I'm looking after a young boxer at the moment, who pulls on the lead. He comes complete with a no pull harness but it doesn't give me enough control as he still pulls too hard for me (I walk other dogs at the same time). I have heard that you can't use a headcollar on a boxer (my preferred solution to pulling on the lead) but I'm not sure if its true as I can't find anything on the 'interweb' that says don't use one. Any boxer owners out there who can advise me please?

A gentle leader works on boxers as the loose under chin bit has a slide so it can be fitted around the rot fo the muzzle and not so likely to slip off.

Also the webbing has soft edges.

Of course the dog needs to have some length of muzzle which UK Boxers certainly have.

Iv used head collar and easy leaders on the Bullmastiffs for years and one has quite a short muzzle, I don't think your going to have a problem.

The only thing that you have to watch for is that the head collar doesn't ride up into eyes.
As Boxers don't like this and will fight wearing the head collar.

Personally I found a leather figure of 8 head collar the best for my shorter nosed UK bred Boxer.
I had tried a variety of hard collars from Gentler leader, Halti etc. and they all used to ride up to
my girls eyes. Which made it uncomfortable for her.
I know one of my breed rescues rates highly the K9 bridle.http://www.k9bridle.com/index1.php

The only thing with head collars is to be careful re neck damage as if used incorrectly it can cause issues.

We also have used the freedom no pull harness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtNU_Tes68U
and this tends to work well for our 'frustrated' returned lad who has behavioural issues - he wouldn't be walked on ANY head collar.
I tried all the ones I had in my cupboards and that's quite a few...lol.

The other thing is most Boxers tend to be foodies, so reward based methods of training may well get him to walk better on the harness.
I.E. Practising heel etc. if his owners were prepared to do this it might make your life a little easier when walking him.

It does sound like he needs extra training - how old is he?

Re the walking to heel. I'm having problems getting my retriever pup to walk to heel or even on a loose lead. On the advice of the dog training classes we are going to, we are using food to lure her back to heel each time, the trainer also has got us using the word 'walk' as we move off rather than 'heel' which I had been using. Oddly it's the change of word that has been more effective or perhaps because I've been saying 'walk' and shovelling a treat in, that that 'walk' has better connotations then 'heel'. Might be worth a try.

Thanks for all your replies

I only asked the question as at my dog's training class, a year ago or so, I overheard a lady with a boxer say that she was having problems with pulling & the petshop refused to sell her a headcollar which the trainer agreed with but I've no idea why they didn't approve of headcollars.

I have many headcollars & no pull harnesses in my cupboard that I have collected over the years I've been boarding dogs so hopefully I will find one that works. I just didn't want to use a headcollar if they weren't approved for boxers. He currently wears an Ancol Happy at Heel harness which probably does slow him down but not enough when I am walking several dogs together (unfortunately due to license restrictions, I have to pack walk all the dogs in my care so I can't walk just one at a time). Walking several dogs together also means its impossible to try food luring or any walk to heel training. I also find that if one pulls the others join in.

He's only 18 months old & I have him for several weeks while his owner is away so hopefully I can improve him a bit. This afternoon I only have him plus my 2 dogs & I can leave my 2 at home while we do some training. I have my sausages all ready!

>Oddly it's the change of word that has been more effective or perhaps because I've been saying 'walk' and shovelling a treat in, that that 'walk' has better connotations then 'heel'.

Many people (my husband included, despite him being told about it many, many times!) actually teach a pup that 'heel' means 'pull on the lead' because they will use the word when the pup is pulling ("Heel, good girl") rather than when the pup's in the right position! The pup then associates the word 'heel' with pulling. Your trainer's sensibly got you using a new sound "Walk" used at the right time, so the pup's learning that it means 'loose lead walk beside you'. :-)

Thanks Jeangenie, thinking from the dogs point of view it becomes obvious. Just hadn't thought it that way round. Clever dog trainer!!

http://www.martingaleheadcollar.co.uk/    this figuire of 8 fleece lined is good for most face shapes. Also it relaxes when the dog doesnt pull , some dont they remain tight , therefore the dog is getting a reward for walking loose lead. Not too expensive either

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Many people (my husband included, despite him being told about it many, many times!) actually teach a pup that 'heel' means 'pull on the lead' because they will use the word when the pup is pulling ("Heel, good girl") rather than when the pup's in the right position!

I did that with one of my dogs  - changed the word to "close" and said it at the correct time and got the correct behaviour. Luckily I realised my error fairly quickly having said "good heel" when he was beside me only to have him leap to the end of his lead and pull like mad... and I had had several dogs by that time so no excuse for me to  have made such a basic error lol :-)

Similar situation with my 1st GSD :-D
He was fairly good at walking with me and not pulling but if he started 'leaning' on the lead I often used to check him and say steady, but he just pulled more.
I used to take him to exemption show and gallumping round the ring it suddenly registered I was chanting steady...steady to KEEP him moving out in front of me with a fairly tight lead !!!
I apologised profusely to him (gave him a fuss and some treats!) when we had finished and changed to easy if he pulled on walks

I've recently started saying 'steady' when we get to the muddy downhill bit before getting to the fields. I usually stop, make her stop and then say steady, all for my own safety as it's becoming quite slippery now. It's having an effect as she does stop and let me carefully slither down the slope without trying to pull me over.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">(unfortunately due to license restrictions, I have to pack walk all the dogs in my care so I can't walk just one at a time).

Sorry to pick up on this, but you have had lots of good advice re head collars already, and I am fascinated to read that you must walk all the dogs in your care as a pack, which seems counter productive from everybody's point of view-- I assume this refers to a home boarding or dog walking license? Why on earth do they insst you walk them all at once?

The insurance situation is probably because the dog minder is unable to leave dogs boarded alone, unattended whilst out.

Hi Zan
Sorry I didn't make it very clear. I am a home boarder & I am not allowed to leave any dogs unattended so if there is no one else at home, all the dogs have to come with me.

I don't usually have a problem as I pick & choose very carefully dogs that basically are all the same - they all have a decent recall, walk more or less nicely on a lead, all need the same amount of exercise & all stick closely to me. Most of the time it works but this boxer is not the norm for me as he pulls too hard on the lead. Luckily I'm very quiet at the moment so most days its not too much of a problem but if I can find a way to curb his pulling, it will be helpful.

He doesn't like the headcollars I've tried so I'm trying a different stop pull harness to the one he came with & a softer lead which doesn't hurt my hands so much & its definitely an improvement.