# Best collar to use to help stop pulling



## Ambers Mum (Nov 11, 2010)

My boxer is now 8 months old and pulls alot on walks. I am finding it very difficult to walk her. i'm using treats to help her learn but she just wants to pull and I am not enjoying walking her as my arm and shoulder hurts badly after. I have used a halti harness on her but she learned to pull into it so it didnt work. 
I have also used a halti headcollar but she hated it and got very distressed, even after 3 days she would not take to it.
Can anyone reccommend a collar? I don't think headcollars are any good for a boxer as there nose is just too short.
Thanks.


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

That's why technical quick safety fixes need work on training to.

Have you tried in a safe space, like your garden, tried teaching off leash heeling, rewarding her in the sweet zone? You can also if you are consistent teach the dog to go "back!" by encouragement, and being unwilling to move forward until it's where you want it. I then move on to quiet spots, like disused canal tow paths, providing a straight, peaceful naturally linear walk, before going to busy suburb streets.

I used training lead, allowing umbilical attachment with the Halti Harness for safety (dog spinning near traffic for example) and was able to "balance" the dog on the double lead so she'd circle rather than go forward. Then I'd control her proactively by leading her facing away from source of her over-arousal for distance.

Bascially I prevented her from learning to lean away from me. What ever alternative works, do work on the causes for the pulling, either poor lead walking, or counter-conditioning if she's reacting to traffic, dogs, cycles or something similar.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

Collars are just a tool - tools do not teach dogs to stop pulling. 

Go back to basics. Use the stop and wait technique or the drunken man walk. Each time she pulls, you either stop and remind her where she should be using a clicker and a treat (make sure she knows what the clicker means before you start this exercise) and then walk on - she'll get the idea eventually - my 1 year old is still learning, but I have my arm still!

The drunken man method is to walk the other way - as soon as she gets in front of where you want her to be - you change direction - you'll look like a loon but it'll work.

A halti needs careful training for a dog to accept it. You need treats, patience and you won't walk her for a week before you try it. Play in the garden with her wearing it - feed her with her wearing it - pleasurable things to get her used to it and feeling good about it. Clicker training and halti's work very well.

Have you tried clicker training? 

Also a black dog infin8 is a good collar, but it includes the halti as well - just google and you will see. 

Good luck - remember tools can only go so far, training will go all the way. "A good workman never blames his tools"


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## mama_abz (Apr 27, 2011)

sorry to hijack your thread  but i have this same problem with my boxer x staffy. 

I have tried when he pulls to turn and walk the other way, he stops pulling then as soon as you turn back around he pulls straight away! 
I tried giving him treats when he was walking well which worked great for a time now he spends half the walk trying to pull my arm off and the other half walking sidways infront of me looking for a treat!! 

I have not tried any special collars or harnesses but was considering them.

m just at my wits end as not only do i look silly keep turning round and changing direction but then i look like i cant control my dog when he walks infront of me! 

If you find anything that works for you please let me know im willing to try anything at this point. 

good luck with your boxer aswell.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

mama_abz said:


> sorry to hijack your thread  but i have this same problem with my boxer x staffy.
> 
> I have tried when he pulls to turn and walk the other way, he stops pulling then as soon as you turn back around he pulls straight away!
> I tried giving him treats when he was walking well which worked great for a time now he spends half the walk trying to pull my arm off and the other half walking sidways infront of me looking for a treat!!
> ...


How long have you tried this method?
Is it just you who walks him?
What verbal command do you give him?

I just ask these because I have been trying upwards of 6 months - some dogs are strong willed! Louie has took this amount of time because I wasn't the only one who walked him - my OH let him get away with pulling - despite me telling him to do this method. 
Louie has a Heel - which means he is to be at my side in a sit and a With me - so he walks with me not in front or behind or anywhere else. 
He has taken long because I have to battle with people who do not know or want to know how to do things correctly..

Another thing you can teach them - I learnt last night. Is to watch your hand. With a treat in between your fingers and a clicker - of course you have to introduce this properly. Hand out flat - as if you were feeding a horse but as if you had it against your side. Get the dog to move to your hand - when it gets to your hand - click and treat - do not use the treat in your hand! 
When this is going well - get the dog to watch your hand move from your side 
outwards - when it is focused entirely on your hand - click and treat. Do this over and over again - in short but many bursts and eventually if you do it sucessfully - you will have your dog watching your hand - which will be placed at your side - whilst walking - therefore having a dog that heels


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

No collar (or harness) will stop your dog pulling. You have to train them not to pull. 
Try changing direction every time she pulls. Keep swerving round till she follows. Then praise and continue. Repeat as needed.


