Skip to content

Training Devices for Anti-Pulling - I vote for Sporn

Basenji Training
  • As we all know leash training a basenji is a daunting task, especially the pulling. Martingales are nice, but to train the dog up into not pulling, I don't think its a good step, because well they still pull.

    So my first step was the gentle leader, I trained my boxer on it and so thats where I started. My review is that it's still a great product. Tiggy will wear it and does great on it, but I found it's not good for extended wearing (several hours, meaning going out to events or picnicking, anything that is longer than about 45 minutes).

    Next I tried him on the Gentle Leader Easy Walk harness. Didn't buy, just tried it on in the store, review there not good for a basenji. Basenji's are on many things I've found to be a "in-between" sort of dog. Here's why I say that, I tried the small on Tig and extended out all the way, it did fit bordering between snug and too tight and the straps are thin (about the width of a cat collar) so I didn't like that, so I tried the medium on him. Well heres the in-between part, every part of it tightened it was way to big for him. I also know that he'd out grow the small because he's only eight months.

    Moving on, I tried on the Sporn, well the normal Sporn small, I again ran into the to tight extended out all the way problem. I then tried on the medium, cinched the collar as tight as it would go, still a little loose around the neck but the rest made up for it. SO….I got it (wasn't happy that the collar part was red, but I'd survive. I had it for about 2 weeks and Tiggy does great on it. But I still couldn't get over the red collar, and there was so much extra strap from the piece that sits over the shoulders (for those that don't know the Sporn I'm attaching pictures below) that when Tiggy was pulled in close I'd end up be holding the ring.

    Then to my excitement I discovered the Sporn mesh harness, debated over it for a week, then Tiggy and I went to the store and I tried it on him. Guess what, the small fits perfect with room for growing, and unlike the original version he'd sometimes choke himself, there was no choking, we walked around the store in it for about 10 minutes, and well I left it on him, paid and we walked out. It does the safe thing as the original but fits better and his normal collar doesn't get in the way of the collar that comes with the original sporn.

    Okay so here's the pictures, first we have the Original Sporn Training Harness LINK

    This it the one I just got the Sporn Non-Pulling Mesh Harness LINK

    Also to end my long thread, the mesh one you just slip over the dogs head and slip the legs through and then tighten the cordlock

  • @WBL:

    Next I tried him on the Gentle Leader Easy Walk harness. Didn't buy, just tried it on in the store, review there not good for a basenji. Basenji's are on many things I've found to be a "in-between" sort of dog. Here's why I say that, I tried the small on Tig and extended out all the way, it did fit bordering between snug and too tight and the straps are thin (about the width of a cat collar) so I didn't like that, so I tried the medium on him. Well heres the in-between part, every part of it tightened it was way to big for him. I also know that he'd out grow the small because he's only eight months.

    The Easy Walk Harness by Premier sells tweener sizes. You can order a S/M which fits a basenji pretty nicely. The straps are the same width as the Medium but the size is between a medium and a small. The tweener sizes are not carried at the stores but most trainers who sell them will have them and will make sure that they are properly fitted to your dog. Three of my puppy people use them and are very happy with the results.

  • @lvoss:

    The Easy Walk Harness by Premier sells tweener sizes. You can order a S/M which fits a basenji pretty nicely. The straps are the same width as the Medium but the size is between a medium and a small. The tweener sizes are not carried at the stores but most trainers who sell them will have them and will make sure that they are properly fitted to your dog. Three of my puppy people use them and are very happy with the results.

    Great to know, thank you. I'll look them up online

  • One thing I would recommend, if you are showing your dog, be careful using any type of harness.. they can and do alter the front shoulder movement and dogs stop using their shoulders in a straight forward movement and start a swinging motion.

  • @tanza:

    One thing I would recommend, if you are showing your dog, be careful using any type of harness.. they can and do alter the front shoulder movement and dogs stop using their shoulders in a straight forward movement and start a swinging motion.

    Good point, and that I do know, I should add that for Tiggy, I only use these devices when we go into places like Pet Smart or when we're in Germany out on the town shopping. Gives more control in crowded places. As for normal walks we use just a hound collar. When we are in busy crowded places Tiggy is still learning to behave like he does when we walk through the neighborhood and trails.

  • If you have never seen the Easy Walk Harness here is a basenji wearing the s/m.

    attachment_p_36952_0_ringooffleash.jpg

Suggested Topics

  • Kennel Training

    Basenji Training
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    3k Views
    J
    Yay!!! 👊😊👍
  • Training Question

    Basenji Training
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    2k Views
    elbrantE
    Just a suggestion: When you see him "misbehaving" by chewing on 'less than ideal' items, offer him one of his toys and use the word "trade". In other words, 'chew on this instead', and when he accepts the toy - praise him. And when you see him get the toy on his own, praise him again. It could help him understand that certain toys are just for those times when you want to "rip someone's head off*". (*not meant literally, only in doggy world play)
  • Crate training

    Basenji Training
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    4k Views
    AnaA
    He does only poop in his crate, no urine usually. I am trying to gradually get him to like his crate, but I do think it might be a lost cause. But yesterday I left for about three hours and left him in the kitchen. When I got back, I opened the door and looked down to see not only my cat waiting for me but my dog as well… He found a way to get out of the kitchen and have the run on my apartment. I now know why basenjis are called escape artists. I was happy to find that although he had an accident in the living room, he didn't destroy anything. But I won't count on one time to trust him alone. I am going to stick with the kitchen and try to make sure he can't get out.
  • Whistle training

    Basenji Training
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    KipawaK
    @agilebasenji: for this sort of thing (big value treats over long time period), the best thing i've found to use is frozen liverwurst. i buy it, slice it and put it in a small container (the leftover cream cheese containers work GREAT for this) then put the container in the freezer. the pup gets to lick the frozen stuff for her high value treat - LOTS of treat over a long time, but not lots of calories or lots of treats in the tummy. the dogs at my house swear liverwurst pupcicles are wonderful. sometimes they will try to nibble, but given it's frozen and in a small container, it's hard to get lots of treats. I will try this, but I myself love liverwurst. Hopefully I will not eat it all before getting to the park. At the park today, I was about 75% successful with the whistle/treat recall. Not bad for the first time out, I think. Especially because there were easily 20 dogs there, and Kipawa is Mr. Social and has to visit with all of them.
  • Training classes?

    Basenji Training
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    6k Views
    NemoN
    @tanza: I think you are waiting too long. You should have two complete sets of shots before class. Waiting till they are 15/16wks you are missing critical socialization skills. Waiting for "all the shots" is pretty much old school these days. My pups go out even before that to things like lure trials… you just need to be careful and not let them "get" into anything like "old poop" laying around. I'm planning on taking her around the time of the 2nd shots if I can. But the problem is that the next round of puppy classes doesn't start till the last week of March, which would be around 14 weeks anyway. Maybe they will let me join the last half of the previous class but I'd have to check into that.
  • Leash training

    Basenji Training
    42
    0 Votes
    42 Posts
    27k Views
    K
    These front-attaching harnesses work really well in my experience. As soon as the dog starts to pull, it will turn itself towards you, slowing it down. Otherwise the dog has every bit of freedom to do what it wants.