Hangs head in shame I was just saying though as so many positive trainers will not do anything to upset their dogs, but will use harnesses which many dogs find distressing.
I know, Stacia, it's a juggling act. I try to do everything I can not to cause any distress to my two. I have one particularly sensitive dog, and it's important that I don't stress her, because it stays with her for a long time. But I have to temper that with what I feel is best for their wellbeing, and that means harnessing them when they can't be trusted not to hurt themselves. Luckily for me, I very rarely have to use the harnesses these days, except the car harness. There's no getting away from the fact that they don't like their harnesses, but they don't run away, they just look a bit subdued when they come out of the cupboard. And, again, luckily for me, the unpleasantness doesn't stay with them once the harness is off - again, having a sensitive dog, I know how stress can stick around; she had a coughing fit earlier today, came crawling to me on her belly with her tail between her legs, was over it in two minutes with lots of tummy and throat rubs, but stayed in a state of high arousal for about an hour afterwards! With the harness, once it's off, it's forgotten. So, I do agree with you, that in an ideal world, a positive handler wouldn't do anything that causes undue stress to their dogs, but until there is a better alternative, I also won't take any gambles with my dogs' safety.
I do get why you think that...only, I can't understand what you think the 'more' positive alternative is? It is not a collar. And it is definitely not a slip lead. So, what do you think positive trainers should do to be more positive? The only reason that a collar appears different is because the (much more unpleasant) impact on the dog bites a while after it is put on, when they are excited, and so they inflict pain on themselves in an attempt to get to what they want with adrenaline overcoming the pain, and in this way the negativities of the collar aren't as apparent.
Dogs don't shy away from collars, or shut down (in my experience). I don't like to see dogs all trussed up in harnesses, they look tight and uncomfortable. I wonder (this is just a new thought!) if the dogs feel pain with the harness when they pull against it? But then, that is just me, each to his own However, if I didn't have a cage in my car, then I would use harnesses to keep them (and me!) safe.
Some do. So of the rescue dogs I work with hide when they see collars or leads. It tells you more about what they have experience. It very sad and some dogs can't wear collars for medical reasons.
Yes, collars are less intrusive, there is less stuff round the dog. But, the discomfort of a collar doesn't really happen when you put it on. It happens later, when the dog pulls or lunges. So with a harness it probably goes: Harness goes on - unpleasant sensation of stuff round my body = don't like harnesses. With a collar it goes: Collar goes on - yay! a walk! off we go - oh see a cat, I'll strangle myself to get to it = strangling myself is worth it, and what I have to do to get to exciting stuff
Casper can't wear a collar, due to the injury he sustained in a previous life (we only found out later) he wears a harness which is a happy at heel harness. I think he prefers it simply because it doesn't go over his head to attach, and it fits very loosely, with little material, compared to his perfect fit harness which arguably is the better harness for him, however he really, really doesn't like it, and it needs to fit quite snugly. The quest is still on for that perfect harness!
