Senior Lab still pulling on lead?

A ten-year-old Lab who still pulls — that's actually really common with the breed, and your concern about joint strain is completely valid. At that age, the repeated forward lunge puts real pressure on the neck, shoulders, and spine, so the equipment you use matters more than it did when they were younger. The most effective tools for lead pulling are no-pull harnesses and head collars, but the right choice depends on the dog's size, strength, and why they're pulling — and fit is critical for any of them to work. What's your Lab's weight roughly, how hard are they pulling, and have you tried any harness or collar for this before?

Right, so a flat collar at 32kg with a strong puller is exactly the setup that creates neck and trachea strain — even more so now her joints and soft tissue aren't as resilient. Moving to a no-pull harness is the right call. Before I recommend one, does she have any known joint issues — arthritis or hip dysplasia diagnosed — or is it more that you're trying to prevent problems rather than work around existing ones?

That's really helpful to know. With hip dysplasia in the picture, you want a harness that distributes pressure across the chest without any strap that sits across the shoulder joint or restricts her natural gait — because restricted movement can make her compensate in ways that stress the hips more. I'd go with the Ruffwear Front Range Harness. It has a padded chest and belly panel that spreads load evenly, the fit is adjustable at four points so you can get it right for a deep-chested Lab body, and the front clip gives you the redirection effect that reduces pulling without jerking. It doesn't interfere with shoulder movement, which matters a lot here. It's well-made, holds up to daily use, and the sizing is reliable — a Large should fit her well at 32kg, but measure her chest girth before ordering to confirm.

Both, genuinely. The front clip means that when she pulls forward, the lead attachment point is at her chest — so she naturally turns toward you rather than making forward progress. That breaks the pulling pattern without any correction from you. It won't train her out of pulling on its own, but it makes walks immediately more manageable and removes the strain that a collar creates. If you want to reinforce the behaviour over time, reward her with a treat or calm praise every time the lead goes slack — she'll pick it up, Labs usually do. But even without any training work, the harness alone will make a noticeable difference from the first walk.

Yes — the chest strap should sit across the breastbone, not up near the throat, and you should be able to fit two fingers under every strap. Check that the shoulder straps aren't pulling tight when she moves forward; they should stay relaxed. With hip dysplasia, also watch her gait in the first few walks — if she seems to be stepping shorter with her front legs, the shoulder straps may need loosening. Once it's fitted right you shouldn't need to adjust it again. Give her a few days to get used to it before judging whether the pulling has improved.