txcajunmom

Our girls love going for walks but they really pull on the leash.we currently have them in collars..would a harness help us with trying to keep them from pulling us down? .. i would love for kids to be involved in walking them but our girls are really strong !!!

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Harnesses are designed to ALLOW dogs to pull. That's why they use them for sled and draft dogs. They also give you much less control than collars.

I recommend teaching them proper leash manners instead. Obedience classes are well worth the money.

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lvnMattie

With Mattie (and I understand every dog is different) she pulls, tugs and drags us along when she is walking with her leash and collar. As far as Mattie is concern, We have better control when we put her harness on. She can't drag us along.

But then Mattie does not have proper leash manners but they have got better as we walk her more on her leash.

Mikey T

It depends on the type of harness. Typical harness as Miraim mention were intial design for draft purposes and actual stimulated the dog to pull more. Also keep in mind dogs have a natural reaction to resist and force applied. Which is often while they pull in the first place. One training exercise to speed up a dogs recall is called a restrained recall that is one person restrains the dog will the other calls the dog will pull harder and hard until the person restraining release it., Also keep in mind it takes too to pull on the leash you and the dog. If you moved as fast and went every where the dog wanted to go there would be no leashing pulling so you must also recognise your part in this tango.


There are a number of tools than can effectively reduce how much the dog pulls. but they tools to help you teach the dog proper leash ettiquite and are not meant to be permenant solutions


1. sporn No pull Harness My personal favorite, and there are other manufactures that make similar devices

Pros. Safer than coke chain and prong collar for administering corrections esepcially with puppies. Many basset seam to have no nerve ending in their neck, the arm pits is another matter.

Con to effective , to many use it as a substitute for training. over time dogs will learn to tollerate increasing levels of pain. It can be diffucult to put on especial the first few times.

2. Head halter , ie gentle leader, halti.
Pros can be very effective in controling the dog in numerious situation notjust leash walking. Does not work by inducing pain.

cons depending on the dog can be difficult to fit, Some dogs intial react poorly to having it on require training and desensatation. Can cause a dramatic mood change in some dogs. While generally safe. Giving the dog too much slack ( i.e. retractable leash) can create severe whiplash effect if the dog is running and comes to the end of slack . Associated with negative stereotype because it looks somewhat like a muzzle.


3.http://www.softouchconcepts.com/products/s...ble_harness.php" target="_blank">The SENSE-ible harness[/ur]
pros Does not induce pain. capable of giving subtle cues to the dog like a prong collar. Provides training instructions see [url=http://www.softouchconcepts.com/howto/instructions-for-use.php]Instructions for Use</a>


Cons not as much control as other to devices. Requires the use of a flat buckle collar to prevent the dog "backing out of harness"

These are just some of the alternative to tradition choke chains and prong collar. Which are effective training tools as well when used correctly. It is just I find most people which have a problem with a dog pulling find the alternatives better at controling the pulling which ultimately makes training a better leash behavior easier.

Beverly Anne

When Francis developed glaucoma we had to switch to a harness and I didn't like it at all. No control whatsover and we tried different kinds. I say go for the leash.

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bcc11

As far as wanting your girls to be involved walking the dogs, you can do what I did...put on two leashes! You hold one, and control the dog. The child holds the other and feels like they are walking the dog.

mydawgz

I was unsure at first, but harnesses work the best for us without a doubt. They don't pull and they don't seem to mind them at all. My hounds would catch a scent and they are so strong, they would drag me along behind them and the harness totally solved the problem. Looks like there is a mix of responses on this one. Good Luck.

BubbaLeroy

In our search for a harness for Bogie at Vets request to reduce strain on his neck we found this site. I can't say it works because we haven't ordered one yet, but it was suggested on another basset forum I read. We thought the front-chest leash attachment was very interesting, plus it has multiple adjustments. The poster who suggested it said it really worked great and fit great with her Basset who was a puller when walking.

http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs...ductdescription

Easy Walk™ Harness

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The Easy Walk Harness is designed to gently discourage your dog from pulling while walking on a leash.

Why it works:

Traditional harnesses can actually encourage dogs to pull harder because of the “opposition reflex.” That’s the reflex that makes sled dogs do what they do. The Easy Walk Harness' unique front-chest leash attachment stops pulling by tightening slightly across your dog's chest and shoulder blades. The gentle pressure steers your dog to the side and redirecting his attention back towards you. The Easy Walk Harness never causes coughing, gagging, or choking because the chest strap rests low across the breastbone, not on the delicate tracheal area.

Quality features:
•A quick snap buckle on both the shoulder and belly straps make it easier to get the harness on and off.
•Soft, but strong nylon and four adjustment points provide maximum comfort and a reliable fit.
•The belly strap is an attractive complementary color - making it easy to identify which strap goes over the shoulders and which goes under the belly.
Color Combinations:
Red/Cranberry
Royal Blue/Navy
Green/Black
Fawn/Brown
Deep Purple/Black

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mydawgz

The harness in the picture above is the one that we bought too.

vb3

We bought a car harness for Rosco. It's basically a padded harness that has a loop on the back where a seatbelt can be threaded through. He hated it in the car, but it works really well for walks. The padded section fits around his chest and there are no neck loops so when he tugs on his walks none of the strain goes to his spinal column (it all gets transferred to mine instead!).

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