Introducing your dog to a chest harness - from fear to enjoyment

How to teach your dog to enjoy wearing a chest harness; rather than running away at the sight of the harness or struggling when it gets put on. For Zuri, it wasn't just as simple as pairing treats with the harness. I had to bring out the big fun gun!

[@simplethings3730]

Well. In the 10 years since I have taken a dog into the family I have found out that things have changed. Someone thought that "re-homing fees" was a good idea. Since I am poor I wound up with a dog that is half pit bull and half Rhodesian ridge back. I am having all the fun you would expect from a dog that is bread to eat other dogs and hunt lions. I said I would never own a pit bull but she is very intelligent (sometimes in a scary sort of way). I own chickens and sheep and she was no trouble at all on that count. I have watched her eat out of the same dish with the chickens and (strangely) watched her chew tree leaves with the sheep. Just thought you would want to know I enjoyed your video as I am currently getting her used to a harness and I am still alive. She would jump on a rhino but is terrified of the harness. I am getting her used to it using your methods. Thanks for sharing.

[@Zurison]

Thanks for letting me know you found the video useful. Good luck 👍

[@joshiifruit5554]

Useful vid, thanks

[@orcatipp]

thank you for this! I'm going to try some of these techniques today

[@Zurison]

You're welcome. Enjoy your training.

[@sarafalconer6387]

This is really great...I just wish that we'd seen it right at the start when we were harness training our Aussie Shepherd pup though. As he's now so scared of it that we don't know how to undo it. It's beyond what you show here with Zuri. Finn is so smart that he won't come to us as soon as he even suspects that we might want to walk or harness him. We are at our wit's end and might just need to give up on the harness :( Think we might need to get a dog behaviour person to come and see what he's doing and advise us...

[@Zurison]

Hey Sara, Thanks for your comment. I'm sorry to hear that Finn won't come near the harness. It's a really common problem (leads and collars too!). I think getting a behaviour consultant/trainer in would be really wise. They can assess Finn and devise an individualized planned specific for his needs. There is always hope, even it it takes a little while. It's so worth it in the end thought. Here's some questions to ask a prospective trainer so you know how they will train Finn: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnzcfaSsabZooas Here's my answers to those questions :-): kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH63o3unm7mAias I wish I could help you personally (I do video consults) but I'm not taking on new clients at the moment. Good luck. Let me know how you go.

[@doghelp]

Particularly like how clearly you expressed that moving away = stress and pushing too hard. Appreciate that you don't hide mistakes and show how to adjust to them with the "you can always make things easier" motto that skilled trainers seem to adopt.

[@Zurison]

Thanks for the feedback. Always appreciated. :-)

[@chucktaylor1088]

I have looked hi and low for information like this. I must have been using the wrong words in my searches cause I have been looking for over a year on how to handle a situation just like this. My Dakotah reacts to his Harness just like yours did in the first part of this video. Thank you so much for taking the time to film it and put it on the Web. Hopefully, in a month or so I will be able to reply back with success.

[@Zurison]

How did you go?

[@carbonsu]

Glad I found this. I bought a new harness for my houdini dog (ruffwear's webmaster harness) and I've been trying to get him into it. I've actually made progress in that he's popping his head through the head opening to get the treats but he's still afraid of it when we try to coax him to wear it for walkies. I'll try the games aspect with him next

[@Zurison]

I'm glad you found the harness video useful.

[@morganfamilyfosters]

Glad I stumbled on this! I have a service dog in training and he is fearful of his vest harness in the same way. I tried this but I think I got impatient! Will be spending more time on this. Thanks for the video

[@Zurison]

Carlen Morgan I'm glad you found the video useful.

[@maryshadegg4555]

same with me but after 2 weeks my service dog loved his vest he is still in training but he is better

[@paulaflores1918]

I've been looking for a solution to this problem and this seems the only video that addresses it, thank you. Would you have some tips for other games using the harness? My dog doesn't know yet how to bring objects.

[@DogCharming]

Hi, Thanks for your comment and question. You can try teaching your dog to touch objects with his/her nose and reinforcing then. Then play it with the harness. You can find circular objects like a ring (think muckers/ring toss throwers or a small hula hoop or large stiff collar that is easy to put the head through without touching it) and teach your dog to poke the head through in gradual increments and reinforce this. Then move onto playing it with the neck piece of the harness. It's limited by your imagination. I do different strategies with different dogs. The video showed what worked really well for Zuri. Good luck.

[@paulaflores1918]

@@DogCharming Thank you very much for the quick answer! I'll try it, I hope it works ^^

[@cooliobutthoolio]

Please could you do one with a step in harness as well? Thank you

[@Zurison]

I'm SO glad you asked. Would you believe I just ordered some different harnesses this week and wadyaknow if Zuri isn't scared of the new "step in" harness! So I have to help her learn to love this one now. Might as well video the process while I do it. Thanks for the request. Stay tuned.

[@bourbonpaisleygardner7862]

She doesn't like the harness because it causes pain when she's walked on it. Use a Y shape harness and she'll soon be fine with it

[@Zurison]

She came running to get the harness on in the end. ps one of the harnesses was Y-shaped.

[@claude7923]

My dog was evening peeing the way she was scared