I was looking into a double ended leash too. I have this irrational fear that the one we have now is going to snap and Aspen will get loose!
I read another comment of yours regarding using front attachments on puppies, about it not being good for the way they walk or something... My puppy will be a one year old in about three weeks, is that ok then? Also does it make a difference if both front and back are used at the same time? And also in using the Halti lead when attached to the front... I'm guessing it isn't rough against the dogs body?
I am not against front fastening harnesses when used as part of a training plan and you're not relying on them for a long time. The issue with them is that they turn the dog's body towards you and that changes the gait. If the dog is constantly pulling, then you're going to be putting a large amount of uneven pressure on the dog's joints which could cause real problems in either developmental stages or if this persists over the long term. So, in general, and with a young puppy where they can't pull you over, I'd recommend sticking to the back fastener and training alone. With Luna, she was around 30kg of pure power with a puppy brain when we came back to Andorra in December (she was 14 months) and she had me over on the ice a couple of times. It was dangerous, so she went back in her Perfect Fit with the front fastener being used while I went back to basics with training. She only needed the front fastener for a week or so before she was walking nicely again. I consider that appropriate use. What I consider inappropriate would be if I just put a puppy (or dog) in it from the start, let them pull consistently without teaching them to walk on a loose lead, but let them do it because it lessened their pulling power to something I found manageable. That continued turning motion is going to cause a problem. Front and back should always be used at the same time. For regular "moving ahead", you'd keep the pressure on the back and teach them that means they've gone too far by whatever method you choose. But for lunging or abrupt pulling, for example towards a good smell, you'd use the front attachment. I find this easiest to achieve by holding the lead in both hands. This means that I can move my "back" hand easily to apply or remove pressure as I choose, but if the dog lunges unexpectedly, the front one automatically comes into play. By having both hands on the lead, you are also better balanced to resist if you have a very powerful lunging dog, so you're less likely to end up on your face The lead should be hanging down from the front fastener when walking - you don't keep it tight, so it doesn't rub against their body. It only tightens if they pull forwards strongly and that will turn them towards you so the lead won't be rubbing against their body. I hope that all makes sense?
