CHewing through harness - driving me bonkers!

[Stephanie]

Hi All!

 

Perry is doing just great, we're in training and she's growing like a weed!   However.....   ( LoL) 

 

Evidently we are going to be in need of a steel harness ( doesn't sound comfortable right) haaha!  Just kidding!

She has chewed through her second harness in less than a month!!!     She chews through right at the chest.... she digs her head down and gets her mouth around it and treats it like a CHEW TOY!!

 

I assume most of you  might suggest  it needed to fit better, but if I go down in size, then  that one is too small in other areas? i have adjusted it MANY time, trying to get  it to fit snugger, but not constrciting...     It's just the generic one that pet smart sells...

 

Anyone else have one to recommend that  isn't chewed through as easily?????

 

Thanks!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Until she gets through her "puppy chewing phase" you may want to remove it when she's unsupervised.  When you are there you can correct with a firm "no" whenever you see her put her teeth on it (and turn her head away if necessary).  It will take many, many repetitions and lots of patience.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I learned the hard way loosing several Gentle Walkers, Gentle Leaders, and more leashes than I can count.
Supervision while the harness is on and removal once inside the house and car.
No great ideas. I just had to buy many. Spud no longer chews his things but will run around with a leash in his mouth

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Try spraying the harness with bitter apple. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Unless they LIKE bitter apple :-}

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Nancy, so true. I had a lab puppy who could care less- even if I poured a bottle, it just never phased him. I never purchased the product again. I'm sure he was a minority, but certainly, it is not a miracle cure.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Stuart once chewed through his Easy Walk harness in two minutes flat.  Someone here told me that the company would exchange it for a nominal fee to cover shipping.  I contacted them (sending a cute picture of Stuart with the chewed harness) and they replaced it.  Not sure what brand you have but if an Easy Walk - contact the company - you do have to send the chewed one to them.  I do like the bitter apple idea but always take the harness off once the walk if over.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

She couldn't chew through the Easy Walk harness at the chest, because that's where the martingale attachment and the metal loop for the leash are, so you may want to try that one. The harnesses that have the leash attachment on the back are useless anyway.

However, I agree with Jane, she shouldn't be wearing a harness when she isn't supervised. I'm kind of puzzled as to why she would be wearing a harness if she isn't actually being walked?  I'm assuming that when she is walking, she can't have her head down chewing her harness, and since you are there holding the leash, you could stop her.

[Jennifer Tramell]

Wish I could help, but all I can do is empathize.  We had a shepherd mix, Dixie, who could chew through a leash in seconds.  If the kids put a leash on her, and she didn't feel like being walked around by the kids - she would chew it off.  I would find 2 inches of nylon leash dangling from her collar.  She rarely did this if my husband or I leashed her up.  These were Dollar Store leashes, so it didn't cost us much, but we occasionally ran out of leashes.

I agree with the bitter apple and not leaving the harness on, but maybe you can try one other thing,  You should probably break the psychological association between the harness and chewing.  Maybe you can get a particularly yummy bone and give it to Perry when she's wearing her harness.  Take the harness off after a few minutes, then take the bone away.  If she associates wearing the harness with the bone - she may like having it on and look for something else to chew - not the harness :-)  

[Stephanie]

Unfortunatley,  not leaving harness on her (while roaming in the house) isn't an option -  We are having to to pratice some very regular tethering  to  break her of bad habits with my son...  We have to be able to tether her quickly, and often and stopping to actually PUT the harness on...well then the moment would have passed...

I can remove it each time she is crated,  just need to get myself in the habit of it... also really like the bitter apple idea....when she's not crated. - How often would it need to be applied? 

 

the one she wears DOES have the metal ring there at her chest !! LoL -  she chews it below that where the plastic adjustment piece is...  and chews through right below it...  the one I bought less than 4 weeks ago is hanging by a thread!  Crazy girl

Hopefully by removing it during crated times that will limit  the most destructive period...  we do correct when we catch her doing it...

thanks for the suggestions....  I need one made out of the same  stuff as a Kong! LoL

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Can you try just a collar for indoors, for the purposes of tethering her? A martingale collar should work well, and can be left on her all the time.  If you leave the harness on her all the time, it may possibly rub away some of the fur from her axilla, and contribute to matting in that area as well.

 

[Stephanie]

 what's an axilla?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Armpit