# what is best for a staffie?



## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

as you all know i'm getting a stafordshire bull terrier at the end of next month and im just trying to get everything ready and wondered what people thought was best in their opinion, a collar or a harness?


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

For a pure staffy, either a collar (preferable) or (if you really want to use a harness) one of the real staffy harnesses. Staffies soon learn to 'shoulder in'to a normal harness (and FFS dont get an anti-pul harness :lol2: )


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

Collar. Harnesses can encourage pulling, and it is easy to train a dog to walk to heel with just a plain, flat collar. 

Plus, most puppy classes will only allow your puppy to wear a plain collar at class.


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## Carol (Aug 2, 2007)

Mine has a coller and she is just fine with it no pulling.


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## marthaMoo (May 4, 2007)

I always say harness (not the leather type as Staffies have sensitive skin and the leather ones rub in under there arms)

But if your planning on taking the wee one to training lessons they wont use harnesses, you will have to use a collar and lead.

So I'd get both..lol not helpful I know. But I would use a collar and lead for road walking. And a harness for use when you hit the fields so she can run around safely.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Oh, also, if you choose harness then you will still need a collar with ID tag when ever the dog is off-leash.


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## Mischievous_Mark (Mar 16, 2008)

Id say harness because the staffies were i work tend to pull on the lead and choke themselves half to death.

There was one last week that cut of it airways because it was that stupid and got too excited and kept pulling.

But if its a pup you could probly train it to walk on a collar anyway.

but like LoveForLizards said they still need a collar with an ID tag on.


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

i think it will be best if i get both and see how i get on with them we have already booked our training class for her also what lead would be best a rope one or a extendable lead?


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## JulieNoob (Jul 9, 2008)

Collar and normal lead - extendable leads can be dangerous - the brake can fail and be very dangerous on a road.


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## Mush (Jan 20, 2008)

we have a staffy x and found a normal harness to be a pile of crap as he pulled much more.

get a halti and a normal collar, beats all problems too


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## RasperAndy (Sep 21, 2007)

I'm going to disagree with everyone here, i had a collar and he pulled like mad and training classes didn't solve anything (stubborn) so i bought a harness...........WOW totally different dog walked perfectly on it and also listened to my commands and sat down at each curb and waited for me to say "walk on" when it was safe,

then i decided to forget both and he just walked everywhere with me no collar, no harness, and he was still well behaved

(sorry i was talking about a older dog, for a puppy you need a collar and lead)


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

Mush said:


> we have a staffy x and found a normal harness to be a pile of crap as he pulled much more.
> 
> get a halti and a normal collar, beats all problems too


whats a halti?


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## RasperAndy (Sep 21, 2007)

halti - Google Image Search


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## Mush (Jan 20, 2008)

haltis basically calm pulling, Harry pulled like no ones business, wanted to rip my shoulder blades out, soon as hes got the halti on he walks to heel and is very very well behaved.

It is all individual to the dog though, shame ur so far away id lend you our harness too as i dont use it any more.

The range do haltis and harnesses dirt cheap, we got a padded harness for harry before changing to the halti, however the little git liked pulling

edited: also like to add when harry used to be on collar and lead alone he would pull to the point he would make himself sick!


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## marthaMoo (May 4, 2007)

Cubey If you google "Rogz" it should come up with some nice collars, leads and harnesses for you too choose from. Good quality stuff in puppy sizes.


Hopefully your little girl will be the non pulling type, unlike mine :lol2:


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

marthaMoo said:


> Cubey If you google "Rogz" it should come up with some nice collars, leads and harnesses for you too choose from. Good quality stuff in puppy sizes.
> 
> 
> Hopefully your little girl will be the non pulling type, unlike mine :lol2:


 
ill check it out now thanks and yer would love a none puller but cant see it happening


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

I wouldnt use a halti on a baby pup they are for adults that pull not pups. I would also get a Training lead as it has a loop so you can have a normal length lead or a longer lead for training. I use these on all my dogs along with Half check collars which is what most training classes advise


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Half check collar and training lead. Any regular harness (ie not stop pull) will "harness" their power (hence the name) and they will pull more.

