Growing fear of leash / harness

[Michele Kiss]

I'm not sure why, but Fenway runs away if you try to approach him to put his harness on, and it is getting worse with time. He used to back up and try to run away. Now we're having trouble getting him to walk past where we hang the harness! 

I'm not quite sure why... the harness means he's going out somewhere fun! Walk, dog park, etc. I feel like it should be positive but it's not. There has never been an incident with it - aka, he's never been accidentally pinched by it, or hurt in any way. 

For the record, we use the Easy Walk harness. He doesn't react once it's on - aka, it's not like he tries to attack it or bite the leash. He seems perfectly comfortable with it once it's on! 

Clearly we need to re-associate the harness/leash with positive things (e.g. every time we put it on, he gets an awesome treat) but I figured I'd see if anyone else had any other ideas for how to overcome the fear. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We have the same issue but Spud doesn't act afraid of the harness, just runs away... like a game.
He doesn't do it to the prong collar but does to the harness and like Fenway is trilled to go away. Once on, the game is over.
I do think on some dogs it does pinch them. I've found hair wrapped in the metal rings on the harness and it makes me wonder

[Michele Kiss]

I feel like it started a little as a "chasey" game but he actually seems to cower when he runs away, and gets in to the "scared peeing" stance. He doesn't actually pee but it looks more like fear than playing run away... :-(

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

Dogs are so darn smart. It doesn't take long for them to make good/bad associations to so many things. I use an e-collar with my boys when they are running free on the property. The trainer who helped me get the boys used to them, told me to put them on and off several times throughout the day in the house and outside. Put the collar on and don't take them outside. Bring them in and leave the collar on, etc. This way my boys didn't just associate the collar with only going out and with a corrections. They both stand by the door añd wait for the collars to go on with no problems. I wonder if you put the harness in different places around the house where you play, sleep and eat and try putting it on him in these locations if he might become desensitized to it again? Good luck to you both!!

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

This is so helpful as I just bought the Easy Walk, just to try it. Otherwise Rippley has only been walked via his martingale collar which is always on, so no chance for ducking. I'll definitely mix up the donning spots. I appreciate the heads up on training advice, even tho it wasn't my question! :-)

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

:-)

[Michele Kiss]

Thanks - that's a good idea. We used to leave it on him more but it tends to cause him to matt so we try to always remove it at home. But might just need to be a bit more desensitized. The randomly putting it on and off even when not going out might help! 

The part that's weird is that logically, I feel like the harness should be GOOD association! (I think that's why it confuses me so much.) Except the rare time he goes to the vet (which I don't think he even dislikes - the vet assistants fawn over him so much, I think he likes going there!) it's always going FUN places. 

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Daphne HATES her easy walk harness. If i pull out her collar and leash, she will sit patiently while I put it on. When I get out the harness she tries to duck away from me. She would rather not go with me if it means she has to wear it. I just thought it was because it actually makes her walk nicely instead of pulling. The reason I love it is the reason she hates it..Lol!

[Jaime + Oliver]

Does your adorable Fenway mat in the areas where the harness is?  Oliver runs away from his harness too (it's mostly a game because once we catch him he waits patiently for it to go on).  But I think the harness also rubs/pulls his hair more than we realized (based on how quickly he'd mat after one walk) so we'll be switching to a new leather harness soon.  Just a thought :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My thoughts:

Put it on and off several times a day.  Have him wear it inside.

Get a different harness - perhaps a different style -  if you must get the same brand, still get a new one.

Continue to hang it around the house - move it to different locations

We never used the easy walk harness but we used the gentle leader that goes around the muzzle.  My Springer hated it and spent his walks trying to rub it off. This went on for years.

[Kelly & Zoe]

We also use the easy walk harness.  Zoe often turns away when we try to put it on her even though she loves her walks/going outside.  We just wait at the door for a few minutes and eventually she comes - cannot resist the temptation of going for a walk!!  This started a couple of months ago even though we've used the easy walk on her since she was 4 months.  We're certain the fit is proper - no pinching or matting,  and once it's on, she has no problem.  For her, I think it's just a freedom thing - being willful!  She has not however, reacted to where the easy walk harness is like Fenway has.  I think Nancy's advice is spot on.  Also check the fit - perhaps its rubbing him the wrong way or catching his hair?

[Jill Curcelli]

I'm just wondering if your puppy ever got over this fear of the harness. Our 10-month old never loved putting on his Easy Walk harness, but now he is running away when he sees me with it. Our trainer suggested feeding him treats through the harness while holding it open near him. He'll approach to take the treat but will only go so far. If I slowly try to put the harness over him, he runs away. I've been working on this for a couple weeks now. I've also been leaving his harness around the house with a treat on it. Nothing bad has ever happened with the harness (that I know of), and I've checked the fit. Any suggestions? Like you said, once it's on he's fine and loves to go on his walk. We just don't seem to be making any progress. Thanks for any help!