[kwhite30]

Diesel wears a harness all day except when he goes to bed at night. It's what I use to walk him but I'm noticing hes loosing his hair under his front legs. Any suggestions on how to stop this or something else I can use?

I don't want to use just a regular flat collar I feel like that hurts his neck when he pulls (were working on no pulling now)

Also will the hair grow back? I'm assuming it will once the harness is gone.

What did everyone else use when their puppies were 4 months?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Sam1491]

It should grow back fine, but I would try having his harness off unless your actually walking, working, or doing something with him that involves it. It will curb the amount of friction on the hair and let it grow back.
A rule of thumb I have for my pets is that if the collar is rubbing off hair it's either to tight, or been on to long, and if it's doing that, then rubbing the skin can't be far behind.

Have you checked the size/fit of his harness in the armpit area?

 

[kwhite30]

It should grow back fine, but I would try having his harness off unless your actually walking, working, or doing something with him that involves it. It will curb the amount of friction on the hair and let it grow back.
A rule of thumb I have for my pets is that if the collar is rubbing off hair it's either to tight, or been on to long, and if it's doing that, then rubbing the skin can't be far behind.

Have you checked the size/fit of his harness in the armpit area?

Yes. It's hard cause the part that goes under him we are constantly making looser because he grows so fast so i dont think its too tighthowever the part the goes around his neck/chest is as small as it goes. We had to get the neck size up because the part under his legs on his old harness was too tightening is kind of like maybe I should just move onto something different.

 

[Sam1491]

Yea the deep dober chests can be a hassle

I would suggest a gentle leader or wonder walker to assist in the no pulling if he is really bad otherwise there are a few different harness options I can offer.

I assume you are using a basic one right now in which case:

Petco Wag-a-tude Turquoise Dot Dog Body Harness at PETCO

Petco Black Reflective Sport Harness at PETCO

Petco Comfort Control Black Dog Harness at PETCO

My preference is with the second or third ones, but they have more solid t-shirt like bands instead of straps which is your friction problem.
I see several like them in the stores (not just online) and I love how open the armpit is on the third one.

 

[kwhite30]

Yea the deep dober chests can be a hassle

I would suggest a gentle leader or wonder walker to assist in the no pulling if he is really bad otherwise there are a few different harness options I can offer.

I assume you are using a basic one right now in which case:

Petco Wag-a-tude Turquoise Dot Dog Body Harness at PETCO

Petco Black Reflective Sport Harness at PETCO

Petco Comfort Control Black Dog Harness at PETCO

My preference is with the second or third ones, but they have more solid t-shirt like bands instead of straps which is your friction problem

Yes I'm just using the normal nylon harness from Petco. His pulling is ridiculous but were working on it.

I'll check those links out. Thank you. What have you used for Mabel?

Edit: I really like the third one. You don't think he'd figure out how to get out of that or pull hard enough to break it do you?

I just read the weight for the 3rd one only goes up to 30 lbs and he's more then that will that effect it?

 

[Sam1491]

Her only harness is her new agitation one. She's been in buckles and chokes since I got her with the occasional prong depending on the day/place, but she was already 9 months old

With the puppies though I work on a lot of off leash heeling and watching as a sort of ground work and then once they get a leash on it becomes the same thing as what they already know, which is to stay by me.

I described how I train that in a thread called heeling problems the other day and it's all easy to do indoors and out I'll see if I can find it and past it/a link over here for you if you want.

 

[kwhite30]

Her only harness is her new agitation one. She's been in buckles and chokes since I got her with the occasional prong depending on the day/place, but she was already 9 months old

With the puppies though I work on a lot of off leash heeling and watching as a sort of ground work and then once they get a leash on it becomes the same thing as what they already know, which is to stay by me.

I described how I train that in a thread called heeling problems the other day and it's all easy to do indoors and out I'll see if I can find it and past it/a link over here for you if you want.

