Jump to content

Puppy Scared Of Walking Harness


pcarr
 Share

Recommended Posts

hi, i have a 16 week beagle puppy, she has just been vacinated, and hoping to walk on a regular basis, however as soon as i get the harness out, she runs away, and wont even come over for a treat

once on though, she normally walks well, although tonight was a disaster, she refused to walk at all

any suggestions??

she has not had any negative experiences to make her

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi, i have a 16 week beagle puppy, she has just been vacinated, and hoping to walk on a regular basis, however as soon as i get the harness out, she runs away, and wont even come over for a treat

once on though, she normally walks well, although tonight was a disaster, she refused to walk at all

any suggestions??

she has not had any negative experiences to make her

A few questions that might help work it out:

Has she worn the harness before, and did she react the same from the very first time?

If she has worn it successfully before, where has she been with the harness? What sort of harness is it - does it go over her head, or clip around? How long did it take before she started running away?

If this happened the first time you brought it out - does the harness jingle or make any sound she might not like? Or does she react when she sees the harness? Where is the harness kept, is there anything else there she might have a problem with? Or do you make any changes to yourself when you prepare for a walk - like putting on a hat or a coat that make you look different?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

why dont you just use a collar? You cannot control a dog through a harness. If she refuses to walk with a collar give her little tugs and just keep her moving with a treat in hand and she'll get it

she's a beagle ... she's being stubborn so dont let her :laugh:

get her used to the harness if you want it for car travel etc when you get her pick her up, go get the harness and put in on her and leave her to get used to it around the house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

she has worn harness previously, and although a little nervous, seems to become more scared/nervous every time she wears it

it goes over her head, and clips around belly, doesnt jingle, i dont have hat or coat that would be cause, it is kept with all her treats,

i chose to use a harness, for the dual usage in car/walking, and had heard that these were more comfy for the dog, am pretty much a novice with training dogs, especially beagles (which i hear have minds of there own)

i am planning to start her in obedience classes in the next fortnight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

she has worn harness previously, and although a little nervous, seems to become more scared/nervous every time she wears it

it goes over her head, and clips around belly, doesnt jingle, i dont have hat or coat that would be cause, it is kept with all her treats,

i chose to use a harness, for the dual usage in car/walking, and had heard that these were more comfy for the dog, am pretty much a novice with training dogs, especially beagles (which i hear have minds of there own)

i am planning to start her in obedience classes in the next fortnight

It might be that she hates it going over her head - I had a dog that hated anything going over her head, she much preferred a harness that was clipped on instead. She would sit back on her haunches with her arms out, waiting to be dressed like a little kid waiting for a jumper - too cute!!

If she is refusing to walk once it is on though, she might just not like the feel. Take careful note of her reactions, to try and work out which bit she is disliking. Also, double check everything actually fits ok and that it is not too tight, or rubbing anywhere.

If you think that it is the going over the head she doesn't like, you can either buy a different harness type, or just be stern & don't let her fuss about it - if you are consistent in letting her know it is going to happen, whether she likes it or not, she will eventually get used to it. In regards to her running away, you could try carrying the harness around all the time, or randomly picking it up & putting it down, she will eventually give up on reacting to you going to get the harness.

If she seems to really hate the feel of it, try leaving it on her for long periods, regardless of whether or not you are going for a walk. She will get used to the feel - she can't refuse to move forever!!!

And remember, you are the boss, you decide what happens - don't let her boss you around! You can show compassion for her needs, but don't give in to her every want.

In regard to the collar vs harness argument, I like harnesses, but I have small dogs and control is not an issue. I have had a dog (the same one that hated things going over her head!) react badly to a collar, and she once pulled out of it on a walk, coming within a few feet of backing into traffic. She never wore a collar again - but your preference will depend on your dog & what you are doing with them. If she doesn't react the same way to a collar, I would just go with that - but perhaps consider a prong collar, which allows greater control.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

why are you recommending a prong?! Christ this dog in no way needs one!

this is a 16 week old puppy - it needs a flat collar and training.

I agree. I also think harnesses allow the dog to pull even more so. Flat collar lead and treats and lots of encouragment, youll be fine. And once you start obedience you will get lots of helpful advice to help you on your way!! Good luck!!

