Stanley's had a harness for about 5 months now - never really seemed to mind it. This past few weeks when you get his harness out he runs away and refuses to have it on. I've been feeding him loads of treats when he's putting it on and once it's on he's completely fine and doesn't have a problem with it. Any ideas why this behaviour might have started?
Same issue for me. If I grab any of his leashes his fine. If I grab his collar he is fine. If i grab his harness, he runs away. I give him a reward after putting it on, and he runs away.. It wasn't a problem before. I just resorted to putting his leash on his collar first and crediting the behavior to adolescence.
Perhaps he's associating the harness with a painful/frightening experience. Perhaps you've accidentally pinched his skin when clipping it on, or stood on his toe, or there's been a car backfire or sudden noise. It doesn't take much to put a dog off. I would start making the harness an enjoyable thing again by giving loads of high value treats, chicken, sausage, cheese.
I have a harness for Pongo with a back ring and a front ring - the idea being you attach one end of the lead to each ring, and you can stop pulling and lunging by putting tension on the front ring. I never really used it in that way, however, I only ever used the back ring; and he was fine with it - quite enthusiastic about wearing it because it usually meant we were going somewhere fun. Then I started using the harness the way it was designed - that is, using the front ring as a way of stopping pulling. As soon as he'd experienced it being used that way, he got really, really odd about putting it on. Backing away, running off, tail down. Once it is on he seems OK with it, although a bit subdued / down. I wonder whether Stanley and Sparky have just reached the age where they have figured out the harness is potentially something that controls them and they don't like that idea?
That's interesting, I stopped using Ripple's harness when he was just over a year old as he started to get more and more stressed about me putting it on him. Just assumed it was a Ripple thing, but maybe not. We get on fine now with a collar and lead.
So sorry to hear all these bad harness experiences. We've gone back to Snowie's very old harness cos it's great for walking and he doesn't pull much anymore - he must step into it, leash attaches on the back. I simply put it on the floor and he steps into it. I never knew a dog would not like a body harness until reading here. He does however hate the head harness, will not tolerate it, and I won't ever use it again (was compulsory at one school we went to).
Me neither. I was surprised how many dogs don't get on with a harness. All 3 of ours have been fine with them, getting very excited when we pick them up to put them on - harness = walk = good time.
Tatze does a bit of this, but she's fine once it is on. So I put the harness on in a small space (the porch) and always use treats. I wouldn't worry if he's fine once it's on.
Harley doesn't like her harness going on either but is fine when it's on. She used to happily come over to have it on, but obviously something has happened as she now doesn't. I always give her treats when putting it on too!
Mine also went through a bit of a phase like this, I think he didn't like it going over his head. For a while I put my arm through the neck of the harness with a treat in my hand and slipped it over his head while he took the treat. I can't remember how long it lasted, now he's fine, even with a brand new harness or having a coat put on. You could also try washing the harness, maybe it smells of something with a negative association.
Well earlier, started off with leash on collar and stepped on it so he can't run away. Had him sit and gave him several treats to start off. Grabbed the harness he turned away and I put it down and gave him a treat. Did this several times eventually allowing the harness to touch his head. He was less aversive when I finally put on the harness and rewarded heavily. After it was on he looked subdued and somewhat frozen, but as soon as I said "let's go" he came trotting along. Funny dude. Will have to repeat this more.
We have harness problems too. I'm sure you've checked but are you sure nothing has changed in the fit of the harness? I've gone through several harnesses with Jess and the one she objected to least was the freedom harness - which is actually a harness with a tightening element (around the ribcage), but it seems to be very well designed so that it does actually fit comfortably and doesn't rub. Anyway, that one was a success but I left it on Jess while we drove home from a walk one day and she chewed through it! (Perhaps she didn't like it as much I thought ) So I went back to the puppia-style mesh harness I had in the house. That's when Jess started doing the same thing as Stanley - hiding when it was time to put it on, ducking away from me etc. I eventually realised the webbing was rubbing her legs, even though it wasn't immediately obvious that was a problem. Then I got a ruffwear harness because it seemed well padded and comfortable but she hates it too and is still doing the same thing. She doesn't run away and hide from the collar and lead, which makes me think it is actually the harness that is the problem. So maybe they need a different design of harness? (Also - as you say with Stanley, Jess was fine once the harness was on. I think the excitement of being outside and on a walk overrides the discomfort).
Maybe I have pinched his right armpit/shoulder as he seems more reactive when I try to clip that buckle. I've loosened the harness quite a bit so its not as snug anymore.
Funnily enough Bella is the same with her harness .At first she was fine when having it put on but then all of a sudden as soon as I got her harness out she would turn and run in the opposite direction tail wagging , I have lost count of the amount of times I have had a "mexican stand off " with her in regards to her harness as she would get as close as she could to me without being close enough for me to reach her .Taking a step back it dawned on me that it was all just a great big game to her , however her whole posture changes as soon as her harness is on. Over the past few weeks suddenly she has become more accepting of having it put on and is less playful about the whole experience , at first she still backs away and then gets as close as possible tail wagging only to back away again if I reach out which a stern look from me soon puts and end to and she will then let me put it on her with no problems . The "fun and games" started at around age 6 months and , like I said has only just calmed down , she is now 18 months .No amount of C + T would work in terms of her harness ...well at least I thought not , but my guess is to her it was all just great fun !
Xena reacts the same way. She was fine the first two weeks and then bam, shying away. She's fine once it's on so I just get on with it, now I just have to lure her with a hand touch to get her to approach it.
This is no surprise but moo hates harnesses and coats too. Head collars are a complete no no. She lies down and won't move and hides when they go on. So I trained her with just collar and lead. she eventually accepted a very light harness that I used when I long lined her (she likes to run away) she never liked it but accepted because i asked. She now deaf and going blind and boy has she changed her opinion about harnesses , She likes them now. It helps guide her and she seems to feel safe in it. It doesn't worry her in the slightest now. As ever with moo its when its become useful to her. I love my little dog
Cassie too doesn't like her harness going on -- collar, lead and slip lead no issues , goes and sits by the door or gate in fact. I got mine off the woman who runs the force free classes I went to, a no-pull freedom harness, it is really great for use situations of high excitement. She advised me to use something eg peanut butter that Cass can lick while it's being put on, but even so she will stand under table!! Last week I found some utube videos about introducing harnesses and de-sensitising them to the appearance with rewards for not backing off and making it a positive experience to go on. I just wonder what goes on in their heads ? Do they think uh oh harness equals curtailment? I am careful to adjust the fit and check that she's not sore and only use it once or twice a week depending on what we are doing.
Pretty sure that this is what is going on in Pongo's head. (Whenever there is space for any thought except food.)
We're experiencing exactly the same issue with Maisie (now 8 months). We have a perfect fit harness which she used to be fine with and then all of a sudden she went off it. Nothing bad has happened (while putting it on or when she was in it) in order that she could have created a negative association with it, one day we got it out and she went and sat under the table and backed away when we tried to put it on. Has been the same ever since. Very strange. I was wondering if the fleece bit was making her too hot. Might try a non-fleece type because certainly she is so much better in terms of pulling than with a collar and lead.
