If you've enjoyed this video please like, comment & share 🙂 It really helps! 🙋♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS: •❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇 ✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/6-weeks-to-dream-walks-step-by-step-leash-training-program •❓🐿️ STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DOG CHASING ANIMALS (indoors or outdoors)?👇 ✅ Dog Prey Drive: How to STOP Animal Chasing: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/dog-prey-drive-how-to-stop-animal-chasing-with-force-free-methods ►👀 WATCH NEXT: ✔️ How to load a marker word: ua-cam.com/video/I476s7YAvgw/v-deo.html ✔️ Choosing a high value treat: ua-cam.com/video/yC_7KmG_4dk/v-deo.html ► 🗣️ STAY CONNECTED: • Instagram (my most active platform): instagram.com/happyhounds_dogtraining/ • Facebook: facebook.com/HappyHoundsDogTraining.ca • Blog: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/blog/ • Email list: view.flodesk.com/pages/61898eeb3a0e5bcf6f5411ec ►❤️ FAVOURITE DOG GEAR: ➡️ *ALL* my favourite dog items & discount codes: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/shop 🧸 Amazing faux & real fur toys: www.tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=happyhoundsdogtraining 🐕🦺 My favourite harness & dog gear: rockymountaindog.ca/?ref=ka8S8Xue 🦴 My favourite treat bag: amzn.to/3UUGF60 🦮 Beautiful custom biothane leashes (I use the hands-free version): www.hightailhikes.com?aff=212 Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.
What do I do in the meantime while I'm desensitizing my dog to the harness following these steps, likely over the course of weeks, considering I still have to put it on to walk him multiple times a day? Using the collar is currently not an option since he is leash reactive.
Great question! I always say there's "ideal training" (in this case, not using the harness until it's conditioned) and "real world". If your dog is leash reactive definitely continue using a harness on walks to protect his neck! In those cases, I suggest buying a second, cheap harness. Preferably a completely different brand & fit. You'll use that harness for the walks he needs right now, while properly conditioning the harness you currently have. That way all of his exposures to the one harness are positive & at his pace.
Thank you so so much for your video! You deserve much more credit for making this invaluable information accessible to the world ❤ love your approach as it respects the wonderful creatures we have the honor to share our home with 🐾
You're so welcome! They’re definitely a lot of effort to create, but I’m really hoping these videos make life a bit better for both the dogs & guardians! ❤️
Hi! Thank you so much for this guide; it's been a true help with our recently adopted rescue. So far the process is going well, but one snag I'm running into is that my dog is enthusiastic about putting his head *into* the harness-but seems pretty uncomfortable when he has to take his head out (maybe the pressure on his ears as it comes off is uncomfortable?) Any ideas or resources on how to get him comfortable with the feeling of taking the harness off over his head? It also could be the harness I'm using is too tight for his head-are all over-the-head harnesses a little bit difficult to take off, or do the brands you like to use slip off easily/without pressure on the dog's head and ears? Thank you so much! :)
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it and that it's been helping so far! I suspect your guess about the pressure on his ears being the thing that's bothering him is correct. I'd say that over-the-head harnesses and how much they grab the ears depends on your dogs breed... for Neirah her neck/shoulder area is quite thick, so there's not a huge tug on her ears. My suggestion (if the harness you're using is adjustable in that zone) is to add an extra step where you get your dog used to you slackening off that part of the harness before removing it. Once it's well fitted, it can be helpful to draw a faint line on it so you can re-tighten it to an appropriate size before putting it back on too!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for this amazing video. I really thought my dog was not going to do all the steps, but we’ve been working almost every day since the beginning of December 2023 and I am proud to say that my dog completed all the steps! :D Note that I had to add another one (step 7.5 which was gently push the harness against the dog’s chest as my dog was showing discomfort the first time I did it. So, I’ve decided to add this one in-between). This training also made us realize that the ears touching the harness was the big problem. My question is about the next step. We’ve been training our dog in the living room since the beginning and I’m not sure what follows. Should we move the training session closer to the door for a while prior to going outside? Or should we just do the training session as usual (in the living room) and go outside right away with a lot of praise and treats? Should we plan some time for the training session each time before going outside from now on? I feel like I’m scared to do anything that would compromise the entire process. Again, thank you so much for all the videos and the work that you put into this. It is highly appreciated!
