# GL Walking Harness Tips?



## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

What size harness did you get? Sam and Dill both wear a size Large, which is perfect on Dillon but the chest strap is a bit too big for Sam. They do sell "half" sizes online, and I think a M/L would be perfect for Sam as far as sizing, but he does fine with the size L as far as curbing his pulling so I just haven't had a need to buy the slightly smaller size for him.

Does he still pull as much as with the leash attached to his regular collar? I was lucky in that the harness really did take away Sam's desire to pull immediately.


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## Trids (Jan 22, 2009)

I got a large because when it listed the chest girth, Max's measured just right. A med. seemed like it would already be too small or would, within a couple weeks. I didn't see any half-sizes where I shopped (_shoot!_). So, next I tried walking him with just the regular collar again, now that he's older. No luck. He still pulls on it like his primary goal in life is to move ME from Point A to Point B. I'll say this, I've got a strong boy! :bowl: BTW, I also purchased & tried a car harness (because of his roaming while riding in the car). It has a leash connector on the back of it, but he pulls with that one even harder! (No strain on his throat.) Yikes!
Thanks Marlene!


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## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

Try putting it on upside down so the colored strap is across the back instead of the belly. We had the same problem with Brady's, and I read somewhere that with some deep chested dogs, they fit better upside down. So we did that with his and it fits great. You'll have to play with all of the adjustments, but you should be able to get the chest strap snug when the others are correct. I was also told that to fit this properly the part that goes around his belly has to be pretty snug...only one finger width fits underneath when they're sitting. Let me know if that works for you.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

I've only ever seen the half sizes online, never in stores. You can usually find them pretty cheap (much cheaper than at Petco or something!) online.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

The one you have may be too big. When I first bought the three for my dogs, I had to get Jasmine the X-Large because she was overweight and has a big barrel chest. Now it's too big. Jasper is in a Large, but could probably go down to a medium, except he doesn't pull, so I really don't need to change his.


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## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

Doodle said:


> Try putting it on upside down so the colored strap is across the back instead of the belly. We had the same problem with Brady's, and I read somewhere that with some deep chested dogs, they fit better upside down. quote]
> 
> this is how our lab wears hers.


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## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

Sierra still pulls some in her harness, I had the same trouble with the front gap. I re-adjusted just this last weekend and it's better. I shifted the straps by tightening the back strap and loosening the belly strap then I was able to get the chest strap in a better location. Seems to have helped Sierra anyway. She still pulls but seems to be a little more off balance when she does, I think that might help curb the pulling.

I also made my own version of the "Walk Your Dog With Love" harness. I'm hoping to try it again tomorrow morning and test the difference of any between the two style of harnesses.
Karen


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Either try it upside down, or do it normally, but take your leash clip and clip it first through the harness strap and then reach up and also clip it to the D-ring on the regular collar. When you're dong, the leash clip will be attached to the D rings on BOTH the harness AND the collar.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Either try it upside down, or do it normally, but take your leash clip and clip it first through the harness strap and then reach up and also clip it to the D-ring on the regular collar. When you're dong, the leash clip will be attached to the D rings on BOTH the harness AND the collar.


 That is what I do with Jasmine's because it was rubbing her. But now I am going to try turning it upside down. Thanks for the tips guys!


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## PowderPuff791 (Mar 12, 2009)

Karen2 said:


> Sierra still pulls some in her harness, I had the same trouble with the front gap. I re-adjusted just this last weekend and it's better. I shifted the straps by tightening the back strap and loosening the belly strap then I was able to get the chest strap in a better location. Seems to have helped Sierra anyway. She still pulls but seems to be a little more off balance when she does, I think that might help curb the pulling.
> 
> I also made my own version of the "Walk Your Dog With Love" harness. I'm hoping to try it again tomorrow morning and test the difference of any between the two style of harnesses.
> Karen


I have the "Walk Your Dog With Love" harness and can't believe the difference! Duke doesn't pull and you barely have to hold onto the leash, he's that gentle! The minute you put his leash on his regular collar, he'll pull your arm out of the socket! I can't say enough about this! 

