GL Harnesses

[Laura]

Has anyone else noticed with the gentle leader harness that it will actually flip/trip your dog if they pull? We were charged by another off leash dog tonight and both of mine started pulling/lunging one way as I was pulling the other (trying to get between the other dog and my two) and the next thing I know Chloe is flat on her back. This has happened before. She appears to be fine but I just wondered if anyone else had noticed this with the front clasping harnesses.

[Auddymay]

Yes, if they charge on a GL harness, they will go arss over applecart.

[Laura]

Yes, if they charge on a GL harness, they will go arss over applecart.

Oh that made me laugh out loud Audrey! SO funny and SO true!
I see I'm not the only one who has experienced this.

[LEO's mum]

Did you know that the company Premier changed the name of GL Harness to Easy Walk Harness?

Anyways, I was wondering if any of you who use the GL Harness had your chowdren Houdini out of one, either while walking or being tethered.

LEO's been on GL Headcollar for about a month or so, but she hates it so much(she gives me this really pitiful sad lood when I show her the HC prior to the walk, paw herself often during the walks, and will snuggle into me after walks rubbing her snout on me or the paw wiping towel), I've ordered a GL Harness or Easy Walker Harness & leash yesterday. I am such a softy. My DH says she's got so many harnesses and leashes already, but the old harness she's grown out of, and it's nice to have matching colour things, ALWAYS.

Just wanted to know if there is any special caution I need to use w/ GL Harness/Premier Easy Walk Harness. Aside from a sidedways flip

[chowfrnd88]

OMG! No, I've never had that happen with Special Dark. He's never filpped in it. I will say that I've recommended it to 100's of people in the last year, most of them clients and I did see one have his little legs pulled out from under him, but that was because his owners pulled on him, which it's not meant for (it gives you more control over them but it's not menat to be used as a correction device). We've had to pull Special away from two off-leash dogs attacking him and he didn't flip even then.

Leo's Mum, the gl easy walk harness is the only thing Special D hasn't gotten out of!!! Everything else he can slip. but not this. and he's tried! One time there was a dead rabbit in the grass and he tried everything: bakcing out of it, jumping out of it, chewing his leash )

[vicster605]

Laura, I'm glad Chloe wasn't hurt....I'm sure she was as surprised as you were to be down there
My two haven't managed that one yet, but I'll give them the news so they don't get any bright ideas
As far as problems with the GL Harness......or Easy Walk Harness

I've found that you have to adjust them EVERYTIME you use them.....figured this out mid-walk one time when I noticed Kyra kicking the front strape out of way to walk The strapes tend to slip a bit...... BUT coming from someone with 2 Chows that used to try & rip my arm out of socket.........STILL WORTH IT WEIGHT IN GOLD

[Laura]

One cannot blame the harness if the dog flips..It depends on the owner's angle as he or she pulls the dog..Each of my four Chowdren has a GL harness ..Now, if the dog wants to get attention from the owner one cannot make a conclusion that the harness made the dog flip? Think about it...That is not plausible...Did you read the directions prior to using the harness?

Jonathan.

Yes I read the directions and my dogs were not 'trying to get my attention'. They were being charged by another off leash dog and they both lunged forward as I pulled back to get in front of them and flip, trip, cartwheel...whatever you want to call it happened to Chloe. It also happened to Shug before. I wasn't correcting them and I am not a questionable owner or in denial...I simply wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this with a GL or any front clasping harness. And yes I know it has to do with the angle...afterall the leash does attach in the front...and I'm not bad mouthing the GL. It has been wonderful for walking and stopping any pulling EXCEPT when being charged by off leash dogs. I don't want my two to get hurt so I asked a question.

[Layla]

Millie once managed to do a full 360degree summersult in her harness trying to chase a squirrel

[LEO's mum]

Judo "Sotogake", a flip of the outside leg. It's sort of a design fault, I think. No matter how much the walker is conscious about the correct mode of use, the party at the other end of the leash may be too preoccupied with other urgent matters . Some say it might be bad for the elbows. I'm willing to give it a try anyways.

