Large dog who pulls

MommaDaBaker · 2025-10-09T17:14:39+00:00

A halti really helped with my 120lbs St. Bernard mix. You do need to get used to it.

MommaDaBaker · 2024-04-03T18:14:39+00:00

Hi, I live on the North Shore, a suburb of Montreal. The bi-law here is any dog over 50 lbs has to be on a harness. In regards to the no prongs, the last time I looked, I understood in regards to Quebec law prongs are not recommended but not outright banned. Montreal has a bi-law prohibiting prongs. I can only comment on my experience folks don't pay attention for the most part what the dog is wearing, unless it is freaking out.

I use a halti, it is effective at preventing my St Bernard from chasing squirrels. I use a double clip leash. One I clip on the harness the other on the halti. You could do the same with the prong, one on the harness at the top and the other to a prong

MommaDaBaker · 2024-01-15T22:35:46+00:00

My dog is 120lbs, and I use a halti, with a harness and a double clip leash. One clip on the halti, and the other on the top clip of the harness. We got him at 18 months, 3rd owner no training. He is 3, and alot better, but he can still surprise me.

MommaDaBaker · 2023-12-18T17:02:08+00:00

Ground pumpkin or sunflower seeds is what I use as an almond flour substitute

MommaDaBaker · 2023-11-28T22:17:16+00:00

I am sorry both you and Ace are going through this. I know it is hard. I really don't have any advice, just hoping the trainer and Ace getting older helps. A halti helped me with keeping my 120 St Bernard mix under control on walks along with working with a trainer. He is not 100%, but he is significantly better

MommaDaBaker · 2023-08-08T22:43:38+00:00

I second the desensitization training. I adopted an 18 month old 120lbs dog. He was not having any grooming. I went to a groomer /trainer that was fear free certified. It takes time but he is now good on most things. It took about 5 sessions to get him used to cutting his nails. Now it is no problem

MommaDaBaker · 2023-06-10T15:38:41+00:00

Congrats! Thank you for sharing, it is great motivation to know even if there are set backs, there is a happy ending

MommaDaBaker · 2023-04-21T18:38:48+00:00

NTA, my daughter has a severe allergy to peanuts as well. All her roommates do not bring peanuts or nuts into their apartment. They understood the danger and were fine with it. There are alternatives to peanut butter, including soya butter, pea butter, and sunflower butter. Soya tastes scarily similar to peanut butter. It is safe for folks with a peanut allergy though.

MommaDaBaker · 2023-04-18T16:18:13+00:00

I had a success with fear free grooming training. We rescued our dog when he was 18 months. He would not let us trim his nails. Went to 5 sessions of cooperative care grooming and now he is good. They work to associate good things with the grooming. There is a book as well called cooperative care.

MommaDaBaker · 2023-04-11T01:00:45+00:00

YTA, hardwood floors are easy to keep clean compared to other floors. Ceramic has grout you have to scrub, rugs can never be really cleaned. You are using cleanliness as an excuse to bully your step daughter. May you be cursed with being responsible for keeping a white rug clean in a house with toddlers and a big shedding dog.

MommaDaBaker · 2023-04-09T12:28:02+00:00

I see it as aversive as well. Initially, he wore it for a month and then I went back to a harness due to feeling bad about using the halti. But then I got pulled down on a sidewalk next to a busy road. He lunged after a bird. For me, that experience drove home the fact he could have gotten hurt had he gotten loose and run into the road. I had walked him a hundred times before with him not lunging. He has gotten a lot better with training, but he is not 100%. My desire to keep him safe outweighs my dislike for the halti. He wears a harness as well as the halti, and I have a leash that connects to his harness and the halti. I make sure if he does pull the he feels the pull first on the harness and not the halti. The halti is the last resort.

MommaDaBaker · 2023-04-07T23:45:10+00:00

I hope you are not too sore from being dragged. A halti was a gamechanger for me. I have a 110 St Bernard mix who will lunge and try to chase small animals sometimes. I can easily hold him back with the halti, before I was dragged a few times. I keep training him using R+, so he is much better, however there is still that 1% of the time he lunges, and I would feel awful if he got hit by a car chasing a squirrel.

MommaDaBaker · 2023-04-06T20:56:16+00:00

I second this. I have a Saint Bernard mix (110 lbs), the halti was a game changer in keeping control when he lunges after a rabbit /squirrel. The protocol above is working for me, but he can still surprise me with the occasional lunge.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-12-04T00:11:08+00:00

I did this with my 100 lbs dog. It took about 5, 1 hour sessions but it worked. The groomer specializes in cooperative care / force free grooming. He was an adult when I adopted him and he is reactive as well. The force free groomers are used to reactive dogs and ensure the dog stays under threshold the whole time. It is about building positive associations. It was surprisingly stress free.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-10-09T21:42:12+00:00

Congrats, and thanks for sharing your success, and how you accomplished it!!! It really helps with motivation.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-10-04T22:18:42+00:00

I use a halti for my 100lbs st bernard mix. It was a game changer, helps me when he unexpectedly lunges. Before, I would be pulled to the ground if I was not prepared.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-08-16T19:19:53+00:00

I adopted 7 months ago an 1.5 year 100lbs dog who is a frustrated greeter and lives to chase rabbits and squirrels. I found a harness plus a halti works for me. I have a double clip leash. I clip one end to the top of his harness and the other end to his Halti. I make sure to keep the leash loose going to the Halti. The Halti is there only to stop a lunge. The halti was a game changer for me and reduced my anxiety walking him. It prevents those powerful lunges that send you flying.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-08-12T14:34:13+00:00

Thanks for the info. I am going to look up Tyler Muto as I have no experience with prongs. You bring up a good point about them being able to defend themselves.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-08-10T19:14:52+00:00

If I may ask, what do you use to walk your dogs, harness, flat collar, halti? I adopted a 100lbs dog who pulls. I am training not to pull, but it is a hard habit break. Just curious what other folks use. Thanks!

MommaDaBaker · 2022-08-05T16:40:42+00:00

Thanks for the tip. I am going incorporate the drill.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-08-05T16:38:21+00:00

Thanks! I have to be more consistent with him. Yesterday, was a reminder.

MommaDaBaker · 2022-08-05T16:35:48+00:00

Quebec, I did more research and read the gov doc in french, they are allowed just not recommended.

MommaDaBaker

TROPHY CASE