harness Puppy will not put a leash or harness on!

[NathanNorton]

Hello, i am new here and already loving the content and support everyone is giving one another. I hope someone can help me with my main issue with my puppy.

Newt is a collie x springer (sprollie) and 1 years old in 5 days (he was born on my birthday!)

He is extremely well behaved 99% of the time but will snarl, growl, hackles up, teeth bared and even bit my uncle when he was 2 months old (no biting since) if you stroke his back/near his neck...but its only sometimes. I have been working on positive reinforcement of verbal and treat cues whilst stroking and he is showing alot of improvement with this, however if i go to put a lead on him its instantly back to square one.

I would love to put a harness on him, let alone a lead so i can take him on big lovely walks and such - but its just not possible due to this behaviour. Currently he wears himself (and me!) out in the back garden which is luckily very large.

Please any help would be amazing as its heartbreaking

[Adrienne]

Hi there!

Welcome to the forums!

Can you provide more details on what you have done so far (in particular the positive reinforcement and verbal and treat cues) when stroking?

Has he ever worn a collar or leash or a harness in the past or are these tools completely new to him? 

Have you ever mentioned this behavior to your veterinarian? 

Does he have any doggy friends?

Has he ever been on any walks?

Thanks

[NathanNorton]

Hi, sorry for the dealy in replying i have been unwell. When he was super young he used to have a little growl when putting a lead on but let you. Standard holding it still not chasing him around, treat each time comes near it etc.

the harness is pretty much completely new but a lead as mentioned he was relatively okay with. He used to go for long off lead walks which probably hasnt helped the situation, but is showing some dominant behaviour so i want to get the lead/harness thing sorted asap

[Adrienne]

Thank you for the additional details, they are very helpful. 

While it is true that traditionally, dominance has been believed to be the underlying cause for aggression directed towards dog owners, newer research has revealed that dogs aren't vying for a hierarchy as we previously thought. In reality, dogs' relationships with people are not established by dominant/submissive social signaling; but are rather the result of several other factors, explain veterinary behaviorists Dr. Gary Ladsberg and Sagi Denenberg. You can read more about this here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dominance/

Relationships with humans are therefore established as a result of genetics, early handling and socialization, and through experiences, as a result of learning and consequences. Your dog therefore has learned that, by tensing up, growling or even biting, he can keep hands out of the way since hands (or anything on him such as collars and leashes) are perceived as something he's not very comfortable having around. This can happen for various reasons.

Perhaps when he was younger he didn't like the vet touching him in a certain way, perhaps somebody hugged him or restrained him, perhaps his breeder corrected him physically giving out scruff shakes, it can be anything. It could also just be he missed out getting used to being handled and wearing a collar when he was with the breeder. Good breeders should start getting young pups in their care used to being touched all over and wearing a collar and leash before going to their new homes. Such breeders should then instruct new puppy owners on how to continue handling and collar/leash conditioning exercises once in their new homes. So in these cases, we would need to go back to basics and do lots of remedial work to get back on track.

Due to the fact that your dog has shown in the past snarling, growling and bared teeth, the safest recommendation would be to seek a dog behavior professional to guide you through a behavior modification program. This because touch sensitive may engage in aggressive behaviors to escape restraint or avoid being touched. Because of the risk for bites, it's therefore important to practice the upmost caution and avoid the dog from going over threshold.  The more a dog rehearses aggressive or stressed behaviors, the more they roots, the more the dog rehearses calm behaviors, the more these establish.So we want to up the chances for calm behaviors as much as possible. 

It sounds like you have been on the right track in creating positive associations with stroking. Generally, we  like to work on these issues through behavior modification using desensitization and counterconditioning so to change a dog's emotional response. 

Here's a read on desensitization:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

And here's one on counterconditioning:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

Your dog behavior professional may therefore show you how to condition your dog to tolerate, and at some point, maybe even enjoy being touched through a desensitization and counterconditioning program. The goal is establishing a level of trust and making it clear that great things happen (high-value treats are fed!) contingent upon being touched. In other words, we want our dogs begging to being touched rather than dreading it. 

So in the case of his reluctance to being touched by the neck area, it may start with very brief touches in an area your dog seems to tolerate more with one hand, as you hand feed a tasty treat from your other hand. Being beside the dog rather than in front of him can feel less threatening to a dog, some dogs do better if we are sitting rather than standing. So it would go like this: Touch-treat, touch-treat, touch-treat.This would be repeated several times until a positive conditioned response (+CER) is noticed. In other words, the dog starts looking forward to the touch because it has started to become associated with the treat.

