Hello me and that ninny labrador of mine again. Cuillin and brodick both walk very nicely to heel on one to one walks but together they are a nightmare! Pull like trains...as its pretty icy just now and also im getting a bit fed up of the pulling ive bought them both non pull harnesses while i keep working on their pulling issues. Cuillin absolutely freaks out at harnesses. Always has done despite trying gradual desentisiation, just having them in a room on the floor sends her running off and she will hide under the bed uf she as much as sees one. Ive kind of lost oatience with it a bit just now with the icy pavements as its quite dangerous, so am just ambushing her with one before we go out. She goes rigid while im putting it on, then sort if collapses her back legs and scuttles about with her lower body almost dragging on the floor. However the minute we get outside this miraculously stops and by the time we are up the hill she is happy as larry again! But her wee face when i go near her is quite pitiful, she looks really scared. Im feeling guilty about enforced wearing of harnesses as she really does seem to have a problem with them but im also not wanting to break my leg on ice!! Am i being rotten to her? Another dog owner has told me off and said some dogs have a real thing about things constricting their bodies. Shes even worse with a halti. If she wasnt so ok once we are on a walk i wld stop immediately but not sure what to think...
Re: Am i being too hard line... Oh dear that sounds a bit difficult to say the least! Sorry, no advice because I've never used a harness. But what does Cuillin do if she is on the lead and Brodick is on the harness? Just thinking - does she pull, even if he isnt pulling?
Re: Am i being too hard line... If the two dogs both walk nicely in a one-to-one situation, then you will need to introduce paired heeling in easy stages. Start with a couple of steps in an undistracting location (kitchen, hall, garden etc) and build up slowly. In the meantime you might find it helps to put Cuillin in her harness to feed her, and have her wear it to be given treats and so on, so that she associates it with fun. Pippa
Re: Am i being too hard line... Hi late thanks for replies been on trip away with pups! We were in a deer infested area with a fair few lost dog signs up so was taking no chances and mainly kept both on leads given brodicks recent wildlife chasing so plenty of lead practice! Again both absolutely fine alone, walk well on lead but pullathon together! Cuillin will pull if she is with wee bro even if he is walking nicely. So its the dynamics of the two of them together i need to work on as pippa advised....we'll start in the hall... On the upside cuillin no longer collapses her back legs when the harness goes on, but she will freeze in the position she was in when i put it on...this is despite tasty food being administered at harness time. As she seems to forget about it once she is off and running, i guess its not really traumatising her. She just doesnt like it being put on...
