Hoping to get a variety of opinions here as it's a rather split opinion at work and we are all biast so can't come to to a fair decision.

So:

When a dog comes I to the centre we assess lead walking. If he/she is a puller we have several options (which is where the issues come up)

1. Go back to basic lead training, stop start/step back etc- spend the time to find what works for the dog
2. Use some form of head harness (cannot collar, gencon, halti or gentle leader)
3. Some form of harness (options are no pull harness, halti harness or a bog standard chest harness)

Now my opinion is that we should try for a few days-week to train before using any equipment, and then the aid should be used in conjunction to lead training, not as a replacement. My primary argument for this is that 99% of customers coming in to look at a dog want one that needs minimum fuss! the equipment! whilst not a big deal can be off putting, hey essentially want a ready to go dog.

Others in the team feel that if a dog is in super pull mode that trying to train is pointless and so putting them on something like a canni collar (which requires little training) is the best, permanent option.

I'm not against equiptment at all, but feel that if it were my dog I'd want a long term so,uti on, whichever the aids can help me get to, but others feel that a walking aid is enough.

So I'd welcome your views on either side (or a side I've not considered) as we are struggling to meet half way and so it is at present a case of who ever books that dog in making the decision, which is silly.

I've used haltis on a couple of my pullers over the years I found I only needed them for at most 18 months by which time the dog had naturally realised walking near me and not pulling was best so they no longer needed them. I used a body harness on Mollie as she came along just as I was diagnosed with MS and being the biggest I had owned and a lunging fool, she loved everyone and thought they loved her too, then tried her with normal harnesses a few times over the years it wasn't until she hit 10 she calmed down enough to remove the non pull body harness.

I decided never to use collars as I had a very soft throated boy who pulled and nearly hurt himself and have found dogs since walk far better on normal harnesses generally than on collars.

Would I try to train ? yes of course but I would also use a halti or body harness for fun walks too, I know training should be on going but with more than one dog I need to have walks that are manageable and fun with not too much training involved as I find training goes better one on one without added dog who needs a bit of attention too.

My opinion is the same as yours. I would rather try and train the dog to walk properly to heel, than use a halti or head collar, which is a quick fix solution. In extreme cases or a very big powerful dog, I would use a head collar, if only to have some control whilst I try and teach him to heel, but it would only be there to assist with training. Far too many people think its easy to just put a halti/ head collar on a dog and suddenly their dog won't pull. Of course it won't, it's being restrained, but as soon as it's removed, it will start pulling again instantly, because the halti only prevents it, it doesn't teach it not to do so. IMO head collars are designed to aid with training, not be used as a replacement to it.

I would never use a harness on a pulling dog, unless it was specifically designed to stop it (such as ones designed to lift his front paws off the ground when he pulls), because they actually make the dog pull more and give it more to pull with. Sled dogs are put on harnesses because they evenly spread the pressure around a dog's chest and shoulders, the part he can pull strongest from, making it easier to drag a sled across miles upon miles of snow withough aching or tiring. So putting a puller on one is just giving him extra pulling power to drag you along!

Not quite right, we found ours using a head collar learned to settle and walk nicely and was able to remove the collar and they still walked nicely.

So it's not something they had to wear forever.

Also found my harnessed dogs pull far less than my collared dogs ever did.

They seemed to appreciate the gentleness of the process and responded to that.

I think I'd always try training first, but often with rescue dogs, the rescues simply don't have the time and/or may have volunteer walkers who need to be able to control very strong dogs.

I don't object to well fitted head collars used correctly but think they are now one the most abused training tools, can stand to she dogs being dragged around by the head, or getting their eyes rubbed raw.

Sometimes it's a combination that's needed, one Ambull we had through was SO strong, she needed a front attach harness just so we could begin training.

Ive always hated head collars on dogs, even more so when combined with an extending lead. All too often they are used in place of training. The result is a dog that has no idea of manners or how to handle himself. Most often the biggest offender is a Labrador. Its for no small reason Ive often heard them referred to as Rudeadors. Harnesses have a place, thats is when out and about on a walk with no close company. You have zero head control with a harness.
I have a stafford, and he has a harness for his walks in the sticks, and a 2" nylon collar if he is going to more crowded environments, giving me tight control so he doesn't wander, and I can control a situation if he is mugged by a Rudeador. My Chi has a Buddy belt harness, this has a D ring over his shoulders, giving me better control than the usual design, which outs the d ring as far back as over the lumber back. I use a harness as he tends to end up reverse sneezing in a collar.
You will never find a dog of mine on a halti or extending lead.
I find the harness designed to stop pulling can cause chaffing in the armpits, and mostly just teach the dog to bunny hop, the driving force for pulling obviously comes from the hind legs not the front.
I also have noted dogs become visibly depressed when head collars are used, they also often rub under their eyes. Horrid things really.