Afterward, touch may become gradually more pronounced as the the exercise continues, touch-treat, touch -treat, touch treat. Again, repeated several times in hopes of getting again a positive CER.

Afterward, duration may be added by touching for longer periods of time (instead than just a touch, a little stroke). Same exercise, stroke/treat, stroke, treat, stroke treat.

Next, one can progress and work on more sensitive areas. Same exercise as usual, with the goal of reaching a positive CER.

The whole process should go slowly and at the dog's pace, it is far better to go slow than fast. Slow and steady wins the race in behavior modification. The process can take anywhere from a few days to weeks.

The reason why it's very important working with a professional is that he or she can tell you when you should progress or take a step or two back in the process because your dog risks going over threshold. This is for safety and to ensure the process progresses smoothly. The more a dog rehearses aggressive behaviors, the more they roots, the more the dog rehearses calm behaviors, the more these establish.

The use of a muzzle may be necessary for safety and may be be used at least until the dog learns to recognize that it is safe to be touched or restrained and won't be hurt during the procedure. I imagine though that your dog may be reluctant to wear a muzzle, but your dog behavior professional may be able to walk you through a similar process as this video below portrays to gain a starting point. Consider though that you dog is not just getting used to wearing something he's not familiar with, but has to also learn to relax and act calmer. So your dog behavior professional may take extra steps for your safety and to prevent your dog from getting stressed. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-wear-a-muzzle/

 Severe cases of touch aversion may require the use of a fake hand (like the Assess-a-hand) to start with for an extra layer of safety.

Moving forward....

Once the dog accepts being touched by the neck area, the next is to gradually condition the dog to get used to wearing a collar or harness. This may be the part you are missing, since you mention he goes back to acting aggressive once you start putting these on. Dogs like yours need lots of baby steps to form positive associations. First we need them to get used to wearing walking gear, walking around with it, then we must also get them to learn to having a leash attached and give in to leash pressure rather than resisting it. 

If you are considering a harness the process is different than the collar as different parts are involved. A collar may be easier at the end considering that some harnesses can be a pain to put on, so you may want to find a type that your dog finds it easiest to adjust to and tolerate being put on better.

Since he doesn't seem to like having his neck area touched, maybe he may tolerate more a model where he steps in (although you may have to handle his feet) and you just have to clip it on once (although it clips over the shoulder area) versus the models where you have to put it over the head, let him slip the head through and then adjust and clip? Or even worse, those that you must slip over the head, and then grab a paw to place through a hole and then adjust and clip.  Her's an example of a step-in harness: 

 

And here's one where you have to place it over the head, but then it clips from under the chest:

Whichever you decide, the process needs to be split in baby steps. 

If you would use one that he steps in, the process may look something like this:

-Hide the harness behind your back, then present it and feed a treat. Then, hide the harness again behind your back once he's done eating. Then present it again and feed a treat, and hide again once he's done eating. The goal here is teaching your dog that every time the harness comes out, something good happens. When you then hide it, all good things end. 

-Next, place the harness on the floor. Feed a treat to your dog for looking at it, then for walking towards it, then for sniffing it. We are shaping behavior here, sort of like I am doing here with Einstein as I encourage him to approach the tap light. Avoid the clicker if your dog isn't used it to it or tends to be noise sensitive. We don't want to add more stress to his life, so maybe try sticking to a verbal marker instead.  https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-turn-on-a-light/ 

-Now raise criteria, place the harness on the floor and mark and reward for stepping nearby it and if he manages to step on it, mark it enthusiastically and give give a jackpot of treats (several small treats tossed his way).

-Next, practice lifting his feet if in case he too struggles with this. Treats happen when feet are handled. Touch foot ,treat. Touch foot, treat. Look again for a nice CER. Then, lift one front foot, feed treat. Lift other foot, feed treat. Repeat several times until you notice CER. 

-Next, place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat. Look for CER. Put harness away, no more treats.  

-Next,  place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat. Next, lift the harness slightly as if you are planning to buckle it, treat. Rinse and repeat. Look for CER. Then put harness away no more treats.

