Re: pulling & stressed [quote author=JulieT link=topic=10381.msg153082#msg153082 date=1427744966] Good. You do have to keep training with those harnesses though - and that's a good thing - but it sounds like you've got good advice and a way forwards. [/quote] Yes I will certainly keep training but it'll be a lot less stressful during the process. We will keep Bob on a harness now. I'm so scared of any damage that has been done to his neck. Hopefully we will get to a point where we can remove the front fastening and just have the one on the top. I ordered black. It looked really smart on him Lou x
Re: pulling & stressed Hi I completely understand how you are feeling. I foolishly never realised how strong labs are! While my husband can manage ok I am only 5ft 2 and not hefty so struggle to hold Milo sometimes if he decides to pull. I've amassed a collection of harnesses - front fastening walk your dog with love, fleecedogs one that has front and back fastenings for lead, another from B and M that has fastenings at the front, shoulder and back!They all have their strengths and weaknesses. The fleece one is most comfy as I found the walk your dog with love effective but can tend to rub under the front legs. It's first thing when he has just woken up and goes on his morning walk he tends to pull. Later in the day he walks quite nicely on collar and lead round the estate. As you say, you don't always have time to train as much as you like and harnesses at least offer some protection to the dog's neck, if if they still pull. I don't worry about having a dog walking perfectly by my side all the time, one on a loose lead 80% of the time is my aim. I guess it takes a massive amount of time and effort to train this though. Milo is very food orientated, well he is a lab, so I know if I put the effort in, I can improve his walking. It's so good to hear of other people having the same problems and realise you are not alone, as on dark days you can feel a bit of a failure.
Re: pulling & stressed My previous dog, a Cocker, had to go to the Animal Health Trust for an MRI scan (she had gone blind), and the anaesthetist noticed growths on her vocal cords. She was always a "puller", and they said the pulling was the cause of the growths. They provided her with a Vest Harness, and she never looked back. Have got one for my Lab puppy Tara, and I would never control a dog on a neck collar, unless it was a broad one, and I cannot get one for a puppy. The Vest Harness is a Canadian product, but there is a UK mail order address.
