Myth: Harnesses Teach Dogs to Pull
Originally published August 2021. Updated May 2024.
A properly fitted harness protects your dog’s neck and can make training easier for you and your dog.
MYTH: Harnesses teach your dog to pull
This sounds plausible. After all, those sled dogs wear harnesses, and they’re REALLY good at pulling!
It is true that some harnesses make it easier for dogs to successfully pull, but wearing one doesn’t automatically teach them to pull any more than driving a Ferrari teaches me speed.
TRUTH: Consequences teach your dog to pull
Your dog learns to pull based on what happens after he pulls—not based on what he’s wearing.
If pulling gets him closer to that bush he wants to smell, then the pulling is rewarded and he will do it more often in the future.
This is why one part* of teaching nice leash manners is to stop walking if the dog starts to pull. A properly fitted harness with leash attachment at the chest can actually make this easier for you.
“I don’t have any problem stopping my dog when he pulls on a collar. Do I still need a harness?”
I recommend it, yes! Collar pressure is really bad for dogs all around, so I prefer to use a harness even if the dog has fantastic leash manners.
“If consequences do the teaching, wouldn’t a training collar or a correction work best to solve pulling?”
Not necessarily. I’ve seen dogs wearing punishment-based collars pulling into them anyway.
And even if they did stop the pulling, you’re still left with the negative associations those tools form as well as the lack of information about what the dog should do. Tap here to read more about why I say no to shock, prong, and chain training collars.
*If you try teaching your dog to pull by only stopping every time he hits the end of the leash, you’ll both wind up EXTREMELY frustrated.
You’ll also need to teach him how to pay attention around distractions, and walk next to your side (if appropriate). You also need to consider if your dog is pulling because he is scared or extremely over-stimulated by the outside world; if so, those emotions need to be worked on too.
Tap here to read more about training your dog to walk nicely on a leash.
