I use the Freedom Harness for Nicky, http://www.wiggleswagswhiskers.com/newsite/freedom-no-pull-harness.htm
Martingale vs Harness
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Unless we're just taking Blaze out for a quick pee, he always wears a harness for his walks (we don't have a fenced yard at either our winter or our summer homes, so he's always hooked up to a leash when outside). He also wears his collar, with tags, in the house since, if he should bolt out the door, he'd be in wide open spaces and could quickly be gone (fortunately, he's been good about staying inside until we give him permission to go out…but there's always a first time).
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Most of the time I'm walking Voodoo with a normal collar. He knows he is not allowed to pull, and he doesn't try to back-out of it, so it works just fine.
When we go for really long walks (30 miles or so) or if he goes running next to the bike, I put on his harnass. He knows he is allowed to pull then, and I find it easier if he walks in front of me then, with the leash attached on my belt, so I have my hands free.I don't really like the martingale collars. No idea why not to be true, but there is just something about them that I don't like.
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I prefeeer using a harness on both of my dogs, but Kamar is dressed in a martingale most of the time. He can easily escape from his harness if he wants to (now I just use a bicycle harness and a ergometric harness from Ferplast, will get a Webmaster when he's done growing). The martingale collar is 1.5", and he should be veeery good if he escapes from that one.
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My dogs don't wear collars at home only on walks. Gossy pulls like a lead Iditarod dog and I have tried everything with her. Because of her pulling, regular collars rubbed off fur as well as put pressure on her throat. I tried two different martingdales (narrow and wide) and she learned that if she stopped she could wiggle out of it - I have no idea how because I tried to pull it off and couldn't. I tried the GentleLeader head halter but she just walked with her head always to one side; the EasyWalk harness also pulled to the side (yes it was on tight) and she could get out of it anyway by backing up and slipping her head under the back strap (I finally weaved a little strip to connect it to her collar so if she did get out she would still be connected to her leash); she has been able to back out of EVERY other harness I've tried. I took her to a loose-leash class and she did fine IN CLASS but once outside … She now wears a prong collar for walks - and still pulls but at least not nearly as much.
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) She now wears a prong collar for walks - and still pulls but at least not nearly as much.
Mine gets out of all types of harnesses, I've learned the hard way. I worried about the modified choke because their necks have no real protection - I've thought about prong collars because they pull so very much, but don't they hurt them?
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@Shaye's:
I've thought about prong collars because they pull so very much, but don't they hurt them?
That would be the dog's decision, wouldn't it?
Seriously, if you have a dog that likes to pull and doesn't respond to the usual attempts at modifying the behaviour, sometimes you just have to go with what works. And put up with the nasty looks from someone who hasn't "been there." I believe prong collars are less likely to injure their necks than choke collars. I know a vet that recommends them for this reason…... -
hello,
may i ask what a prong collar is? i have all sorts of weird images flashing through my mind
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Most of my dogs walk on a martingale. Nicky uses a Freedom Harness and it works well for him. It is very adjustable so it is possible to get a nice snug fit. At nearly 14 years old though, he is not really trying to get out of it but I know quite a few people with a variety of dogs that have been very happy with them.
Is there a certain style of harness your dog gets out of? Have you tried other designs?
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i used either a martingale or an "ezydog harness" (this type)
depending on where we are going and what we are doing really
going for long bush walks or scootering i use the harness, if its just for a walk in general usually the martingale. doing training/agility - collar (but thats typically off leash).we wear collars here 24/7 as our dogs have to be registered with the local council and so they have to wear a council tag (we also have to pay money to the council to have dogs and are not allowed more then 2 dogs per property unless over 800mtrsquare or if you apply for a permit which they have to approve) unsure if its the same around the world - im very curious, is it? (i also put my own tag on with the dogs name and my mobile number).
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Lysh, in some towns the city ordinance doesn't allow more than two dogs without a kennel license but that isn't true for all places here in the US
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I am kinda glad we're not allowed to use prong collars here in Norway, and heck, our dogs and us manage still!
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Lysh: the picture you just posted of your r/w looks exactly like my Shaye - she has managed to get out of the Easy Walk harness if it isn't really tight. I've always recommended the Easy Walk for control while walking, but running her with it is not a good idea because the rubbing makes her sore in her "armpits."
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Think those prong collars are illegal in most of Europa, and I'm also happy glad that that is the case. We don't live in the middle-ages anymore… there are lots of more dog-friendly ways to teach a dog not to pull on a leash. As you have to use a prong collar for that, something must be wrong with your insights on how dogs work if you ask me.
@Lysh: In Belgium we are allowed to have 5 dogs without a permit, and we don't have to pay dog-taxes.
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Please can somebody tell us ignorant ones what is a prong collar? Sounds a bit nasty!
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Thank you Voodoo. It looks horrendous and I think I'd rather my dog pulled.
Surely there are far better ways to train not to pull? It looks as though if a dog persists it could do damage? In my experience a Basenji with strong prey drive who sights prey would pull on the leash to get there despite any pain.
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In fact, it looks worse then it is. The prong collar works on the concept that evenly applied pressure is gentler and more effective on a dog's neck than the quick jerk and impact of a choke chain. And it's self-limited to as far as it can close, like a martingale, so in one way, it's better then a slip collar wich can be pulled much tighter.
But still I don't like it, and in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it, it can easily and quickly ruin a dog. That's the main reason why those are illegal over here, together with the fact that you can easily learn a dog not to pull on the leash all the time with much gentler methods. Just takes a bit more time and patience.
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yuck! those prong collars look SO uncomfortable. i would hate to have that around my neck! i think you can just about get the same affect by using a martingale like this one and your dog will learn how to not pull.
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Prong collars indeed look nasty, and I personally have never used one, but know people who do. They are actually less likely to injure a dog's neck than a choke collar or even a "gentle leader". Dog anatomy is not the same as horse anatomy. Pulling the head sideways can cause problems. With a little dog, like a Basenji, pulling is less of an issue than it is with one that outweighs you…..
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Thank you Voodoo. It looks horrendous and I think I'd rather my dog pulled.
Surely there are far better ways to train not to pull? It looks as though if a dog persists it could do damage? In my experience a Basenji with strong prey drive who sights prey would pull on the leash to get there despite any pain.
Those collars look quite medieval, but they look worse than they are. They can cause far less damage than a regular slip (choke) collarnot only because they're limited slip but because they apply even pressure all the way around the neck, not in one place on the neck as does a slip collar.
They don't work by causing pain. Those prongs don't jab into their necks, turn the collar inside out (prongs pointing out), it'll still work, it works because it applies even pressure around the neck, sort of how mommy dog disciplines baby dog. It's like power steering for your dog, it take very little strength to be effective, that's why many service dogs wear them.
