Dog Trainer Pet Peeves...for Dog Owners
Do you have a harness on your dog when going for a walk? Does your dog pull?
You are exactly the person I want to talk to. First we need to address the wearing of a harness. Unless your dog has any spinal/vertebrae issues, is pulling a sled, or tracking down a missing child, a harness is not meant for your dog to be walked in.
The harness was originally built to do what? HARNESS ENERGY AND STRENGTH
To quote the dictionary: "Control and make use of (natural resources), especially to produce energy."
Source: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/harness
Therefore what you are doing is giving your dog all the material needed to have the most strength possible to take you on a walk and not the other way around.
If your next questions is: "how do I get my dog to stop pulling because when they do they choke themselves?", the answer is simple. EXERCISE. Chances are 99% of dogs are not getting the amount of exercise and mental stimulation that they need, and if they were they wouldn't have the energy to pull you on your evening walk. Exercise in the form of treadmills. going for runs or bike rides with you, or going to a dog daycare are ideal. Mental stimulation means add some training and problem solving during your walk. Make sure they are present with you by taking them to a playground and encourage them to go up on all the equipment with you. Have them jump on a bench and sit down, or lie down at each cross walk. Dogs need mental stimulation as much as babies do. I encourage a happy and healthy relationship between you and your dog!
I hope this helps!
(My Dutch Shepherd, Euro, and I during training)