I would love to be able to walk Coco on a flat collar, but I cannot see this happening any time soon. Strictly a harness for him, at 3 years old, he still lunges so I need to protect his neck.
I use a harness on walks that I know will result in pulling (new walks, anything near water, trails, going to events with lots of people/dogs) and a flat collar for our regular neighbourhood walks. Until we mastered no pulling on our regular walk, she was on a harness. I would say I use the harness 8/10 walks...I also prefer it.
Harness here for almost all walks, much the same as @QuinnM15 above. We use & really like the haqihana harness - which I found through forum recommendations, lots of discussion of it on other threads.
Harness - can't pull out of it and protects his neck. But if we're coming home from the park and I know there won't be pulling, I just clip the lead on his collar and carry the harness. (I remove the harness in the park or on off-leash walks. Always has his collar on when outside the house for ID.)
I used a harness for Cassie from around 7 months, but now she's 16 months I use it less and less as her loose lead walking is improving, especially on usual walks. I still use the harness for situations where she is still highly likely to lunge, but I do find those are decreasing. The harness was really good for teaching her to walk on a loose lead and I would not like to be without it.
I used a normal harness for Harley until about 2 weeks ago, then we bought her a front attaching harness. Her loose lead walk is good until...she sees something and lunges. My back can't handle the lunges. The harness has made all the difference. She wears a flat collar with it simply because it helps stablize the harness and if she does pull out she will have a flat collar.
Harness practically all the time. But we usually use a collar if we've just applied his monthly Bayvantic tick/mosquito repellent along his spine, so it has chance to dry.
Without meaning to stir up any controversy. I have tried collar and harness with varying degree of success. If in town and likely to encounter many people and dogs (usually seeming to walk nicely by their owner) I will put on the harness as the temptation to pull can be too much. Whilst on our daily outings I use an Ancol slip lead - ideal when put his lead on in a hurry and I find that a sharp tug when tempted to pull will get Brodie's focus back on me especially if i have treats to hand. I expect some will now tell me the dangers of damaging his neck etc, but this is what works for me. We are getting there slowly but surely. As a by the by I don't have any veterinary knowledge, but he has a neck like a bull, therefore i doubt that there could be any serious damaged caused?
But even if it doesn't actually damage his neck, don't you think it's unkind? It must hurt or it wouldn't work. If you have treats could you not try just using those, initially as a lure and then as a reward?
So you use positive punishment in the form of lead jerks, which on a flat collar is bad enough but on a slip lead which can continue to tighten is appalling, when you're dog is 'tempted to pull'. He is either pulling or not. You are punishing for something he 'might be tempted' to do and then want to reward him with a treat! I have no veterinary medical training but it is not difficult to work out jerks on the neck can cause damage to the windpipe, soft tissue damage and even the spine. It is perfectly possible to train a dog to walk nicely on a lead without inflicting punishment amd a positive reward trainer could shiw you a good successful technique very quickly; but you'll have to bin the slip lead for them to work with you.
I use a harness unless we are walking in areas where she is likely to swim then I'll pop a collar on. I use the Hurtta padded activity harness although there are plenty of good ones on the market, it's a matter of personal choice and what suits one dog may not suit another.
I prefer harnesses but Kona doesn't. She hates them, and desenzibilization didn't work (it may be related to her fear caused by hypothyroidism, so will work on that again now she is o therapy). We have 3 different models, Hurtta's T and updated y, and Ruffwear FR - we use them when we go hiking, or to the woods, or other unknown areas. On regular walks we use a slip lead (with a stopper) which is loose most of the time. I am aware it is not the best solution but is was the only gear she didn't mind (that much).
I use a harness for my three year old boy. He is sometimes reactive and can lunge on the lead, so he needs a harness to protect his neck. But, even if he walked perfectly and never pulled, I would still prefer to use a harness. I think you should definitely use a harness if there's a risk your dog will pull even once - it's our job to make sure our dogs are safe and comfortable! I have tried two types of Hurtta harness, but didn't like either of them. Now I have this Annyx harness: http://www.annyx.de/produkte.html I like the design a lot, and it fits perfectly, but the material is a bit stiff. Next time we need a new one I want to try an xtra dog fleece harness which looks much softer - although I'm not sure how well a fleece harness will do in the rain!
I just squeeze any water out of the fleece when it's on the dog. I put my hand between the harness and the dog and then squeeze the water out. Its not a problem.