So I'd say half check and training classes :2thumb:


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## Mush (Jan 20, 2008)

sorry i didnt realise you were getting a puppy! i only suggested a halti for an adult as its done wonders to our mutt


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## beardedlady (Jan 22, 2008)

my staff has a collar an harness she walks to heel in her collar an pulls on her harness (which is what it is for) but she didnt have her harness untill she was a year an a half, i would say keep ya pup on a lead an collar until she is old enough to make sure she is fully devolped b4 you put her in a harness


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I voted collar but not sure that was the right option. What I hate above all is when this breed wears either a harness, or a collar, made from elephant leather strong enough to take a fully grown Rhino for a walk on, and is full of big brass studs, practically dwarfing the dog and making it look like a huge killing machine when needs to be held with difficulty on nothing less that a chain big enough to tie up the titanic.

Why not just get a nice normal collar and lead? Or if the dog pulls, get a lupi harness or similar. Show off the beauty of the dog instead of the dog being dwarfed by all that leather and brass and people not noticing anything else but that.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> For a pure staffy, either a collar (preferable) or (if you really want to use a harness) one of the real staffy harnesses. Staffies soon learn to 'shoulder in'to a normal harness (and FFS dont get an anti-pul harness :lol2: )


 I'm confused. Is it desireable to have a staffordshire pull terrier dragging you down the road, wearing enough brass and leather to shame a carthorse?
Are they somehomw a 'special' breed which doesn't have to be a normal family pet, all well behaved and sociable but has to be viewed as a killing machine, pulling and lunging and scrabbling with front paws and dragging the owner along?
Reminds me of my ex (the hells angel) and my giant schnauzer bitch. SOmeone asked me about my 'other dog' when I had Harley. With my ex, she would pull and bark and behave like a hooligan. With me she was happy, friendly and walked politely by my side. But he thought he had to have a huge powerful dog all tugging his arms out and lunging at people, in order to get them to recognise just how macho he was. Trouble is that he just looked like a complete plonker.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Mischievous_Mark said:


> Id say harness because the staffies were i work tend to pull on the lead and choke themselves half to death.
> 
> There was one last week that cut of it airways because it was that stupid and got too excited and kept pulling.
> 
> ...



Have you ever seen a big cart horse pulling a cart? They have a nice strong leather harness. It helps them to be able to pull hard. Just like a harness will do with a staffy (or any other dog).
When I had my driving pony, he wore a breast harness which looked exactly the same as an extra large staffy harness lol.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> I'm confused. Is it desireable to have a staffordshire pull terrier dragging you down the road, wearing enough brass and leather to shame a carthorse?
> Are they somehomw a 'special' breed which doesn't have to be a normal family pet, all well behaved and sociable but has to be viewed as a killing machine, pulling and lunging and scrabbling with front paws and dragging the owner along?
> Reminds me of my ex (the hells angel) and my giant schnauzer bitch. SOmeone asked me about my 'other dog' when I had Harley. With my ex, she would pull and bark and behave like a hooligan. With me she was happy, friendly and walked politely by my side. But he thought he had to have a huge powerful dog all tugging his arms out and lunging at people, in order to get them to recognise just how macho he was. Trouble is that he just looked like a complete plonker.


*Blinks into the distance* ......And this has what to do with my quote?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> *Blinks into the distance* ......And this has what to do with my quote?


 if you don't understand m'dear, I can't be bothered to explain:lol2:


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> if you don't understand m'dear, I can't be bothered to explain:lol2:


Well, I am guessing you are referring to the fact I said a real staffy harness?
If so, then when I said "real" I meant the kind made to fit a staffy, not the "pretzel harnesses".
Example:


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