# Easy Walk Harness?



## Nerobella (May 23, 2011)

So yesterday i bought my pup an easy walk harness, because he's become so bad about pulling that it was getting dangerous for us both (i'm not exactly strong in my upper body and he's snapped a few leashes/collars). Well, we've only tried it out once and it does make the pulling less impactive, although he still pulls a good bit. He doesn't enjoy it at all, he looks back and whines because i won't let him go ahead of me. (i don't know if that's an indication that it's working or not)

Now my question is, is he supposed to get the loose leash concept by using this harness? Because i don't enjoy a tight leash, but i'm not entirely sure if that's asking too much of him considering he's not even 1.5 years old yet. 

I understand that it's still very *very* early in the training, but i was just wondering what some other experiences have been like with this product.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

I personally am not a big fan of the front clip harnesses. I have seen many many dogs that manage to pull in them. I would recommend a head collar instead, but the dog needs to be slowly introduced to it because many of them hate it.

This is, none of these things are supposed to be fixes. They don't train your dog for you. They manage the problem for you, so that you can walk your dog. But if you want the dog to learn to walk on a loose leash, you need to continue to work on this despite using one of these tools.


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## lisak_87 (Mar 23, 2011)

I half agree, half disagree w/ the above post.

Brady uses an easy walk harness and it has, in fact, helped his leash pulling in general. There are a couple of ways to use an easy walk...

I use it only when we're going on extended walks and I don't have the time or energy to stick to my guns w/ a regular collar/leash. However, on potty breaks and some short walks, I use a normal leash/collar and I train my typical way (he pulls, I back him up. he'll sit and then I'll give the "with me" command and we go forward).

Another thing you could do is use 2 leashes: one on the easy walk harness and one on his regular collar. This way, he still feels the leash on his normal collar. The only time any pressure would be put on the easy walk is when he pulls. Eventually, he may not need the easy walk.

That being said, this doesn't work for every dog. My mom's dog has used a no-pull harness its entire life and STILL cannot walk on a loose lead. He won't pull on the harness, but he will choke himself to death if he's on a regular lead.


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

The thing about the easy walk harness is that, as other posters have said, it manages pulling to some extent, but it does not train your dog to walk on a loose leash. You have to do that. And believe me, it's a pain in the a**! I have been training my dog Hobbes (about a year and half old, we've had him 10 weeks or so) since we got him and he still has a little trouble. We started with the easy walk, then eventually switched to a gentle leader (head collar) which he tolerates and which works a little better, in my opinion. But we still have to train him. I keep him on a short leash (very short so he's right by my side) and treat him (with something really special like raw hot dog) whenever he looks up at me. So now, when he's having a good day he walks right at my left side and looks up at me constantly. On a bad day he still pulls quite a bit and tries to chase squirrels. But the training is definitely working, and without the gentle leader (or the easy walk or something similar) it would be much, much harder to train because he would be pulling a lot harder. Good luck!


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

I see a fair number of dogs in these contraptions. A significant percentage of those walk with a constipated looking gait. I don't know if the harnesses are improperly fitted, or what? In any event, I'd prefer to use some proven training method to effect proper leash manners, and leave the mechanical restraints for times when no other option is safe for dog and handler.

I used the Gentle Leader (halter) briefly on my 7 month old kamikaze. I was recovering from knee surgery and my 65 lb. puppy thought jerking me off my feet, and dragging me through the roses, was the BEST GAME EVER! The halter saved us both a good deal of grief, but I didn't see a lot of training going on. I'll concede the possibility that I was not using the device to its best effect, but it did what I wanted it to do and we moved on with our lives.


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## Nerobella (May 23, 2011)

lisak_87 said:


> I half agree, half disagree w/ the above post.
> 
> Brady uses an easy walk harness and it has, in fact, helped his leash pulling in general. There are a couple of ways to use an easy walk...
> 
> ...


This is my first dog so i'm completely blind on the training part lol. Iv'e been doing the stopping him when he pulls thing, but as soon as we start walking again he's right back to pulling. But i guess iv'e been a little lenient on that, after like the eighth time in a row of stopping, i get tired of it and just continue on regardless. Which i understand now is a big no no. (probably should have done some research _before_ we started our walks instead of months after). 

The two leashes thing sounds like an excellent idea though, i plan on getting him just a regular harness at some point though, because Phoenix has these little fits where he starts choking/coughing/seizing up in his lungs when he has any sort of pressure on his neck. I'm not sure if it's asthma (because these fits sound like a human asthma attack to me) or if he just has a sensitive trachea, i'm going to address it with the vet when we go in. But it would be so lovely if we could get him to walk nicely on just a regular harness. We took the easy walk out again today, and he's walking wonderfully. he still tugs a small bit, but the difference is like night and day. i think yesterday i just didn't have it fitted properly. but today we tried the training method where when he pulls we change direction completely. and after four times of spinning in circles he seemed to have gotten the idea. 

