My trainer said a harness is fine. Moxie seems to be doing well in it. He doesn't pull at all in fact it's the other way around LOL. Really he's catching on quite well LOL

I believe the reason trainers say that harnesses "encourage" pulling is because it is not uncomfortable for them to pull. With collars, pinches, and especially gentle leaders it usually doesn't hurt the big dogs, but is uncomfortable for them to pull and it helps to train them. It is harder to train a small dog not to pull because when they wear a harness it is not uncomfortable. My boys are so curious, they love to pull to their hearts' content when we are on walks and the harness does not discourage it because they feel no discomfort. Most of the time this works fine, but when we are walking in public I started using the no-pull harness where the leash hooks in front because it makes it hard for them to pull (it is not uncomfortable, but rather frustrating for them because every time they pull they walk to the side instead of forward). It makes a huge difference and they behave much better in public!

I use a "pinch collar" on Saffie & it works great for training. It's pretty scary looking but my trainer made each one of us put it on our arm first & she tugged & it didn't hurt or "pinch" at all. It just sort of makes a noise. She gave us handouts that had statistics on it stating that autopsies (sp) done on dogs (that had passed away from old age or whatever), showed that the dogs that had used choke collars regularly had trachaial injuries while the ones that had pinch collars did not. Saffie doesn't strain or surge with the pinch collar the way she would for a regular collar. If we're just going for a walk ( & not "working") then I use this great step in harness that I got from PetEdge.(It goes on like a bra.) I also use this harness to attach her to her car seat when we go in the car. :aimeeyork

I just want to say that we've been in training for 3 months and there is not one thing we have done that would have required a choke/pinch/chain collar. It's all positive training, no negative (punishment or correction). Our trainer just asks for a regular nylon collar or these easy walk harnesses. We never tug on the collar for correction, which I believe is the point of the metal collars. In fact, we could probably do our whole class with the dogs OFF their leashes. They aren't going anywhere with us holding treats in our hands!

I know different trainers and owners have different philosophies, I just wanted to let you know that if you are this concerned you should look for a class similar to ours. The collar is a non-issue because it's not even used to control the dog, your words and hand signals are.

By the way, the way we have tried to get Loki not to pull is to have food with us so his attention is on us and not the kid on the bike or the bird flying by. When he does well and walks with slack in the leash he gets a treat! When he pulls, you can't EVER let him get what he wants or gain any ground. When they start to pull you just stand still. They learn that pulling gets them nothing. There's a few other tricks our trainer uses. That's something your trainer should be able to share with you too!

Gentle Leader
 

This should make you feel better. Baxter was having problems with his leash and collar. He would pull and it would put preasure on his trachea. When we went to PetsMart for his training, they recommened the gentle leader. At first, I thought it was just so you would buy something from them. I tried it because he had problems with the leash and collar. I AM NOT JOKING-THE SECOND I PUT THAT LEADER ON, NO MORE PULLING! He walks RIGHT by my side, right where he is supposed to and does not run ahead. Eventually, he will get to the point where he doesn't have to use it, when he can go back to a leash and collar-when walking this way is "normal" for him-a habit.

Someone posted the product on the first page-that's what I use. It is a Godsend.

I don't understand why they would frown upon it-it's a training tool.

I know it will probably be hard to describe, but could someone try to help me fit my little Yorkie with his new Genle Leader? He is 1.6 lbs and 11 weeks old. His ears stand straight up and I think they may be causing somewhat of a problem. The neck part of the leader will not fit properly. If I try to fit it behind his ears and above his Adams apple the strap just falls to his shoulders, because there's not enough of a bulge in his skull to keep it snug. Hopefully this makes some sense to someone! I am sure I'm doing something wrong here. Please help! Thank you!! Tonia

I agree that a collar is best for training.

My pup wears a collar when we go out in the backyard. He actually never pulls hard on his collar. If he does ever start pulling (which he almost never does) -- I just give him more line and pull him back in when the line is loose. A lot of my keeping him on a loose line is the way I interact with him and manage him.

And - I definitely do agree that he "pulls" much harder when he is wearing a harness. Of course, this doesn't hurt him - but he certainly isn't behaving as well.

Carol Jean

The lady who trained moose had her wear a collar and lead, but moose wouldn't leave my side so I wasn't very concerned. Now the trainer had a guest come who trains service dogs. I was thrilled because I want to get moose to be my service dog. Well she scared me to death, I didn't even let her take moose's lead. When I told her that I wanted to have moose become my service dog she said I could join their training but would have to get moose a pinch collar...um NO. She told me well then fine I'm not training her for you, I said how about the gentle leader, she says I have small dogs on pinch collars and they are just fine I don't like the gentle leader. So I said no thank you and the lady who trained moose told me I could do her training myself and if I needed any help to contact her.

So right now moose uses a harness but I am starting her training for helping me soon, my trainer said to wait till she was a year if I could so moose would be a little less rowdy, and will be using the gentle leader. So wish me luck :rolleyes:

Now do you use the harness or the muzzle type?