Hamlet did the prong plus the backpack for the first time today. He was STELLAR. Hamlet loves his backpack.
My only issue so far is that he will occasionally protest a correction by biting at the leash. I really think this is just him disagreeing with the rules from time to time though and rebelling. He doesn't seem nearly as frustrated as I expected him to be going from constant treats to the prong. On the contrary, I get less frustrated with him on the prong and give him more freedom in terms of allowing him to be closer to people we talk to because I am more confident and can interact more freely with people (rather than constantly working with him to regain his attention in the first minutes of chatting). So, I actually think he is less frustrated than he was able to be when mirroring my frustration in keeping his focus. Hm. Hope that all makes sense.
But the leash biting is annoying. Ignoring him has not been working, but doing kind of a "reset" with him where I ask him to sit, regain calm, and then continue seems to work.
The sound of the chain definitely has a positive effect on him. He is pretty good about hearing a slight slip of the chain and adjusting his pace.
Today Hamlet walked past two men and two boys (maybe like 10 and 12) and was politely curious (air sniffing) but largely aloof, then one of the men stopped and walked toward us with his hand out for Hamlet's nose. I said, "Oh, please don't do that," but even as I said it, Hamlet's whole greeting ritual was so much calmer than usual. He wiggled but kept all four feet planted and was moving very slowly forward with his head down to sniff. I still don't think people should greet him off the bat like that, and I would say the same thing again, but I was pretty impressed with his progress.
He is definitely learning that the prong WILL prevent him from lunging or jumping, and he doesn't seem to have hit the end of it hard enough to really feel pain so much as a very, very uncomfortable deterrent. It is definitely a plus I think that he knew the rules before I implemented a prong, so he is definitely not confused by the correction for behaviors he already knows are undesirable to me.
"Nothing is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so."
Hamlet Prince of Denmark