And as for only using it for short walks, Phoenix and i don't really go on short walks lol. When we walk, we walk hard. Usually 3 or 4 miles. Which is why i usually would give up on the stopping thing. it would go from an hour and a half of walking to two and a half hours with the added stop and go from trying to train him. but i think i may try the changing direction thing on his collar/leash. It seemed to have worked wonders with the easy walk, so hopefully it works without it as well. 

but thank you everybody for your opinions, they're greatly appreciated :]


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

Nerobella said:


> Now my question is, is he supposed to get the loose leash concept by using this harness? Because i don't enjoy a tight leash, but i'm not entirely sure if that's asking too much of him considering he's not even 1.5 years old yet.
> .


No. I don't think a dog "gets the concept" from any equipment, unless that equipment is very, very aversive (way more unpleasant than anything I'd want to use). Equipment manages behavior. Some dogs will get in the habit of not pulling because of equipment. Other dogs will just find ways around the equipment or learn to ignore it. The best strategy is to use management equipment for the short haul, and actually take the time to train the dog (we never go there if you are pulling, silky leash, attention work) for the long haul. Pulling itself is not the problem. Lack of attention (and possibly opposition reflex - it's impossible for there to be a tight leash if only one of you is pulling) is the problem. Fix that and you'll find you are less and less dependent on equipment. As far as front attach harnesses go, I think many dogs object to the easy walk because they fit so low in front and bind the shoulders. I prefer a Sensation or Freedom harness. I have heard that if you put the Easy Walk on upside down, it fits better.


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

The easy walk worked very well to help us curb our dog's pulling. But others here are right - it's no substitution for training. She pulled so hard in her collar that she risked damaging herself. That's when we were advised to try a harness. We tried several but she pulled right out of them - the easy walk was the only one she couldn't wriggle out of. 

The most effective thing we did with her training was use something she wanted to get to (other dogs, neighbors) as a reward for not pulling. It's not easy, but you have to be real consistent with not allowing him to get to what he wants by pulling. We did a lot of trotting in the opposite direction at any sign of pulling, standing like a tree and shaping proper forward motion. Didn't take her long to learn that the only way to get to her friends was with a loose leash. And she didn't take our arms off in the process. Course we started with her when she was 4-5 months. I'm sure it's harder with an older, heavier dog. But not impossible. It's not too much to expect a loose leash with a 1.5 year old dog.


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## lisak_87 (Mar 23, 2011)

Nerobella said:


> This is my first dog so i'm completely blind on the training part lol. Iv'e been doing the stopping him when he pulls thing, but as soon as we start walking again he's right back to pulling. But i guess iv'e been a little lenient on that, after like the eighth time in a row of stopping, i get tired of it and just continue on regardless. Which i understand now is a big no no. (probably should have done some research _before_ we started our walks instead of months after).
> 
> The two leashes thing sounds like an excellent idea though, i plan on getting him just a regular harness at some point though, because Phoenix has these little fits where he starts choking/coughing/seizing up in his lungs when he has any sort of pressure on his neck. I'm not sure if it's asthma (because these fits sound like a human asthma attack to me) or if he just has a sensitive trachea, i'm going to address it with the vet when we go in. But it would be so lovely if we could get him to walk nicely on just a regular harness. We took the easy walk out again today, and he's walking wonderfully. he still tugs a small bit, but the difference is like night and day. i think yesterday i just didn't have it fitted properly. but today we tried the training method where when he pulls we change direction completely. and after four times of spinning in circles he seemed to have gotten the idea.
> 
> ...


To be honest...and this is just my opinion...

Unless you're planning to do something competitive w/ your dog, I see no problem ALWAYS using an easy walk harness for walks. My mom's dog has to do this, and it has not in any way made him a bad dog or anything. It's just a different way of walking.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

I really liked the Easy Walk but Jackson is a small dog. It helped me teach him how to walk properly. However, the Lab I dogsit for, I hated the Easy Walk with him... it just never fit right and he still pulled.


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## Nerobella (May 23, 2011)

Yeah we went on a hike today and the easy walk failed, he managed to get out of it while we were going down hill, something about the angle of the hill made it to where he lifted his front leg right out of it seeing as how this is the first time we've had an issue with that. So we ended up just using his collar today. But all in all, i like the easy walk so far. It makes walking Phoenix so much more enjoyable. Now i just need to work on training him better.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

I used one with Buster for a while. Because I didnt take the time to work on teaching him to walk nicely, he continued to pull even with the harness. He almost drug me into traffic twice during one walk while wearing it and could escape it if he laid down. The harness now hangs by the back door.


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## Allyfally (Mar 4, 2011)

I bought one for Falcor, and he walked perfectly in it. Now I walk him without it, and he's fine. I've been using one on Judas, because he's a horrible puller. You cant even walk him in the yard without him about tearing your arm off. He still tries to pull in it, but its managable until he starts training classes to help. I'm pants at teaching dogs to walk good on leash.


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## luvntzus (Mar 16, 2007)

LuvMyAngels said:


> I used one with Buster for a while. Because I didnt take the time to work on teaching him to walk nicely, he continued to pull even with the harness. He almost drug me into traffic twice during one walk while wearing it and could escape it if he laid down. The harness now hangs by the back door.


Were you able to train loose leash walking after that?


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

luvntzus said:


> Were you able to train loose leash walking after that?


Its a work in progress. Lessons via silky leash and a prong for management while walking.


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## luvntzus (Mar 16, 2007)

It's a work in progress with my Honey Bun too. I use the stopping method and just added the backing up to see if that helps.


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