-Aside from this, during the day, do several reps where you hold the harness in your hands and buckle it, treat. Unbuckle it, treat. Buckle it, treat, unbuckle it, treat. Of course without your dog wearing it yet! What you are doing here is creating positive association with the sound. 

-Next,  place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat. Look for CER.  Next, lift the harness more and buckle it, feed a couple of treats in a row. Then unbuckle it, let it fall to the floor, toss a treat so that he steps out. Rinse and repeat. Look for CER. Then put harness away no more treats.

-Next,  place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat.  Next, buckle it, feed several treats in a row. Then unbuckle it, let it fall to the floor, toss a treat so that he steps out. Rinse and repeat. Look for CER. Then put harness away no more treats.

-Next, place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat. Next, buckle it and give him a longer-lasting chew like one cookie. Once he's done, unbuckle, let it floor to the floor, toss a treat so he steps out. Rinse and repeat. Look for CER. Then put harness away no more cookies. 

-Next, place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat.  Next, buckle it and give him a longer-lasting chew like a bully stick or Kong stuffed with something super good. Once he's done, unbuckle, let it floor to the floor, toss a treat so he steps out. Then put harness away.

-Next, place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat.  Next, buckle it and start tossing him treats, so he gets used to walking around with. Keep treat tossing, then call him to you, unbuckle, let it floor to the floor, toss a treat so he steps out and no more treats. 

-Next, place the harness on the floor, making sure the leg insertion areas are wide. Insert on foot, treat, insert other foot, treat.  Next, buckle it and invite him in the yard (even better if there's a doggy friend waiting to play with him outside!) and have fun playing or give him a long lasting chew. Then go back inside, unbuckle, let it floor to the floor, toss a treat so he steps out and no more treats or fun for some time. 

By now, hopefully he looks forward to wearing the harness. If at any point he seems uncomfortable, your behavior professional should tell you that he needs to go back some steps back to the point he was more comfortable and work up to the next level, maybe though making some further adjustments such as splitting the next step into smaller components. 

Next, comes getting used to the leash and leash pressure. You would put on the harness, then give treat for clipping on the leash. Clip it off and no more treats. Rinse and repeat looking for CER.

Then comes getting used to giving into leash pressure. 

Sit on the couch while your dog is wearing her harness and leash. Gently tug a bit on the leash and at the same time show your dog a treat from your hand. The moment he gives in to the leash pressure moving in direction of the kibble, praise and give the treat. Rinse and repeat several times, until she gives signs of knowing that he should give in to the pressure rather than oppose to it. Look for CER. 

Then, try this same exercise standing up. Walk a bit  away from him and gently tug a bit on the leash and show him  the kibble from your hand. The moment he gives in to the leash pressure moving in direction of the kibble, praise and give him the kibble. 

Next raise criteria, and start showing the kibble in heel position next to your knee. Follow the instructions in this guide: 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/

If at any time during these exercises your pup appears uncomfortable, you will need to split the exercise into smaller steps or go back a step to find his comfort zone and restart from there. Some very social dogs may benefit having a doggy pal come with them on walks so they may forget about wearing a harness since they're so excited. 

I hope this helps you gain an idea about the process. This just an example. Notice that if you do something that overwhelms him ,he may go back several steps regressing so it 's very important to go slow and pay attention to his comfort level.  With collars and other models of harnesses of course the process is different and once again, each dog is different so may require a different plan based on individual factors and therefore this is also why it's important having a behavior professional following through the process and making adjustments throughout.

Let me know if you have any questions. 

Best,

Adrienne 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your dog is aggressive, please use caution and consult with a dog behavior professional for in-person coaching, safety and correct implementation.

 

[NathanNorton]

Thankyou SO much for this reply Adrienne. Not only was it detailed and informative but personal and so much information. I truly appreciate it so much, so thankyou. 
 

I shall seek out a behaviourist whilst looking into the above but honestly to have someone who clearly cares this much about people’s pets and their welfare is so refreshing and comforting 

I have added a few pictures to show his improvement and confidence already :)

- Nate

[Adrienne]

Awww, look at that face, your pup is adorable. In the last picture, he even looks proud about wearing his collar! Positive associations with treats can have a very powerful impact. Once you obtain that CER, you can even note a change in their face. Maintenance sessions are always important to keep things positive. Keep up the great works and keep me posted on his progress.

Best,

Adrienne