Comparison of No-Pull Dog Training Aids
By Jess Rollins
Copyright Info
No device is a substitute for training your dog!
Click for our article on
how to teach your dog to walk nicely on the leash.
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No Pull |
Example Brands** |
How it Works |
Pros |
Cons |
Our Rating* |
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Front Attachment Harnesses
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Walk Your Dog with Love Harness SENSE-ible |
When the dog pulls, pressure is applied along his chest and shoulders, which turns him back towards you and makes pulling less productive. |
Effective in reducing pulling for most dogs. Dogs that do not mind wearing a harness will not mind these. Easy to put on. |
Can cause chaffing if not fitted properly. Both the Freedom Harness and the Halti Harness have padding to help prevent that.
Dogs can slip out of some of these if not fitted properly or a back up attachment is not used. |
9 out of 10 |
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Head Collars or Head Halters
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Halti Snoot Loop Canny Collar NewTrix |
Since the leash is attached to the dog's nose, when the dog pulls, it turns his head back toward you similar to the way a horse's halter would. |
Best for very strong pullers and aggressive dogs since it gives trainer control of the head. |
Takes some training for most dogs to get comfortable wearing it. It seems possible that a dog could strain his neck if he were to pull into a head collar very hard. (We recommend using head collars with no longer than a 6 foot leash). |
8 out of 10 for the Premier and Comfort Trainer |
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Harnesses that put pressure on the back legs
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Horgan Harness | When the dog pulls, the padded straps around the dog's back legs tighten which discourages pulling. |
The unique design may work for dogs when other devices have not. Does not twist the dog's spine or cause pain. |
Sensitive dogs may not like the feeling of the straps on the back
legs and refuse to walk.
Dogs that still pull may put pressure on their neck collar so a regular harness can be used instead to attach the Horgan Harness to. Not quite as easy to put on as other products. |
8 out of 10 (we are still testing.) |
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Harnesses that put pressure on the front legs (difficult to find)
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DreamWalker ProStop Harness |
When the dog pulls, a cord constricts across the dog's front legs which makes it difficult for him to continue to pull. |
DreamWalker only: Effective and comfortable. Does not twist or turn dog to the side. Easy to transition the dog to walking nicely without the harness. |
Takes some time to do the initial fitting. DreamWalker is currently only one size which fits dogs 50 - 130 lbs. The ProStop does not stay positioned properly and so was not very effective in our testing. |
6 out of 10 for DreamWalker 4 out of 10 for ProStop |
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Bungee Leashes or Elastic Leashes or Shock Absorbing Leashes
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Snap-Back Bungee-Pupee Wacky Walkr |
When dog pulls, the leash expands thereby reducing the jolt of the dog hitting the end of the leash.
|
Easy to use. Reduces the force of the dog's pull somewhat. Makes walks more pleasant as it reduces the force of tugs on the leash. |
May not teach your dog to stop pulling. Important to choose a leash with the right amount of tension so that your dog does not hit the end too quickly or become a doggy "sling shot". It can feel difficult to control your dog if you get a bungee with unlimited stretch or until you get used to how much it stretches. |
Rating depends on the quality of the bungee leash. We give the Xtreme Leash and Jerk-Ease a 6 out of 10. |
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Harnesses that apply pressure under the front legs or around the belly
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Sporn Harness Holt Harness Mendota EZ Trainer Lead Lupi Harness |
When the dog pulls, a cord or strap tightens around the belly or "armpits" causing discomfort or upward force to inhibit pulling. |
Pretty easy to put on and the dog doesn't generally mind wearing them. |
Some dogs can get acclimated to the pressure similar to the way they ignore collar pressure. Proper training can help prevent this. In most of these types of harnesses there is no limit to how much they can tighten. We worry could injure a rambunctious dog. (The ThunderLeash has corrected this issue.) |
3 out of 10 for most, 6 out of 10 for the ThunderLeash (we are still testing) |
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Choke Collar or
|
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When the dog pulls, a cord or chain tightens around the dog's neck which is unpleasant and discourages him from pulling. |
Dog doesn't generally mind having it put on. |
Can constrict to a dangerous degree and cause tracheal damage. Doesn't reduce pulling very effectively. |
1 out of 10 |
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Limited Slip Collar or Limited Choke Collar or
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When the dog pulls, a cord or chain tightens around the dog's neck which is unpleasant and discourages him from pulling. (When fitted properly the collar will not tighten down enough to choke.) |
Dog doesn't generally mind having it put on. Prevents escape due to backing out of the collar when properly fitted. Does not choke when properly fitted. |
Not very effective at reducing pulling in most dogs and puts a lot of pressure on the trachea if the dog pulls. Can be a good regular walking collar for dogs that do not pull or as a back up for a harness. |
3 out of 10 |
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Pinch Collar or
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Herm Sprenger Good Dog Collar |
When the dog pulls, points on the collar come together to pinch the skin on the neck causing discomfort and discouraging pulling. |
Dog doesn't generally mind having it put on. Effective at reducing pulling for most dogs. |
Most brands are difficult to take on and off. Can cause irritation to the neck area. Can break apart. Can make sensitive, fearful or aggressive dogs more fearful or aggressive. |
2 out of 10 |
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Noise Maker that Attaches to the Leash |
Wonder Whistle |
When the dog pulls it activates a whistle which discourages the dog from pulling. |
We like to use this product as a reminder to the *human* to stop walking so that the dog is not successful at moving you, which would reinforce pulling! |
Dogs don't generally find the whistle to be much of a deterrent. Dogs that are very sounds sensitive may find the whistle frightening |
6 out of 10 |
Is there a no-pulling product that you would like us to review? Contact us!
*Rating System:
1-10 with 10 being most effective at reducing pulling while being safe for the dog and easy to use. Items with a rating under 5 are not generally recommended by Pet Expertise.
**Note: if you wish to find out more about any of the products which are not available through Pet Expertise, simply Google the product names.
Of course no device is a substitute for training! Click for our article on how to teach your dog to walk nicely on the leash.
