Sarah Ann, have you tried a Halti lead for Ellie? The kind that goes around the nose, sort of like a bridle that a horse would wear? My vet suggested it for Simon because he is just awful on the lead and my shoulder always ends up hurting if I walk him on a regular lead. He always paws at it when we first put it on but then settles down and behaves really nicely.

Here's a link if you haven't seen one. http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/haltilead.php

Hi Mummy Tummy - Yes, I've tried her with a Halti. I'm a big fan of them. George, the bigger of my two Labs, always wears a Halti when he's walked on a lead and he's fine with it - so I thought Ellie would be the same but there's something about the shape of her face which doesn't seem work with the Halti - it pulls down her lower eyes so that the underside of the lower lid shows all the time and it starts to look inflammed. We took her to a good pet shop and had it fitted on her properly so it should have been okay but she's obviously uncomfortable with it. So now we're experimenting with a fabric type choke lead which, unless she's actually pulling, spends the entire walk draped fetchingly around her shoulders.

Now I need to figure out how to get it in to her brain that the command HERE means 'come here NOW '- not 'could pop over here when you've got a quiet moment in your busy schedule'. I've even tried little slivers of roast chicken as an incentive - but unless she's in the mood she won't come back for anything!!!

My other staffie, Katie, had a halti for years and she loved it. But Harry, the staffie we have now hated it so I found an alternative for him. He has one of those strong cord harnesses called a Lupi. They work like a halti.

My little bullie has to have a special harness from the vet's as she can't wear a collar or have anything near her head - as the strain would damage her eyes. (My avatar photo was taken before her eye op).

The Lupi stops Harry from pulling and he doesn't seem bothered by it.

Oh now THAT looks like a good idea! We did have a similar kind of elasticated harness for George which I've still got around somewhere but it pulled at his fur so he wasn't very keen to have it put on - unlike the way he feels about his Halti. I think I'll go and have a look at the Lupi in Jollyes next time we're passing. Ellie did okay this morning on the rope choke thing and we practiced a LOT of 'heel' and turn. G&F were highly amused - they just sat by the side of the path watching me and Ellie parading up and down with me calling 'heel' in a high pitched voice and turning. You could tell they were laughing - their tongues were hanging out and their eyes were all bright and sparkly. After half an hour Ellie seemed to get the idea.

The friends we had over for dinner last night have loaned me their videos of the entire series of Dog Borstal, so I'm going to sit down and watch all that this afternoon and see if I can pick up any tips. If you watch Dog Borstal then the instructor, Mick, is very similar to the excellent trainer we had for George. Very good with big dogs but a very entertaining complete fascist when it comes to little 'uns!

It's very strong too, as Harry's had his for about 6 years and it's still going strong!

I'd never heard of them but one day when he was quite young, we were in a pet shop and the woman noticed he was wearing a halti. Our first staffie had worn a halti from about the time they first came out in the 1980s - and you never saw another dog in one, then. So we were used to getting funny looks or being asked 'Why is your dog wearing a muzzle', and people thinking it was cruel til you explained it. (Katy LOVED the halti, too!) But Harry hated his, to the point he'd almost refuse to go out on a walk and he'd leg it if he saw you approaching with the halti - once it was on, he was OK, but he didn't like it. But it was effective so we stuck with it. Anyway the woman in the shop said 'Try a Lupi, these are much easier on the dog' - and if I'm honest it doesn't stop the pulling quite as effectively as the Halti, but it's very. very close.

Anyway, I'd recommend them. I had one for Charmy my other dog but had to give it away when she had her op.

Harry doesn't pull much now, unless he sees a rat in the hedgerow or something exciting like that. Must be old age (He's 6 and a half!)

I'll give it a try - I'm going to try George's old elasticated harness thing on her as well (if she doesn't mind me reaching under her armpits!) I WILL find the right thing for her... I'm sure its out there somewhere. I have a feeling that she's been hit quite a lot when she's been naughty in the past because she flinches.

George loves his Halti - all I have to do is offer it out to him and he walks in to it - which is why I got one for Ellie but it seemed to do this thing with her eyes.

Poor Fred, he doesn't get anything special - thats what happens when you are a Very Good Dog and do everything your told without any hassle.

Why do I have a feeling Ellie may become a permanent resident????

Hmmmmmm - I made a promise that I wouldn't get upset when I have to give her back. I'm just hoping that DH's friend's six months contract gets extended.... permanently!

I found George's old stretchy harness thing and it worked really well for Ellie yesterday. DH is walking them today (his first time alone with all three of them) and he decided that the harness didn't look 'manly' enough him so he's taken her on the rope choke lead - more fool him.

I hope he comes back with three dogs.

Here is my little boy Alfie.... he's a three year old Jack Russell and I would never part with him for the world...

oh he's too cute and he wears costumes, bless... where ya bin Maz?

I want an outfit like that for Ellie for Boxing Day (so people aren't scared of her) - I wonder if they do them in Great Dane size??

Just buy a human size one Sarah... that should fit

You're probably right - except her head is bigger than a human's. If I can't get her an outfit then I'm going to put a big pink and white spotted bow around her neck to make her look cute.

I've seen two cars this past few days that have reindeer antlers on the side bits, attached to the tops of thier windows I suppose and a red nose on the grill of the front, made me smile and now I think I want a set... maybe something that size would fit Ellies head...bless, remember if you do get her all dressed up, we want pictures.

Bugger, I wrote something and lost it, but how about something like this...isn't it cute? I've seen two cars this past few days with these on...


And there the first post appears, just as if it's magic