People always ask, should we use a harness or a collar?
I say both and see what works for you.
My rule of thumb is; if your puppy is pulling then start with a harness, this will ensure there is no pressure on your puppy’s throat, you will also feel more confident performing corrections for the loose lead if you are sure you are not doing any damage to your puppy.
Once you have got the loose lead working well then you can decide if you would like to transition to the collar.
Some people may wish to continue to work with the harness, this is also absolutely fine.
Other puppies react a lot better when they are only wearing a collar and they are not pulling, in that case don’t bother with the harness.
Make sure your collar is tight enough but you can still get a finger in-between the collar and your puppies neck, if it’s too loose you run the risk of it coming of if your puppy backs up, if it’s too tight you will cause your puppy discomfort and possibly cause them problems.
For larger breeds I love the body Harness, I bought mine from Amazon and its call Eagloo, I prefer this over just a strappy harness or a K9 because the clip is higher on the shoulder and at the front giving you more control.
I bought my Labrador the small which covered us from 8 weeks all the way to 5 months, then he went onto the medium and at 9 months he’s now wearing the large, we are also transitioning him onto his collar because he is loose lead trained.
For smaller breeds I find the butterfly shape works really well with the velcro/clip back. Fin n Fur in Thorley are wonderful at fitting your puppy with their harness they are also really reasonably priced.
The lead I use is from wwwgrippyleads.co.uk 5 loop 25mm, but there are lots to choose from.
I do not recommend flexi leads for larger breed dogs, if you wish your dog to have more freedom on a walk use a standard lead when walking to the park and then swap onto a long line, this will save your shoulders from being jerked, save you from real rope burns on your hands and will help you to teach your puppy recall.
Best doesn’t alway mean expensive but look for quality, safety and comfort for your puppy, and your hands. Padded collars and padded hand grips on leads is a godsend.
Good luck training!