Harness/collar For A Backer Outer

[Guest VelvetOkie]

i have read a lot of the posts here about the harnesses/collars of choice but i have not found one that helps my issue

both my greys walk really well on leashes, both harness or martingale depending on what we do.

for neighborhood walks i use the sure fit harness ( which by the way doesnt fit all that well) since there can be a lot of stimulus at times.

 

my boy is actually the better of the two, just mosies along... until another dog passes. we move to the other side of street but it doesnt help. he doesnt pull, he backs. not sure if he is trying to get away (spooked) or trying to get free of me to chase, but im worried he will back out of the harness. these are usually other dogs being walked and they pay him no mind, but he backs and backs. he gets really intent on pulling backwards. if i stand in place it helps pull the harness off of him so i have to stay near him and try to hold him steady but then he wants to back up more..

 

i have read about the lead type harness with the front point attachment but he never pulls so that doesnt help at all.

i am working on training him to bring his focus back to me with a treat but in the meantime what to do? i have tried just using the martingale but feel that offers even less control. i have considered using both with a coupler but dont feel that is ideal either.

 

 

any ideas?

 

[seeh2o]

There is someone on GT that makes a spook harness. It has a third section that goes around them past their rib cage, makes it impossible to back out. I can't remember who makes it, I'm sure someone here will. You can also Google the press "spook harness" + greyhound. If you don't use the word greyhound you might get some, uh, interesting results unrelated to what you need!

Majestic.collars, here is the link:http://www.majesticcollars.com/harness.htm

[Guest Giselle]

Is it possible to reserve 1-2 weeks to focus on training? If the dog isn't actively learning better behavior on walks, I'd recommend not using walks as exercise and turning them into short, efficient training sessions, instead. It'll take a few days to weeks, but the results are long-term and definitely worth it.

 

The problem of backing out won't go away unless we nip it at its core, and the reason is he's highly aroused around other dogs. Most of the dogs that I deal with try to back out when they see other dogs because they know that it sometimes frees them from the leash, allowing them to run off-lead and play/be excited/whatever. (Dogs are incredibly clever creatures!) I usually recommend two things:

1) Emergency "Down". I call this an "emergency Down" because it's meant to produce a FAST and reliable response. After you say "Down", the dog should respond within 1/2 a second. To train this, first, make sure your dog knows "Down" Then, ONLY reward the dog when he responds within 1/2 a second. Some trainers specifically train their dogs to "slam" their elbows to the ground. If your dog isn't giving you enthusiasm or speed, walk away and don't interact with the dog. He'll learn that only fast responses get rewards, whereas slow responses result in boring isolation. If you're consistent and fun, he will learn quickly to give you fast Downs. The next step is to use it on walks. As soon as you see your dog getting excited or aroused (ears up, staring into the distance, unresponsive to name), immediately take a few steps in the opposite direction of the other dog and ask for the emergency "Down!". He should respond immediately, within 1/2 a second. This helps you keep him in a stable, controlled position - mitigating the risk of backing out.

2) Now, ask for "Focus", or eye contact. How are you training this right now? If you're following the usual protocols, I won't write out a detailed step-by-step post. The method I like best is one that emphasizes impulse control and is particularly helpful for reactive or easily aroused dogs. You can see it in the beginning of this video:

http://www.progressdog.com/video-focused-heel-and-lat-technique.html

 

So, in the future. As soon as your dog starts to get aroused and wants to back out, all you have to do is ask for 1) emergency Down and 2) Focus. This way, your dog stays in one spot, and he'll be totally under verbal control. Isn't that wonderful?

[Guest VelvetOkie]

i have just started the focus training. i know, bad mommy im trying to get him to focus on me for a reward during non stimulating times. we try to walk them during times of less traffic to avoid these issues but still they come up on occasion. today it was the neighbor that walks her yorkie was later than usual and we met her. and sometimes its a stray cat we pass. the interesting thing is he doesnt act like this for squirrels and the like. he see them sure and focuses for a second but thats that. they run away long before he gets too excited. the issues i have are when they pass closely to us.

knowing his temperament i really do think its more of a spook thing. not so much fear that can cause aggression, but more like "what the hell is that? and get me outta here" or just as likely he may think he is protecting me, since hes freaked by it i probably am too therefore try to bark and scare it off while not getting too close... but either way i agree he may be attempting to get free for whatever reason.

 

i definitely agree that some training will help a lot but i still need to walk him and cant always avoid the situations which cause this behavior so i need an interim solution.

 

i do however like the harness seeh2o linked. at least maybe i can maintain more physical control until we learn to listen better

[tbhounds]

I second the majestic spook harness. You can also try the web master harness made by ruffwear-it too would be hard to back out of.

[JJNg]

I've had good results with using a martingale collar along with a regular harness. I clip the leash to the martingale, then thread it through the D-ring of the harness. It is pretty effective against backing out since the leash will pull down on the collar if the dog backs up against the leash. I use this for all my spooky fosters. Here's my newest addition, Carter, demonstrating this set-up at BBH this weekend.

 

[robinw]

There is someone on GT that makes a spook harness. It has a third section that goes around them past their rib cage, makes it impossible to back out. I can't remember who makes it, I'm sure someone here will. You can also Google the press "spook harness" + greyhound. If you don't use the word greyhound you might get some, uh, interesting results unrelated to what you need!Majestic.collars, here is the link:http://www.majesticcollars.com/harness.htm

This harness is the best! Iker can't even back out if it loosens.

[Guest Davros]

i can vouch for the ruffwear webmaster harnesses, but that spook harness looks pretty good too, and is designed for sight hounds! plus it's cheaper : ) good luck with your training...

[Hawthorn]

I vote for the spook harness too - very secure:

 

 

We have the ruffwear harness, too, which is also very secure, but I much prefer the spook harness for everyday use as it's lighter and I would imagine more comfortable for the dog.

[Guest VelvetOkie]

thank you all for the replies, and the pics!

training is obviously a must but in the meantime i think the spook harness it is!

 

hawthorn thanks for posting a pic of your boy in the spook, i was curious about the fit of that last band on males..

[Tallgreydogmom]

We use the spook harness on our spooks and backer uppers. We also get the lead with two hooks on it. We can attach it to his collar and to the harness.

 

If the males happen to mark on the harness, it is easy to wash and dry. If you keep if tight enough they should miss it.