Half check or flat ???

[Sanke]

Hi all,
Sheba has only been walking outside for a couple of weeks & is starting to get more comfortable/confident with each walk. Most of the time she is great but she has bouts of head down & pulling hard. She currently has a nylon flat collar so when she pulls it just pulls against the collar with little or no ability to correct her. She will eventually be walked by both my partner & kids so we need to stop this quickly.
As she is fine for the majority of the walk should I just continue doing as I am doing or would I be better to try a half check collar to get more control ?

[zetstaff]

Mine both have half checks but still pull

Lupi harness worked a treat, depending on the size you get it's about £5 from Amazon

Now I don't use the harnesses much as I don't feel I need to

[kita]

I don't think you need any sort of check on such a young puppy.

A normal flat collar should be all you need, as soon as she starts to pull, stop and turn the other way, keep doing this and she will soon learn that any pulling on her part is pointless.

It has to be consistent though, the more you allow her to put her head down and pull the more she will do it.

You might not get very far the first few times, but even if you don't leave your street it is worth doing, just make sure you have plenty of time.

This is a video explaining how to stop a dog from pulling on a lead (although doesn't sound like your dog is this bad yet!!):

Dogs Trust - Pulling on the lead (training video)

Sue

[ClaireandDaisy]

A properly fitted half check acts as a flat collar. I use them because they don`t damage the neck fur as they sit low.
To stop pulling you need to train your dog, not find something that hurts when they pull. Because an excited dog will pull even though it hurts - and you wouldn`t want to hurt your dog anyway.
I use the Drunken Walk method - every time your dog moves in front of you, change direction. Turn, twist, cross the road, nip round lamp-post (ignore the neighbours) until the dog is following not leading. Praise and continue. Repeat every time your dog walks ahead.
Persistance is the key.

[zetstaff]

Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy

A properly fitted half check acts as a flat collar. I use them because they don`t damage the neck fur as they sit low.
To stop pulling you need to train your dog, not find something that hurts when they pull. Because an excited dog will pull even though it hurts - and you wouldn`t want to hurt your dog anyway.
I use the Drunken Walk method - every time your dog moves in front of you, change direction. Turn, twist, cross the road, nip round lamp-post (ignore the neighbours) until the dog is following not leading. Praise and continue. Repeat every time your dog walks ahead.
Persistance is the key.

'ignore the neighbours'

[Sanke]

Thanks for the link Kita. I have watched the video & will look at the other on the site as well.

She only pulls for part of the walk, perhaps she is getting spooked a bit ?? Tried this morning walking both her & our other dog & she was fine. Once the weather is a bit better I will structure our walks to include some tight heelwork & lots of turns etc to see if that helps but at the mo even though we live two mins form a large park we cant walk round it as it is a quagmire. Leaving us only the streets to walk around

[LOVEGSD]

Personally I would use a flat collar, I also used the changing direction method with Diesel, it worked a treat.

[T.C.E]

Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy

A properly fitted half check acts as a flat collar. I use them because they don`t damage the neck fur as they sit low.
To stop pulling you need to train your dog, not find something that hurts when they pull. Because an excited dog will pull even though it hurts - and you wouldn`t want to hurt your dog anyway.
I use the Drunken Walk method - every time your dog moves in front of you, change direction. Turn, twist, cross the road, nip round lamp-post (ignore the neighbours) until the dog is following not leading. Praise and continue. Repeat every time your dog walks ahead.
Persistance is the key.

The drunken walk, I have tried that!.............message to self.......
Take Bailey next time!!
On a more serious note, it that correct a Half Check doesn't hurt your dog?

[Bazz]

Originally Posted by Sanke

Hi all,
Sheba has only been walking outside for a couple of weeks & is starting to get more comfortable/confident with each walk. Most of the time she is great but she has bouts of head down & pulling hard. She currently has a nylon flat collar so when she pulls it just pulls against the collar with little or no ability to correct her. She will eventually be walked by both my partner & kids so we need to stop this quickly.
As she is fine for the majority of the walk should I just continue doing as I am doing or would I be better to try a half check collar to get more control ?

Hi,
IMO its down to what suits you both best.
When Jazmin was a pup we only used a flat collar, then a harness.
After about 6months we went to half check, then Gencon with full, then a Cannie collar on its own.
Jazmin walks best for me, and I think she is best comfortable with a Cannie collar.
My other half walks her with a Gencon and flat collar. Also uses it for training.
We have a long training lead for recall.
Sounds a lot of variety, but it works for us.

Trying various types is the only way, then whatever works best for you.

[J&J]

Flat collars are best, but if you use a half-check or full check in the correct manner then they don't pose any problems or harm... But sadly too many people don't know how to use them probably..

I would do the drunken walk method, see this sorts out the problem patch's, but if you find it isn't working that well then perhaps bring in one of the head collars..

I actually use two leads with Ellie, a normal flat lead and a Gencon collar for back up, as she can have her moments and I have two frozen shoulders, so need to avoid jerks to my shoulder as this leaves me in extreme pain...