Thank you SO much for such a lovely comment. It made my morning! Huge respect to you for working at your dogs pace, staying consistent, and also recognizing when your dog needed one extra step. So well done! 👏 That's such a fantastic question, and I'm impressed you recognize that room/context matters 🙂 Since your dog was so tentative initially, I would personally complete the steps in the living room (including adding a leash) and give your dog a less-long lasting treat, then go out on a walk with treats & praise. After that, I would start doing the steps at the door prior to walks to help your dog get used to being geared up in the new zone!
Thanks for this! I've been trying to get my dog to not mind his harness for years! It turns out, I've been working too fast. I need to take a step back.
You’re welcome! I found with my own dogs (and clients) fear that the traditional 3-4 step conditioning just didn’t work. Perhaps for introducing a harness to a puppy, but not for a dog that’s already fearful. Hope it helps!
I adopted a highly abused dog who goes through hating her harness to accepting it. She's 9 years old and I've had her for three years now. In the beginning, putting the harness on was impossible. I slowly got her used to it. But every now and again, she reverts back to stiffening up and fighting me to not get in her harness. It takes weeks to get her used to the harness. She's has treat aversion. She doesn't like anything I've tried. I've even used lamb to try and get her to be positive response but that only lasts once. What's heartbreaking is that she LOVES going outside, and my schedule requires that I have a walker, but the only way she'll go with her walker is if I'm home and get her into the harness myself. I know it's the snapping sound that causes the reaction, but it's not consistent. It's been a year of getting her into the harness easily (even though she's never allowed her walker to put it on). I really need help because food does not work.
Ooof, that sounds really rough. I'm so glad you adopted her though ♥ If you know it's the harness snapping sound that upsets her I'd HIGHLY suggest working through the noise conditioning steps in this video: ua-cam.com/video/4mMF_XAX2b4/v-deo.html.
Hi! I really find your video very informative. Ty!! My rescue dog who was fine with wearing a harness for 2 years and suddenly got reactive to it recently. He comes to attack us when we try to put it on him now. Medically he checked out but do you think this training would work for him too? He snaps really quickly and doeant show any initial aggresive response.
Hey! It's good that you got him medically checked out, because that'd be my first suggestion. Do you know what caused the change? Typically reactivity is fear based, so in theory, yes the steps would still work. However with that intense of a behaviour shift & it sounding like a bite risk now, I'd suggest trying to find an in-person trainer to help you figure out what happened/changed...
thank you for the video! however, since my dog doesn't like harnesses that go over her head, how would this work for harnesses that go through her legs and clip at the top? i thought it would work better, but after almost 2 months of trying with one i still didn't get any results :'(
I'll be honest- I always use harnesses that go over the head, so I'm not accustomed to the style you're mentioning. However, I would assume a step would need to be added to the training to get the dog to voluntarily stand over the harness. The piece I'm not sure how you'd make voluntary is raising the harness up and buckling it... with the over-the-head style you can condition them to insert their own face, but I'd assume with your style you'd need to be the one putting it on them!
Thank you for this video! I’m going to try to see if this helps my 9-year old Pomeranian. She gets excited when I get the harness out because she enjoys walks but doesn’t like it when I have to put on the harness and will nip at me. I use had to get a harness that goes on under her and clips at the top so I could easily put it on her.
