My Scottish Terrier pulls on leash. What training tools are safe?

It would definitely be a good idea to try a front clip harness like a Gentle Leader. The pressure across the chest can help you maintain better control. I do not recommend the use of the choke chain collar as it rarely works and can cause damage to the trachea. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

Hi and thank you for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I also love Jack Russells.:) First, you'll want to get a harness for Scotch to the pulling doesn't put pressure on his neck. When he pulls, stop and don't move. If you move while he pulls he learns that pulling gets him places and he should do it more. Once he stops pulling, move forward. He will learn that pulling gets him no where and not pulling enables him to get places. I hope this helps and best of luck!

I generally recommend using harnesses rather than collars for walking. If a dog pulls excessively on a collar, they can cause irritation to the trachea (windpipe) or develop neck pain or injury. Some harnesses, such as an EasyWalk harness or Gentle Leader, are designed to minimize pulling and can be quite helpful for training. Teaching Jasper a "look" command where he learns to watch you closely while on a leash is quite helpful. All of that said, I still like dogs to wear collars so that their identification tags are readily accessible in the off chance that they would run off. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

I would consider looking into a gentle leader head collar. It looks a little strange but many find it effective with their dogs who have issues pulling if you follow the instructions closely (you can get a dvd to explain the use of the product). You can find out more at https://www.petsafe.net/gentleleader If you prefer to not use a gentle leader collar then I would recommend following the advice of veterinary behaviorist Sophia Yin as she explains in detail in this article: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/walk-on-loose-leash-part-1-choose-the-right-walking-pace-and-make-it-clear/

A lot of dogs don't like the head harness to start, but over time they may become used to it. Try putting it on at home and distracting her with treats. Let her wear just the Halti not attached to the leash when you are at home and can watch her and she can get used to feeling it on her head. You could also try a gentle leader harness where the leash clips to the front of the harness by the chest. When they pull their balance is pulled off to the side. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=33614&cmpid=sc Continue with obedience training. It takes time and lots of practice to teach a dog to walk without pulling!

For larger dogs, I like using the Ezy Dog leash. This reduces the shock on the body if the dog pulls suddenly. You can also look into gentle leaders to help control Olivia when walking her. I hope these recommendations help! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Oh Eska - she's doing what she was bred to do: pull! I am a fellow husky owner and can relate :-) I recommend teaching her to wear a "Gentle Leader" collar - these can work wonders with dogs who are leash pullers. The collar comes with a little instructional DVD, and it is definitely worth watching to make sure you have a good fit and train her to use it appropriately, as there is a little bit of technique to it. Here's their website: http://www.petsafe.net/gentleleader If you're interested, it may also be beneficial to harness her desire to pull and help tire her out. Huskies have amazing amounts of energy, and her love of pulling can be used to your advantage in getting her exercise. She can be taught to pull a sled, or a scooter, or a person on rollerblades or skis... if you can get her to work off some of that excessive energy, she may be less inclined to pull you on a leash! Of course, if you are going to encourage her to pull sometimes, you need to make it very clear to her when she is to pull and when she is not. When she is asked to pull, she should be wearing an appropriate sled dog harness such as this one: http://kondosoutdoors.com/shop/dog-harnesses/ And here's a great beginner book for sled dog training basics: https://www.amazon.com/Ski-Spot-Run-Enchanting-Dog-Powered/dp/0974801100 We want it to be clear to her that when she's wearing the sled dog harness, she can pull, and when she's wearing the Gentle Leader, she should not. Hope this helps!