Collars, Leashes, and Harnesses, Oh My!

Struggling with a puppy who tries to chew on his collar? A dog who ducks under her harness and then freezes in place every time you put it on? Or a dog who just runs away whenever you pick up the leash? You can easily acclimate your dog or puppy to a collar, harness, and leash. It’s just a bit of a process.

Remember the first time you had to wear dress shoes or a suit, and how uncomfortable it felt? You probably fidgeted the entire time, but as an adult, you don’t even notice the difference, or at least not for long, when you put on those uncomfortable “dress-up” clothes.

With a little patience and the right approach, the same will happen to your dog, who may never have had to wear a collar or harness or feel the weight of a leash.

All you need is the collar, harness, and leash you’ll use, along with some high-value treats.

The treat qualifies if it holds the dog’s attention, even with distractions. Try cheese, chicken, or leftover hamburger. Worried about nutrition or a sensitive stomach? You can toss some high-value treats into a bag with regular kibble to coat it and increase its value.

Start with a collar:

• Get some small, soft, high-value treats you can quickly deliver

• Make sure your collar – best if it’s a quick-release buckle collar – is sized to be a snug fit that your puppy can’t get his jaw underneath

• Put the collar on your new puppy, say “yes,” deliver a treat, and take the collar off 

• Repeat this until your puppy is no longer fussing with the collar

• Increase the time he wears the collar to 10 seconds, then 30 seconds, and so on

• Use a treat to put the collar on for walks for a few days until your puppy connects the collar with the ability to go outside

If you use a harness:

• Have patience, as this is a bit more of a process because most harnesses go over a dog’s head and land on her back. It has many more contact points on the dog’s body and makes a noise when clipped on.

• Work on this over several sessions spread out over several days.

• Start this sitting next to your dog. This keeps the harness lower as it goes over her head.

• Raise the harness so the strap that goes over her head is just about eye level, and deliver a treat to your dog through the opening that her head needs to go through.

• Repeat this, moving your hand and treat closer to the harness until your dog is pushing her nose through that opening.

• You can then hold your treat on the opposite side of the harness and just move the top strap over her head as you deliver the treat. Remove the harness as she takes the treat.

• Repeat this five times and then see if you can lay the harness on her neck for a second or two. Repeat this five times, leaving the harness on her back for 2, 5, and then 10 seconds.

• If that goes well, lure her head through the harness with a treat, gently place it on her back, and fasten the clip on one side.

• Remove the harness, wait a few seconds, and repeat this step five times.

• If she does well with that – no struggling, rolling, or biting the harness – repeat the process, but fasten any remaining clips. Leave the harness on for just a minute, delivering treats one after another for the entire minute.

• Gradually increase the time the harness is on and decrease the number of treats you deliver.

• Once you reach this stage, your dog should be ready for a walk but may still need a treat to encourage her to push his head through the harness.

• Once the harness is on, most dogs can comfortably walk without paying the harness any attention

Desensitizing to a leash:

• The issue here is usually the weight of the leash

• Start with a 3/8” wide leash for small puppies and a ½” – ¾” wide leash for larger puppies or adult dogs

• Sit alongside your dog

• Clip the leash on, deliver a treat, and unclip the leash

• Repeat this five times and then five more, leaving the leash on for 15- 20 seconds

• Your puppy should be comfortable with this, so you’ll now clip the leash on, hold the handle, and take a few steps away. Offer your puppy a treat that he must walk to you to take.

• Gradually increase the distance until you can cross a room or walk down a hallway with your puppy chasing a treat in your hand.

You’re ready to take it on the road!

Take some high-value treats with you and call your puppy to you or toss a few treats on the ground if he fusses with the leash or digs in and stops walking along the way.

Young puppies are notorious for grabbing and tugging on the leash. Be patient, he’ll outgrow this as his walks become an important source of enrichment.

Need more help?

Is your dog or puppy freezing when wearing a harness? Is your dog playing tug with the leash, no matter what you do?

Reach out to the OPH trainers – we’re here to help you!