Aleksandra…I honestly wouldn’t ever call your roommate a dog whisperer if his dog doesn’t even know leash manners. I’m not at all saying I’m a great trainer or anything (aspiring to be one though…), but any /true/ trainer would know this: the leash is not to restrain your dog, it’s to be a backup to your body language, energy, and voice. The very very first thing I work on when I get a new dog is a balanced walk. When the dog is in front (even when the leash is somewhat relaxed), you’re telling him that he’s the leader and you’re following. When he is at your side or slightly behind, you’re saying “I’m boss. You’re my follower, I’m guiding you.”
Sorry, that had nothing to do with this whole collar vs harness debate, LOL! But since I teach my dogs to never pull, if I ever owned a small dog, then I’d probably just use a collar on walks (probably a harness for initial training of course). But certainly, if anybody has a small dog and worries about lunging or pulling, a harness would probably be best.
