Has Anyone Used a No Pull Harness on Their Small Dog?

SeaBreeze said:
This morning before the eclipse, I walked my pup. I had plenty of Tiny Trainers in my pocket and was determined to make some headway with him.

He already has improved greatly with his passion, as a prey driven breed, to chase every car or big truck that passes. He's fearless and would lunge, growl and bark regardless of the sound or size of the vehicle, pull until he was standing on his back legs only.

I started distracting him with a treat as soon as he saw a coming car from a distance, he would let it pass without the bad behavior. Today he's come a long way, many vehicles passed and when he didn't react in a negative manner, I gave him a treat and quiet praise.

This morning started out with the usual pulling, as soon as we left the front door. Once we made it up the block, I started to stop completely when he pulled. Each and every time today that I did that, he stopped pulling, turned around and looked at me, and started to walk to me, making a loose leash. I gave him a treat and quiet praise.

Repeated that numerous times with good results, he didn't keep pulling and looked at me and came back with loose lead, gave treat and praise.

Surprisingly on the second half of the walk, on the way back home, he was walking for half a block without pulling. I rewarded him all along the way and was very pleased.

For the last two blocks he didn't pull at all, it really was amazing and I was so happy and regained hope for him. When I came home I told my husband, and he was surprise too, because I usually came come bummed out and frustrated at the walk experience, complaining that it should be relaxing and a pleasure for both of us.

We both joked that it must have had something to do with the upcoming eclipse. I'll see how he is tomorrow, will be thrilled if he's mellowing out with the pulling every day. Will update, good or bad.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and suggestions, I do appreciate it. 💙
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Hey Seabreeze
How did you do today ? Was there peogress? Are you using a harness or a collar?
 

Rossana said:
Yes, they both were small but very strong. The harness was recommended by our veterinarian and it made a great difference.
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My Mini Dachshund did the same thing with the harness that she does with cute little sweaters. Catch it against something while walking backwards out of it. I probably didn't put it on tight enough, but I gave up and just use a regular soft collar and leash.

Oddly enough, while she used to nearly pull my arm out of it's socket, and still takes my 230lb son for a run each time, once I broke my leg and started walking carefully with the leash in my left hand and my cane in the right -- she quit pulling me at all.
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Instead of using a stronger collar, or something different than what you usually use, instead do the training in a place where your dog is not trying to run and see new things, @SeaBreeze . Train him in your house and back yard, where he has already seen everything, and doesn’t want to run around.
Once he has learned to obey the basic commands of heeling, sit, and walk on command in your house, then take him out in the back yard and do the same thing.
That way, he learns that outside manners are the same as inside ones.

Then, go on short walks nearby and reinforce his leash training. If he starts to want to pull, tell him to sit instead, and he will learn that trying to pull ahead means he has to sit and wait.
As he gets better with minding , then take him further and further on walks, and if he becomes unmannerly, turn around and go home, and he will soon understand that the walks depend on his behavior.
 

Della said:
My Mini Dachshund did the same thing with the harness that she does with cute little sweaters. Catch it against something while walking backwards out of it. I probably didn't put it on tight enough, but I gave up and just use a regular soft collar and leash.

Oddly enough, while she used to nearly pull my arm out of it's socket, and still takes my 230lb son for a run each time, once I broke my leg and started walking carefully with the leash in my left hand and my cane in the right -- she quit pulling me at all.
pexels-pixabay-257519-jpg.webp
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Aww. I think I'm in love. 💙
 
SeaBreeze said:
Today was good, similar to yesterday but not really any better, but I don't expect results overnight, just grateful for the small steps he's accomplishing. Still using his regular padded collar and the stretchy leash.
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From your post, yesterday was awesome. To get similar results as that really IS progress. He’s catching on quickly. You are being a great doggy mom. ❤️
 
SeaBreeze said:
My Smooth Fox Terrier is small, twenty pounds, but very muscular and strong and a hard puller on the leash during walks. I already switched him to a padded collar and bought a bungie leash that has some give.

I really didn't want to start using a harness on him, but I heard about front clip ones that may help. He'll be walking in wooded areas in the future, and I didn't like the idea of a harness catching onto a fallen log and putting him in trouble.

I tried stopping during walks until he stops pulling, he usually keeps pulling. If he stops and comes to me and gives the leash some slack, I'll give him a treat and the minute we start walking again, the pulling starts.

He's a high energy, high-spirited terrier, even after we've walked for awhile he doesn't give up on the pulling.

I don't really think I want to use a harness, except as a very last resort. Anyone had a dog like this and trained them not to pull on walks? Thanks for any tips, I tried positive praise and treats if he stops for a moment, but he's always on the go.
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Many dogs get Collapsed Trachea due to pulling with a collar on. Mine has that. Vet told me to switch to a harness and I did. I found a pretty purple one on Amazon. It has a handle on the vest and I can pick her partially up to move her over at times.
 
Lilac said:
@SeaBreeze, this is my boy Otto. He's already 20" at the shoulder & 48#s. After having our GSDs, I wanted a Schnauzer again. Typical attitude of "Are you sure you meant no?" while looking for ways around it. I love their personality!

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Thanks for posting the pics Lilac. Otto is a handsome boy, and to know them is to love them, that's for sure. Great personalities. 💙
 
Ruthanne said:
Many dogs get Collapsed Trachea due to pulling with a collar on. Mine has that. Vet told me to switch to a harness and I did. I found a pretty purple one on Amazon. It has a handle on the vest and I can pick her partially up to move her over at times.
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Bear did better with the pulling, but it never stopped. Not that long ago I ordered a harness for him from Amazon. It's a no pull if you use the front leash attachment, and a regular harness when using the one on the back.

