No-pull-harnesses

[dee lee]

Yeah thats it! I couldnt find it!

I did find this one as well, which is about anti pulling devices as well http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...&hl=pulling

After reading that (which I am sure I did the first time), now I just feel like a failure.

Especially after reading this:

Teaching a dog not to pull on lead is generally effected within a VERY short space of time ..... even ones that have spent their lifetime with their owners LEARNING to pull. The tool you use does play a part towards interpreting the message to the dog, but the way you work the exercise delivers the message in the first place.

Months? Ah ah. One session to begin achieving results? Yes.

[denis_c]

Hi DeeLee2

Like many fields of endeavor, it can be that you feel like a failure because of how you feel about the information that is given to you or that you are missing something small that is really important . I do suggest that you find a trainer or go to a school where there interest is in helping you rather than feeding their egos by putting you down or where they haven't learnt how to teach people to teach their dogs. Shame and or humiliation has no part in teaching under most circumstances.

My own pain was with tracking. It can be a little difficult to get help, and if you are all thumbs, it doesn't come that easily. I kept on failing for quite a while. I knew that my dog was crash hot , the judges kept on telling me so, and I knew my handling was awful, the judges told me that too!! I went away for a few years, and worked at it, but I had missed some key info. A very kind person who understood where I come from and some personal details that helped explain how I might learn told me two bits of info about trials that wasn't a light bulb turning on, but more like a cosmic explosion. I have been pretty succesful in tracking ever since, with high success rates. My new little poodle went on a run from track one to track five till we blew it at track 6 last week.

Good on you for continuing to try.

[Animal House]

I got the Sporn Halter for my steam train (Minty the staffy) and it worked.

She turned into a really hard puller, wouldnt listen to me, wouldnt sit, nearly pulled my arm out of my sockets, and that was with a correction chain, a normal collar, a normal harness.

5 mins on the Sporn, and we had a dainty dog. She sits when asked (at the kerb), she still gets excited, but she would only do one quick pull probably once a month now, and realise its going to get her nowhere, (plus if she does it, I quickly turn her around in the opposite direction).

I should get one for Charlie too, he pulls a bit as well, but him being so low to the ground, Im not sure what size to get.

Hmm..

[dee lee]

I got the Sporn Halter for my steam train (Minty the staffy) and it worked.

She turned into a really hard puller, wouldnt listen to me, wouldnt sit, nearly pulled my arm out of my sockets, and that was with a correction chain, a normal collar, a normal harness.

5 mins on the Sporn, and we had a dainty dog. She sits when asked (at the kerb), she still gets excited, but she would only do one quick pull probably once a month now, and realise its going to get her nowhere, (plus if she does it, I quickly turn her around in the opposite direction).

I should get one for Charlie too, he pulls a bit as well, but him being so low to the ground, Im not sure what size to get.

Hmm..

Ok, SOLD!

At least I can give it a shot. I feel the over the back correction is preferable to the front correction, so Sporn it is.

And thanks to all who have given me support and advice.

[shoemonster]

Deelee, dont feel like a failure, it will pass down to the dogs and if you feel unsure they will pick up on it so quickly (personal experience here)

Have you gone to a private trainer like Steve or Erny? Sometimes you just really need someone really experienced to see what you're doing and pick up on things you dont even realise you're doing. Also seeing someone with exceptional timing etc will help get it right in your head too

Edited July 23, 2008 by shoemonster

[dee lee]

Deelee, dont feel like a failure, it will pass down to the dogs and if you feel unsure they will pick up on it so quickly (personal experience here)

Have you gone to a private trainer like Steve or Erny? Sometimes you just really need someone really experienced to see what you're doing and pick up on things you dont even realise you're doing. Also seeing someone with exceptional timing etc will help get it right in your head too

I sooo need to see a trainer, but a bit tight with funds at present so this is just a bandaid to help me not lose it!!

Trying to weasel my way into a training club, could be a while though (waiting on OH :rolleyes: ).

So... here I am, desperately trying NOT to feel like a failure.

Now, just looked around to buy a Sporn Harness- to complicate matters now there seems to be a new mesh version!

Tricks at every corner!

[shoemonster]

Have a think about it though, the cost of a trainer v's the cost of buying these tools, which may or may not work. I know the trainers seem expensive, but if you just save for a bit and can maybe do without something else for a short period you might be better off?

[cwm]

Yes, fourpaws, it is the one the wild thing wears to training I swear it's the only thing I can keep some semblance of control of the 32kilos of wild puppy!

Deelee - I just emailed or phoned Jenny to get my harness. I think they're around $25 or so for the harness and maybe another $15 for the double ended leash. There are two attachments - one from the front and one on the back, technically you can have an attachment on both ends and you are in total control.

I've still found that I have to do the whole stop, wait, get her back, but now she's getting better at it all.

[dee lee]

Thanks everyone!

Still a bit confused what to get- nothing seems failproof- I should know better than to look for a magic bullet :p

Hmm, was going to go on about my crap financial situation, but had a sleep on it (and walked the dog ) and considering that K9 force has such a long waiting list I am going to discuss with OH about making an appointment and hope the money appears somehow.

Its getting ridiculous- I'm starting to really dislike my dog, this walking thing is just the tip of the iceberg.

Will keep you posted.

Edited July 24, 2008 by deelee2

[shoemonster]

I think that sounds like a good idea

[4 Paws]

Yeah thats it! I couldnt find it!

I did find this one as well, which is about anti pulling devices as well http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...&hl=pulling

just found this information when i was looking for info regarding ttouch,its a similar set up to that double leash in that thread but only using one leash,called a ttouch balnce leash,looks like it works much the same way http://www.berigorafarm.com.au/TTouch%20balance%20leash.pdf

Might explain why it works

[kateykateykatey]

Thanks everyone!

Still a bit confused what to get- nothing seems failproof- I should know better than to look for a magic bullet :D

Hmm, was going to go on about my crap financial situation, but had a sleep on it (and walked the dog ) and considering that K9 force has such a long waiting list I am going to discuss with OH about making an appointment and hope the money appears somehow.

Its getting ridiculous- I'm starting to really dislike my dog, this walking thing is just the tip of the iceberg.

Will keep you posted.

Look, I'm no expert, but IMO a walking harness would help you. It's not a solution to the pulling, of course, but it will help relieve some of the pulling and give you something to actually reinforce. My little dog is a big time puller, and I use an easy walk harness on her sometimes, particularly when the girls (who are 7) are walking her. The issue here, was that NO ONE wanted to walk her because she pulled so much, and while I could get her to LLW beautifully at dog school, I didn't always have boundless patience when out on the street, particularly when walking with my other dog, or the kids.

Now, there are probably lots of things that people say I SHOULD have done in those situations (just practiced LLW, walked her on her own, etc) but when it came down to it, sometimes I just wanted to be able to walk the dog.

The easy walk harness is what I bought; the trainer at dog school recommended these over the sporn harnesses (which the trainer wasn't a fan of, and they're expensive, anyway). It's good, but I'm not totally crazy about it -- it seems to gape at the front, because the shiny material slips easily through the adjustment bits. The harmony harness looks like it's made of cotton webbing, so I doubt it'd have the same problem.

I'm going to hazard a guess that these harnesses are for teaching a dog to walk to heel, and I notice Lil tends to kind of 'twist' her body to compensate for the direction of the lead when she's walking up ahead (mind you, the lead is still loose) so I'm not sure about this aspect of it, but ultimately it's a sanity saver.