Body harness?

[Cat_Tap]

My dog is a puller when we go for a walk. We have tried the “he pulls you stop, resume when he stops pulling”. I have some control with his gentle leader but unfortunately he managed to eat the buckle. I will get another one but in the meantime I am using a choke chain which I had used a long time ago on another dog. It has very little effect. He seems to have a neck of steel.

Today I was walking him with part of an old lungeline which he had disected. I was fed up with his pulling and wrapped it around his body in a figure 8. This seemed to work much better. So I was wondering if I should try him with a body harness rather than gentle leader. He doesn’t like the gentle leader, always throws himself on the ground rubbing his head.

[Sail_Away]

My current dog walks much better in a harness than being hooked to the collar. She is a strong dog and a big puller, but walked very nicely with the harness on. I say try it.

[french_fry]

Sometimes they lean into the body harness like sled dogs but YMMV.

Have you tried a front-clip harness?

[Bicoastal]

[QUOTE=Cat Tap;8734877]
Today I was walking him with part of an old lungeline which he had disected. I was fed up with his pulling and wrapped it around his body in a figure 8. This seemed to work much better. So I was wondering if I should try him with a body harness rather than gentle leader.[/QUOTE]

Like french fry said, a regular ole body harness where the clip is along the back will likely result in sled-dog pulling. Have you tried a front-clip no-pull harness? Lots of people love them and their dogs live in them as a management tool.

I think your dog was reacting to the closing of the figure 8 around his flank. This was a new and uncomfortable sensation. If you liked the result, snap a 6’ leash to his collar and make a half hitch around his waist, like this. Two words of caution: this can cause soreness/bruising and if nothing else changes in the leash walking, he’ll probably become desensitized to this tool as he has to the flat collar and choke chain.

It takes two to pull. You are co-creating that neck of steel. You know horses with “dead mouths.” Dog people have the neck version.

[french_fry]

Yep, to echo bicoastal I will add that dogs can and will learn to pull through anything - halters, pinch collars, etc.

The best way to use a new tool is to capitalize on the dog’s confusion - they haven’t figured out how to beat it yet, so take the opportunity to do some remedial work so they (hopefully) never get back in the habit of pulling.

[yellowbritches]

I’m not a huge fan of harnesses as I too think they can create pullers. But my instructor for the obedience class I just did with my little dog recommended the front clip ones to a few big time pullers in our class, and you could see a big difference, even within one class.

[Cat_Tap]

I will look into the front clip no pull harness.

I have tried very hard to get him out of this habit. We are good at doggie school, but out on our trails there are so many exiting scents that he can’t contain himself. He is a very strong, high energy dog. I also think Bouvs were bred to pull as they were used in WWI as ambulance dogs. Some Bouvs are taught to pull a wagon with the owner riding in it. I have considered this but I think we would be the laughing stock as the runaway Bouv is tearing down the road and I am sure my language is not appreciated.

Lately I have allowed to let him run loose in the back hay field providing the turkeys, deer and coyotes are out of sight. So far our recall is working very well.

I am going to buy both kinds of harnesses along with the gentle leader and alternate. Hopefully my rope burns will heal.