Training Your Dog to Walk Calmly on a Harness

If you’ve been dragged along the sidewalk by an enthusiastic dog in the past, you understand the importance of leash training for ensuring you can walk with the dog on the sidewalk without any trouble to either of you. It shouldn’t come as any surprise to you that you see dogs on collars frequently, but there is actually a more humane and efficient way to train with dog harnesses, not only because it reduces the strain on the dog’s neck but because it is specifically designed to help with dogs who tend to pull on the leash, dogs who suffer from respiratory problems, or even puppies who haven’t learned to walk well on a leash yet.

Selecting an Appropriate Harness

Not all dog harnesses are created the same way. The key is to find one that fits the individual needs that you and your dog may require in terms of size, breeds, and personalities. What you should look for in a dog harness is one that has clips on the sides and the front of the harness. For dogs that pull heavily on the leash, there is nothing that can top a no-pull dog harness with a handle because it has the effect of turning back to you whenever it lurches forward because of the ring positions.

Make sure it fits well, not so tight that it chafes and rides up on them while you’re in motion, but with enough room to fit two fingers between the harness and your fluffy friend. Trust the straps, because they work well to help with growth spurts or shedding in dogs.

Preparing Your Dog

Before you start using it on pavement, you should allow your dog to acclimate to it inside the house. Some dogs may take to it right away, while others may take a day or so to acclimate to it. You can begin to introduce it to them by letting them sniff it and examine it, and you can place it on them while rewarding them with treats to help them get used to it being on them.

At this stage, it is imperative to avoid the placement of the leash on the dog. Your dog should be able to move freely in the house while wearing the harness to help it get accustomed to the sensation without being tethered by the leash yet.

Simple Advice for Leash Training

Now that your dog is used to the harness, it is time to start practicing walking with it. Do it in an area with no distractions – maybe in the backyard or on an empty street with no pedestrians or passersby. The leash should be attached to the harness on the ring in the front or on the side, with you holding it with a relaxed grip on the leash.

If your dog does start to pull, stop walking immediately. Stop and stand still until they come back to you or until the leash is untangled. Then you can reward them and continue walking. This teaches them that pulling on the leash gets them nothing, but walking nicely gets them rewards and progress.

The very first training lessons should not last longer than five to ten minutes. The reason for it is that dogs’ attention spans are not very large, and you’re ending on a very positive note so that they’ll be looking forward to the next one with lots of enthusiasm in their hearts.

Patience and Consistency Are Important

The procedure involved in training your dog not to walk in a frantic manner while on the leash with a harness takes time. There are dogs that learn in no time, while others take weeks to learn the trick. The most essential ingredient in all of it is to stick to the new procedure you’ve adopted and to exercise lots of patience on the dog to learn effectively. Before you even notice, the days when you walk with dogs in a frantic manner are behind you, and you’re left with lovely times spent with your dog on nice strolls!