Which double ended lead for a pulling lab

[Smellyporcupine]

My parents have a one year old lab, and I suggested a double ended lead, but they are using two single leads one on the collar and one on back of her harness. I'm not sure this works the same?

What do I need to get that I can get on pets at home or Amazon ?

Should they be clipping to the front of a harness or do I need an additional harness thing? Happy to pay for them to try if it helps. They are exhausted.

When my much smaller working dog was young I just would have him on a very short lead slip lead, but would let him off 90% of the time, so I'm not much help. These can't walk their lab on a slip lead, it just pulls: They never let theirs off so it's a bit different.

I really think it depends on the dog and breed. With our sighthound we need the security of the harness as well as the collar attachment and she has learned to walk really well on a loose lead wearing the harness (basic one, not a control one). Our other dog just wears a lead attached to the collar and had to be trained using the stop start method as he pulled like a husky pulling a sled in any kind of harness!

We have that Halti harness that you linked to for our young, working lab. I don’t even need to use the vacuum clip, just the front one and he’s gone from making me cry with his pulling to walking alongside me perfectly. Obviously I praise him for good walking but it’s made walks much nicer.

I've only had my lab a couple of months, but I've found that there are so conflicting opinions out there, it's really difficult to know what is best. We were also told harnesses encourage pulling, but after a week of him chocking on a collar + lead/slip lead, we got the perfect fit. It's not a no pull harness, so doesn't restrict him, but we do have more control if he tried to pull in a dangerous situation.

He also supposedly had his good citizen bronze and honestly I would have said he had no training at all if I didn't know. He's had 2 evenings at dog school and the difference is massive.

However, I think part or why he pulls less is because he is no longer trying to get away from the thing that's choking him, so everyone is less stressed. He still pulled a lot at the start with the harness, but working with him on walks, doing the 1-2-3 pattern game (works well with food oriented breeds like labs), there's been a huge improvement.

All in all, there's a lot of conflicting advice out there, but you have to go with what you think is best for the dog. I've had to completely disregard what the previous owner did, but the outcome is he's turning into a lovely pup.

*A good way of getting a dog not to pull AND exercising them at the same time is to put the dog on a collar and lead (not a harness) and EVERY TIME it so much as pulls (it will likely do this immediately) STOP dead. Turn your body a little away if you like. Don't say a word to the dog. Silent. As SOON as the dog looks at you (even a glance, coz it will for sure) say a command word like OK! really cheerfully and move on.

Dog pulls. STOP. No talking. Wait for eye contact. OK! and move.

It can take a loooong time but the dog will get it eventually that pulling = stopping.*

Please don't advise this to your parents. Labs are prone to laryngeal paralysis so pressure on their necks should always be avoided. You can use the same technique above with a harness and avoid any unnecessary pressure on the dog's larynx.

I have a dog that is a bad puller (she's learning though, we'll get there one day!) and I would suggest a bungee double ended lead, like is used for Canicross. The bounce takes the worst of it out of the sudden jerks and is more comfortable for both you and the dog when correcting pulling/positioning. You could even look into a Canicross style belt for your parents to use too, might give them more security as well as giving shoulders a break. Walking to a field and then putting them on a long lead for a bit is also a bit of a break too.

I understand what you mean though OP - this isn't the solution to pulling for me either, but just management while we keep working on it.