:1 - strapped in so they can’t run off? They can still pedal if they’re old enough so can get some exercise still. Or put them on reins? Apologies if that’s not appropriate for their age; just thinking of what I do with my little one, and ways to make it all a bit easier for you to manage I find just one dog plus a toddler sufficiently hard work!
Must be a nightmare by the coast right now with everyone flocking there too.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

The only harness that has worked for me is the one shown. It isn't going to 'fix' a pulling dog but it does give me more control than any other I have tried. I have a selection of harnesses and swap around depending on what we are doing. My youngster is only about 16 kgs but is incredibly strong and despite a lot of training still pulls. One plus about this harness is that they can't wriggle out of it unlike some harnesses I have seen.

Oh, I had forgotten about those harnesses, even though I actually have one, somewhere. Used it on one of my late Norwegian Buhunds ages ago, and it did help quite well for a year or so, but then Humla got used to it, and it ended up in the bottom of a drawer. Haven't had such problems with the 3 bitches after her, that I've thought of wanting to use it.
Halti probably worked best on her (after she had stopped throwing herself on the ground trying to rub it off), but sometimes she did manage to get it off, so there was problems with using that as well. Ended up alternating between using Halti, half choke, or normal harness, which mostly kept her pulling at an acceptable level for me.

 

[AmyMay]

I have been trying to get a local dog walker. She goes for days with the dog trainer but its a hour round trip. I need someone more local really. It seems to be hard here to get someone good. I see the dog walkers at the beach just letting them all off running its more a training type walk I want.

I’m a dog walker, and group walks are about fun, rather than training. However I do do one to one sessions - so it’s worth contacting someone locally to see what they offer.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Thank you for all the supportive answers I thought I might get it in the neck for using gadgets.
...

In the horse world there is those who go bitless, barefoot etc, when that is what suits their horse best, and there is those who go bitless, barefoot etc, because that is what they feel is natural and everything else is cruel.

It is the same in the dog world. There might turn up someone who tells you that they only use a thin cotton string as their dog's lead, and that using anything else is cruel, but if that doesn't work for you, ignore them.

It was well over 20 years ago, I was out with Humla somewhere, she was wearing her Halti, and an unknown woman just walked up to us, and told me that using a Halti was cruel, and that it didn't allow Humla to breath. (ETA She didn't know it was a Halti, I think she called it That thing around her nose.)
I vaguely answered something like "But look, it only temporarily keeps her mouth shut." Afterwards I wish I would have said something like "If she couldn't breath, how come she hasn't passed out?"

There is many dog gadgets that if used incorrectly can be anything from simply useless to cruel, but most of them is still an useful aid when used correctly. The trouble is finding which gadget that suits you, your dog, and the current problem/situation, the best.

 

[BoggyGirl]

In the horse world there is those who go bitless, barefoot etc, when that is what suits their horse best, and there is those who go bitless, barefoot etc, because that is what they feel is natural and everything else is cruel.

It is the same in the dog world. There might turn up someone who tells you that they only use a thin cotton string as their dog's lead, and that using anything else is cruel, but if that doesn't work for you, ignore them.

It was well over 20 years ago, I was out with Humla somewhere, she was wearing her Halti, and an unknown woman just walked up to us, and told me that using a Halti was cruel, and that it didn't allow Humla to breath. (ETA She didn't know it was a Halti, I think she called it That thing around her nose.)
I vaguely answered something like "But look, it only temporarily keeps her mouth shut." Afterwards I wish I would have said something like "If she couldn't breath, how come she hasn't passed out?"

There is many dog gadgets that if used incorrectly can be anything from simply useless to cruel, but most of them is still an useful aid when used correctly. The trouble is finding which gadget that suits you, your dog, and the current problem/situation, the best.

Thank you this is just it. Just been out and mixed them around putting the bitch on the inside of the dog was much better I think the silly thing thinks she is defending me. We have been working on not following me round in the house and staying where she is put. I am sure it will pass. Once school is back the whole thing is much easier. She walked the whole way today carrying a stick with child holding the stick when we were on the fields and didn't pull away once..

 

[CorvusCorax]

Use whatever works, within reason. If there's a health and safety issue (multiple big strong dogs and a child) and you are being caused stress or physical discomfort because of the behaviour of one or more dogs, then use a gadget.

Theoretically speaking, a dog isn't thinking about how humane it is being when it's wrenching my arm out of the socket trying to get somewhere quicker than I will allow it to, or catching my finger in it's teeth when I am trying to feed it, the dog is just acting in it's own best interests. Therefore I will immediately convey to the dog that these things are not acceptable, because they are non verbal and think in terms of black and white. Using gadget or by just telling the dog in whatever way you can to just knock it off and it's in their best interests not to do those things.