Does your dog practically yank your arm out of it's socket when you go for a walk?

Welcome. I've found the solution after endless struggles with my hound, Henry, who's an uncontrollable leash yanker. After investing in several dog harnesses and collars that failed to deliver on their promises, I discovered the Sporn Halter. It's a wonderful product that's restored our dog walks to the pleasant interludes they're meant to be.

Henry's a basset hound who's sense of smell is second only to the bloodhound. Once out the door, he goes on a maniacle quest to sniff and mark everything in sight, and that's putting it mildly. You might think of bassets as being somewhat lazy and on the small side, but that's deceiving. Henry is 54 pounds of nothing but muscle and bone. For his size, he's very powerfully built, and puts every ounce of that muscle into his romps. With a regular collar, I'm always afraid he'll injure his larynx and trachea.

Another concern is that bassets are exceedingly stubborn. Although they're sublimely lovable, they do not take all that well to training. Henry's adaptation to the leash has been a little problematic. While he sometimes behaves, that can end at the instant he's alerted to a compelling sniff.

I'm a 73 year old guy, not as powerfully built as I'd like to think I used to be. So, I really needed to find a way to control Henry on our daily walks. I tried choke collars, spiked collars (ugh!), regular halters. Nothing worked. I even invested in the Halti Head Collar which was recommended by my vet. While, some find success with the Halti, Henry absolutely hated it. And, I even have a friend who loves the Halti.

One day, I ran into the lady who owns our local doggy day care center. I had Henry in tow, and she immediately told me I needed to get a Sporn Harness. She suggested I visit her facility and give it a try.

A few days later, we fitted Henry with a Sporn, and the difference instantly became apparent. Suddenly he was subdued and manageable. His pulling became less than a tenth of the pressure it was, and he was much less likely to tug in the first place.

I was simply amazed! Here was the solution! Of course, I popped for the cost of the halter, and have never regretted it. You have to spend a little time at first getting it fitted and set properly. But after a few tries, that comes easily.

Last summer Henry and I took an extended road trip. He wore the Sporn all day without any problems. He really didn't know it was there, and it made stopping at rest areas a breeze. Recently, we marched together in the local Holiday parade, something I never would even have considered without the Sporn.

So, I've tossed out the choker, spike collar and Halti, comfortable in the knowledge that Henry can enjoy taking me on walks without experiencing injurious pressure to his throat. And, not a single interesting sniff is lost. Everything gets marked that demands to be marked.

I highly recommend the Sporn Halter for controlling dogs that are hard pullers.

If a hard pulling dog is not your problem, for your convenience, please note that we've also included here a selection of brand name cheap dog harnesses together with extensive listings of the popular Easy Walk Dog Harnesses and Puppia Dog Harnesses. Also, you'll see a limited selection of these products below.

Check Out These Affordable Harnesses for Dogs

Here are some valuable resources you can visit about the basics of dog training, including leash training and some more advanced tips and techniques.

• American Kennel Club Obedience Regulations - The requirements for competing, stewarding and judging are described in detail, together with an explanation of the titles awarded.
• Basic Dog Training - Instructions are given for teaching simple exercises.
• Competition Tips - An experienced trainer, handler and competitor provides a series of articles and links to related resources.
• Interesting Ways to Non-Qualify at Trials - Submissions are invited from competitors who have suffered failure and or embarrassment due to their dog's behaviour in the ring.
• National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors - Requirements for membership are listed, together with an index of members worldwide.