Actually, we love the Easy Walk Harness by Premier and I have a lot to say about it! This is a great tool to get your dog to stop pulling on the leash. It’s made by the same people who make the Gentle Leader, and works in a similar way by turning your dog if she pulls on the leash. The D-ring (where the leash hooks) is on the chest, which makes it very different from harnesses where the D-ring is on the back. The D-ring on the Easy Walk Harness works like a steering wheel.
This harness is different from head halters like the Gentle Leader or the Halti. A head halter can work, but you need to be vigilant and never let your dog run or lunge to the end of the leash, which can be hard when there are squirrels or other distractions around. Lunging to the end of the leash in a head halter can really injure the dog’s neck. The Easy Walk Harness is a step above head halters and is by far better than choke, prong, or shock collars.
The Easy Walk Harness is one of the best things you can buy for you & your dog and I don’t say that lightly. Here’s why it rocks:
- it can’t be mistaken for a muzzle—no matter how many friendly or submissive signals Saffron gave, we still had people ask if the Gentle Leader was a muzzle or if she was a biter
- no risk of neck injury as there is with head halters
- dogs can’t back out of the harness as can happen with regular collars
- no risk of coughing, gagging, or injury to trachea as there is with regular collars
- there’s no strap on the face or nose—if your dog is sensitive or pulls because she’s anxious, I think the nose strap on a head halter can actually exacerbate her anxiety
- much easier, faster adjustment period than with head halter
- doesn’t cause any pain like choke or prong collars
I think there are a few different types of leash pullers and this harness works
with all of them. There are the dogs who flap & fly around on the end of the leash, the sled dogs pulling you down the sidewalk, the lungers who go after squirrels or other things of interest, and there are the steady pullers who do it out of anxiety. Because this harness is controlling your dog’s chest, and therefore her whole body, your dog gets a clear, gentle signal about what you want from her. It worked the minute I put it on Saffron. It was such a startling change to have the leash slack and to have her relaxed, that at first I thought something was wrong. But, it was actually that something was right for the first time.
The Easy Walk Harness is indispensable for training sessions during walks or
in places with lots of distractions. Want your dog to learn to sit at the corner before crossing, but you’re having trouble getting through to her because she’s not paying attention to you? This harness can make all the difference. Trying to teach your dog to heel, but she’s just too anxious to focus? Well, first move to a less stressful place like your own backyard, but also try this harness. It really is much better at communicating what you want and that’s so much of what training is all about.
Don’t miss these superb videos on fitting the Easy Walk Harness (bottom of the page) and on the harness in action with a frisky Boxer (second from the bottom).
Take the time to adjust the Easy Walk Harness for the proper fit. It’s supposed to be quite snug with the chest strap over the breast bone. Remember the D-ring goes on the chest. The harness has 2 buckles—one on the stomach strap and one on the back strap. And it has 4 places to adjust the fit, so you can get it just right. The stomach strap is a different color to make it easy for you to put the harness on correctly. And it comes in lots of sizes and colors.
(Please note: I am in no way affiliated with the Easy Walk Harness or any stores linked to above.)
I just got one of these about a week ago, and I’m very happy with it. It’s easy to use (not confusing) and doesn’t require any special training. Frankly, it works like magic, and there’s absolutely no more pulling when we go for walks…which is essential when you have a 75lb dog. Now it looks like I have this well-trained calm dog by my side (which is hardly the case!)
Cool, bouncylabsquirrelchaser! And I love that it works without the human jerking the dog, “popping” a choke chain, etc. Everyone is happier.
I absolutely love this harness!!! My 80 lb boxer was a terror to walk for the first year and a half of his life. We started out with the harness, and it was a day and night difference. I eventually graduated him to walking with the harness on, but the leash clipped to his collar, and finally took the harness off completely. He’s an angel to walk now, and we are much closer with our new ability to walk together every night!
I love it so much that when my mother started having pulling issues with her Golden Retriever, I actually gave her my boxer’s harness. She has a bad knee, ankle, and neck, and lives in a condo complex, so a quick, effective change was a necessity…not an option. Now, her golden doesn’t leave the house without her harness, and my mom is back to loving her nightly hour walks with her three-year old ball of fluff!!!
Best investment ever.
I have two of the Easy Walk harnesses. They do work, but loosen up as we walk. I have to stop every few minutes and readjust them.
I love this product! My 15 year old niece who is a volunteer dog walker for the Oregon Humane Society turned me onto this. I have a 10 month old Doberman, born in October, the beginning of winter with our walking ritual starting in the dead of winter. He grew and grew and became so strong and pulled so hard that by Feburary I could no longer safely walk him on the ice and snow. A trainer told me to use a prong/pinch collar. After that we walked only once a week as I was uncomfortable with its method of taming the dog and he still pulled quite a bit, pinching his neck.
Now July he’s 10 months old with little training in walking, he’s 90 lbs and I had resigned myself to just playing fetch in the back yard. My niece came for her summer visit and brought one of these harnesses with her. She and I walked him keeping a short leash which easily kept him next to us instead of out front, by the fifth or sixth time we did begin to look like The Dog Whisperer. Amazing! Now instead of people driving and walking by looking at Noodles, the dog, in concern and fear they look at us with calm, my Doberman walks controlled and focused. It’s changed Noodles life, he is very happy and becoming more balanced knowing about the outside world beyond the 6 foot wooden fence. We will be able to socialize now and are planning to attend the annual Dog Jog at the end of the month. Yes!
Can the easy walk harness be used on 2 siberian huskys while using the “splitter” that allows them to be on 1 leash?
Terry–No I don’t think it will work on a splitter because to pulling or wandering dog will also be affecting the other dog.