# Finally found a good harness for us



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

It's the Easy Walk Gentle leader by Premier. It has the D ring in the front, under the breastbone NOT on the back. I had tried a no-pull harness from Petco, d-ring positioned on the back, and it was designed to basically squeeze the dog every time he pulled. Well, it was decent at getting Ollie to not pull as much, but he would still pull and get squeezed and sometimes he would yelp from the friction and that was NOT the way to teach him to chill out I learned after a few walks. Anyway, the trainer last night at class said that harnesses with the d-ring on the back don't help dogs who pull because having that feeling back there just encourages them all the more to pull--it triggers some pulling reflex (can't remember the name of it). As soon as I put the Easy Walk leader on Ollie it was like he knew "ok, I have to walk politely with this thing on" and he did!! I mean he had a few instances where he got a little ticked off and tried to plant himself on the sidewalk but I brought along some treats and that did the trick to get him moving. It was SO nice to have him trotting right beside me rather than bounding and leaping ahead constantly. It will take him some getting used to, but so far I love it.


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

I hadn't noticed those type before. Thanks for posting the link. It's something for me to consider since my girls pull horribly when we walk down the road. Zora hops on her hind two legs like a circus dog part of the time and Tiffy looks like a carpet on wheels at times.









And they don't just look weird, they wear down their pads and then I can't take them down the road for a week or so... and we all love that walk.


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## dolcevita (Aug 3, 2005)

I bought that harness, but I couldn't figure out how to put it on. At this point, Dolce is so used to pulling that I'm sure it would be a shock. LOL. I don't know how she would react.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> I hadn't noticed those type before. Thanks for posting the link. It's something for me to consider since my girls pull horribly when we walk down the road. Zora hops on her hind two legs like a circus dog part of the time and Tiffy looks like a carpet on wheels at times.
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lol--that's EXACTLY what Ollie would do--hop on his hind legs down the road! This harness is just great--I'm telling you, it doesn't "do" anything to the dog, no tugging or pulling, it's just having the lead at their chest instead of on their back--it's almost like some weird magic that when they put it on they just don't pull. 

I'm anxious to see how Ollie will react when he sees something--like another dog, etc. We had no distrations on our little walk today when we tried out the harness for the first time.



> I bought that harness, but I couldn't figure out how to put it on. At this point, Dolce is so used to pulling that I'm sure it would be a shock. LOL. I don't know how she would react.[/B]


Really? The instructions were very straight forward I thought and include a diagram and photos of dogs wearing it. To me it was a lot easier than the first no-pull harness that I had bought.

It definitely isn't too late. Ollie is 7 months old as of today and he's been a huge "puller" from day 1 that I've had him. 

Not only does it keep them under control while walking, it creates the correct kind of relationship between the two of you that goes beyond that--you are walking the dog, not the other way around. And that, in turn, sets a precedence that, in general, puts you in charge--which is very important for the security of a developing puppy (I forget how old Dolce is...but it's never too late!).


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

I'm having a hard time imagining how the leash/harness work together if the D-ring is in the front.







Does it keep them behind you? Doesn't he get tangled in the leash more? I need pictures.








I am definetely interested in this if it worked its magic...but I don't get it yet.


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

We tried this harness, and didn't like it at all. It definitely made Linus stop the pulling, but he was constantly getting tangled in his leash. We thought he was too close to the ground to have the leash at his chest. Also, if you look at the leash, it does pull across the front of their chest if they pull against it. 

Gentle Leader Instructions

We used this leash for several months, but switched to the Buddy Belt about a year ago.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> We tried this harness, and didn't like it at all. It definitely made Linus stop the pulling, but he was constantly getting tangled in his leash. We thought he was too close to the ground to have the leash at his chest. Also, if you look at the leash, it does pull across the front of their chest if they pull against it.
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> Gentle Leader Instructions
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> We used this leash for several months, but switched to the Buddy Belt about a year ago.[/B]


I like the looks of that one (buddy belt) and will keep it in mind for the future.

I'm not planning on the Easy walk being our forever harness. I just desperately needed something to help TRAIN Ollie, him still being a puppy and very much having an all-around alpha attitude. I needed something that would allow ME to lead him on our walks (having the D ring up front rather than on the back) and potty trips--those things make up a good part of our relationship of which HE was the boss no matter what I seemed to try--I believe this would infultrate to the rest of our relationship as well.

Since we've starting the obedience classes AND using the Easy Walk (only a few days now), I have noticed a change in him already--for the first time this morning he actually curled up on my LAP on the couch and went to sleep!!! The only time he would ever do that in the past is if I had him in a position where he had no other place to get away like if I was holding him while standing or walking or if I was sitting in a kitchen chair where he couldn't jump down, etc. On the couch he would always sleep NEAR me, but not ON me. I'm not holding my breath yet, but these "little" things (school & harness) I think are making a big impact on us and I'm SO pleased about it!!!!!!


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Well I can't imagine not having "Sled dogs". This way I don't need any energy to take our walks - the three of them just pull me along! Once I bought Archie a Gentle Leader from PetSmart....it was something that went over his head I believe - but the fastener thing that you click into place was too small and tight for me to put on him...I gave up.


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

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I'm so glad to hear obedience training is going well! I loved watching Linus progress into a well behaved little guy. Enjoy your time, they grow up so fast!


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