Elissa

Hi all,
I am about to welcome a 2 year old male Basset rescue into my home, and I have a simple question: harness or collar? Phinneas is about 45 pounds, but I've heard that they have a tendency to slip their collars--Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated. We want to do what is absolutely best for the little/big guy.
Many thanks,
Elissa

JessieBrown13905

I use collars but they do have a tendency to follow their noses and end up pulling because you are not going fast enough. I would definitely recommend a harness for walks at least. If you are doing a field trial I would use a collar on him for that. Just my opinion...

Kirska

The opposite is true for my senior basset. She pulls backwards to resist having to exercise any further and the collar slides right off her head

This is the order I would try walking restraints (based on what I've learned at obedience classes... I am by no means an expert):
Plain collar with buckle release
Harness
Gentle Leader (head collar, not a muzzle)

If none of those work, you can resort to choke collars or pinch collars but a decent trainer can correct almost any dog to walk properly with one of the more humane ones above. Very few actually need choke or pinch collars, though some people attach a loose choke collar in addition to the plain buckle collars or gentle leaders to help prevent them slipping away.

Bassets are surprisingly strong for such short statures.

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Mom to Anabelle and Lila, 9 (?) and 8 years old rescued ladies and Harley, 11 year old Corgi/Beagle/Basset/?? mutt

"Saving just one dog won't change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog." - Richard C. Call

Mikey T

A traditional harrness with a dog with a tendency to pull will pull harder than with any other restraint system. The were developed for sled dogs . Dogs natural resist pressure. Put pressure on the sturnum the respond with pulling harder.

Thing of this way if you play tug with the dog If you pull on the tug the pull back but if you stop or push the tug back into their mouths they stop. I don't thing you can truely make a real determination without reallying knowing the individual dog and your own training style.

While a traditional harness is more secure than many collars it is not fool proof either. I have one that will pack out of a traditional harness even properly fastened and tightened without much trouble.

Boopus1965

I would definitely go with a harness too, the dog isn't used to you and your not used to him so you don't want him slipping a collar and getting away from you in a strange area. As a for the above poster, buy a no pull harness they are awesome, you adjust the part that goes on the breast bone. If they walk forward and start to pull it puts resistance on their chest around their legs and it stops them from pulling. You can take the worst pulling dog ever and retrain them to not pull in minutes. My g/f had a 160 pound great dane she adopted who was 2 years old never trained once, and was outside when the tornados destroyed their town and traumatized. He was a wild man on a leash, the no pull harness stopped it instantly it's amazing. (The tornado was in Enterprise AL 2 and half years ago killed the 8 high school students, you may remember it)

Good Luck!

Soundtrack

I am not a fan of harnesses, they give you very little control. I recommend either a buckle collar or a martingale (harder to slip out of if properly fitted), or if you have an escape artist the a slip (choke) collar is the safest option.
Obedience classes to teach the dog proper leash manners (and other skills) are highly recommended

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Mikey T

For teaching puppies I would not us anything other than a Sporn No-pull halter as it puts no pressure on the neck and many basset appear immune to pain in this area and directs it to the arm pits. Never had a dog back out of one either. But it is just a tool even with a no-pull harness dogs will learn to pull unless actively taught not to. What training device to use relates directly to training style and technique as well. No-pull halters choke, pinch and martengales all to some extent use pain as part of training. If you have a problem with inducing pain in the dog then any of these are not a good choice. Is a regular harness better than a head halter of a flat buckle collar all depends on the dog and the preson using it It is a highly personal choice.

There is also the newer front bucle harnesses as well i.e. sensible harness. Again the are not very secure It is often recommed to use them in conjunction with a collar.

Each device has its pros and cons there is no perfect tool.

Mikey T

Just to give you an idea

Selecting Training Equipment

The Problems With Head Halters

Training with the Prong Collar

Choosing the Right Equipment

A Case for GLs
GLs=Gentle Leader = head halter

sporn no pull harness

No-Pull Keystone Classic Dog Harness
works as discribed by "boopus" tighening around the chest not at the sturnum

sensiable Harness

he Benefits And Disadvantages Of Choke Collars

The thing is there are widly differing opinion and none are wrong as a matter of fact I do not think there is a marterial fact that is misrepresented in any of the links they all can work when used properly, they can all be dangerious when not done so.

Elissa

Thanks everyone for the great advice---really appreciated it all. Will keep you posted!

LuciaB

We've had good success with a harness on Cannoli and the "you pull we stop" method of leash training. It's frustrating at first but she figured out pretty quickly that when she pulls we stop, so if she wants to walk she has to have good manners.

Now if I could get the Chihuahua to agree to this we'd be in business, she pulls like a sled dog. It's not as bad though considering the Basset weighs 50 pounds and the Chihuahua maybe 10

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~Lucia~