Putting a Harness on a Reluctant Dog

Whilst I hold a qualification in Dog Training, I by no means claim to be a Dog Trainer. I am a Dog Walker with a keen interest in dog behaviour and welfare. It is a passion of mine that I am continuously learning about and use in my daily care of dogs. On each walk, at each dog-sit, I utilise positive, force-free methods to ensure that my clients are happy and healthy when they’re with me.

Recently, I was employed to dog-sit a rescue dog from Eastern Europe - Bailey. His history is unknown but if you try and touch the top of his head, he cowers. He also won’t let strangers touch his neck, shoulders or back. The dog’s new caregiver told me that Bailey did not like having his harness put on and he was not really a fan of going out on a walk. Due to this, I was advised not to take him out if he didn’t seem up to it. However, after meeting Bailey and seeing that his boredom and pent up energy had manifested into the destruction of furniture, I knew that regular walks would be in his best interest.

Here are the steps that I take to make a dog comfortable enough to put their harness on AND become excited for walks.

1. Feeding Time with the Harness

I would place the harness around the food bowl or around my hand whilst feeding treats. I have found that this helps to desensitise the dog and make the harness less intimidating.

2. Positive Association

By holding the harness in front of the dog and rewarding them with a treat every time they touch it, I aim to help build up a positive association with the harness.

3. Encouraging Nose Through

When holding the harness up as if to put it onto the dog, I would hold treats on the other side, encouraging the dog to put their nose through. This step may take time and patience, but repetition is key.

4. Slipping the Harness On

Once the dog is comfortable putting their nose through, I use their highest-value treat to encourage them further. Holding the treat in one hand, I let the dog start pulling it. Then with the other hand, I quickly slip the harness on while they're focused on the treat.

5. A LOT of High-Value Rewards

Once the harness is on, I make sure to payout big with the high-value treats. I believe that if the treats stop coming once the harness is on, then the value is in the long process of putting it on rather than actually having it on.

6. Ensuring an Enjoyable Walk

Whilst the harness is on, I want to make sure that the dog has as enjoyable an experience as possible. To set them up for success, I find out from the owner what their favourite activities and triggers are beforehand. Bailey was still working on human, dog and car reactivity, so to ensure that he got a positive walk, I went out with him at 5am and 9pm each day!

Here is a video example of getting the harness on. I had done this several times with Bailey at this point, so the process was a lot quicker than when we first started!

With this method, I was able to get Bailey to not just get the harness on (which his owner told me was previously impossible some days), but now we're able to do it in a under a minute. A huge well done to Bailey and a big reminder that patience and consistency are key.