Thanks, I hope it helps! I'd suggest Googling the "canine ladder of aggression". Typically biting/nipping is the final request for distance (usually a fear response). Working on that fear and respecting the lower level signals will help a lot! 🙂
@@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you! I will look that up! My dog has anxiety too that I’ve been working on reducing (with the help of my vet) so I’m very patient with her but definitely want to stop her from nipping.
Thank you! To answer your question: There's "perfect world training" and "real world training" 😂 Perfect world (or if possible) not using the harness until it's conditioned is preferred, 100%! If your dog walks nicely on leash, I'd suggest using a flat collar for a couple weeks while conditioning the harness. However, for many dogs that pull, that's not feasible or safe. In those cases, I often suggest using two harnesses. For now, keep walking with the old one, and condition a new one. Subtle differences to US like buckle sound or fit are noticed by the dog. Condition the new one so that ALL experiences with that harness are positive from day 1.
Would you use these same techniques with a dog that has the opposite reaction to a harness - getting so excited that she starts to put the harness/leash in her mouth and walk herself?
Ah, ok! Super cute in theory but I can understand why it would also make things difficult 😂 I'd modify these steps a bit! Skip the earlier steps where you REWARD the dog for approaching or engaging with the harness because she clearly has no issues there hahaha. I'd try to simply ask for a sit when you bring it out instead, and then do the later steps 🙂 Using luring (like in the video) is great because the treats should hold her focus and reinforce the behaviour you WANT to see while you put the harness on. One another addition: For dogs that get wayyyy too overexcited about their harness & leash, it can also be helpful to bring them out randomly a few times during the day when you aren't going on a walk to break that exciting association that harness always = outside.
This is difficult given that I do need to take my pup for walks...I am trying to condition him each time we go for a walk but inevitably I have to put the harness on. I'm afraid I am undoing all the gentle conditioning I am trying. I have to walk him with this harness because he is a "puller". I have noticed that the pulling is getting better so I do not want to abandon the harness.
100% fair, and if he pulls I'd definitely keep using the harness. For some dogs I actually find it helpful to use 2 different harness... one for the current walks (knowing he'll stay scared of it) and another that will be properly conditioned (and then switch to only using the conditioned one once training is complete).
@@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you...I did decide to purchase your 6 week training program so I could go back to basics. It's a great program. I am following your request that I do not take him out for any regular walks until we get through the first 2 weeks. In the meantime, the only issue that I do have is the way to train the cue "Heel" when I can't put the harness on him. And the emergency U turn. Should I put the harness on anyway?
Thank you! I'm so glad you like it :) Do you have yard access for his bathroom breaks and such? If possible, I'd suggest spending 1 week conditioning the harness (couple short sessions a day) and otherwise not having him see it at all. You can still get a head start on some of the leash program such as indoor practice (just don't add the heel cue), but the focus of that week is mainly the harness. Some dogs change their mind about the harness quickly when they're only having positive experience!. After giving it a solid effort for a week, if he still has some fears I'd change to using 2 separate harnesses (and then genuinely start the leash training program) 😊 It's a good compromise between working on his fears without restricting walks too long!
@ I decided to try and use a smaller framed harness for the indoor work, before we go outside (yes we have a yard). I am conditioning him to the larger harness that I eventually want to use. One thing however, I put the small harness on him today to see if we could get to the next step of the heel cue. He follows tightly to my side when not on the leash. As soon as I put the leash on him he completely forgot all the training to this point. I will have to go back to no leash I guess. At least for a bit longer.
If you've enjoyed this video please like, comment & share 🙂 It really helps!
