Choking on Leash
 

Whenever Benji and I go for a walk, he seems to choke himself because he wants to walk way faster than me. He wears a harness so I don't know what is wrong with him. Should I get him a different type of harness like a vest? He had a different harness prior to the one he has now and he still did it.

Also, when he drinks water, sometimes he coughs right afterwards. I was thinking about calling the vet and talking to them but I was wondering if any of you have had problems like this. Thanks for your help!

Loki burps after he drinks :rolleyes:

He also will snort or cough if he gets it down the wrong pipe or in his nose. But I know my vet would rather I call with a silly question than not call!

As far as walking, I taught Loki to walk on a loose leash with his collar or harness, but it's still safer to use a harness. How big is your little guy? Loki fit into the smallest size of the Premier Easy Walk harness when he was like 5-6 pounds. It's a regular webbing harness but it goes around their chest and belly and attaches in front. Then you teach them not to pull by stopping every time they pull, then praising/rewarding them when they let slack up on the leash and you continue to move forward. You can put it on cue "walk nicely" and then remind them when they start to pull.

Loki does the exact same thing where he wants to walk faster than me. He's not pulling toward any specific thing, he's just excited and wants to walk fast. Rather than reminding him to "walk nice" I found that if I pick up my pace a little, not even to a run, he does not pull and I get some more exercise ;) I also found that if I run with him to the end of the block, he gets some of that energy out and happily goes my slower pace for the rest of the walk.

Premier
Sense-ible Harness (similar)

i use the step in harnesss, nothing goes around the neck.

Same here, the step in harness has nothing pulling on their neck, but I would still recomend teaching your pup not to pull ahead when you walk together. :)

I use step in and vest harnesses so theres no pulling at the neck. You should train him to walk beside you not in front of you then he wont pull on the lead.

I guess the step in harness sounds like a good idea. Thanks so much guys.

Also as for the walking goes, yes I know I need to train him better but he just started fully walking on his leash. Before when we'd go on walks, he would go a little ways and lay down. Wouldn't even move. So I figured as long as I get him walking then I can start training him to walk next to me. Does anyone have any methods that seem to work pretty good? I think when we go for our walk tonight, I should try to keep him by me.

Take some treats with. Say his name and when he looks at you, give him a treat. When he is walking nicely periodically reward him. Don't pull him or drag him, you should be able to encourage him to follow you. Be silly. Make a funny face at him. Say words he knows. Just try to keep his attention. If he pulls just STOP, then when he stops pulling keep walking. He will learn that the walk only continues if he is not pulling. If he likes to pull to the side to sniff things, encourage him to follow you and when he is NOT pulling then go to the side and let him sniff. We have 3 or 4 spots along our walk that we stop to sniff. After all, to the dogs that's part of the point of going on a walk!! It's a good reward for good behavior too.

I agree. Use a step in harness, and work with him on not pulling.

Have him positioned at you leg. Position the leash so it is straight down yourleg with just a small amount of slack. if he tries to pull ahead, correct him.

My two have been taught to respond to a touch and the shhhhhht like the dog whisperer does. So now when I want them to pay attention, i just use the shhhhht. and they focus on me.

Be careful
 

My little dog was using a step in harness but I went back to the regular harness. He walked right out of it and I had it as tight as it could go!! I had adjusted it several times but to be on the safe side I decided not to use them anymore.

Has anyone had a dog with a collapsed trachea? Do you think that he might have a minor case of this? I am taking Benji to the vet on Saturday, but now I am all freaked out about this. He only coughs when he drinks water and when he is on his leash. He has been doing it for a while and I just thought it was kind of normal. oh no!!!! :(

Hi...I agree on the step in harnesses - there's several members who make really nice ones here - and on the collapsed trachea - my Chanel will do that snorting when she drinks water - she drinks too fast and seems to do it every few days - I hold my fingers over her nostrils gently - and kind of tap on them and it always works to make her stop snorting. I don't know what sound your yorkie is making....and only a vet can tell you for sure if that's what the problem is - but I just wanted to let you know that other yorkies do this also - like MINE. I know she doesn't have a CT - but it is a scary sound.