Safe age for a choke chain

[hanley]

Sullivanspop - I guess anything is possiable but traditionally,harnesses aren't used for training are they?

You are so right! All you need is just a little education on not using any of these stupid devices,such as collars,harnesses & etc. Also being smarter than the dog. Hanley

 

[shannonmac]

You are so right! All you need is just a little education on not using any of these stupid devices,such as collars,harnesses & etc. Also being smarter than the dog. Hanley

I wouldn't call a harness or a gentle lead (halti) a stupid device. if you are trying to teach your boxer not to pull wouldn't you rather have control over their head instead of letting them strangle themself the entire way down the street.
which do you think is the better way to learn. I would rather correct the problem in a way that isn't going to injure my dog. I do also recommend stopping and not continuing the walk until they stop the pulling. however just being smarter than them is not going to correct the problem. they need to learn that it is a problem and learn the correct way to walk.
also if they catch a squirrel out of the corner of their eye and want to go play, I would rather have a harness on her rather than just a leash and a collar.
these are just my humble opinions however.

 

[craZ4HERKIE]

When Herkie was a pup he REFUSED to walk with a collar on, so I got him an adjustable body harness....reason being I didn't want to hurt his neck by pulling on the collar trying to get him to walk.Now he walks with collar or harness.However, I usually don't have many problems with him pulling unless we are going somewhere new, or someone is greeting him!Maybe you could get a lead....you know one that is just the length from your hand to collar, or harness...that way he has no room to pull. This will keep him by your side at all times. Start small and work your way up, don't acknowledge unwanted behavior...praise ANYTHING that he does right...he'll catch on very shortly...especially if rewarded with treats or a fav toy. Good Luck.

 

[Spucks]

I LOVE THE GENTAL LEADER!!!!!
The GL has been the best perchase for my Zoe. I used to take her for walks and she would literaly drag me around behind her. We did the obediance training but walking was still difficult for me. Then I saw a woman walking her boxer with what I thought was a muzzel and when I asked she told me about the GL and how wonderful it has been for them. I walked straight to the pet store and got myself one. That night we tried it out and OMG what a differance. She was just like another dog.....it was amazing. No pulling or dragging and I didn't have to yank on the lead or even tell her to sit at cross walks more than once. It is truley amazing. ( and no I don't have a single stock in the gental leader) LOL!!


I hope that you decide to try one and get the same resaults that I did.

Erin
Mom to Zoe 8 month old brindle beauty

 

[magoo's_mama]

when we adopted MAgoo he was 6 months old and I dont think he had ever been on a walk before. He would practicaly strangle himself with the flat collar when I tried to walk him. We bought a GL and we love it, he still wears it alot of the time.
After we bought the GL we started working with the "red light/green light" approach you said you used and also just training to heel or walk by my side (with plenty of treats and praise) I'm sure I looked like a wierdo having a constant flow of convesation going with my dog about what a good boy he was, but as long as I kept piling it on he kept walking by my side and I had his attention. Now he will prance along side me, it's very cute.
I would recommend the GL, it's also very helpful for time we're going to the vet or somewhere he will be inclined to be very distracted and revert to his pulling ways.

 

[SammynDqtz]

I guess anything is possible but traditionally, harnesses aren't used for training are they?

You are correct. BUT when I got my bouncy little boxer boy 9 years ago, a friendly neighbor tried to help me train him to walk nicely by my side using a normal flat buckle collar (the ones you are suppose to use for training)... but after seeing him throw up a couple times after insisting on trying to drag the neighbor I said enough, and went to the pet store to find something else... while I was there I met a couple with 2 fawn boxers, both were wearing body harnesses and seemed very well behaved on them. I got my Sammy one and don't regret it. All of my dogs a, 9 year old Boxer, 6 year old Carolina Dog and 2 year old Bichon Frise walk wonderfully on harness and lead, and are a joy to take a walk with.

I say use whatever is working for you and your dog (just as long as it doesn't cause pain or discomfort).

 

[shannonmac]

( and no I don't have a single stock in the gental leader) LOL!!

hahahaha I think people thought the same thing of me when I first got mine!

 

[boxer]

I guess anything is possible but traditionally, harnesses aren't used for training are they?

I guess that depends on what you mean by "traditionally". Some people would define "traditional" as the old-style jerk and pull methods, along with things like choke chains and spike collars. Fortunately, we now live in a more enlightened age and those sorts of "training" methods are largely obsolete.

The aim of training a dog is to have it respond to your commands, and to teach it the sort of behaviour you want from it (which includes how to walk nicely). That is best achieved by positive training methods and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't do that with a harness instead of a collar. It is not the type of collar or harness you're using that's doing the training or at least, it shouldn't be. If a harness is what works for you and your dog, then by all means use it.

 

[BeckyNC]

Tae could not tolerate the GL no matter what I tried. Her nose seems to be shorter than the noses of some other Boxers I have seen (not all, just some), so perhaps this is why. I ended up ordering a SENSE-ation harness (www.softouchconcepts.com). It's been a life-saver for me.

We took an obedience class this past winter and were instructed to use a flat collar. I have registered for a CGC class at another facility and the instructions are the same (flat collar). Soooo, I guess for training the flat collar is recommended, which I understand. My previous obedience trainer did advocate use of a GL and suggested I use that in class, but it just didn't work out.

 

[Sam S]

Just a reminder of Boxerworld's rules here:
Topics inappropriate for discussion on this site include:
__discussion of deliberate use of devices or practices that cause or have the potential to cause physical trauma to a dog. Boxerworld does recognise that people do have genuine questions regarding training tools (prong collars, mousetraps etc) and methods, but we support and promote wholeheartedly positive training and behavior management, that is, teaching the dog what to do by using positive methods, not teaching a dog what not to do by causing it discomfort and pain. Any threads which appear to promote "negative" training and methods will be closed.

This does not mention check/choke/correction chains, so it is my understanding that this can be discussed on the boards.

I used to used a Halti (which is like a GL) but Ali HATED it!!!! ... in fact it is my belief she has hidden it, since I have seen it for nearly 12months

I now use a correction chain and find it much easier to train Ali and she has come along leaps and bounds at obedience. No, I don't pull or jerk on it, but it does allow me to "feel" her pulling and gently correct her and encourage her back to walking next to me.

I think Ali hated the Halti because boxers have short noses and it seemed to be uncomfortable for her, I now feel much better using a correction chain.

Used corectly, there shouldn't be any problem with the 'choke chain'. I hope this helps