slip lead, harness or normal lead for loose lead training?

[lougle]

My lovely young GSDX is practically perfect in every way, but isn't used to lead walking. He is making great progress (we've been together 5 days) with the 'stop until he notices and returns' method, along with a 'with me' command. He's even learned which side he has to return to and where he has to stand for us to continue.

He has used a harness, but pulls quite a Iot on it. He pulls less on a normal lead but needs constant correction (not a problem for me).

I have had a suggestion of a slip lead but I'm a little unsure because it looks to work in the same way as a choke chain does? I may be misunderstanding it, though.

What is the best lead/harness to teach loose lead training? I don't want to use a head collar, so that's out.

We used a perfect fit harness when Ddog went through his pulling phase with a double ended lead clipped to the front and back. That cut down on the pulling as he'd just end up turned into me if he started

We combined that with lots of treats, gradually spacing them out so first of all 5 paces then treat them 10 treat etc etc sometimes giving him a treat randomly so he always thought it was worth being next to me

I'll still use the harness if we're going somewhere he doesn't know or if it might be very exciting but most of the time now I use the slip lead as its so quick however I can't imagine using it with a dog who pulled strongly as they would constantly be strangling themselves

From what I have read a harness with either two d rings on - at front of dog, and back - or just one d ring at front are the best. They are pricey though.

ah x-posted.

Great. I am borrowing a perfect fit for a couple of weeks, so will need to get his own.

If you think he is getting it I would probably persevere for another while with the same method, as a week is not that long in lead training terms.
It may be obvious, but try to go somewhere very unexciting so you have more chance to get his attention - carpark/playing fields/ boring road walk...this can make a massive difference
Really high value treats will help as well, some thing strong smelling so he doesn't forget you have it on you - my latest one is smoked cheese but tiny bits of cocktail sausages or salami can also be very attractive

I've heard it suggested that you use whatever you plan to use in the future for training, and never allow him to pull with it on whatsoever. In an ideal world, then, you bring him in the car or allow him to run off lead or be carried or something if you are not training at that particular time but simply have to get somewhere. In other words, he never would be in anything other than loose lead mode when he is wearing any form of gear.
Then if it's a thing that you can't manage this, and sometimes you DO have to just get somewhere on foot with the dog on leash when he may pull, you wear the OTHER form of gear which you will then gradually phase out.
It seems complicated but it does make some sort of sense, I think.

That sounds good. He's a really quick learner.