Help with harness training please!

[Charlie's Mom]

Hi all!

 

So Charlie and me have been working hard at harness training over the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately we have not gotten any further than getting him to put his head through the correct hole at all. I will feed him treats while it is on his head, but then he will suddenly decide "get this thing off me!"

 

I am thinking, as he is currently clipped, to put it over his head and then immediately take him outside for a minute or so just to get him to associate the harnass with outside. Will only do this on a wind free day of course.

 

Any other ideas will be welcome, please!

 

I have watched many YouTube videos, but it seems all those birds are sitting quietly and not fighting the harness at all.

 

Please, any suggestions how to proceed to the next step?

[SRSeedBurners]

How bad is Charlie fighting the harness once it's on? On a scale of 1 to 10 ( 1 - ignoring harness - 5 low stress standing and chewing on various points - 10 panic, rolling, biting, desperately trying to get out of it). I gauge my Grey at about a 3 and she's been in one for two years. She will work on the joints if left with nothing to do.

 

If you can get the harness on without creating a ton of stress and panic, then immediately go and do something like a walk, car ride etc to get them focused on something besides the harness. This is the way I've trained all three of mine. My Jardines was the worst as he went to about a 9 just short of full-on panic mode. He did however roll around and growl and refuse to stand. It immediately changed when I took him outside for a 30 minute walk and he totally focused on other things. Harness came off immediately once back inside at first but now he can wear it no problems. All of mine will sit and chew on the harness if not given something else to do but there's no stress anymore.

[Charlie's Mom]

I actually got it all the way on for the first time today, and immediately took him outside for a walk. For the first 2 minutes he was interested in what was happening outside, but then started biting at the harness trying to get it off. But at about a 4 I would say. The moment we came back indoors we had a serious battle getting it off, as he would not sit still and bit at it, got his feet strangled in it etc.

Once I finally had it off I immediately just did some exercises with him just putting his head through and taking it off again immediately.

 

I hoped to counter the negative experience he had while we were taking it off before. He readily did put his head trough without problem.

 

I hope I did not put him off it forever.

[SRSeedBurners]

That's normal. Just be consistent and keep at it and it will become second nature to him. Too many people make the mistake of giving up too soon.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Charlie's Mom... You did good! Nancy

[bluedawg]

Thanks for this post, I am working on this too and it's good to know what to expect!

[Charlie's Mom]

Lol, keep at it, Charlie now wears his "mostly" without issue, and only starts getting irritated after about half an hour. The one thing I did discover was that tightening the harness at the bird's belly was really confusing to him, as he thought I wanted him to step up. What really helped and was our saving grace was moving the clasp to his back and tightening it from there. Totally different experience for him, no confusion. Now we put it on and take it off without any frustration. I hope this helps you as well!

[Chappie]

My Chappie was like that first few times, trying to step up then tangles himself in it and gets all confused and growls and flys off. The first time must have been a 10 when I took it off as he got himself tangled and rolled and growled and bit me as well. I also make sure i'm not tugging him back with the leash and I just follow him so that he is not panicking.

I keep trying and make sure he is settled and busy with something, giving him something to keep occupied while I quickly take it off making sure he is not trying to step up after pretending to take it off a few times. (If that makes sense) lol.