A true, no-pull harness
Name Withheld (Alpharetta, Georgia) - 3/29/16 11:21 AM
Pros: prevents injury to hahndlers
Cons: needs to be used and fitted correctly
Review: Fact: dogs are born with an "opposition reflex." This means, if they feel pressure on any part of their body, they WILL lean INTOthe pressure, and NOT back out of it. This is precisely why we put a harness on a sled dog - the dog leans into the harness, feelsthe pressure, and then leans harder into the harness, to pull the heavy sled. The exact same reflex is in operation when a dog gets in front of its handler, and feels pressure on its collar - it will NOT back off, but pull even harder as the handler tries to maintain control over the dog. Teaching a dog NOT to pull on leash, takes an immense amount of time and practice - those of us who compete in canine obedience and rally do this all the time, but very few pet owners are willing to take the hundreds of hours necessaryto train a dog proper heel position and walking without pulling on a leash. THIS harness, however, is a very good MANAGEMENT tool for the determined leash puller, who is slowly learning that walking in heel is more rewarding than dragging the owner all over, at the far end of a retractable leash. Its attachment ring for the leash, is up front, on the dog's upper chest - NOT placed behind the shoulders, as is usual for other harnesses. Used correctly with a shorter leash (3 to 4 ft, and NOT a retractable, ever!), the dog's natural tendency to pull in front of the handler, results in a surprise! When the dog gets in front and tries to pull, its front end gets redirected involuntarily, and now instead of moving forward, it is suddenly facing the handler. At this point, the handler should redirect the dog back into Heel position, and make Heel more rewarding (with cookies, praise, a toy, petting, whatever works best for the dog), and then continue walking forward. The design works by redirecting the dog's attention on the handler - if itputs pressure leaning into the harness, the harness redirects the dog. This design works for everything from Chihuahuas to Great Danes, as long as the handler remembers to reward the dog for being in the right place, and doesn't use an overly long leash. It will not "cure" leash pulling; that can only be done with hundreds and hundreds of hours of training. BUT, it can help MANAGE the pulling behavior, and prevent handler injuries. Be sure to use a shorter leash, and fit the harness snug to the body and armpits, and remove it anytime the dog is not to be on leash (such as at home, or playing with other dogs), to prevent injuries.