Hey I am just wondering do these work? also do they hurt the dog cos if they do I wouldn't like to use it. My vizsla walks to heel with me but my parents don't have enough time to train it with them so she pulls. They use a head coller but all the ones that we have tried just go in her eyes which looks horrible. I know there is no substitute to training but they just don't have the time

Have you tried a Dogmatic?  I used to use these if I walked several of mine together.

I walk Alf on a dogmatic, doesnt go into his eyes at all.  The anti pull harnesses are good though and they dont hurt the dog, im thinking of getting mine one of these http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/non-pull-harness.php each for jogging and biking because Fagan wont move with a headcollar on and they can be so strong if they want to be :rolleyes:

We've gone through haltis and dogmatics which my GSP wouldn't tolerate and so destroyed within seconds sometimes.  We've now got a gentle leader which has been the most successful in that she can't destroy it, however, it does ride up to her eyes as did the Halti.  Perhaps the shape of the Vizla's head which is similar to the GSP's is the problem in matching headcollars to dogs. 

I saw a stop pull harness in a pet shop last week but it did say for dogs that pull sometimes which made think it might not be effective enough. 

I will be watching this thread with interest.

Well it was brill. It was so nice to be able to reward her for walking nicely without constantly having to turn back. She was also able to smell along the way which she can't when her head collar is on and I love seeing her getting a really nice smell. It gave me alot more chances to reward her good walking and just made a walk that used to be full of commands to be close into a relax atmosphere because I wasn't sick of telling her to come close and stopping and walking backwards etc... She also gets in a bit of a ditther when I call her back in close so she was more relaxed and happy.

I would suggest it as it gives you those golden oppertunities to praise but also to continue the walk without breaking it up and looking stupid.

I am af happy customer and I think my parents will be too.

Hi, glad things are going well - which are you using? :)

Lindsay
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I am using the hi craft stop pull. I got it from Pets @ home. she doesn't pull into it except to test now and again.

I think that's the same as the Kumfi. I like that one :)

Lindsay
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I used the Kumfi harness after my dog's surgery to keep him from hurting his leg. He still did the alligator crawl when he was 10 months old if he saw another dog. It stopped his pulling instantly so it was very helpful for those couple weeks as a stop gap device.

Edited to say: he refused to walk with a head collar. He just laid in the middle of the road outside the house and this was after a week of slowly getting him acustomed to it.

We've tried the canny collar - which our golden boxes off and we have tried the halti harness, with this on he somersaults and lands on his back so a bit dangerous for him I think - I'm just going to a new training class now to see if I might pick up some tips there :rolleyes:

I too have tried the canny collar with our GR and have had great success :) Because the lead attaches at the back of the neck there is no "head snap" if he goes to the end of his lead. It doesn't ride up into his eyes at all unlike the problem we had when trying a halti. He still tries at times to box it off with his front paws but stops when you say no.

Obviously different people have had different successes with various aids so is a bit of a minefield choosing the right one for a particular purpose - and also a very expensive trial and error experiment. :(

I too have used the canny collar used it quite a few times and it got them used to not pulling and now both my labs walk to heel together.  Walkingthem together before was impossible.

>he refused to walk with a head collar. He just laid in the middle of the road outside the house and this was after a week of slowly getting him acustomed to it.

at least you got him out the gate, when Fagan has a headcollar on he refuses to budge - even without a lead attached, I can walk out with Alfie and off down the road and Fagan still refuses to budge :rolleyes:

If you don't want to ruin your dogs front then I wouldn't use one.

Totally agree with Brainless, I think you can really see the altered gait in a dog wearing these stop pull harness things :(

My collie wore a stop pull harness for a while until she decided that enough was enough and absolutely refused to wear it.  Probabally just as well - I had to work harder at getting her to walk nicely.   I used a halti for my Eng Setter who was very strong.  Worked very well but I was warned by my hubby's 'aunt' who bred setters that it would overdevelop shoulder muscles and spoil his appearance.  Well we had given up trying to show him so it didn't matter too much.  When you have a strong dog who is liable to suddenly change direction and try and catch a leaf blowing across the road then control is very important.  I must say though that a dog that continues to pull in one of these elastic harnesses is causing the weight to shift so who knows what it does to developing joints?

