With so many dog walking products on the market, it can be overwhelming when deciding what to use to walk your dog, particularly if you have a pup that pulls. Glad Wags’ dog walkers have hands-on experience using just about every style on the market and we are going to share with you our #1 pick, especially if you have an extreme puller of any size or breed.
Parents of pullers should skip putting anything around their dog’s neck, such as a traditional clip collar, a prong collar, a martingale, or a slip lead. These types of collars are not effective for pullers. More importantly, when a collar of any kind is used on a dog that pulls, the pressure is put onto their throat and over time this may cause serious illnesses, such as a collapsed trachea. This is an irreversible injury and will leave your dog with a harsh, dry cough that will last the rest of their life. A collapsed trachea may also cause labored breathing, fainting, wheezing, and exercise intolerance. This does not make for a fun walk for your dog or the owner. This is why it is so important to have the correct equipment!
A harness is a good option for pullers, and popular amongst many pet parents. But the type of harness is critical. Using a harness where the leash attaches on the back is a mistake. With the hind legs and chest being the strongest part of a dog, attaching the leash to their back will give them endless, uninhibited pulling power. There is a reason sled dogs have their leashes attached to their backs!
So, which harness is the best? Choose a harness where the leash attaches at the chest. This will give you all the control you need to handle your pet during a walk.. no matter what their size or breed! Why? By having the leash attached at the chest it works similar to a horse rein. If the dog pulls forward to the end of the lead, they will automatically be slightly turned left or right depending on which side the leash is on, resulting in them slowing down or even stopping. Many clients have come to us to ask for help to control their extreme puller. We show them how they can walk their dog with one hand using the correct harness. They tell us that they can finally enjoy walking their dog again!
There are plenty of front attaching harnesses on the market, but the easiest to use, due to its simple design and lightweight construction, is the harness made by the company, Walk Your Dog With Love.
Walk Your Dog With Love carries seven different styles of harnesses, yet all of them are designed with simple straps, one clip, and the leash attachment is always at the chest. They offer a variety of colors, embroidery options, and sizes to fit a tiny chihuahua or a hefty St Bernard. Their website provides you with information on their products, how they work, and even contains a video on how to properly fit the harness to your dog. The correct size and fit is critical! It will not work effectively without a proper fit, so we encourage our clients to allow the Glad Wags team to fit the harness on their dog or watch the video provided on the Walk Your Dog With Love website before hitting the sidewalk for their first walk.
Check out the photos below of our happy doggy clients modeling their harnesses while on their walks.
Enjoy walking your dog again and keep them injury-free!