Arent prong collars illegal in Australia?? Perhaps they are used in the US, I see dogs with them a lot on the dog whisperer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pcarr - have you tried teaching your pup to associate the harness with something really exciting and fun? What about food? Beagles are usually pretty food orientated, could you try bringing the harness out and putting it on before each meal and leaving it on while she eats?

Same with play in the backyard - harness goes on and then the play time begins!

Goodluck!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

why are you recommending a prong?! Christ this dog in no way needs one!

this is a 16 week old puppy - it needs a flat collar and training.

Maybe I'm wrong about the prong collar - as I said, my dogs are small & I use harnesses.

From what I have read a prong collar is designed to tighten uniformly without choking- I'm really paranoid about collars, as I said, I had a dog nearly pull out of one into traffic (normal flat collar, and yes, it was fitted correctly).

If this is wrong, please, please correct me! Maybe I am misinformed, or am I thinking of a different type of collar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Puppymum - maybe you're thinking about a martingale or limited slip collar?

I agree with others who said try training her to walk on flat collar. Lots of beagle owners walk their dogs on harnesses but I find it does nothing to stop pulling and I found it was easier to train her to walk nicely on flat collar/martingale first. If you were still keen on progressing to a harnesses, I'd wait until she walks nicely on a collar first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Puppymum - maybe you're thinking about a martingale or limited slip collar?

I agree with others who said try training her to walk on flat collar. Lots of beagle owners walk their dogs on harnesses but I find it does nothing to stop pulling and I found it was easier to train her to walk nicely on flat collar/martingale first. If you were still keen on progressing to a harnesses, I'd wait until she walks nicely on a collar first.

I have just been doing a search on collar types - I was actually thinking of the martingale.

Does anyone have an emoticon for "walking away sheepishly with foot in mouth..."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My female runs away when I get her harness out - but thats because she hates wearing it. If I get her martingale she comes up and sticks her head out to have it on. There are some situations though when I do need to use a harness so its just too bad. It is a pain to drag her back inside to put it on or to put a harness on a floppy dog. A friend I go bushwalking with (thats when we use harnesses) has exactly the same problem with one of her dogs. Her dog is 4, mine is 2 so it isn't something they have grown out of or gotten used to. I think they just dont like the feel of it in comparison to a collar. My male is fine with having his harness on - he also has to wear it more often.

She might always dislike it but once the dogs are out walking they forget about it. In obedience you will need a flat collar anyway rather than a harness. I agree it is better to train on a flat collar (or martingale) to begin with while she is learning to walk nicely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

most dogs can be taught from puppies to walk nicely on a flat collar and no pup under 6 months should wear a check or prong (OK there is the odd exception but in professional hands)

prongs are not illegal in australia at all in fact they are an incredible tool and the idiot government banned them in Vic and all the hippies think they torture dogs :thumbsup:

Corrective aids are for individuals who have a temperament not conducive to just a simple flat collar. If you start early and you push the right buttons there is no need for corrective aids. Saying that there is nothing wrong that if your dog is high drive etc you use it to make training easier. But at 16 weeks a flat collar is enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Given the amount of time beagles tend to spend with their heads on the ground, I can see real advantages with using a collar rather than a harness - you have more ability to control the head.

Most seat belt harnesses are heavy and somewhat restrictive - I'd suggest you try a decent flat collar and take some dog training lessons to get some more training tips.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bailey is only 9 weeks now. Shes has worn a flat collar since the night we got her and never had a problem with it. We took her for a 50mtr walk down our street last night with the flat collar on and when she started to go off sniffing we just have it a gentle tug and said "heel" as we did it (and gave her a peice of chicken) and she picked onto it almost instantly and began to walk next to us without pulling. We also have a harness for her but thats only for Sarah when shes driving she doesnt like her running about, where as for me shes fine on my lap for now. But we dont use the harness for walking, although it is a walking/car harness weve tryed it around the house with a leash and she just pulls and i didnt seem to have any controll what so ever. Even with peices of chicken!!

Ill always walk her on a flat collar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...