Car Harness

Hi - This is the first time I have posted but over the last couple of weeks i have found the advise in the forums invaluable. :) especially on crate training and anti-pull

I have a 13week old cross border terrier/jack russell who is very hyper lol. At the moment I am having trouble fitting the car harness. When I try to put it on him he bites and struggles like mad :evil: eventually I give in and dont take him. I have tried showing him who is boss and be firm but it doesnt make any difference.

Please help lol because it would be good to get him out and about.
Thanks in anticipation

I just bought Joey a car harness today, luckily he sat still while it took about 8 tries to finally get it on and adjusted right, I think I put it on upside down the first few times. :D

Good luck with your border terrier, I am sure once you both get used to it, it will be a lot easier.

I use a doggy seatbelt that is like a leash, but adjustable, and one end has a 'male' part of a seatbelt connection while the other has a clasp. it just connects to the 'female' part of the seatbelt and the clasp to a regular dog harness. Willow doesn't mind it at all. I started her at about four months, and she just sits in the car very quietly now.

Try putting the harness on and just leaving it on him without going in the car for the first while. Let him know he's a good boy for wearing it and give him treats. Play with him while wearing it. Start out having him wear it a short time then lead up to longer times. Do it often to get quicker results - at least once a day.

Pretty soon, he'll associate it with happy things and will be eager to put it on. Or atleast will quit struggling so much.

If he's a deep sleeper, you can try to put it on him while he's napping and he may be too lethergic to put up a big fuss. Or get someone to help you put it on.

And whenever you decide to put him in the harness, make sure you don't leave until he's in it. Otherwise he'll figure he's won and he'll decide he never has to wear it. If he gets incredibly upset and hyper (so that he can't be handled), then you can give him a time out in his crate or something until he settles down again.

In time, as well as seeing the harness as treats and cuddles, he will also see that he has no choice about wearing it. More to the point, he has a choice between wearing it and getting hugged and kissed or refusing and getting a time out.

Try working with it at home when you are not planning on going anywhere. Place it on 3-4 times a day and start with leaving it on 1 min and each day increase it by 1 min until you are at about 5 min. If he leaves it on for the 5 min and doesn't bother with it you shouldn't have any more trouble. Part of the trouble is you haven't yet figured out a coordinated way to get it on. As you practice it will get easier for both of you. You may want to praise and treat the first couple of times while you put it on.