My puppy has a no-pull harness. When can we switch to a regular one?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In my opinion the harness helps with pulling. I actually have one for my dog. I think the muzzle gentle leader is better. The harness doesn’t prevent my dog from trying to pull with a loose leash. I think it is dog and training dependent on whether you can walk loosely with the leash. It sounds like it might be the trick for Sienna. I wish you the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Personally I love the gentle leader muzzle harnesses. It provides owners great control of their dogs. It does take a while to get the dog used to it and they still want to rub their faces on people to get them off. They do that in the exam room with me. I would gradually increase the time you have it on in the house before going on walks and give him treats or peanut butter while he has it on. That way he associates it with good things. I do think so people think it is a muzzle but more and more people know what they are. Personally if it makes your life easier I wouldn't care what some people think. I think people think more highly of the gentle leader than the prong collar. As for walking on a loose leash, it may help with that but it really depends on the dog. Some will take advantage when they know the leash is loose. The best thing to not have a dog pull is to train them to "heel," which is easier to do with the Gentle leader. I hope this helps!

Harnesses actually make pulling a lot EASIER for your dog, which could be making the situation worse. If Abby doesn't like head collars (many dogs don't), Gentle Leader also makes a harness version called the Easy Walker that is great (I use it for my own dog). It doesn't go around the neck so you don't have to worry if they do pull, and the leash attaches to the front of the harness on the chest. When your dog starts to pull, it puts pressure on the chest, and also redirects them back toward you like a gentle leader headcollar does. This can help mitigate pulling and may make your loose leash walking training go a bit easier. Another thing you can try when you resume walking again from a sit and stay position, is to walk backwards a few steps! Many dogs will either be confused at first, and thus stop pulling in their distraction, or think it is a fun game and will come toward you instead of pulling away. Once the leash is slack, you can then walk forward again. You may look silly walking backwards and forwards in the same spot for a bit of time, but it can help with stubborn pullers.

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 there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend using a Gentle Leader collar to help control him better. When he stops and you tug on the leash, it will pull his entire head to the side you are pulling making it uncomfortable for him to the point that he should respond to your command. Be persistent with this technique and don't give in to him stopping in the road. Dogs test us and will continue to push boundaries to find out what they can get away with. It is your job to make him understand who is in charge. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

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!

3. WalkingtheOtherWay In order to reinforce a dog’s natural tendency to follow, once your dog pulls out in front, you should turn quickly and walk the other way. Reward once you feel slack on the collar. This can cause a walk to go no more than a few feet at the beginning, so be patient. The pull back should only be strong enough to get your dog’s attention. Excessive force, especially when using choke chains, may cause neck trauma. For more information, please contact your veterinarian or a trainer who uses humane training methods.