[Layla]

Mine hate their harnesses. Utterly hate all their harnesses (front leash attaching or not) They protest about having them put on & Millie lays down & refuses to move once it's on They still wear them though, much to their dismay

[Juniper]

Sheena was a major escape artist prior to the GL harness. A proper harness fit is most important and I need to check and make adjustments each time I put the harness on. Troy on the other hand is highly active but has not fallen over or flipped but I'll definitely watch out for that.

One thing I can't stand about the GL harness is that the leash consistently goes under their front leg during walks. Unfortunately, both Troy and Sheena are stop and go dogs and I can't gather up the leashes fast enough before it slides behind their front legs. I don't do any heeling with Troy or Sheena-too regimented for me. That's my only gripe. Hmmmm...another gripe...I wish they would also attach another loop to the top of the harness so Sheena and Troy can be attached to the strap in the car more safely-a front chest hook does not work well and isn't as safe.

[Auddymay]

I am not faulting the harness, at all! Lily and I do not always use the harness as intended...that said, I will never put another collar on her, and the other harnesses I looked at were cumbersome, by comparison. Even with a somersault being the result of incorrect use, I would choose this harness every time for Lily.

[Piff Poff]

Henry has flipped on a few occasions. Completely his fault. I mean what does he expect if he goes charging at full speed? I do warn him - loudly. The other time he flips is when we go past a certain garden that has a very wooffy/snarly/teeth baring black lab in it. Henry likes to torment the aggressor by running up and down the fence (he doesn't get all the leash any more), as he does his running leaps he tends to flip too, again that's his own silly fault.

[Piff Poff]

Oh believe me, the behaviour is deterred and corrected in the case of snarly dog flipping, every single time we pass this particular garden - so yep it's the dogs choice! As for full speed flipping hey! He knows what will happen.......

[kitcatak]

So, these harnesses are really that good? Leo and Lacey both like to pull and Leo practically chokes himself. I have picked the GL up at the store, walked around with it and put it back. Maybe I should go try one. What size do you guys usually get? Lacey is 45 lbs and Leo is 65.

Tracy

[Auddymay]

Lily is 33 pounds, and wears a medium.

[Piff Poff]

Henry is just over 60lbs has has a med/large tweener size. I got mine online from sitstay.com as recommended to me. (half price of Petsmart here in Canada).

[chow fancier]

These harness absolutely keep the chows from going into locomotive mode. They can not pull me down street.

Oh, Teddy is 65-70 lbs and has a large.

On the flip side, I can not pull them either. Teddy is not sure there is anything outside his own yard worth walking towards(unchowlike? maybe, but he is blind and spent his first few years on a short tie out, the yard is huge to him). He likes to refuse to move when I am trying to walk him. So I am left to cajoling him to come with. I tried treats, but in my infinite wisdom of implementing NILIF, he has always been required to sit for food. So all the treats do is confuse him: he sits and I say come and get the treat???? So,his walks are short and Cinder takes a longer one after Teddy goes home. She even offers to be his seeing eye dog, but he is not interested.

[LEO's mum]

The sizing chart is here:
http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=d ... alk/sizing

I have measured LEO and she is 33 inches, thinking this is summer, I've ordered Large for her. She is a whopping 65lbs. Don't tell her I told you guys, she might believe she is forever a ballerina size.

[Chow Chow Mama]

Holden is a horrible puller so I bought one of these "Easy Walk" harnesses at a pet outlet store a few months ago. I love it! He has not flipped and while he is not on a loose leash, he doesn't drag me down the sidewalk anymore either. He weighs 56 pounds and I bought him a large which he has at the smallest size possible.

[kitcatak]

Thank you everyone! Sounds like I need a large for Leo and a medium for Lacey. I would love to walk them without being pulled down the street or having to yank back constantly trying to teach them NOT to pull me!!

Tracy