Harness rubbing fur off back

Sarahdol75

Hi I have a 6 month old labradoodle, and I have a no pull harness like this one :-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/COA-NON-PULL-HARNESS-BLACK-Medium/dp/B0062ME8WG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408641017&sr=8-1&keywords=no+pull+dog+harness

Well, it has started to rub all his coat off on the top of his back where you attach the lead. Quite a big area missing.

He is still very much a puller, so a normal collar and lead is not appropriate, as he is just choking himself all the time.

Can anyone suggest anything better.

Person_one

At 6 months, I think I'd probably concentrate on training rather than using an aid. Have you been to any classes?

If it turns out he's just one of life's pullers (some dogs just are, however well trained!) then as well as all the different harnesses on the market there are also haltis and head collars, which worked well for my parents' juggernaut puller.

danih

Take the harness off as soon as you come back from your walk - make sure he only wears it for the duration of the walk and no more.

Those harnesses are fantastic, i use them for my dogs, and one is a terrible puller. His hair tats badly, and the tats have caused small baldy bits. Resolved by using harnesses purely for the duration of the walk, and off as soon as we get in through the garden gate.


Dog training is a great idea too.

Sarahdol75

Person_one wrote: »

At 6 months, I think I'd probably concentrate on training rather than using an aid. Have you been to any classes?

If it turns out he's just one of life's pullers (some dogs just are, however well trained!) then as well as all the different harnesses on the market there are also haltis and head collars, which worked well for my parents' juggernaut puller.

danih wrote: »

Take the harness off as soon as you come back from your walk - make sure he only wears it for the duration of the walk and no more.

Those harnesses are fantastic, i use them for my dogs, and one is a terrible puller. His hair tats badly, and the tats have caused small baldy bits. Resolved by using harnesses purely for the duration of the walk, and off as soon as we get in through the garden gate.


Dog training is a great idea too.

Hi we are attending puppy classes at the moment, and he pulls terrible all the time.

I only have it on when we are walking, I take it off him completely, when he is in the field and running and playing, so its not annoying him anymore than it has to.

Puppy trainers tonight, have suggested a Halti collar, so will have a look at these, they have said, that a lot of dogs hate them to start with and will try their best to get it off, but it works really well in the long run.

krlyr

Headcollars need to be introduced carefully - don't just stick it straight on and hope they'll get over it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMR2My1beiU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw3ovsOvTss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wakterNyUg

Kikopup has some fab videos on loose lead walking - http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup/search?query=loose
Pulling on the lead requires patience and consistancy to address - headcollars, harnesses etc. will aid in training but aren't intended as a quick fix, they'll just make walking the dog more managable and avoid the vicious circle - dog pulls, you walk it less, it has more energy on the next walk so pulls more, and so on.

Sarahdol75

krlyr wrote: »

Headcollars need to be introduced carefully - don't just stick it straight on and hope they'll get over it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMR2My1beiU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw3ovsOvTss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wakterNyUg

Kikopup has some fab videos on loose lead walking - http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup/search?query=loose
Pulling on the lead requires patience and consistancy to address - headcollars, harnesses etc. will aid in training but aren't intended as a quick fix, they'll just make walking the dog more managable and avoid the vicious circle - dog pulls, you walk it less, it has more energy on the next walk so pulls more, and so on.

Thanks, have just been watching some youtube videos, about introducing head collars slowly.

Person_one

What techniques are you learning in the puppy class to deal with the pulling?

pawsies

Those anti pull ones are awful and should be banned.

Try a dog games fleece harness with a double ended halti lead and lots of cooked liver/sausage/cheese.

MrsAtobe

I'd second the Dog Games fleece harness - get one with a ring at the front as well as on the back, and as pawsies says, a double ended lead (or get two of the Dog Games ones).

artbaron

Mine has a Ferplast harness although he only pulls now when he sees other dogs. He used to pull like a train on the lead but for some reason he virtually stopped when I started using this harness, which is odd because it's not really meant to combat pulling.

One thing, though - what food is he on? A rubbing harness shouldn't pull out that much hair. He might have a food allergy or flea / mite allergy which is making him more prone to lose hair.