Develop a Truly Positive Lifestyle with Your Dog

Sharing a walk outside with your dog is a resounding spiritual reward. In addition to providing a potty break and exercise, walking with your dog is an excellent opportunity to bond. Walking, hiking, or running with your dog is not the time to text, talk on the phone, or surf the internet.

The number one goal as a companion animal parent is to create a loving and trusting bond between yourself and your dog. The most important thing you can do to develop a positive and healthy bond with your dog is to establish a truly positive, force-free relationship.

Adhering to force-free principles and using humane walking equipment with positive interactions is paramount to establishing a positive, happy, and healthy relationship between caregiver and canine. No choke chains, no shock collars, no prong collars, and no physical or verbal force should ever be used in caring for or training dogs.

Dogs are extremely intelligent and sentient animals. Building and maintaining confidence and establishing positive associations are foremost to success. For the polite leash walker and the learner (to teach and refine your dog’s loose leash walking skills and accommodate positive reward training methods to alleviate and eliminate behavior issues such as pulling and leash reactivity) non-aversive dog walking equipment is essential.

While using a leash attached to a collar seems innocuous, constant jerking, pulling or fighting the leash can injure a dog’s neck and trachea. Likewise shock collars, choke chains, prong collars, and using physical force can cause injury.

Traditional nylon leashes attached to a properly fitted body harness takes the direct stress off your dog’s neck and provides a guarantee of security without pain, force, or fear tactics.

There are a variety of force-free harnesses available. Proper fit is a priority; an improperly fitted harness can also cause injury. It’s vital to read about the variety of harnesses and the measurement instructions.

For every day use and positive reward training, my preference is The Freedom No Pull Harness. The Freedom No Pull Harness is easy to put on, comfortable, and durable.

Versatility makes The Freedom No Pull Harness extraordinary. Depending on your needs, you can use either the front and back attachment points or both; the harness is sold by itself and you have the option to purchase the Training Leash as an add-on.

The Freedom No Pull Harness is made in the USA (US Patent Number: 7,165,511) and available in six sizes (XSM, SM, M, LG, XL and 2X) and many colors.

Truly Positive = Truly Ethical! Train, Exercise, and Live - FORCE-FREE!

Click here to read more about The Freedom No Pull Harness and help you choose the best harness for your dog, please read: The Best Dog Harnesses of 2018 by Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA. (Links to purchase items are included in review)

The Pet Professional Guild provides educational resources to pet care providers and the public coupled with an emphasis on building collaboration among force-free pet trainers and professional pet care providers and advocates for mutually agreed guiding principles for the pet care industry:

• How to join the PPG: Companion Caregivers can join PPG for Free. Fee memberships are available for Professional Trainers and Consultants, Pet Care professionals, Animal Rescue Organizations, Veterinary professionals, students or trainees, and Corporate Sponsors.
• Please read: PPG Position Statement on Shock Collars
• Please read: PPG Position Statement on Choke and Prong Collars