All my pups have been walked in a harness when they were too young to have learned how to walk on a loose lead. I agree with the others that their necks can be easily damaged when they are little. The harness was phased out when their concentration increased and they leaned what they were supposed to do.

I've used a harness for the 1st time today. I cant believe how much better Meg walked, it was an actual joy. When we start training classes I want her to have a flat collar and learn to walk properly, but at least while she is walking by my side I am constantly praising her and saying the heel command.

surely the dog having its back broken was a freak accident, and if it had been on a flat collar, it would have been its neck!


- our trainer recommends harnesses and halti type leads for particular dogs to start with, if the owner is really struggling for control - but they are gradually trained off them. We used harnesses in class for a few weeks when ours were puppies, but they now walk beautifully on their slip leads... in class! Heel work is something you do in a hall only apparently! I'm sure with more patience and practice it might filter through to the real world too!

Ultimately the puppy is yours, and if you feel that a harness helps you in your day to day walks, then that is your decision,

Good luck with the training!

I have just come away from an intro session at these classes. There was loads going on at once. It seems we do socialisation until 6 months then and intake training class. There was one class going on while we were there with older dogs and they were all on choke chains!!


I must say though the socialisation class dogs were all extremely well behaved and me and another 1st timer (also with a springer) were both ' oh my god our dogs are going to show us up big time'

Interestingly we also met one of Alfies siblings

Woa Woa Woa!!!
I would be very wary of any class that would prefer to use a choke chain rather than a painfree canny collar or harness...look else where!!!