Change the Picture: How a Simple Gear Switch Can Shift Your Dog’s Behaviour
- Deb from Busy Pawz
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever wondered why your dog always pulls on walks, even after training, the answer might be simpler than you think.
Sometimes, the biggest behavioural changes come from the smallest physical shifts - like changing the gear you're using.
Because for dogs, how something feels can completely change how they think.
The Power of Associations
Dogs are masters at linking patterns.
If every walk your dog has ever had involved pulling on a flat collar, then that collar becomes part of the mental picture of what walking means.
In other words, they’re not just reacting to the outside world - they’re responding to the internal cue that “collar = pull, charge, ignore the human on the other end.”
So when you swap that collar for a harness, the physical sensation changes… and so does the picture.
That’s why we often see “instant transformations” when a new tool is introduced. It’s not magic. It’s not even the tool itself. It’s that the context has changed, and the dog is no longer stuck in the old default behaviour loop.
Tools Are a Reset - Not a Solution
Now before you run out and buy a fancy harness, here’s the catch:
Changing gear can absolutely help, but it’s not a magic wand.
If you don’t pair that new gear with training, your dog will eventually make the same associations with the new tool, and the pulling (or barking, or reactivity) will creep back in.
You’re not just changing how it feels. You need to change what it means.
That’s where games-based training comes in - so the harness, lead, or head halter becomes part of a new picture: one of connection, calmness, and walking as a team.
A Real-Life Example: Guide Dogs
One of the clearest examples of this idea comes from guide dogs.
When the harness goes on, they’re working: focused, steady, ignoring distractions.
When the harness comes off, they get to be dogs again - sniffing, rolling, playing.
That’s not because the harness controls them. It’s because they’ve been trained to associate that feeling with a particular mindset.
Your dog doesn’t need to be a guide dog to benefit from the same principle. With consistency and training, you can create your own version of that walking mindset - one that’s calm, focused, and enjoyable for you both.
So What Should You Use?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some options worth exploring:
Y-front harnesses: Great for comfort and range of movement, ideal for training a loose-lead walk.
Head halters: Can offer more control but should always be paired with proper guidance and decompression time.
Double-ended leads: Let you clip onto both the front and back of a harness for more flexibility.
And importantly - ditch the retractable leads. They can encourage pulling, reduce connection, and make training harder in the long run.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been struggling with pulling, reactivity, or chaotic walks, it’s worth asking:
What has walking always felt like for my dog?
Sometimes, just changing the feel of the equipment gives your dog a clean slate - a new way to relate to walking, to you, and to the world around them.
But the gear alone isn’t enough. It needs to come with support, consistency, and the opportunity to build a new neurological pathway - one where the harness = connection, calmness, and success.
Thanks for reading!
And as always, throw your dog a treat from us!
Deb & the Busy Pawz Crew xo
P.S. Want a self-paced, family-friendly way to teach calmness, connection, and loose-lead walking?
🎓 Check out my online course Beyond the Bark - you can start today from home:
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