At Baker House Animal Hospital, we recommend all dogs have a flat collar for their tags and identification. For walking a wide variety of safe and humane choices are available. For a small or polite dog a flat collar is ample as long as your pet’s head is not more narrow than his neck. For dogs with large necks and small heads, a martingale collar is recommended. This collar is sometimes sold as a greyhound collar. It has a limited slip to prevent you from pulling it over your dog’s head if he suddenly backs up. It is not a correction collar and should only be adjusted tight enough to prevent your dog from slipping the collar.
For a boisterous of strong dog, you have several options that will make your walk more fun and enjoyable for both you and the dog. The Easy Walk Harness from Premier is a simple, no pull harness. The leash fastens in the front rather than on the back. This arrangement prevents pulling. Most dogs tolerate this harness well, and no training is necessary to accustom the dog to his new gear. At Baker House, we are happy to show you how to fit this harness.
A second option is a Gentle Leader or other brand of head halter. A head halter provides excellent humane control of your dog, but you must gradually accustom your dog to wearing it, and it must be fitted correctly. The strap behind the ears should be snug while the nose strap should be adjusted so the dog can pant but not pull it off. Never jerk on a Gentle Leader, and it should not be used with a flexi-leash. For videos of the Gentle Leader in action check out this site from the inventor of the Gentle Leader.