Seven months ago, we added to our already large family (four adults & soon to be six kids) by bringing home a Black Lab/German Shepard mixed breed pup. She was quickly dubbed, Rogue, due to her mixed heritage and the white streak on her shoulder that stands out so vividly against her mostly black coat. Since then, the whole family has delighted at her antics and learned along with her as she grows.

Rogue was a fall pup, so the issues of leash manners didn't really come up til the snows of winter had finally melted away. She was just too small to take very far in the bitter cold and deep snow. As she began approaching her full-grown size however, we realized that those long walks with her that we had looked forward to... were not quite the pleasure we had anticipated! Our typically polite, friendly, well-mannered pup suddenly became this scrabbling, choking, grouchy fiend at the end of a leash.

When all our efforts and regular walks brought about little change, we began looking around for a decent aid in correcting this behavior. We ended up purchasing a Yuppie Puppy (Sporn) Anti-pull Harness at our local Walmart for a mere $9, and the results have been amazing!

Basic Info:

This canine training aid is ASPCA approved, which is what caught our eye in the beginning. It has a nylon collar which settles lower on the dog's neck than a regular collar. Attached to this are two "restraint loops" which run under the front legs, and then reattach to the collar to form the adjustable slide-lock portion of the harness. These loops are covered with anti-bacterial Sherpa Sleeves (tm), which protect this sensitive area on your dog from rubbing, and really do add to the comfort level of the product. These can be removed and washed at any time, which is also very handy.

Once the harness is settled properly and adjusted to your dog's size, all you have to do is attach your leash to the metal ring at the end of the slide-locked restraints. Now you're ready to ramble! It comes in four adjustable sizes. Ours is the L/XL 16"-33" neck size. It is also available in the colors: black, red, and blue.

How It Works:

This wonderfully effective product simply redirects the leash tension to the sensitive area just behind their front legs. Since it no longer allows pressure to be applied to their throats, no more hacking and choking! As this area is so sensitive, the slightest pressure immediately causes them to (key words here) Stop Pulling.

Our Views:

The look on Rogue's face when she first experienced the effects of this harness was priceless! Sort of like a toddler's first taste of ice cream, lol. She has rapidly adjusted to this new addition to her treasured leash though. Rogue has never had a moment's hesitation after her first experience with this product, and is always eager to 'help' put on her gear whenever we go for a walk. From our use of this item, I would say that two of the most important things to keep in mind is that you a.)Must have the proper size for your canine pal and b.)you Must make sure each time that the harness is adjusted properly. If the slidelock is left too loose for example, Rogue could shimmy backward out of it if she felt intimidated by anything we met along our walks, like a larger or more aggressive dog. Obviously, if your harness is too small it would be uncomfortable, even painful for your dog, and you wouldn't want that!

The only other possible drawback I can see about this item is that the restraint loops and protective sleeves will eventually need to be replaced. Having looked at the manufacturer's site (www.sporn.com), I realized just how lucky we were to come across this harness at Walmart. The price difference for the harness is significant! However, the restraint and sleeve replacements also available online were very reasonably priced at $4.95 per set.

The effect of this anti-pull harness with Rogue was immediate and dramatic. Everyone in the family, from the smallest child (age seven) to the currently almost 9 months pregnant Mom can now enjoy walking with our four-legged friend. Rogue has not repeated her former behavior since we began using this, nor can she harm herself by applying too much pressure to her throat as with a regular collar and leash. Her old collar is still there, of course, as a back up as well as to hold her I.D., etc.

Where appropriate in our outings, we have also unclipped the leash leaving the harness on, to observe how her mobility in the harness alone would be affected. No problems at all there! lol, She can still go from 0 to 60 in six seconds, roll, leap, and scramble up and downhill just as well as she always has. We've removed it before doing any creek wading or swimming though. The Sherpa sleeves are very absorbent, nor did we feel it would be wise to allow her to enter into water in something that could potentially endanger her by snagging.

So, if you and your canine are struggling with similar issues, Rogue and I both suggest this marvelous product. It has her five bark stamp of approval, and is her favorite item in the house...next to her prized bone, of course. ;)


***UPDATE*** June 9, 2005 We recently added a four month old Boxer pup to our family. Being large, puppy-foolish, rather strong and rambunctious (Boxers really are clowns!)...we decided to purchase the same anti-pull harness that our Rogue experienced such success with earlier.

Sadly, this product is not designed for the build and strength of a Boxer pup. The sherpa coverings are simply not adequate and will end up "protecting" your boxer's shoulder blades, which will leave his/her underleg/chest area rubbed raw if you aren't constantly readjusting it! Not helpful to one trying to leash train either!

If you purchase or make a covering twice the length of the product as sold, you're pup should be fine. We found that purchasing a simple child's t-shirt at Goodwill in a size adequate for Harlequin (our Boxer) and putting this on under her harness worked very well too. She is now able to wear her harness comfortably and responding well to leash training. Be warned though that this product may not suit, as is, the needs of your particular breed of dog.

On an additional note, we are still using the origional harness purchased for Rogue. It has held up under regular use amazingly well, and Rogue has had no difficulties at all with this harness. It may soon be time to purchase or make new coverings for the leg loops, but they too have held up amazingly well through all kinds of weather, mud, immersion, washings, etc. If this product does suits the needs of your dog, it is most definitely built to last and I would still recommend it.

Recommended: Yes