I've heard of the altered gait before - can someone please explain a bit more? I used to have Banya in a Kumfi stop pull harness whilst she was youngish, up to the age of about 2 years, and never noticed anything - maybe it's because I don't show; however I'm very aware of a dog's movement generally and whether they are stiff or whatever.

But then she didn't really pull into it at all.

Are people saying it can alter the dog's movement for ever, or just when the dog is wearing the harness?

I seem to remember it's related to the elbows and a harness apparently encouraging them to stick out?

Lindsay
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I have kept the instructions for my harness - it is the KUMFI deluxe 'stop pull'.  It says 'the harness has the effect of tightening and lifting the front legs thereby reducing traction and strength of the dog which in turn will also reduce pulling.  The harness can calm and reduce pulling when fitted even when it is not clipped to the lead.'  Anyway as Meg got older she didn't like it nor did she like the harness for the car.  She is not fond of her collar either :-D - especially if has anything dangly on it.  Daft dog.  Oh and I never noticed any difference to my setter's shoulders from wearing a halti - but I am no expert.

Kumfi is the one i like, Ceejay, no problems so far with it ... only used it every so often though :)

Lindsay
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As the harness pulls under the armpits it can put the front out and you will have a dog out at elbow.

A bitch that a Friend owned went awful after using one and it took quite a bit of hill walking on a normal collar to get her right again.  It was very noticeable in the ring coming toward the judge and improved after the harness use was stopped.

Thanks for explaning, Barbara. Is it possible the bitch was in a habit, of walking that way, or do you feel it was more that she had physically changed?

Lindsay
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I use the Halti on George when I have to walk him on lead - usually I just avoid it by walking him places where he can be mostly offlead. I often find at training that just having the Halti on stops him pulling, even if the lead is attached to his collar still!

Nope it pulled her elbows out as she pulled into it making her toe in.  Once she had some steady excersise to get her muscles right again her movement was straightened up again.

We are talking only about the hrnesses that tighten up under the armpits here, not a statc body harness or head collar.  In fact her owner used a gentle leader on ehr after this.

It took a couple of months of walking her up and down hills at a brisk trot (by my freinds son doing training) to get her movement right again.

Thanks for explaining, I get it now!

Lindsay
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Also her movemetn was fine before she started using it, then I was at a show and was horrified when I saw her moving towards me and the judge front on, and the harness was banned and a lot of work put in between LKA and Crufts.

do you think using one occasionally say once of twice a week would have that affect ?

Suppose it depends on the dog and on how hard she pulls how far she walks and what her muscle condition is like.  If I was showing I wouldn't risk it, much better to go with a head collar.  You have much more control when you have the head anyway.

Its my show boy who I run on a head collar, the other one wont wear one but I thought it would be more comfortable if we are going a distance for them both to have a harness instead of a head collar.  He doesnt really pull, its just an advantage if when running or biking that if they did both go I would have more control.

I agree with Barbara about using a headcollar instead of a harness , I like to know I,ve got control of the sharp end as well.:rolleyes:
I use the dogmatic on my GSD it never rides into her eyes she only wears it on her face with her lead attached to a half check collar but if I see a situation developing where I know shes going to bounce I clip the other end of the lead to the dogmatic.

We've tried the halti harness again and Jasper is now taking to it - which is great as when other dogs pass it had got to the stage that I was unable to hold him - he is a strong boy and he doesn't realise everyone doesn't always want to play with him
(I know it's because I didn't train him properly as a puppy)!

Anyway I can now walk without dreading meeting another dog YIPPEE!!!