We tried the Gentle Leader, but he spends his time trying to get it off his snout instead. We're now trying to use the Gentle Leader as a bark deterent instead (I know, probably not the best, but it seems to be working).


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

It might be wise to treat this as a training issue, rather than as an equipment issue. Dogs aren't at their happiest when they're pulling, and no matter what your equipment, it can create dangerous situations.They do it because they don't fully understand their expectations and because we haven't built in them the habit of giving us their attention and a loose leash.

Of the equipment mentioned so far, the halter is the best match for helping your dog learn to look to you for guidance. It's not the best deterrent for pulling, and it's not a great lifelong solution, but it is a great piece of equipment to transition you from a non-listening puller to a loose-leash gentleman, because it helps turn the dog's head back to you when he does pull, and that gives you an opportunity to get his attention back and to foster the kind of leash behavior you want.

Is there a good training center near you? Ours has a problem behaviors class that deals directly with leash pullers. Basic obedience and CGC classes also often deal with this problem.


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## Trids (Jan 22, 2009)

*Thanks Everyone!*

Thanks everyone, for all the suggestions. I'll be trying them to see which one works the best for Max. I certainly never would have thought to try it upside down!

I'll have to look up the Walk Your Dog with Love harness, I'm curious to see what's different about it.

BTW TippyKayak, he did graduate from basic obedience class and had some leash pulling issues, (which is how we ended up with the GL head collar). When I use it, he walks quite nicely, I just hate to see him so distressed when he's wearing it. He scratches repeatedly at his face, trying to remove it and therefore is very distracted and not enjoying his walks. No fun for any of us.

Thank again everyone, great ideas!
-Trids


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Trids said:


> BTW TippyKayak, he did graduate from basic obedience class and had some leash pulling issues, (which is how we ended up with the GL head collar). When I use it, he walks quite nicely, I just hate to see him so distressed when he's wearing it. He scratches repeatedly at his face, trying to remove it and therefore is very distracted and not enjoying his walks. No fun for any of us.


Well, that's my point, I guess. I wouldn't want to use a halter indefinitely either, but I also wouldn't want to end up with a harness I had to put on and take off every time we went for a walk.

The solution is to find equipment that's safe and humane and allows you control for safety _temporarily_, while you work on the problem behaviorally. I firmly believe that most, if not all, dogs can be taught to walk with a loose leash on a flat collar.


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## Trids (Jan 22, 2009)

Agreed. I don't want to have to use either harness permanently, I just want to be able to keep him safe and teach him to walk nicely with only his regular collar. Obviously, I'm not getting through to him to walk gently and not pull my arm out of it's socket when using the regular collar. ; ) The trainer had the same problem. He's incredibly gentle with me most of the time, but this is an issue for us.
Thanks again!
-Trids


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

See, I have no problem putting on and taking off their harnesses. It's no different than putting their collars on for a walk, since my dogs don't wear collars in the house. It takes as little time to put the harness on as it does to put a collar on.

It is totally different when you are walking one, or even two dogs. I walk all three of mine and my lab (who has her CGC, so obviously knows how to walk on a loose lead) is still a puller when she doesn't have her harness on. Has been for her entire 8 1/2 years. She wants to make sure she is in the lead (of the other dogs). My walks are for exercise, not for training. We also don't stop and sniff everything along the way. The harness is ideal for walking all three of them.

If I take them out one on one with me and not one of the other dogs, none of them pull. Not that my goldens pull anyways. But when I have all three out, I want to be able to control them if an issue comes up, like a loose dog or a goose walking up the path in front of us.

So I guess what I am saying, in my long winded way, is that some of us use the harness as a walking tool. It is not a crutch or something that we want to eventually "get away from".


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## Trids (Jan 22, 2009)

I walk my two dogs together most of the time, so yes, the harnesses are helpful then.

I don't 'mind' using the harnesses, it's not much trouble putting them on and taking them off. However, I don't want to 'need' the harness. It would be nice if I could use just his collar sometimes and not have to have the harness on him in order to get him to walk nicely on the leash.