A halti should never ever be used with an extending lead ! They explicitly say that in the instructions !

And extending leads have a place with dogs that don't pull, my two always have extending leads because Mollie cannot go off lead any more she panics and cannot find me if I unclip her, Betty I never let off so she likes a run around on hers. I walk them together on their extending leads and never had a problem.

Surely it's worth an attempt at regular training first? Then fall back on aids to help.

I don't think anyone has said it isn't but I have found it doesn't have to be either or you can use both and get results quite quickly.

I hate head collars but do know some people who have used Gentle Leaders as a last resort and think they're briliant. I'd say it depends on the dog, how strong they are how responsive to training they are.

All my 4 dogs are walked on harnesses, I think they are much better for their necks. One of mine pulls terribly in a collar but is fine with a harness. I find harnesses much more secure than collars which my greyhounds can slip easily.

Thanks guy, sorry for the late reply. The argument rages on at work, with yet another dog shoved on a head collar and not worked with. I do think it's laziness, but have researched every piece of equiptment we use, looking at pros and cons and am bringing it up today- wish me luck.

Is it laziness or do your workers not have time to sort out every dog before they are rehomed ? And many people resort to haltis etc after they have exhausted every training opportunity they can find and still have a dog that lunges or drags them around.

Personally I like to see people and dogs enjoying their walks not struggling to control their dog or the dog so fixated on dragging the owner along they miss all the lovely sniffs along the way. And a halti can make that possible. Once the dogs realises there is another way to deal with the world and calms down then proper training can take place.

We used a halti then a gentle leader on Mollie until she was 2 when she was calm enough to not try to dash across the road to say hello to everyone and not lunge at people to give them a thorough licking we swapped to a normal harness and training commenced. She has been walking nicely now for 10 years without the walking aids. Was it lazy to try to protect her and us and others from a loopy overly friendly tongue ? I don't feel it was, lazy would have been giving up and not walking her or handing her into a rescue.

Training all the way. Our old heinz 57 hated walking on the lead so I tried a harness once. All was going ok until the binmen pulled up and the dog lay on the floor refusing to move, I bent down to have a word with her and at the same time she threw her head back splitting my lip open. Not only did I look ridiculous with a dog refusing to budge but I was now bleeding profusely .

Never used the harness again.

I have two dogs. My Springer is a big, muscle bound dog for his breed. We took him to training as a puppy and continued to go until his first birthday - but he would not stop pulling. We have tried everything under the sun for him, but nothing works. He would rather choke himself to death than walk to heel. He now wears a chest harness and it helps a little. He is way too strong for me and can only go out when my husband is around.

My other dog is a Vizsla and she acts differently depending on if she is out walking with her brother. On her own she trots along nicely next to me. It is a really pleasant walk with her. But if she can see her Springer brother ahead of us she will pull to try and join him. She is also now on a chest harness and it works for her.

Well I've had dogs on collars lay down and refuse to move and one who managed to break my wrist twice lunging, so harness all the way for me

It has to be what works for each dog doesn't it really, and some dogs just need time to mature and settle down before you can achieve a good walking stance, they just have too much vest for life to wait around and have to get to everything at speed.

You win Ouch!!

LOL it was a bit ouch and second time I tried not to let anyone know it had happened, you feel such a numpty so I managed to get myself home, showered and to work before the swelling and pain got so bad I had to admit defeat

I think it's a bit of laziness and a bit of smugness tbh mollie- we have one guy who wants my job (no chance!) and so likes to being in the latest 'tools' he's found out about - then tries to put every dog he can on it. I'm advocating for trying lead work first, but I don't always get to assess the dogs before equipment is assigned, then I feel it's wrong to chop and change.

They do have time to train, we have a good staff:dog ratio but it's easier to put on a harness or canny collar and work on fun things instead.

Today we decided to trial a weeks lead work, unless there's a safety issue then we assess case by case.

Well that does sound like a plan we always start with a lead (we don't use collars for a variety of reasons) and only resort to a halti or other walking aid if we find we need it.