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OT: dogs on walks

I have never been able to take Jo for a walk because he's horrid. Snarling and lunging at other dogs, bicycles, walkers, small children ..... not to mention pulling my shoulder out of socket. We've tried every restraint known to modern man including prong collars (he bit me the first time he felt it stick him and after that, he just went berserkers trying to bite the collar) and the like.

Several weeks ago my son came home from work at Wal-Mart with a contraption and put it on the dog. OMG! Good dog. With one or two corrections he has stopped lunging and snarling. He only barks a bit at other dogs and has given up entirely fussing at bicycles and people. The best part is that the harness doesn't hurt him.

It's a harness that goes around his legs and meets in the back. That's where a little tug pulls the whole thing tight. The pressure is put on the front of the legs, right where the muscle needs to work for the dog to pull forward. The part that goes around his legs is padded so that it doesn't cut in. It just puts pressure in the right place to stop him in his tracks without yanking my arm out of socket. I can walk him all by myself. He's good. And now the lead even stays slack on the "return trip".

I have no idea what the name of the harness is, but I'm going to put a photo of it (modeled by Jo) on my flickr.com site (

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) sometime this evening. I just wanted to recommend this type of harness to anyone with a difficult dog. We paid several trainers and none could teach this hard headed little dog to walk on a leash. The only way was to muzzle him, and that's really cruel because his nose is often stuffy and the muzzle prohibits mouth breathing. So, for the first time in seven years I can put my pup on a leash and walk with him. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Sunny

Reply to
Sunny
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We had awful problems with our lab when we got her. She wasn't ever mean at all at all, just willful and exhuberant and STRONG. Tried all kinds of things with her too and the only one that worked was the EasyLeader (goes on the nose and ears, pulls down on the bridge of the nose) put that on and she was an angel walking with you.

Tried it on Hanah... she rolled over and pawed it off in about 3 seconds time. Her nose is too short i guess?

She does okay on walks but I am anxious to see what you got, because the kids may be able to walk her in something like that. She slips out of all her other collars when they or my dad walk her. (She does fine for me so far)

Reply to
Kellie J Berger

Sunny, I couldn't see your picture because I use a webtv to visit this group, however your description fits the "harness" contraption I used to use for my 100 lb. Lab/Australian Shepherd mix. He was pure muscle and could pull me down the street when he was only 6 months old. He wasn't aggressive with other dogs or people, but he would jerk my shoulders and arms so badly that I sometimes was in tears. He behaved very well at obedience classes, but was wild and uncontrollable when walking on our street.

The first time I put the new contraption on him, it was like walking a butterfly, I couldn't believe it. The lead went from the leash, through two D hoops on the front of the collar, then down around the front of the legs and chest, and back up through a ring on the back of the collar. It's just such an incredible invention, my little 4 year old neighbor could walk my dog around the yard with no problem. It doesn't hurt the dog in any way, in fact, it seems to calm them down. If they try to pull, it applies a little pressure to the front of their chest and they just slow down and relax.

I, too, don't remember the name of this lead, but it's sold at most pet stores, very inexpensive. I made a few of them for friends' dogs and they loved them. It's basically just some dog collar material ( I'm having a brain fart this morning and I can't remember what the stuff is called) maybe it's called webbing, a buckle, some clothesline rope. a round metal ring, and 2 D rings.

I don't have large dogs anymore, my Kaz passed last year and I gave all of his big boy stuff away, but I'm buy or make another one in a heartbeat.

Denise

Reply to
Denise in NH

Reply to
Taria

Sounds like a "Gentle Leader", I use a "Halti" on our two Ridgebacks, it is recommended by our local training club. Bonnie, in Middletown, VA

Reply to
Bonnie Patterson

Thanks for sharring with us! Barbara in SC

Reply to
Bobbie Sews More

If you ever want some real excitement as well as a rigorous workout - take a Yorkie for a walk. Yorkies do not walk; they bounce. They must snuffle and sniff Everything, pat blowing dandelions, paw toads, Halt when there's the possibility of a stranger wanting to admire them, and certainly enjoy downpours and leaping into puddles. Ah, yes. Dogs on walks will lower your bp by 10 points - if you make it back to the house. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Not a Gentle Leader -- we tried that and he yanked out of the head gear in nothing flat. Actually, one of the trainers I took him to tried a Gentle Leader. It's called the Yuppie Puppy No-Pull Harness and apparently can only be found at WalMart. Here's a commercial ad for it:

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Anyhow, it's changed my dog. He's calmer and happier and even lifts his front paws to help get his legs into the harness. Not bad for a dog that typically was torn between ripping the leash out of my hands or whipping around to bite the leash every time I pulled him back. I still can't believe the change in just a short time.

Sunny

Reply to
Sunny

Reply to
Taria

I'm glad this device is working for you. I'm not fond of harnesses so I went a different route that worked well.

Clifford, the Medium Red Dog, used to be terrible to walk, not so muh from lunging and trying to be agrressive, but from trying to drag me alongand he would choke himself and cough. What restored my sanity for him was a Halti headcollar.http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=875 It lets them keep their mouth open to pant, drink, etc, but if they lunge after something, when you pull the leash for a correction, it closes their mouth and turns their head away from their target. It also puts no pressure on their throat so they don't cough. It has kept me from being too frustrated with the dog to take him for a walk.

Reply to
Debi Matlack

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