New walking harness - and it works!!!

[DennyK]

Hi

I have struggled (partly due to a husband who lets Paddy pull like a steam train) to get Paddy to walk reliably on a loose leash.  I've been using the Mekuti harness (developed by a Tellington T Touch practitioner) but have had very mixed results with it.

For other reasons (which I'll post about separately), I met with a behaviourist yesterday and amongst other things, she recommended trying a harness which I'd never heard of before - the "Easy Walk Harness" by a US company called Premier. 

It's very simple, with a horizontal strap across the chest which has a ring in the middle of it.  The lead attaches to that central chest ring - and it works!  I couldn't believe it on our walk this morning: I took Pads out to the meadows near my house.  I usually drive there (only five minutes walk) because he's always so excited to get there that it's steam train pulling all the way, with loads of stopping and starting, to try to stop the pulling.  This morning - no tugging, no tight leash, he just didn't pull. 
   
I hope hope hope this continues - see www.premier.com for more details.

Denise

[Top Barks]

I have had premier's for years and like them although the halti does a similar job.
Believe me some dogs pull through a premier as well.

[waggytails]

There has been a thread on here recently about the easy walk harness, i had mine delivered yesterday and although Hattie is a little skittish with harnesses, we did have a pleasant no pull walk, once we got started. ( i had to carry her out the house).

[mlynnf50]

Hello just went into the site and its says they will not ship Internationally!! did you have any problems? and would it be suitable for a puppy?

[Frugal Mule]

This is the thread referred to above: http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=69730.0

COL member JulieNicholds managed to track down a UK stockist and posted a link in that thread to this site http://www.leagueofgentlemen.co.uk/friendsoffido/easywalk.html

I can't recommend this harness highly enough - it has transformed my Sweeps' walks from an anxiety to a pleasure!

[laurenollie]

I have a Mekuti harness but also find i get mixed results.

Can i just ask on this Premier range harness does the lead only clip to the chest ring - nothing on the shoulders/back like the Mekuit???!!

And also was the size they recommended ok?

thanks

L&O x

[clairep4]

A TTouch client of mine uses one of these for her Saluki who is reactive and has had good results. With the Mekuti (which my two both have) I find it's really the two points of contact which are the key thing so that they can't rely on leaning into the lead because you then let go of that contact and take up the other one. I'm always interested in trying different harnesses though, I have a mixture in my TTouch kitbag, step-ins, H-harnesses, Mekuti, Halti's etc.

[supergirl]

I have one of these for Lexi and have found it quite useful so far.  She's very tiny and really the pulling is not a problem for me, but at the same time she does need to learn to walk nicely.  Trying to reward her for walking to heel is difficult as she never lifts her nose from the ground and is not too interested in food when we're out.  This harness has had the effect of keeping her head up.  She can put her head down and sniff if she wants, there's nothing to restrict her.  The harness just stops her pulling forward and so I guess the sniffing is not so satisfying if she can't move forward at her faster pace.

Very pleased with it, and it also means that my mum can walk her without fear of being pulled over.

[Top Barks]

I have a Mekuti harness but also find i get mixed results.

Can i just ask on this Premier range harness does the lead only clip to the chest ring - nothing on the shoulders/back like the Mekuit???!!

And also was the size they recommended ok?

thanks

L&O x

Yes they are just a chest ring

[DennyK]

The behaviourist gave me a "small/medium" and a "medium".  Paddy (four year old male - not massive, not tiny) fit into the sm/med size.

As Mark (Top Barks) said in response to the query - yes, it just attaches to the chest ring.  What I like is that there's nothing around his head etc - just what looks like a fairly sparse harness, and it seemed counter-intuitive that he wasn't attached anywhere across his back.  It's still working though!

One of the reasons I found the Mekuti problematic is the need to alternate between the "reins" - it's a two-handed job for the entire walk, gently squeezing one then the other "rein".  Any time I needed a hand free - e.g. carrying bags - I was back to Tug-Boat Ted on the end of the lead.  Plus other half refused to use it that way (with one end of the lead threaded through the chest ring and attached on the opposite shoulder) so for him it became just another chest harness.

Denise

[clairep4]

I've walked both of mine in Mekuti's at once, Bella doesn't really pull so doesn't need 2 points of contact but with practise I was able to do Zorro one-handed.

Another thing which can work well is the balance leash plus, where you use a long training lead, attach it to their collar, and then you loop one end between their front legs and up through through the collar. You then end up with two points of contact and no pressure on the neck. You definitely need two hands for this but it's useful as a tool if you see something that you think your dog may react to as you can quickly loop the lead around the chest like that and bring them back into balance before they go off on one. Hard to describe in writing, I'll try and post some pics of it sometime.