I'll look it up if I can't find it I'll let you know. I tried to work on a watch me command while we were outside today and he wasn't having it. The wind was freaking him out so trying to get him to learn heel has been a pain in the butt. I swear he has ADD. He needs much more distraction work which I have started so in the meantime I just have to find a solution so my poor boy isn't hairless and in pain!

 

[Sam1491]

Understandable,can't take a training break for hair lol, and he's 16 weeks right? Lol that's not ADD that's age haha

If you're able to find it, there are a few changes in method since he's younger which are really only to start out off lead with treats versus on a collar and to start out more indoors so he gets the basics before adding in distraction, I start in a quiet room, then add in radio, then since I can other dogs in crates to bark and complain.

 

[longshot4me]

Heya We use a nylon harness from Petsmart for Callie's walks too.. and ran into the same sizing problem. We had it on the largest setting around her chest, but the smallest everywhere else. We got this one instead (trial and error!) and it seems to be working better size wise.. the fit is totally different. Petco Easy Step-In Pink & White Dotted Dog Harness at PETCO

As far as loose-leash walking goes, our walks take SO LONG because whenever she pulls, we turn around and do a tight circle, or change direction entirely.. because pulling is a self-reinforcing behavior, i.e. they get to go go go dragging you around, I curb it as soon as I see it. I learned what I use from kikopup! her videos are marvelous so easy to understand and apply.

How to train your dog not to pull- Loose Leash Walking - YouTube

 

[kwhite30]

Understandable,can't take a training break for hair lol, and he's 16 weeks right? Lol that's not ADD that's age haha

If you're able to find it, there are a few changes in method since he's younger which are really only to start out off lead with treats versus on a collar and to start out more indoors so he gets the basics before adding in distraction, I start in a quiet room, then add in radio, then since I can other dogs in crates to bark and complain.

Oh god no haha training doesn't stop for that. Yes he's 16 weeks and I know it's just his age but he seriously is nuts haha he is fascinated by wind cause he doesn't know where it's coming from haha

Thanks! We'll try it out.

 

[kwhite30]

Heya We use a nylon harness from Petsmart for Callie's walks too.. and ran into the same sizing problem. We had it on the largest setting around her chest, but the smallest everywhere else. We got this one instead (trial and error!) and it seems to be working better size wise.. the fit is totally different. Petco Easy Step-In Pink & White Dotted Dog Harness at PETCO

As far as loose-leash walking goes, our walks take SO LONG because whenever she pulls, we turn around and do a tight circle, or change direction entirely.. because pulling is a self-reinforcing behavior, i.e. they get to go go go dragging you around, I curb it as soon as I see it. I learned what I use from kikopup! her videos are marvelous so easy to understand and apply.

How to train your dog not to pull- Loose Leash Walking - YouTube

Our is nylon too but not the easy step in. That just looked confusing. I literally stood there trying to figure it out cause I didn't have D with me. I know I'm retarded haha is her hair rubbing off with that? Do you take it on and off?

I love kikopup! We do the same similar thing but also if we pulls we stop and wait till the leash slacks then go but I like the going the other direction better. He never controls our walks. I determine where we go not him although he wishes he could?

 

[longshot4me]

Oh I totally spaced mentioning those two parts.. We take hers off as soon as we get home. She has a flat collar (just a reg. nylon one with her tags) thats on 24/7. The harness is only on for walks. So far, we haven't noticed any hair loss.

I was confused by it at first too! AND I had Callie there with me. I flagged down one of the employees and was like, "Hey, silly question...but... how do you put this on?!" LOL and he put it on her for me. Its a breeze when you get it sorted out! I was only looking for a different one because the traditional style was all wonky with the deep chested-ness.

 

[kwhite30]

Oh I totally spaced mentioning those two parts.. We take hers off as soon as we get home. She has a flat collar (just a reg. nylon one with her tags) thats on 24/7. The harness is only on for walks. So far, we haven't noticed any hair loss.

I was confused by it at first too! AND I had Callie there with me. I flagged down one of the employees and was like, "Hey, silly question...but... how do you put this on?!" LOL and he put it on her for me. Its a breeze when you get it sorted out! I was only looking for a different one because the traditional style was all wonky with the deep chested-ness.