I only use the one on the back, he pulls much less than he did even without using that front hook. The harness fits too loosely in the neck area, so using the front is not an option. I don't worry about his neck anymore, and his pulling has greatly improved just with wearing a harness.

Here's two crummy pictures I took with my smartphone yesterday at the park, he turned one year old recently on August 28.

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SeaBreeze said:
Bear did better with the pulling, but it never stopped. Not that long ago I ordered a harness for him from Amazon. It's a no pull if you use the front leash attachment, and a regular harness when using the one on the back.

I only use the one on the back, he pulls much less than he did even without using that front hook. The harness fits too loosely in the neck area, so using the front is not an option. I don't worry about his neck anymore, and his pulling has greatly improved just with wearing a harness.

Here's two crummy pictures I took with my smartphone yesterday at the park, he turned one year old recently on August 28.

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Those are GREAT pictures Seabreeze! Bear is a handsome fella. I like the harness. Happy birthday Bear 🐻
 
My dog as a young pup of 3 to 4 months quickly became an expert at slipping out of a no pull harness, and off he would go excitedly pestering the first hiker he would meet on the trail, and I would be left standing like an idiot holding an empty harness.

He's two and half years old now and on weekends when the possibility of meeting a hiker on the trail is more likely, I use the no pull with a short short one foot leash fastened to the harness with rubber bands and then hooked onto a choke collar. I can grab the leash before he lunges in a fit of extroverted exuberance breaking free of the rubber bands and is restrained by the choke collar.

I've never had a dog that could not learn to respond to a choke collar, but I can imagine some that would pull until they straggled themselves, but it seems like that would be rare. You know your dog and can test him to see his reaction. The choke has always been effective in my case.

Edit: I should add that as he has grown out of puppy hood, he responds to verbal commands, and doesn't need to introduce himself to everyone he meets. He would if I let him, and if someone wants to pet him and fuss over him. I let him be himself. Because he does like people.
 
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JustDave said:
My dog as a young pup of 3 to 4 months quickly became an expert at slipping out of a no pull harness, and off he would go excitedly pestering the first hiker he would meet on the trail, and I would be left standing like an idiot holding an empty harness.

He's two and half years old now and on weekends when the possibility of meeting a hiker on the trail is more likely, I use the no pull with a short short one foot leash fastened to the harness with rubber bands and then hooked onto a choke collar. I can grab the leash before he lunges in a fit of extroverted exuberance breaking free of the rubber bands and is restrained by the choke collar.

I've never had a dog that could not learn to respond to a choke collar, but I can imagine some that would pull until they straggled themselves, but it seems like that would be rare. You know your dog and can test him to see his reaction. The choke has always been effective in my case.

Edit: I should add that as he has grown out of puppy hood, he responds to verbal commands, and doesn't need to introduce himself to everyone he meets. He would if I let him, and if someone wants to pet him and fuss over him. I let him be himself. Because he does like people.
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We had a Great Pyrenees and I would take him for walks on the Katy Trail. that runs all through Missouri and follows the river usually. There are lot of people running, walking, and biking. Snowball LOVED people and squirrels and racoons, you know everything a big loving dog loves. I trained him on a choke collar. I just had to tug it occasionally at first and in a couple of weeks he started behaving himself.

When we wanted we met with others and he loved them all and then we would go our way. So I never saw anyone hurting their dog with a choke collar. Even with it on he jumped off the trail into a pile of bushes a good 6 ft down towards the river with me attached!! We dove into that brush...crazy! :)
 
I had a neighbor with a Pyrenees named Ziggy. I had just bought a piece of property down the road from Ziggy, and I was standing down in a hole that was the beginning of the excavation for my basement when I looked up above me and there was this huge dog, as big as a Saint Bernard looking down at me. It was a real jump scare that took me by surprise. I managed my deepest authoritative voice in desperation, and commanded him to go home as threatening as I could be.

But Ziggy just laid down on his stomach, and put his head down on his paws stretched out in front of him, while giving me a soulful look with his eyes. And I felt kind of silly, but enchanted at the same time. I had some dog biscuits in my pocket for another dog that would come and check out the building progress once in a while, and I gave one to Ziggy.

This was the beginning of a friendship, and Ziggy would stop by often for a treat. Finally his owners asked me not to give him treats, because they had bought him to protect their llamas after one of them was killed by a mountain lion, and they wanted him to stay home with the llamas. I still saw him on occasion, and sometimes the owners would walk him over for a visit.
 
SeaBreeze said:
Bear did better with the pulling, but it never stopped. Not that long ago I ordered a harness for him from Amazon. It's a no pull if you use the front leash attachment, and a regular harness when using the one on the back.

I only use the one on the back, he pulls much less than he did even without using that front hook. The harness fits too loosely in the neck area, so using the front is not an option. I don't worry about his neck anymore, and his pulling has greatly improved just with wearing a harness.

Here's two crummy pictures I took with my smartphone yesterday at the park, he turned one year old recently on August 28.

View attachment 366167

View attachment 366168
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I have a similar harness on my JRT Harper. She is only about 16 pounds. If she gets excited she will pull but usually a couple of light tugs and a verbal correction is all it takes to stop her. I also use the D ring to hook her up to the seat belt in my truck so she doesn't go flying through the windshield if I have to brake hard. I made her a platform that sits on the consul of the truck that she likes to sit or lay down on as well.
 

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BeefStu said:
I have a similar harness on my JRT Harper. She is only about 16 pounds. If she gets excited she will pull but usually a couple of light tugs and a verbal correction is all it takes to stop her. I also use the D ring to hook her up to the seat belt in my truck so she doesn't go flying through the windshield if I have to brake hard. I made her a platform that sits on the consul of the truck that she likes to sit or lay down on as well.
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Sweet pup!
 
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