🙋♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS:
•❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇
✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/6-weeks-to-dream-walks-step-by-step-leash-training-program
•❓🐿️ STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DOG CHASING ANIMALS (indoors or outdoors)?👇
✅ Dog Prey Drive: How to STOP Animal Chasing: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/dog-prey-drive-how-to-stop-animal-chasing-with-force-free-methods
►👀 WATCH NEXT:
✔️ How to load a marker word: ua-cam.com/video/I476s7YAvgw/v-deo.html
✔️ Choosing a high value treat: ua-cam.com/video/yC_7KmG_4dk/v-deo.html
► 🗣️ STAY CONNECTED:
• Instagram (my most active platform): instagram.com/happyhounds_dogtraining/
• Facebook: facebook.com/HappyHoundsDogTraining.ca
• Blog: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/blog/
• Email list: view.flodesk.com/pages/61898eeb3a0e5bcf6f5411ec
►❤️ FAVOURITE DOG GEAR:
➡️ *ALL* my favourite dog items & discount codes: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/shop
🧸 Amazing faux & real fur toys: www.tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=happyhoundsdogtraining
🐕🦺 My favourite harness & dog gear: rockymountaindog.ca/?ref=ka8S8Xue
🦴 My favourite treat bag: amzn.to/3UUGF60
🦮 Beautiful custom biothane leashes (I use the hands-free version): www.hightailhikes.com?aff=212
Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.
What do I do in the meantime while I'm desensitizing my dog to the harness following these steps, likely over the course of weeks, considering I still have to put it on to walk him multiple times a day? Using the collar is currently not an option since he is leash reactive.
Great question! I always say there's "ideal training" (in this case, not using the harness until it's conditioned) and "real world". If your dog is leash reactive definitely continue using a harness on walks to protect his neck! In those cases, I suggest buying a second, cheap harness. Preferably a completely different brand & fit. You'll use that harness for the walks he needs right now, while properly conditioning the harness you currently have. That way all of his exposures to the one harness are positive & at his pace.
Thank you so so much for your video! You deserve much more credit for making this invaluable information accessible to the world ❤ love your approach as it respects the wonderful creatures we have the honor to share our home with 🐾
You're so welcome! They’re definitely a lot of effort to create, but I’m really hoping these videos make life a bit better for both the dogs & guardians! ❤️
Hi! Thank you so much for this guide; it's been a true help with our recently adopted rescue. So far the process is going well, but one snag I'm running into is that my dog is enthusiastic about putting his head *into* the harness-but seems pretty uncomfortable when he has to take his head out (maybe the pressure on his ears as it comes off is uncomfortable?)
Any ideas or resources on how to get him comfortable with the feeling of taking the harness off over his head? It also could be the harness I'm using is too tight for his head-are all over-the-head harnesses a little bit difficult to take off, or do the brands you like to use slip off easily/without pressure on the dog's head and ears? Thank you so much! :)
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it and that it's been helping so far! I suspect your guess about the pressure on his ears being the thing that's bothering him is correct. I'd say that over-the-head harnesses and how much they grab the ears depends on your dogs breed... for Neirah her neck/shoulder area is quite thick, so there's not a huge tug on her ears. My suggestion (if the harness you're using is adjustable in that zone) is to add an extra step where you get your dog used to you slackening off that part of the harness before removing it. Once it's well fitted, it can be helpful to draw a faint line on it so you can re-tighten it to an appropriate size before putting it back on too!
@@happyhoundsdogtrainingAwesome, thank you so much for the suggestion! I'll give the extra step a shot. :)
Hi Stephanie!
Thank you so much for this amazing video. I really thought my dog was not going to do all the steps, but we’ve been working almost every day since the beginning of December 2023 and I am proud to say that my dog completed all the steps! :D Note that I had to add another one (step 7.5 which was gently push the harness against the dog’s chest as my dog was showing discomfort the first time I did it. So, I’ve decided to add this one in-between). This training also made us realize that the ears touching the harness was the big problem.
My question is about the next step. We’ve been training our dog in the living room since the beginning and I’m not sure what follows. Should we move the training session closer to the door for a while prior to going outside? Or should we just do the training session as usual (in the living room) and go outside right away with a lot of praise and treats? Should we plan some time for the training session each time before going outside from now on? I feel like I’m scared to do anything that would compromise the entire process.
