Buster Pulls Way Too Much With His Harness On

[Alice Kable]

I've been working with Buster in his harness, on a leash, and that little bugger can pull. The author of the book, FRENCH BULLDOG, said when you put a harness on your dog it teaches him to pull more effectively. She prefers using a very wide collar, which lessens the harm to the throat, and training her dogs to walk nicely. So I've used a collar (reg., not extra wide 'cuz that's all I have) and he barely pulled at all. I looked online and found collars from 2" to 4" wide. I'm thinking a 4" is what I should get. What do you think? Anyone experienced with wide collars?

 

[davidh]

Just my personal opinion, but I would think the 4" is too wide.

 

[Alice Kable]

Just my personal opinion, but I would think the 4" is too wide.

Thanks, David. 4 inches is awfully wide and would probably be uncomfortable on the little guy.

 

[Cbrugs]

When going for walks I put a harness on Jax and he does pretty good with it.

 

[Katie Winchell]

Norm is the same way he pulls so hard with the harness, he got better last summer but then this winter we didn't go for a lot of walks so he's back to pulling again. I take a can with some pennies in on our walks and shake it if he gets too out of control (someone suggested that to me from here) and it works pretty well. If you have the time to go for a longer walk when he pulls make him sit. When I first started doing it we could only go one to two steps and then I would make him sit. He eventually figured out if he pulled we weren't going to get very far. You could also try running at first to get out excess energy then walk.

 

[Alice Kable]

[MENTION=26]Katie Winchell[/MENTION] thanks for the good suggestions!

 

[winginit66]

Gidget pulls a LOT on a harness. I didn't want to use the collar for exactly that reason, harming the throat. I will have to see if a wide collar would help. If I can find one that wide in a small enough neck...

 

[mhuinker]

Yes, the harness causes Leo to pull, which the breeder said it would and that is why she does not use them.... However, I'm Mrs. Paranoid and am afraid they will slip out of the collars because, especially Leo, his head and neck are about the same size! Brut!

 

[mhuinker]

Norm is the same way he pulls so hard with the harness, he got better last summer but then this winter we didn't go for a lot of walks so he's back to pulling again. I take a can with some pennies in on our walks and shake it if he gets too out of control (someone suggested that to me from here) and it works pretty well. If you have the time to go for a longer walk when he pulls make him sit. When I first started doing it we could only go one to two steps and then I would make him sit. He eventually figured out if he pulled we weren't going to get very far. You could also try running at first to get out excess energy then walk.

Hmmm, good suggestions!

 

[2bullymama]

I haven't ever thought of using the wide collar, but what I have done is bought a leash that is adjustable on the holding end.... I adjust it to fit around my waist and he is glued to my side

He still pulls a LOT in the beginning but by the time we are about 2 or 3 minutes into the walk, he gets it and stays next to me..... well, until someone comes out of their house :stinkeye:

 

[pbois]

I started off with a regular harness for Bolt, but as a training tool they aren't very effective, IMO. I switched to a nylon martingale collar and with some obedience work it works quite well. I've seen many people use the "easy walk" harnesses and if I ever have to switch back I'd go with one of them. They are effective in training and the dogs adjust to the leash attaching in the front quite well.

 

[Alice Kable]

I hear you, [MENTION=2]2bullymama[/MENTION]. When we walk in town, Buster thinks everyone wants to pet him and wants to make sure they have a chance. I slip the leash up so it is short, but he fights it, I also walk backward away from what he's pulling towards. He is great to walk when hitched up to a collar. The collar he has used is 1", maybe I'll try to find a 2".

 

[MaplesMommy]

I hear you, [MENTION=2]2bullymama[/MENTION]. When we walk in town, Buster thinks everyone wants to pet him and wants to make sure they have a chance.

Same with Maple. She literraly pulls towards people. She thinks everybody is her friend And so far she is right almost all the time and the people pet her. There was one time a jogger passed us and Maple didnt understand why he didnt stop to pet her and tell her how cute she is. You should have seen her confused little face

 

[ParisRoger]

Same with Maple. She literraly pulls towards people. She thinks everybody is her friend And so far she is right almost all the time and the people pet her. There was one time a jogger passed us and Maple didnt understand why he didnt stop to pet her and tell her how cute she is. You should have seen her confused little face

Reading this made me Giggle.. Roger is the Same he looks at me as if to say why dont they want to stroke me x

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[KimB3384]

[MENTION=26]Katie Winchell[/MENTION] thanks for the good suggestions!

I second that! I was walking Bisou yesterday and nearly had my arm pulled out of its socket. Penny can is being created tonight!

 

[Kris Thomas LaBounty]

Sarge pulls like a baby bull no matter what he has on. We practice heel all the time but he prefers to pull ya down the road. He'll heel if I get meanness in my voice which he hates but then he sees people and that baby bull comes right out. We even have an E-collar and he doesn't care about that either. I hope Buster won't prove quite as stubborn!

 

[bullmama]

Wow that makes sense Alice! I never really thought about the harness being used for pulling, it's probably very instinctual for them. I agree though, 4 inches is likely too thick.


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[Cbrugs]

Same with Maple. She literraly pulls towards people. She thinks everybody is her friend And so far she is right almost all the time and the people pet her. There was one time a jogger passed us and Maple didnt understand why he didnt stop to pet her and tell her how cute she is. You should have seen her confused little face

Ha ha...sounds like Jax. Every person we pass he wants to stop for and get attention and if someone ignores him, he doesn't understand.

 

[Cbrugs]

I've been working with Buster in his harness, on a leash, and that little bugger can pull. The author of the book, FRENCH BULLDOG, said when you put a harness on your dog it teaches him to pull more effectively. She prefers using a very wide collar, which lessens the harm to the throat, and training her dogs to walk nicely. So I've used a collar (reg., not extra wide 'cuz that's all I have) and he barely pulled at all. I looked online and found collars from 2" to 4" wide. I'm thinking a 4" is what I should get. What do you think? Anyone experienced with wide collars?

I just remembered something I was told while we did puppy school about harnesses. I use a harness for Jax where the leash clips on the top but the trainer had told me that the harness where the leash clips in front is supposed to reduce pulling. I ended up buying one for Jax at the time but it was too big for him and now he does fine with his harness so I have not tried the other one again. Just a thought.

 

[Alice Kable]

I just remembered something I was told while we did puppy school about harnesses. I use a harness for Jax where the leash clips on the top but the trainer had told me that the harness where the leash clips in front is supposed to reduce pulling. I ended up buying one for Jax at the time but it was too big for him and now he does fine with his harness so I have not tried the other one again. Just a thought.

That makes sense. Clipping the leash on by his head rather than his midsection should give more control. I haven't done anything yet, mainly because I'm old and old fashioned and like to see and touch things before I buy them! And, honestly there are way too many choices out there.