I realize that I need to teach him what it is I'm asking of him, I'm just not getting through to him! Obviously, I've still got a lot of work to do! :wave:
-Trids


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

fostermom said:


> So I guess what I am saying, in my long winded way, is that some of us use the harness as a walking tool. It is not a crutch or something that we want to eventually "get away from".


Sorry - I was thinking more of halters and the need for extra control when I said it was something to get away from. I definitely wasn't clear, though. A harness is a perfectly good permanent solution, and it's actually safer than a buckle collar in an emergency since it's less likely to hurt the neck and you can grab onto it to haul a dog to safety much more easily.

Our dogs wear collars almost all of the time and are rarely on leash, so a harness would be a pain for our system.


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## Sienna's Mom (Oct 23, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Either try it upside down, or do it normally, but take your leash clip and clip it first through the harness strap and then reach up and also clip it to the D-ring on the regular collar. When you're dong, the leash clip will be attached to the D rings on BOTH the harness AND the collar.


This is what we had to do for a while with Sienna (Sensible harness)- one time she didn't want to go (interesting dog she wanted to greet LOL) and she sat and wouldn't budge. I pulled the lead, the front of the harness went up over her head and she got loose! Scared the heck out of me!

Now it seems to fit her better, but she doesn't seem to like it. She would do great with the Prong collar, but she still pulled a bit and eventually the hair in that area would be rubbed short. So we started using the harness again- strangely she runs when she sees us getting it out and sometimes stands there looking awkward after we first put it on her. A little tug to get her moving and she's fine. It's weird, it seems to fit okay- so I'm not sure what it is.


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## Trids (Jan 22, 2009)

I'm having SUCH a hard time picturing this! I guess because I'm not at home and don't have the harness in my hands. :doh: I just can't get this straight in my head how to hook the leash to both the harness strap AND the collar. Oh boy, guess I'll have to try it when I get home.

Thanks for the tip!
-Trids


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## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> Of the equipment mentioned so far, the halter is the best match for helping your dog learn to look to you for guidance. It's not the best deterrent for pulling, and it's not a great lifelong solution, but it is a great piece of equipment to transition you from a non-listening puller to a loose-leash gentleman, because it helps turn the dog's head back to you when he does pull, and that gives you an opportunity to get his attention back and to foster the kind of leash behavior you want.


This is exactly what we did with Brady. We used the gentle leader for about 2 months to teach him proper leash walking skills, then when we thought he was ready, we switched to the EZ walk harness and after a few days of training with that, he was fine.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

tippykayak said:


> ...I firmly believe that most, if not all, dogs can be taught to walk with a loose leash on a flat collar.


I keep hearing that but I swear it's not possible with Lilah. I've been working on loose leash walking with her since 2006 with no success. Maybe someone who is a trainer can have that success rate, but for the average pet owner I don't believe it's possible. I think it depends on the dog. Robbie walks loose leash all the time, but he always has from the very beginning.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

mylissyk said:


> I keep hearing that but I swear it's not possible with Lilah. I've been working on loose leash walking with her since 2006 with no success. Maybe someone who is a trainer can have that success rate, but for the average pet owner I don't believe it's possible. I think it depends on the dog. Robbie walks loose leash all the time, but he always has from the very beginning.


But have you worked with a trainer? Have you tried a halter and a positive-reinforcement system? Do you know if your timing and reinforcement is accurate and understandable to the dog?


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

The pulling has always been an issue for us, too. Ruby has been through puppy training and we sent her away for a month for one on one training for all of her issues. She will be 2 years next month and she is horrible to walk with. We tried all of the collars and the lesser of all of the evils is the easy walk harness. She still pulls uncontrollably. It is so bad my two children can not take her out. We do work with her, but she has a mind of her own and is the most stubborn, self centered animal we have ever known. We have paid out a lot of money to get her trained and it worked for a while and then she just goes back to her old self. Is there a site that has reputable trainers for specific issues? Our problem is that it wouldn't be a couple of training sessions this could cost another arm and a leg. I do walk/run her everyday and by the time I am done my left arm is halfway out of the socket.

Vicky, mom to Ruby-23 months


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