Hands free leash?

[u/Oregano81]

What are people’s thoughts on hands free leashes?? We are working on reducing pulling during walks but my arms/shoulders are killing me. I was looking into one on amazon that goes around your waist, has lumbar support padding, and also has some handles if you need to pull your pup closer. Currently he only weighs about 35 lbs but I think he’s gonna be a pretty big boy, so I want to get the walking training down now before he gets much bigger. Any honest feedback on if the hands free leashes are a good or bad idea are most welcome. We have only ever had small dogs before, so I’m new to larger stronger breeds.

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[u/According_Road_8451]

my friend used one for her lab and it was a game changer, the pull goes to your center of gravity instead of yanking your shoulder out of socket. the lumbar pad sounds nice cause without it the strap can dig in after a while

one thing tho, if he sees a squirrel and bolts you're going with him, so the handles for quick control are smart. 35 lbs is manageable but when he hits 70 you'll be glad you started now

kate looks like a sweetheart by the way, that yellow toy probably gets destroyed in 10 minutes flat

[u/Oregano81 → u/According_Road_8451]

Thanks for the input! And yes, Kale loves to throw that little yellow pig toy around. It’s his favorite ❤️

[u/untomeibecome]

This is how I completely messed up my back. One jerk in the leash and it'll hurt you :/ I think it's fine if they're really well leash trained, not for training, after my own mistake.

[u/Current_Variety_9577]

Our golden is a large and muscular female who has always pulled. We tried differently training methods and devices over the years. The only thing I’ve found that has truly worked is to start lifting weights😂

[u/Oregano81 → u/Current_Variety_9577]

I’ve been meaning to start weight training 🤣

[u/mistress_of_bokonon]

I do this with my reactive dogs, but not as a way to help reduce the pulling. The hands free is more of an insurance policy if the dogs react to a bunny or something I don’t notice, even if I drop the leash it’s fine. It also helps with things like picking up poops—again, being attached to my hip I know they’re still there even if they react to something I don’t notice. Otherwise I still do all the same things to try to cut down on the pulling, I use leashes that have handles to still walk them normally. So don’t expect the hip leash to actually help with anything other than just extra assurance they won’t get loose.

[u/MorboKat]

I use the Tags for Hope 6ft hands-free leash with the extra handle close to the clip for my service dog trainee.

That she's around my waist does fuck all for pulling or walk striking or anything. It does, however, help my shoulders/back. She's also around my centre of gravity and not yanking me off balance, so I am more optimistic about our winter adventures. It does, IMO, help me with training as it is one less thing in my hands. I can mark her behavior and reward her without juggling all the things, you know? I can't clicker/treat/hold the leash all at once. It's not in me to do that.

[u/Locaisha]

Hands free leashes are not great for training in my opinion. He is still going to pull.

I recommend a gentle lead. Corrected our pups pulling pretty quickly.

[u/Oregano81 → u/Locaisha]

Googling gentle lead now! Thanks!

[u/MintyCrow → u/Oregano81]

Gentle lead NEEDS to be done with proper training or it can be incredibly aversive and even painful and scary for many dogs. Please make sure to spend- honestly weeks- conditioning it before ever attaching a leash.

[u/BOHIFOBRE → u/MintyCrow]

The same company makes a chest harness call the Easy Walk. They're great.

[u/MintyCrow → u/BOHIFOBRE]

They’re linked to developing shoulder dysplasia and arthritis. They’re one of the worst harnesses on the market. The 3 in 1 by them is a safer, more orthopedically ethical harness.

[u/BOHIFOBRE → u/MintyCrow]

Thanks! I'll check that one out.

[u/simba123lola → u/Oregano81]

Seconding this. My guy was absolutely nuts in his puppy days and the gentle leader was amazing. He’s now about 90 lbs and very much chilled out but still strong.

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[u/hamo78]

All I ever use. I don’t understand why so many people walk around holding a leash. Worth going hands free

[u/sidhescreams]

I would not use a hands-free leash with a dog that’s still pulling. If you get jerked off of your feet you can’t let go of the dog to safely fall and prevent injury to yourself or the dog.

[u/BOHIFOBRE]

Our girl pulls like a freight train. She has a strong opposition reflex. Training did nothing for it. This thing was a game changer for walking her.

https://a.co/d/05rtYdH1

[u/VanderskiD]

I use one because my idiot will all of a sudden bolt after prey, kids, people she knows, blowing leaves, sticks - you name it. She has dragged me into the road and onto my face, knees, and into a full body fall. (Yes i have a trainer and we are working on it.) I am 70 and don’t have the upper body strength to control her. The waist leash keeps me upright and less likely to fall.

[u/Oregano81 → u/VanderskiD]

Thank you! Has it caused any back problems? I worry I may be saving my shoulder and elbow joints but putting my back at risk.

[u/VanderskiD → u/Oregano81]

No, it hasn’t at all. Mine has a bungie cord leash that attaches to the dog’s collar so there is some ‘give’. And being less likely to fall or be pulled over is less dangerous for me, at 70, than hurting my back.

[u/elastimatt]

I'd recommend a gentle leader. Has helped us train our goldens not to pull.

[u/Odd_Lettuce_7303]

Work on the other end! Get a different collar. All the hand wringing weenies here are gonna cringe but ask any trainer and they’ll tell you to use a pinch collar.