Training Aids to walking.

[popularfurball]

Patch has a halti and a gentle leader, a harness and a normal collar.

He has panic attacks about other dogs/Prams etc. He throws himself about, on the floor etc so it needs to be robust enough to deal with this.

Equally, he is too strong on a normal harness and pulls me over.

The halti/gentle leaders are best but go in his eyes or stress him out when he get panicked...

I know it is a lon slow training lesson bout would be interested in suggestions and views

 

[chunky monkey]

I had a gentle leader for my collie. I think if my memory serves me right the halti has a bit less than the gentle leader. I know at the time it was explained in the shop, we went for the gentle leader as it gave more control. Yes that right its coming to me now. If the dog lunged it gave more pressure on keeping the nose down and also gave directional control. It helped to turn the head away from what he was lunging at. I remember when I had mine to start with and collie was less than a year she threw herself on the floor and grabbed the lead with her paws to fight it. It came with practice. Eventually we were able to progress to clipping the lead on the collar. Have you got the right size for your particular dog. Think they come in different sizes. This might be why its cutting across the eyes.
Never tried a harness, but all the people ive seen with dogs wearing harness the dog is still able to lunge forward. You cant turn them away from the problem.
I guess some people would say that pulling a head round could be considered cruel. If you think of it in horse terms and the one stop rein, performing a one stop rein brings the head round which knocks the back end off balance and means that you can stop your horse bolting.

 

[popularfurball]

Sorry my post was a bit nonsensical - I fell asleep writing it after a night shift!

We swapped from the halti to the gentle leader which is better, just worried that he will slip it and vanish. When he has a panic attack, i cannot use the gentle leader I have to pick him up by his harness so his front feet are off the floor. The gentle leader is to stop his general walking bad manners a bit. I was wondering about a front fastening harness used like you long rein a horse but I have never seen one in use?

 

[juliecwuk]

I would probably have him wearing both a harness and the gentle leader, with a second lead onto the harness too if I was worried about him getting free.

Is he scared of other dogs and tries to run away? With regards to prams can you borrow one off a friend to try to desensitise him with positive rewards? Toby used to be a bit Unconfident with prams until we had Sophie and then I had to walk him alongside one, which he quickly learned that they were fine.

 

[popularfurball]

His issues with Prams are where he can't see them properly... And he thinks they are a dog! He does the same with people carrying bags, remote control cars... It goes on!