Picture this. You take your best friend for a walk on a nice Saturday afternoon, but it turns into a fiasco. He or she is excited to begin with, but when you venture out, the dog pulls so hard, it’s actually walking on two legs instead of four. Sound familiar? If so, you might want to give this a try.

My beagle used to be this way. She’s by no means perfect, yet, but she’s a lot better. We came across the Yuppie Puppy Anti-Pull harness from Orrco, Incorporated. And we saw an improvement the first time we used it. There are a number of benefits to this particular harness.

First, it’s the only one we’ve come across that’s endorsed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. We’ve tried several, but this is the only one that worked right away. If it’s good enough for the ASPCA, it’s good enough for me. . .and my beagle.

Second, it’s quick and easy to put on and off. Some harnesses require a blueprint. Not this one.

Third, even if your dog pulls, the harness is guaranteed not to choke. If I had to pick one negative, it would be a small buckle that rests against the chest. If your dog is a puller, it may cause a little rash-like mark, but that’s about it. It certainly doesn’t hurt him. I wouldn’t let that keep me from giving it a try.

Fourth, there are padded sherpa sleeves that fit under the legs. Most other harnesses are unpadded and cause chafing, especially for a dog that pulls excessively. This one provides added comfort.

Fifth, you can choose from more than one color. If this is important to you, you can pick black or red. Not a big deal, but the option is available to you if that’s a significant factor.

We have a beagle that’s always eager for a walk. We’re still working with her on her walking techniques, but this harness has helped from day one. I recommend it highly.

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Does this sound familiar? You take your dog for a walk, and it pulls so hard on the leash it ends up walking on 2 legs instead of 4? It doesn’t have to be that way. Beagles in particular are prone to following scents, but it doesn’t mean training is an impossible task. Take it from a beagle owner, follow these 6 training tips and you’re well on your way to a happy, well-trained dog:

1. It’s never too early to start. Begin training your beagle as soon as possible. Starting with something as easy as a feeding schedule will help to get your dog used to a routine. If he or she is used to a routine from an early age, and if you reward his or her good behavior often, the chances are severely reduced that bad habits will develop.

2. Learning simple commands early is good. “Stay,” “sit,” and “come” might seem like simple commands, but the earlier they respond to these, the easier it is to train them later. Remember, a beagle is a pack dog. It wants to be the leader. The sooner you let him know you’re the pack leader, the more readily he will respond to your commands, rather than the other way around.

3. Keep the training sessions short. Even 5 to 10 minutes a couple times a day can work wonders. Anyone who’s ever owned a beagle knows they’re scent-motivated and can lose focus easily. Keep the sessions short but entertaining.

4. Never use physical punishment. Face it. We all get frustrated from time to time. But using any kind of force on your beagle (or any animal) will have the reverse effect. All it will do is instill fear in the dog, and there’s a big difference between fear and respect.

5. Use positive reinforcement. Dogs like treats, and they especially like to know they’re being rewarded for making you happy. And, being a hound, the beagle is motivated by food. The key here, though, is to not let your dog see the reward before you give a command. The dog will see it as a form of bribery and will obey only when the reward is in view.

6. Play to a beagle’s strengths. Use training methods that are related to his natural behaviors. With an amazing sense of smell, you could incorporate the uncovering of buried objects into your training. Since beagles are hunters, running and retrieving can be worked into the sessions as well. Plus, it’ll be more entertaining for the dog.

Can beagles be difficult? Of course they can, just as other breeds can be. But if you stick with these basic guidelines, you’ll find that it can be an enjoyable experience for both of you, and you’ll get a well-behaved beagle out of it at the same time.