Again, thank you so much for all the videos and the work that you put into this. It is highly appreciated!
Thank you SO much for such a lovely comment. It made my morning! Huge respect to you for working at your dogs pace, staying consistent, and also recognizing when your dog needed one extra step. So well done! 👏
That's such a fantastic question, and I'm impressed you recognize that room/context matters 🙂 Since your dog was so tentative initially, I would personally complete the steps in the living room (including adding a leash) and give your dog a less-long lasting treat, then go out on a walk with treats & praise. After that, I would start doing the steps at the door prior to walks to help your dog get used to being geared up in the new zone!
@@happyhoundsdogtraining A-MA-ZING!!🥰 Thank you so much for your kind reply. We will do as you suggest! Thank you so VERY much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for this! I've been trying to get my dog to not mind his harness for years! It turns out, I've been working too fast. I need to take a step back.
You’re welcome! I found with my own dogs (and clients) fear that the traditional 3-4 step conditioning just didn’t work. Perhaps for introducing a harness to a puppy, but not for a dog that’s already fearful. Hope it helps!
This is broken down so well!
Thank you!!
I adopted a highly abused dog who goes through hating her harness to accepting it. She's 9 years old and I've had her for three years now. In the beginning, putting the harness on was impossible. I slowly got her used to it. But every now and again, she reverts back to stiffening up and fighting me to not get in her harness. It takes weeks to get her used to the harness. She's has treat aversion. She doesn't like anything I've tried. I've even used lamb to try and get her to be positive response but that only lasts once. What's heartbreaking is that she LOVES going outside, and my schedule requires that I have a walker, but the only way she'll go with her walker is if I'm home and get her into the harness myself. I know it's the snapping sound that causes the reaction, but it's not consistent. It's been a year of getting her into the harness easily (even though she's never allowed her walker to put it on). I really need help because food does not work.
Ooof, that sounds really rough. I'm so glad you adopted her though ♥ If you know it's the harness snapping sound that upsets her I'd HIGHLY suggest working through the noise conditioning steps in this video: ua-cam.com/video/4mMF_XAX2b4/v-deo.html.
Hi! I really find your video very informative. Ty!!
My rescue dog who was fine with wearing a harness for 2 years and suddenly got reactive to it recently. He comes to attack us when we try to put it on him now. Medically he checked out but do you think this training would work for him too? He snaps really quickly and doeant show any initial aggresive response.
Hey! It's good that you got him medically checked out, because that'd be my first suggestion. Do you know what caused the change? Typically reactivity is fear based, so in theory, yes the steps would still work. However with that intense of a behaviour shift & it sounding like a bite risk now, I'd suggest trying to find an in-person trainer to help you figure out what happened/changed...
thank you for the video! however, since my dog doesn't like harnesses that go over her head, how would this work for harnesses that go through her legs and clip at the top? i thought it would work better, but after almost 2 months of trying with one i still didn't get any results :'(
I'll be honest- I always use harnesses that go over the head, so I'm not accustomed to the style you're mentioning. However, I would assume a step would need to be added to the training to get the dog to voluntarily stand over the harness. The piece I'm not sure how you'd make voluntary is raising the harness up and buckling it... with the over-the-head style you can condition them to insert their own face, but I'd assume with your style you'd need to be the one putting it on them!
Thank you for this video! I’m going to try to see if this helps my 9-year old Pomeranian. She gets excited when I get the harness out because she enjoys walks but doesn’t like it when I have to put on the harness and will nip at me. I use had to get a harness that goes on under her and clips at the top so I could easily put it on her.
Thanks, I hope it helps! I'd suggest Googling the "canine ladder of aggression". Typically biting/nipping is the final request for distance (usually a fear response). Working on that fear and respecting the lower level signals will help a lot! 🙂
@@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you! I will look that up! My dog has anxiety too that I’ve been working on reducing (with the help of my vet) so I’m very patient with her but definitely want to stop her from nipping.
