# Honking Like a Goose



## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Jinx has been doing this weird thing where he honks. It happens when we are outside on the leash. If he pulls too hard and the collar tightens, he honks. It isn't only then though. Sometimes he does it in his crate or for no reason. 

The vet thinks he may have a small larynx and he does that to clear his throat. 

Any thoughts?


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Timmy sometimes makes that sound too, but not very often. Like you I think most of the time he does it when he has his collar on and he pulls too hard. I also use a harness, but I want him to be used to wearing both. Did the vet encourage you to use a harness instead of a collar? It might lessen the chance of him honking.


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## Atticus (May 17, 2011)

Atticus has a sensitive neck and will do that. He is better trained now and doesn't pull as much. I mostly use a harness though especially when he was little. The SENSE-ation harness that Karen always talks about is really great. I keep the harness attached to my leash so when I get the leash to take him out the harness is on it,otherwise it was too easy to just use his collar. He always has a collar on,too many daily visitors at my house to take the chance of him slipping out tho it has never happened.He also often coughs when he drinks.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie has done this most of her little life. She did it once at training and the trainer said it sounds like reverse sneezing. I tend to think maybe her throat collapses at times, cause the sound and struggle. It happens at odd times, sometimes she is over excited, sometimes nothing triggers it. If you find any answers please share!


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

*Reverse sneeze*

Check out this video of a Maltese reverse sneezing. Does your dog sound like this? S/he cannot blow his/her nose, so .....


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

No, it's nothing like that at all. It sound like a honk.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ivyagogo said:


> No, it's nothing like that at all. It sound like a honk.


It really sounds like the collar is at least temporarily collapsing his trachea. Ethis can become a permanent condition, so you want to be very careful. I would NOT be walking him in a collar at this point. As Atticus' mom said, the Sense-ation harness will discourage pulling, and at the same time, keep pressure off his throat. (any harness will do the latter, but if the leash attaches at the back, it will actually encourage pulling)


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

yup, that's exactly what Tillie does... sigh...


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Zoey never got used to a collar she chocked every time. I stopped even trying because she didn't seem to care would just keep pulling. Its been probably 5 mo I think I'll take it out and give her another try. I also tried all the training tricks she just kept pulling. Maddie has always just had a harness. I wanted to get zoey used to loose leash walking for showing so I used mostly collars on her after she was about 5 mo old.


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## Atticus (May 17, 2011)

Really this no pull harness SENSE-ation (google it) will really help. Mine is xs Atticus is 10 pounds. You can't even see it when he wears it as he is so hairy. It is simple,light weight,and really helps with pulling. As it connects from the front if they pull they just turn back towards you. I didn't get one at first as I wanted to train but wish I had as you just can't be working on training "no pull" every second and (like recall) every time they pull or don't come it reinforces the behavior you don't want.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Atticus said:


> Really this no pull harness SENSE-ation (google it) will really help. Mine is xs Atticus is 10 pounds. You can't even see it when he wears it as he is so hairy. It is simple,light weight,and really helps with pulling. As it connects from the front if they pull they just turn back towards you. I didn't get one at first as I wanted to train but wish I had as you just can't be working on training "no pull" every second and (like recall) every time they pull or don't come it reinforces the behavior you don't want.


Kodi always wears his collar when we're out walking, because his tags are on it. But, even though he is really good about loose leash walking (as well as formal heeling) having the harness on means to him that it's a different kind of walk. In the harness, I allow him to walk beside, in front or behind AS LONG AS he maintains no more than very light contact with the leash. In the beginning, that meant that any time he pulled, I would stop, and the harness would turn him around. He'd remember, come back to my side, and I'd praise and treat as he moved off at a nice walk again. (you don't treat for them returning to your side, or you can create a feed-back loop, where they think the behavior you are looking for is to return to your side, where what you REALLY want is for them to walk on a loose leash)

When he was younger, and we were really working on loose leash walking on the collar, I would alternate between the two. I'd attach the leash to the collar as long as he was behaving on it, and I had time to go as slow as possible to reinforce the loose leash walking. If he couldn't walk on a loose leash on the collar (or if we needed a brisk walk to burn off energy) I would just switch the leash to the harness.


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