I'm going to rotate it with the ordinary lead as I don't want it spoiling the way he walks - I think if he wears the harness, he may not realise when I attach the lead to his collar only :rolleyes:

A head collar isn't going to spoil his gate (unless he crabs when wearing it) only the body harnesses that tighten under the armpits put the front out.

It is the harness we are using as he just boxes the head collar off!  Is it best not to use the harness at all? 

If you want his movement not to be ruined then I would not use one of those stop pull harnesses.

Which Head collars have you used.

The Gentle leader for example has an adjustable slide under the chin which if done up correctly behind the lips should not be easy to dislodge (attach it to a half check collar too, just in case).  You need to keep walking briskly so that he cannot get a paw onto his nose.

I have never found the Gentle leader rid up even on the head of a Dobe (who don't have a lot of stop) if done up correctly, though can swing around and up if too loose.

The one for large breeds has wider webbing than the medium, and the edges of the webbing are not sharp as they are with some.

It was the canny collar I used, but as he boxed that off I don't have any confidence in it.  Maybe I didn't put it on properly but I don't want to try that one again.

I have just got back from a walk and I did notice he walked differently with the harness on, OH says he doesn't :rolleyes: so won't be using it again.

I'll have a look at the gentle leaders - it's a never ending trial of collar shopping at the moment.

Thanks for your advice :)

Most dogs will remove any headcollar the first few times, they need to be trained to wear them over a period of time.

MariaC - I've used the Halti Harness but have found one of my lunatics got used to it and could still pull, but if Jasper doesn't pull on it I would doubt it would cause any problems to his front end because it only holds them back across the chest. If you were using the Lupi harness however I suspect that could because it pulls under and out at the armpits (that's not a very good description but I think you'll understand what I mean).

I think I've tried all the headcollars on the market and none of mine have ever removed their Dogmatics no matter how hard they have tried (with the exception of Hattie who was being led by a friend not paying proper attention to her and she bit through it!). They "fit" so much better than any other make and by far the best is the leather version.

It was the canny collar I used, but as he boxed that off I don't have any confidence in it.

Maria do you mean he boxed the nose loop off or the whole collar? Not sure how he would have got the collar off as if does up like a normal collar. The only other way I can think of him being able to get it off is if you didn't use the yellow buckle thing - my daughter didn't realise how to do it when I watched her put it on our dog. When the collar is done up and the lead is attached to the two D-rings at the back of the head you then pull the nose loop from the yellow buckle so that the buckle is then under the dog's chin - you can then adjust the loop using the yellow buckle thing.

You probably did all that anyway but if not that may be why it came off :) I have tried other head collars and have to say the canny collar is the best one I have tried. What I particularly like about it is that you can use it just as a collar and just put the nose loop on if you need to rather than having to take the whole thing on and off all the time. We fitted a spare dog lead hook to the D rings and when we let our dog off lead the D ring straps go round his neck and clip on to each other - they make an accessory that does the same thing but our way works just as well and is much cheaper :)

Harley - I'm embarrased now:rolleyes:
I thought I put it on properly, he boxed it off his nose and pulled it over his head
Maybe I didn't fasten it correctly but I have lost confidence in it so won't use it again- just in case! 

I didn't attach his normal collar to it at the time as I do with the halti harness though!  Should I have done? It's looking more and more like I didn't put it on properly :rolleyes:

Easy mistake to make as my daughter found out - and not as embarrassing as some of the things I have done :)

Why don't you give it a try in your garden so you can test it out without fear of losing him. No I don't attach it to his normal collar as it is a collar in itself - he just wears both. If it is done up correctly, even if your dog boxes the loop off his nose, he is still attached to the buckled strap of the canny collar to which the D rings are fitted, in which case it is just the same as having him on his ordinary collar.

Have a look at this link and you can see how it is fitted and how it works

[url=<a class='url' href='http://www.cannyco.com/images/video/fitting/fitting2.wmv'>http://www.cannyco.com/images/video/fitting/fitting2.wmv</a>|width,350|height,263][/url]

IMHO well worth another try :)