@@Moomrin You're doing ALL the right things! You'll get there 🙂The nipping definitely sounds like a fear response right now.
Great video! Does this training require not using that harness until comfortable with it being on?
Thank you! To answer your question: There's "perfect world training" and "real world training" 😂 Perfect world (or if possible) not using the harness until it's conditioned is preferred, 100%! If your dog walks nicely on leash, I'd suggest using a flat collar for a couple weeks while conditioning the harness. However, for many dogs that pull, that's not feasible or safe. In those cases, I often suggest using two harnesses. For now, keep walking with the old one, and condition a new one. Subtle differences to US like buckle sound or fit are noticed by the dog. Condition the new one so that ALL experiences with that harness are positive from day 1.
My dachshund growls. I have to use high value treats
Which step does your dog growl at?
@@happyhoundsdogtraining wrapping it around bit more so when taking it off. She also hates wearing coats . She is a very grumpy Dachshund.
Would you use these same techniques with a dog that has the opposite reaction to a harness - getting so excited that she starts to put the harness/leash in her mouth and walk herself?
Oh, great question! Just to clarify- your dog puts the harness in their mouth as you're trying to put it on?
Yes, that's exactly what she does! Or she will put the leash in her mouth and take herself on a walk around the house.
Ah, ok! Super cute in theory but I can understand why it would also make things difficult 😂 I'd modify these steps a bit! Skip the earlier steps where you REWARD the dog for approaching or engaging with the harness because she clearly has no issues there hahaha. I'd try to simply ask for a sit when you bring it out instead, and then do the later steps 🙂 Using luring (like in the video) is great because the treats should hold her focus and reinforce the behaviour you WANT to see while you put the harness on.
One another addition: For dogs that get wayyyy too overexcited about their harness & leash, it can also be helpful to bring them out randomly a few times during the day when you aren't going on a walk to break that exciting association that harness always = outside.
This is difficult given that I do need to take my pup for walks...I am trying to condition him each time we go for a walk but inevitably I have to put the harness on. I'm afraid I am undoing all the gentle conditioning I am trying. I have to walk him with this harness because he is a "puller". I have noticed that the pulling is getting better so I do not want to abandon the harness.
100% fair, and if he pulls I'd definitely keep using the harness. For some dogs I actually find it helpful to use 2 different harness... one for the current walks (knowing he'll stay scared of it) and another that will be properly conditioned (and then switch to only using the conditioned one once training is complete).
@@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you...I did decide to purchase your 6 week training program so I could go back to basics. It's a great program. I am following your request that I do not take him out for any regular walks until we get through the first 2 weeks. In the meantime, the only issue that I do have is the way to train the cue "Heel" when I can't put the harness on him. And the emergency U turn. Should I put the harness on anyway?
Thank you! I'm so glad you like it :) Do you have yard access for his bathroom breaks and such? If possible, I'd suggest spending 1 week conditioning the harness (couple short sessions a day) and otherwise not having him see it at all. You can still get a head start on some of the leash program such as indoor practice (just don't add the heel cue), but the focus of that week is mainly the harness. Some dogs change their mind about the harness quickly when they're only having positive experience!. After giving it a solid effort for a week, if he still has some fears I'd change to using 2 separate harnesses (and then genuinely start the leash training program) 😊 It's a good compromise between working on his fears without restricting walks too long!
@ I decided to try and use a smaller framed harness for the indoor work, before we go outside (yes we have a yard). I am conditioning him to the larger harness that I eventually want to use. One thing however, I put the small harness on him today to see if we could get to the next step of the heel cue. He follows tightly to my side when not on the leash. As soon as I put the leash on him he completely forgot all the training to this point. I will have to go back to no leash I guess. At least for a bit longer.
I can't get it off him. He's getting very nasty!
No problems putting it on though? Does he try to bite when you take it off?