Let me tell you, when I say we've tried a billion different harnesses, I mean we've tried a billion different harnesses. They all work for a good month or so but he eventually learns how to scoop his head under it and somehow get out of it. He learns with every one. The reason he tries to escape is if we're going in a direction he doesn't want to go, or if I cut the walk short and try to take him back home before he's ready to go, he wants me to do what he wants to do. Also if we're walking anywhere near grass, he just likes to sit and roll in it. I let him do it for like 5 minutes because why not, but eventually I'm like ok, we need to start walking again. But he WON'T get off the grass! So when he sees I'm trying to pull him, he'll start trying to escape the harness again.
It's gotten to the point where because he's so terrified of the vet, I can barely even get him from my car to the vets office. Once we get to the door, he tries to slip out, and the vet is right on a main road. I'm terrified to take him to the vet this Saturday. And I've been terrified to take him for a walk lately because the other day he actually got out and started running toward the main road. Luckily, we play the game of chase all the time, so I was able to run the other direction and he followed me home. Which worked out.
But it was my worst nightmare.
Do you have ANY suggestions? What harness I can get? What collar? What leash? In the meantime we have just called an inhome trainer to come to our house once a week to teach us how to do things and train him.
He is a 9 month old golden retriever and I am a first time, very anxious, dog owner.
Have you tried a Martingale collar? If it is adjusted properly, loose when he is just walking around and tightens up when he pulls so there is no way they can back out of it. You could also use a regular collar along with a harness so you still have a hold on him if he tried to get out of the harness.
Have you looked into a Ruffwear Webmaster? It's a little pricier but it really will LAST. It has three buckles, one of which is at the waist so it is pretty much impossible to wiggle out of.
1. I really would second a martingale collar or the Ruffwear Webmaster Harness.
2. I would use either a coupler or a double leash. Hook one to the harness and one to the martingale collar, so if he manages to sneak out of one, you still have him.
3. Start counter conditioning him to the vet. He's going to have to go at least once a year for his whole (hopefully very long) life. You will save yourself a lot of frustration if you show him the vet office is AMAZING. When my dogs were puppies, we would drive to the vet's office, I'd wait in the waiting room, and the staff/myself/the vet would give SUPER high value cookies, and then we'd leave. Over time, they quickly began to LOVE the vet. I also focused a lot on cooperative care, so they offer chin rests for teeth/eyes/ears checks.
You can PM me for more thought about CCing the vet - or ask the trainer you have coming.
A couple easy, cheap ways to get double attachment with your current leash is to pick up either a locking s-biner (I see them often in stores with the camping gear) or a lunge strap (horse gear at tractor supply or other stores).
The s-biner works well for front clip harnesses. Clip it right on the base of your leash snap to give you 2 clips at the end (I can take a pic of mine if you need a visual). One for the martingale/collar and the other for the chest ring of the front clip harness. They come in different sizes. Iirc the s-biners I use this way are #2 (micros are awesome for dog tags btw). https://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-LSB...3736962&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=s+biner+2&psc=1
Part of this training of course. Go to beginner classes. You will learn to teach your dog to walk nicely on leash.
Preventing escape.
I use a harness and a nylon collar. You can make a simple connector link between the collar and harness loops. I use a tab on the collar with the leash looped through it then attached to the harness. This allows you to keep the dog close to you while training heel then release yet controllable with the leash on the harness. It's important not to let the dog face you and shake and pull. It almost guarantees an escape. The connector will transfer the load to the collar. Use a Martingale as noted above.
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