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## mama_abz (Apr 27, 2011)

SLB said:


> How long have you tried this method?
> Is it just you who walks him?
> What verbal command do you give him?
> 
> ...


only been doing it for just over a month now, do understand it not ginna happen over night but not seeing any improvement infact it seems like he getting worse! 
he either gets walked by myself or my partner and he does the same as me as we no its important to be doing the same otherwise dog will almost never learn. 
the verbal command i use is 'heel' for when he is pulling which he ignores. could this be the problem? as he does respond to other commands such as 'wait' for waiting at roads or in general, 'come' when i want him to move on etc.

will give your advice above ao though. thank you.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

mama_abz said:


> only been doing it for just over a month now, do understand it not ginna happen over night but not seeing any improvement infact it seems like he getting worse!
> he either gets walked by myself or my partner and he does the same as me as we no its important to be doing the same otherwise dog will almost never learn.
> the verbal command *i use is 'heel' for when he is pulling which he ignores*. could this be the problem? as he does respond to other commands such as 'wait' for waiting at roads or in general, 'come' when i want him to move on etc.
> 
> will give your advice above ao though. thank you.


He doesn't know what it means then...

When I say heel - my dog comes and sits at my side. You've accidently taught your dog to pull on command to heel...I did the same with "walk" when I first started with Louie - I accidently taught him that walk meant pull. So I changed all the commands. And taught them correctly.

He knows sit means put his bum on the ground - because you've taught him that over and over and over again. He doesn't know heel means stay at your side because I guess you've said heel whilst he's been in front of you?

Do you understand the situation now?


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## mama_abz (Apr 27, 2011)

SLB said:


> He doesn't know what it means then...
> 
> When I say heel - my dog comes and sits at my side. You've accidently taught your dog to pull on command to heel...I did the same with "walk" when I first started with Louie - I accidently taught him that walk meant pull. So I changed all the commands. And taught them correctly.
> 
> ...


it now seems so obvious. i will be starting again as of this evenings walk then and hopefully do it right this time. 
Thank you.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

mama_abz said:


> it now seems so obvious. i will be starting again as of this evenings walk then and hopefully do it right this time.
> Thank you.


Your welcome.

With dogs - if they don't understand something - you're training it wrong  That's something I have learnt in the past year..  Good luck with your training and please keep us updated


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## Guest (May 26, 2011)

Unfortunately no one has, as yet,invented the'magic' collar, there is NO such thing, and if ever there i sone then the inventor will make a fortune!
It is all downto you - there are somethat have a preference for a certain collar , the halti for instance,which I am NOT a fan of .

If I had to choose a headcollar I would pick the K9 bridle 
but we use a straight forward gundog (slip)lead,and my dogs still pull - BECAUSE - I allow them!


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## CarolineH (Aug 4, 2009)

When we first got our late Weimaraner, Lace, at 2 years old from a rescue shelter, she pulled ahead like a steam train when asked to 'Heel'. My neighbour knew I was a dog training instructor (which I was back then) so thought it quite amusing as we steamed past him at a rate of knots!  An hour later I returned with her walking much better, at my side and he couldn't believe it. I had just changed the command to 'Walk' then spent a bit of time teaching her what 'Walk' meant. Though she could act dumb at times, she was actually quite an intelligent dog - she just needed to be shown what the command meant.  For years after though, if she was ever told to 'Heel' she would go straight into 'pulling like a steam train' mode!  (useful if you wanted a bit more oomph to get up a hill!)

So change your command to a new word like 'Walk' and teach her what that means instead.

You can do this mama_abz. :thumbup1: 10 - 20 minutes training at least twice a day and you will soon have your dog walking comfortably at your side I am sure. There are good non pull harnesses and headcollars but they must be used properly and are not a replacement for training.


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

If a dog is a puller its not that safe to use something that is likely to increase the pressure on his neck.

Practice loose leash walking exercises in low distraction areas with a collar by all means but otherwise manage to prevent your dog's rehearsal of this behaviour using a management device such as a front attachment harness.

More on teaching LLW exercises here: Who's walking who? | Pet Central&#039;s Pawsitive Dawgs Blog!


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

tripod said:


> If a dog is a puller its not that safe to use something that is likely to increase the pressure on his neck.
> 
> Practice loose leash walking exercises in low distraction areas with a collar by all means but otherwise manage to prevent your dog's rehearsal of this behaviour using a management device such as a front attachment harness.
> 
> More on teaching LLW exercises here: Whos walking who? | Pet Central's Pawsitive Dawgs Blog!


The trouble is with the "front attachment harness" is that the Halti harness, is indeed a front & top clip, and I think the dog has learnt to lean away from the OP, to counteract the turning effect.



Ambers Mum said:


> I have used a halti harness on her but she learned to pull into it so it didnt work


Alternatives?


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

There are two boxers walked on Dogmatic headcollars that I see regularly and they seem to fit well; I have a Dogmatic myself and can highly recommend it (alongside training, as everyone else has said).


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

RobD-BCactive said:


> The trouble is with the "front attachment harness" is that the Halti harness, is indeed a front & top clip, and I think the dog has learnt to lean away from the OP, to counteract the turning effect.


Ooops I missed that


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## Ambers Mum (Nov 11, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice 
I want to continue the training but just would like to find something to use as a temporary measure to save my arm being pulled out its socket! 

I will change commands and give that a go, i will also look into the dogmatic.

Thanks again.


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