Dog walking query - The "Happy At Heel" Dog Training Harness

[KC and the boys]

Errol has got used to the Halti and is starting to muck about again. It also sits very close to his eyes despite it only being size 2 (meant to be for a Cocker!). I inspected this harness at the petshop the other day but it's an expensive piece of kit and I didn't want to invest in it without gathering some genuine feedback first. Has anyone tried it? It's fairly new on the market...

 

http://puredoglisteners.com/pdl/the-happy-at-heel-harness/

[martina mckeag]

Watched the video don't think much of it to be honest have you ever tried the canny collar it goes to the back of the head not to the side like the halti  

[Deb Bouttell]

The 'gentle leader' which looks quite like a halti doesn't seem to ride up to the eyes.

[Rhonda Fisher]

Second the Gentle Leader, the fit is much better.

[Howard Glansfield]

Nothing seems to work on Arthur,he will pull on all those mentioned above ,even the canny collar.He stops pulling when he has been to the park and walks normally coming home.He is just so keen to get there.I would appreciate advice too!

[Rita Wilson]

Howard you should take up mushing and harness that natural desire to pull :D

The dogmatic is great and doesn't ride up near the dogs eyes. I've read good reviews about the Happy at Heel Harness but haven't tried. 

[Julia Grace]

Harley is exactly like this. Th eproblem is, I've had to be very firm with him with voice commands as I have arthiritis in my joints and 'bionic' hips and knees, if he pulled me over it would not simply be a case of me just getting back up :-/.

He is three this year (I can't believe it's been that long!) and now he will be an absolute gent on the lead 99% of the time. He wears a halti but will now mostly walk on a loose lead. The only way I've found to calm him and stop him pulling has been to keep him at my side and when he does pull, I tension the lead and pull him back to my side using the word 'gently'. Gently to him means 'slow down and walk nicely please!'. The second he steps back, I loosen the lead to the point that it is very slack and hanging loose from the ring on his halti.

It's a lot of repetition and patience, there have been times I've had him rearing and pirouetting on the lead because he knows that A. I will not be pulled everywhere and B. The halti tightens each time he does pull and because of those two points, he has sometimes rebelled. I have a horse and the only effective way I've found to handle Harley is to treat him as I would a hormonal colt. Be prepared for the paddies and the spirit I suppose :-D.

I'm the only one in the family who is able to take him out and have him walk like a gentleman. Everyone else has to put up with unruly and yobby behaviour.

On Harley's very excitable days he tremors with excitement before he goes out. On those days I know I have a challenge on my hands and we end up walking a few paces and then him being made to sit and calm down for a minute or so :D

In general he is a very good boy and I suppose what has worked for us won't work for you but it may be worth a try? I only use the word 'gently' with Harley as that is a general cue for him to be gentle, nice and calm. I knows others use the traditional 'heel' cue but I foud with Harley that I needed to be consistent and very firm as I'd give him an inch and he'd take ten miles :D.

Good luck! I'm not sure how well I've explained myself as I've answerd the phone three times while writing this but hopefully it makes sense! :-).

[Delia Bryce]

Hi, have a look Dogmatic, another variant which I like.

[Rebecca]

We prefer the Dogmatic, after trying the Halti, Gentle Leader and the Canny Collar.  http://www.dogmatic.org.uk/

[Fran Griffin]

Hi, I  can see the principal these harnesses work on, and are not something I would recommend.  The harnesses we are having tremendous results with can be found here

http://www.xtradog.com

They have to be used with a double ended lead as they have two points of contact. There are some picture here of how they work

http://www.xtradog.com/ttouch-for-your-dog/using-a-harness.html

I put one on a Newfie/BMD cross last week who had been pulling her owner right off her feet. Within minutes this dog was walking in complete balance, so that we were able to start rewarding her for walking in the correct position. All I did was steer her round towards me using the part of the lead which clips to the chest every time she tried to surge forwards.  Once in position, she was rewarded with some very tasty treats.  A few minutes later she was walking her her owner up and down the street!

[Andrea Maxwell]

I agree with the use of this type of harness, with the two point control and double ended lead.  It worked great for a rather strong Weimaraner bitch while we worked on various issues she had on the lead.

In saying that, I prefer to work hard on a dog to teach them appropriate behaviour on a flat collar, but using the above type of harness as a training tool initially really helps.

[Fran Griffin]

Agreed Andrea :-)

[Torie Lancaster]

I never liked the Halti, much preferring the Gentle Leader.

I think the way a dog walks when it is wearing a headcollar is down to the way the handler controls the lead.  Most people yank a lead backwards when a dog pulls, it's far better to give small corrective jerks towards your knee to keep the dog from pulling ahead or pull the lead upwards to stop then start walking once the dog is at heel.  Always worked for me.