Sunny Day walks pretty well on a leash these days — except when we encounter birds, people, or other dogs. Then, inevitably, he wants to strain and pull forward on his leash. In these situations, controlling 40 pounds of pure muscle can be a workout.
So we were happy to run across the ThunderLeash No-Pull Leash at Petco. The Thunderleash promises to cure pulling instantly. Online video reviews show dogs on conventional leashes dragging helpless owners down the street — but after the Thunderleash is in place, the same dogs walk right beside their owners, calm as meditating monks.
The “revolutionary” Thunderleash is actually a very long leash with a special buckle attachment that makes it fairly quick and easy to fasten a loop of leash around the forward portion of a dog’s torso. It’s meant to ride pretty far forward — around the chest, not the tummy. When the dog pulls forward, the entire leash contracts, providing “gentle pressure” that reminds the animal to stay nearby.
At least … that’s the theory. On Sunny Day, the leash never stayed in place, no matter how carefully and compulsively we fitted it. The loop kept sliding back, inevitably wrapping around Sunny’s tummy. But even this discomfort didn’t deter him from pulling. After an afternoon of expecting miracles, we packaged up the Thunderleash and returned it to Petco for a full refund.
So: we’re not fans. Your mileage may vary (maybe you have to have a video camera running for the leash to work?), but the Thunderleash had no impact at all on Sunny’s behavior. If you try it, buy it from Amazon.com, Petco, or any retailer with a generous return policy … just in case.
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