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!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Oh I am sure the poo color charts have been made.  If not, let me know. I'll go to the dog park, photograph poo, then place it in a table with labels!  

Really, forget it.  Get an Easy Walk Harness, watch the pup like a  hawk for over a year, be prepared to get more harnesses

P.S. I bought mine on Amazon for 14.99 and it came with a leash.  The stores want 28.00 for just the harness.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I have  a picture of bear poo to contribute.  :-}  I took it on our trip - why, you ask?  Cuz I was with guys and they liked it!  What goobers.

[F, Calla & Luca]

You have all made me glad I don't use harnesses : )

[Lynda Kamrath]

Oh my - I responded to the wrong person.  This is pretty normal puppy behavior.  My youngest dog chewed through everything - cabinet corners, the deck, harnesses, leashes, shoes, edges of the walls, etc.  My husband discovered that he did not like tabasco sauce so he got a big bottle of it and dabbed it on everything the pup would chew.  It ended quickly, but maybe he just outgrew the behavior.  My advise would be to remove the harness as soon as you get back from a walk and keep everything out of reach or behind doors while she is still in the chewing stage.

[Moe]

My pup did the exact same thing. She chewed through the chest strap, she would also bite the leash when we walked, we systematically desensitized her to it. First the pup needs to know the leave it command. We would put the leash / harness near her on the floor and reward her looking a way from it. Every time she looked away we said leave it and clicked then rewarded. We moved on to having the leash touch her, clicking and rewarding for leave it. We then put it on and off, clicking for leave it. We snaked the leash in front of her like it was alive. Rested it on her head etc. - just basically making it boring. It took a few five minute sessions but she completely stopped biting the harness and the leash.

[Leslie J]

We left the Gentle Leader harness on Cocoa once for only an hour (when she was a puppy) and she chewed the part on her chest.  We now keep a martingale collar on her and use the Gentle Leader harness when we're going on long walks.  The harnesses are expensive, but they'll replace them at a very low cost if your pup chews one.

"We guarantee the materials and workmanship of Easy
Walk Harness, but we can’t keep your dog from chewing
it! Please be sure to supervise your dog while he wears the
Easy Walk
Harness and store it safely when not in use. If
your dog does chew the Easy Walk, we will happily replace
it for a $5.95 fee (includes shipping). Call 800-933-5595
for details.
Check the fit regularly, especially on growing dogs. Examine
the harness for signs of chewing, fraying, or damage. Do
not leave the harness on your dog unattended."

The martingale is great because it keeps them from pulling back and slipping the collar.