I'd love some advice on using a harness please. I take my 12 week old puppy to the beach or to the woods which and as suggested in Pippa's books she is off lead and having a lovely time staying close and playing whistle and run etc. I haven't started any lead training yet as she is too young ( I think?). I am starting to do a bit of clicker heel training as well - although tbh we haven't really progressed much on this. However, I would like to take her for a little walk in town or other places where she can't be off lead so I bought a puppy harness rather than allowing her to get into bad habits pulling around on a lead. But she is so excited that she either lunges along on her back legs or hurtles around at the end of the lead or lays on her back with her legs in the air biting the lead. I don't want to pull her around on the harness but it just doesn't seem to be working. Any advice please?
Re: puppy harness I'm not experienced in the slightest, but I have been doing some on-lead training with Willow (also 12 weeks) at home. She's not allowed out just yet. She's normally very good, but occasionally has a freak out like you're describing (albeit on a lead instead of a harness). I just stand and wait quietly until she decides to sort herself out and come back to me. When she does, she gets a click and treat. There may be more advice from more experienced people, but that may give you a start?
Re: puppy harness Hi there, Young puppies are very cute - especially when there are so many exciting things to look at and sniff out there in the big wide world. I think the click and treat suggestion is a really good one to try and get her attention and then hopefully try and get her to walk a few steps. If she is really distracted I would even keep the treat in your hand and lure her along to get her walking- although obviously you wouldn't want to do this long term, it would just be to get her attention so she gets the general idea of what you'd like her to do. If she is trying to tug and bite the lead try not to tug back as that can also become a great game. I'd just drop the tension in the lead so there's nothing for her to pull against and she doesn't come to view as a tug toy. Labs are very smart so I'm sure she'll soon catch on. I would say the main thing is to keep calm and try and keep things light and fun with her! She is only a baby after all! Vikki
Re: puppy harness I tried the lead on the collar rather than the harness today and she seemed less inclined to be completely silly than she did on the harness - I don't think she likes the feel of the harness as she went pretty crazy with it as soon as I put it on whereas she didn't seem to mind the collar. I tried to keep the lead slack and tried to C&T at the appropriate moment. Obviously its very early days and we only managed a few steps but hopefully she'll get the idea. I think i'll abandon the harness! Thanks guys!
Re: puppy harness Some dogs really don't like harnesses ...it can make them miserable. Dogs who have learned to pull will associate whatever they are wearing as being acceptable to pull in.....they will only associate a collar and lead as being able to pull in if you've let them.....I speak from a massive well of experience :-\ :-[ ??? All be it with only one dog! You are dong exactly right,do it in slow stages ,a few steps at a time and build up first in the house then in the garden before you take it on the road.....practice a lot though....don't just think a couple of times a day is enough,practice your loose lead steps with very yummy treats as often as you can...get this right now and life is so much easier later on ,good luck x
