No Pull front-attachment harnesses are Pet Expertise's biggest sellers and we get numerous rave reviews from our customers. What is so wonderful about these no-pull harnesses for dog lovers is that these training harnesses help your dog learn to stop pulling on the leash while remaining safe and comfortable for him. You will not have to worry about your dog being pinched or choked while wearing a front-attachment, no pull harness and we would argue that it is safer and more comfortable than a regular collar. And no-pull harnesses are easy to use! So, kudos to you for choosing a safe and effective training device for your beloved canine companion. We hope that a few training tips from our professional dog trainer, Jess Rollins, will help you to get the most out of your no pull harness and make your walks more enjoyable, safe and pull-free.
Leash Manners 101: To begin, it's important to spend a few moments ensuring that your dog's no pull harness is fitted properly according to the included instructions as well as tips on our website. You will get the quickest results from your no-pull harness if you begin the training method described below from your very first walk using the harness.
About rewarding your dog: The easiest way to reward your dog is by praising and feeding a high value treat, but we will discuss other reward ideas later on. Do remember to feed less at the next meal to make up for the treats you have given.
Let's go for a walk! Get a few yummy dog treats and a 6 foot leash with a knot about 2 feet from the clasp. Attach the leash to your dog's properly fitted no-pull harness. Helpful hint: For this first walk choose an area to walk in that does not contain too many distractions like other dogs and people and make sure your dog is a bit hungry for your rewards and has recently exercised a bit.
When you begin walking, hold the knot in the leash with the hand closest to your dog and hold the loop across your body in your other hand. Show your dog your treats and say "let's go". If he takes a step with you, reward him for that step and for every step he stays by your side attentively on a loose leash.
As you begin walking with your dog, watch carefully for the moment when he has forgotten about you and is heading for the end of the knotted leash portion. As soon as you see this happening, calmly say "easy". Since he doesn't know what this means yet, he will probably continue to go to the end of the knotted portion of the leash and try to pull, and that is fine for now. The "easy" will have meaning to him in time. As soon as you feel pressure on the knotted portion of the leash, calmly say "oops", let go of the knot, make a U-turn and start walking in the other direction. The no-pull harness will help to communicate to your dog not to pull because when you stop abruptly, his momentum and the no-pull harness will turn him back towards you.
Turning and walking in the other direction not only stops your dog from pulling in that moment, but also gives him another chance to be a "good boy" by walking by your side for at least a moment when he catches up to you. When he is by your side, praise him and feed him a treat and grab up the knot again. Continue rewarding for each step he takes with you. If he passes you and is about to get to the end of the knotted portion of the leash, repeat the above procedure of saying "easy" and then "oops" and turning around. Careful not to get dizzy! By the way, saying the words "easy" and "oops" will help your dog to catch on to this new routine a little faster, but don't worry if you can't remember to say them at first (learning new things is hard, isn't it, your dog thinks so too!). Feel free to substitute different words that come more naturally to you.
Keep repeating the above exercise during your walk. You should start to see your dog staying with you more for your yummy treats (at least when he's not too distracted). Be sure to reward him generously for every step he stays with you at this point. Your generosity will pay off in the next few walks. You should also start to see your dog slowing up or looking at you when you say "easy" or "oops" which is great! Let your dog know that you think he is very smart and handsome!
Especially if your dog is very energetic or has been used to pulling on the leash in the past, it may take some practice to teach your dog to adjust his pace to yours and to build this new habit of walking with you. Don't expect to get too far on your walks in the beginning!
Consistency is very important in teaching your dog to stop pulling on the leash. To ensure success, make sure that your dog never gets to take one step forward into a tight leash while wearing his no-pull harness. If he pulls and gets closer to what he wanted, he will learn that pulling works and our clever dogs will always continue to do what works for them. So, to ensure success, stop walking and turn and go the other way as soon as you feel pressure on the leash.