He has a flat nylon collar too with tags but I don't like walking him on that. It pulls his neck and just doesn't seem good. I think we'll start taking it off. The one now doesn't buckle in the front only in the back so it's a pain getting it over the posted ears haha

I will ask when I'm there and bring D with me or maybe ill just videotape myself trying to figure it out haha

 

[longshot4me]

Just saw another part to comment on.. we struggle with 'watch me!' under distraction too. I use a super high value treat (ham.. lol) for that one. Every once and awhile on the walk I'll have her sit, and try Callie, watch me! and if she does- we throw an enormous party.. even if her eyes just flicker to my face for a second. I'm big into the clicker training though, so I've spent forever (LOL a few weeks.. feels like forever!) shaping watch me at home it works like a charm in the house! I started it by making kissy noises or some other weird noise and if she'd look at my face, I'd click+treat. Once she was offering up looking at my face as a behavior, I tagged 'watch me!' to it. So far, slow going but good.. lol

 

[longshot4me]

He has a flat nylon collar too with tags but I don't like walking him on that. It pulls his neck and just doesn't seem good. I think we'll start taking it off. The one now doesn't buckle in the front only in the back so it's a pain getting it over the posted ears haha

I will ask when I'm there and bring D with me or maybe ill just videotape myself trying to figure it out haha

I feel ya, I don't like her pulling with the flat collar either. Seems so uncomfortable! I might use that to walk when she has a really solid loose leash walk, but for right now my biggest fear is that she could pull backwards out of it or something.. and there goes her I.D! eeps.

I think the step in will work nicely for posting because it doesn't have to go over their heads at all.

 

[kwhite30]

Just saw another part to comment on.. we struggle with 'watch me!' under distraction too. I use a super high value treat (ham.. lol) for that one. Every once and awhile on the walk I'll have her sit, and try Callie, watch me! and if she does- we throw an enormous party.. even if her eyes just flicker to my face for a second. I'm big into the clicker training though, so I've spent forever (LOL a few weeks.. feels like forever!) shaping watch me at home it works like a charm in the house! I started it by making kissy noises or some other weird noise and if she'd look at my face, I'd click+treat. Once she was offering up looking at my face as a behavior, I tagged 'watch me!' to it. So far, slow going but good.. lol

He is awesome at watch me inside. Everything he knows he can do amazingly inside but we step outside and it's like he knows nothing except sit haha D goes nuts over ham! I cooked him chicken to use as training treats which was a first for him and even that wasn't enough for him clearly mom and training isn't as cool as wind.

 

[longshot4me]

I was trumped (treat and all!) by a blowing leaf yesterday. :rolleyesww: Clearly, we're nagging annoyances to them. I used to think there was something wrong with people who said they weren't 'puppy people' now, I think they may be the smart ones .. LOL

 

[kwhite30]

I was trumped (treat and all!) by a blowing leaf yesterday. :rolleyesww: Clearly, we're nagging annoyances to them. I used to think there was something wrong with people who said they weren't 'puppy people' now, I think they may be the smart ones .. LOL

I hate leaves now because my puppy for some reason thinks they are the coolest things haha

 

[MeadowCat]

If you end up ordering the harness I linked up in your other thread I think you'll see good improvement with the hair loss. The strap that runs around the belly under their arms is velvet lined. Shanoa has sensitive "arm pits" and she has no trouble with this harness.

(Patented No-Pull Harness - 2 Hounds Design)

 

[kwhite30]

If you end up ordering the harness I linked up in your other thread I think you'll see good improvement with the hair loss. The strap that runs around the belly under their arms is velvet lined. Shanoa has sensitive "arm pits" and she has no trouble with this harness.

(Patented No-Pull Harness - 2 Hounds Design)

That's actually what I thought of when you posted that. I'm ordering one today did Shanoa lose any hair with any other kind of harness and did it grow back?