SS hates harness - any advice?

[Oaca]

Hi, our 6 X month standard loves going for walks. We use s harness rather than collar (as I feel it's safer and also he's a tendency to pull at the moment).

However, he seems to hate the process of harness on/off. Probably it going over his head might be the problem, though he doesn't had any other issues with being touched/stroked over head/ears.

I've looked at step in types (where lead then connects to a doublr d ring) such as doodle boomerang but some reviews state these can easily be escaped from?

Does anyone have experience in a 'not over head' type harness that's strong enough for s big standard (he's 19kg already) - that's available to UK

Thank you

[Dawnspell]

Its quite common Ive had it with both mine.

I did see this video the other day which I would have tried if Jasper wasnt ok now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avkJQg8kadE

The next stage is on instagram i couldnt find it on youtube
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLMyjWjhB_S/

[Oscar 12345]

Very common for schnauzers not liking harness and particularly anything going over their heard and lying on their back. Perfect Fit harnesses are brilliant, they don't go over the head, you clip them around the neck and there is a belly strap. They come in 3 parts so you can custom the fit exactly. If you get the wrong size they swap them for a different size. Excellent product. I have a routine now, Otto sleeps in a pen in our bedroom so when I fit the harness just before going downstairs. Saves me having to coax the monkey out from under the dining table.

[Dawnspell]

Very common for schnauzers not liking harness and particularly anything going over their heard and lying on their back. Perfect Fit harnesses are brilliant, they don't go over the head, you clip them around the neck and there is a belly strap. They come in 3 parts so you can custom the fit exactly. If you get the wrong size they swap them for a different size. Excellent product. I have a routine now, Otto sleeps in a pen in our bedroom so when I fit the harness just before going downstairs. Saves me having to coax the monkey out from under the dining table.

I've modified the harnesses I've got by putting a clip in myself on the neck section thinking it was going over the head that he didnt like. Didnt make any difference it was the feeling of it on his back. He would be all excited for a walk and head towards the hallway, he'd see the harness and that was it he was off, and theres no catching Japser even in the house He fine with collar as soon as he sees it he comes running for it on so I turned it into a game of holding the collar but having the harness nearby and gradually desensitising so I could hold harness and collar and hed come but I'd only put collar on. Eventually we moved to harness along with giving tasty rewards. Now he runs into hallway and has harness on, he'd still refer his collar though

[Oscar 12345]

Yeah, I still have to confine him to avoid the hiding problem. In the afternoon I just shout "won't be long" and he comes rushing to me because he thinks I am going out without him and the pre bed-time wee is with his collar so he's always waiting by the door. I agree, they are very sensitive about anything on their backs, if the lead just touches his side when we are walking he then does the crab walk moving sideways in the opposite direction so it must be torturing him. Interestingly, when I remove his harness he licks it. What's that all about?

[Dawnspell]

He's stopped hiding now thank goodness. One of the many reasons I prefer harness is Jasper will do the crab walk on a collar and it cant be good for posture walking like that.

[Gehlsurf]

This is kinda random, but have you tried maybe a tactical kind of harness? They usually lay over the back like a blanket and clip the front, behind armpits and then in the rear. It may seem overbearing, but also more like a blanket vs a net like contraption. My old dog, not a Schnauzer, but didnt like harnesses, but I could have him sit, I wrapped it around him like a hug from behind and before he knew it, he was in. He had a more protruding spine, and maybe that's why he didnt like normal ones? Dunno if normal harnesses just rubbed him wrong or what. If you get real fancy, they come padded, too. Because these are made to pull the dog by a handle or lift him/her out of trouble, etc. These are the more professional lines, for police, survivor tracking dogs, etc. The sky is the limit, as with most "industrial" kind of work tools. Just be careful of heat if you get the full type. But the full ones tend to be more form fitting, with 3 clips or more, and when pulling, you pull the whol body of the dog, vs just the shoulders or around the neck. And for safety, again, the idea is for the dog to be able to get caught on a fence, and just hang there and be ok. Not that we want that to happen, but alot of research and design has gone into keeping our fuzzy co-workers safe in various fields of work. Oh, quick add, the padded ones also typically dont have a way to accidentally pull hair when clipping in on, dunno if that may be an issue, either. Hairs getting caught in the metal parts and such, velcro is another option if going that way as well, and more adjustable, easily, obviously.

They arent always tactical looking, although, if your into that kinda thing, like me, lol, buy some molle pouches and they can carry water, snacks, poop bags, etc.

Wow, didnt know I thought this much about harnesses, lol. Hope that helps, if not, let us know what did the trick!!

[Schnauzerluv]

I'm not sure of this type is strong enough for a SS, but I use a mesh harness with velco and clips that my pup steps into. I guess he's not too excited about his 'vest', but he knows he wears it to go out the front door so.....

It's a bit padded and I wet it down if it's warmer out.