Front Clip Harnesses: Why we love them so much!

Probably everyone that reads this has seen these

babies.  A simple contraption of a harness that has the D-Ring for attaching a leash on the front.  At least, I see a lot of dogs with them on these days. Trends come and go in dog training and the tools we use to accomplish it, but right now, I am hoping this trend stays forever much like the collar, which is still great for accessorizing and attaching ID tags to, but c'mon...can you think of any other animal we put a collar on and expect to lead around on a leash? Pfft-I'll bet you can't, because it just doesn't make sense to lead animals around by the most vulnerable part to the ongoing survival of their entire body.   

The second you a properly fitted collar on a dog and then put a leash on a collar, the dog's body starts trying to preserve itself by increasing blood cortisol levels and adrenaline levels.  Even though the dog doesn't consciously think anything bad is happening, the autonomic parts of the brain are getting ready for survival mechanism action (i.e.: fight or flight)  just like it does when we put a collar and a leash on a cat, a rabbit, a horse, a goat, or a grasshopper.  These changes in the brain are why a lot of dogs start to pull like freight trains when they are wearing a collar and leash.  And once they pull the adrenaline increases even more! 

Many years of working with a lot of different dogs has me convinced that many dogs are adrenaline junkies, so they actually start to enjoy the whole walking on a leash, dragging a human around as much as I enjoy catching air on my mountain bike.  It's just super fun and it feels great, and the more you do it, the more you want to keep doing it.   A lot of dogs think of dragging their human around on a walk the same way.  There is no food reward that can possibly be more  valuable than the adrenaline rush the dog gets from that pressure on his throat.  But if you can stop the pressure on the throat from happening, the dog will gradually lose the need to pull ahead.  Dogs pull on harnesses too- there is also a reflex that causes animals to push against pressure.  If you put pressure on a dog's rear end to push him into a sit position, the first thing he's going to do is push against your hand with his butt.  He's not stubborn, he's just not sure what you are getting at, and his reflex is to push up against your hand.  Which is why lures work so much faster than force when we teach a dog to sit.

But back to the front clip harness:  If I use one of these on a dog instead of a collar, there is no pressure on the throat, or pressure on the chest to pull against.   Fit is really important! The harness should fit very comfortably (but snug)and not impede the motion of the shoulders at all. There is no pressure anywhere if you fit and use a front clip harness correctly to gently simply turn the dog to face you while you make a kissy sound and take a few steps backward.   After he is following you you can turn back to your original direction with him either on your left or your right side.

 Of course like all behaviours we train, you needto start loose leash, connected walking in a distraction free environment  and then gradually increase distractions and distance.  Your job is to teach him what you want as clearly as possible, and have fun doing it and his job is to cooperate and have fun with with you.   Like everything you do with your dog, learning to walk on a leash should be fun, simple and easy , it should reward both of you.  

Want to learn more about training your dog using fun, easy, force free techniques?  Click here!

A Tale and a Bottle

I published this story a long time ago, and it was pretty popular.  Last I heard, Jake is still alive and well and living in Nanaimo.

The Case for Beer Cans and Pet Medical Insurance

 There are 13 dogs and one dog-minded human on this logging road.  The blue sky is well received by dogs and human after last week's rain.  The creekbeds that were dry two weeks ago now gurgle and sparkle and laughingly offer their cool fresh water to the dogs.  An iridescent black raven croaks from one of the maple trees in a nearby stand.  Ravens are smart.  Only hang out where they find meals of carrion or garbage.  See one by the roadside and look for more.  More would certainly mean a deer carcass or some other dead thing that the dogs will want to roll on or eat.  But today there is only a singular raven, croaking his wisdom to the golden leaves between the blue sky and the side of the deactivated logging road.

 In addition to two of my own dogs, Esta and Atticus, there are 11 youngsters, around a year or two old.   Yellow, chocolate, and black Labradors, a great, white Kuvasz with an uncanny mind, a rambunctious young grey and white husky, and a gentle, sweet natured Rottweiler girl  are all running back and forth at top speeds on the road.  A diplomatic and gentlemanly tuxedo coloured Shih Tzu toddles behind me on a leash, leisurely taking sniffs at flowers and making sure he pees in the right places and none of the wrong ones. 

Watch out!   Watch out!  Three hundred pounds of cavorting dogs flying full tilt- a reckless and joyous bunch tumbling up the logging road at top speed coming up fast from behind.   A slight move leftward, a deft sweep of right arm making full eye contact with shih tzu.  Upended human or clothes-lining of leashed dogs is once again avoided via graceful ballet.

After a while hiking a few kilometres uphill, the yellow lab moves in behind me, and walks placidly beside big, brindle coloured Atticus. The pack gradually depletes it's energy.  They are thirsty and need to cool off.  The fresh cool water in a roadside stream beckons.  Black Jake is the first to wade in.

A shrill yelp pierces the afternoon. No good.  Jake.  What's wrong?  Cut paw, that's what's wrong.  Must be bad to yelp like that.  Jake is out of the water now standing in a pool of blood.  Quick look, two vertical gashes on his right carpus joint. Blood pours. Artery. Arterial bleeding will take Jakes life fast.  Must get to a vet now. Pick up struggling black dog.  Red streams course down. Dogs jump up to get a better view.  I teeter.  Easy does it.  I am talking to Jake and talking to myself too. Jake's Struggling 75 lbs of confusion and muscle is too much and after 100 feet, I tie Jake in a stand of saplings next to the road.   My belt becomes a tourniquet.  My beloved green cotton hippy bag is dismembered to serve as a bandage, and is soaked maroon immediately upon application.   "Run!" "Run!" "Run!" All the dogs have to get back on the bus.  There will be no time for trying to round up strays and load them.  Strays will have to stay. The dogs sense my urgency and race back to the bus, piling in all at once, and each finding a seat.  Except that Kuvasz I mentioned earlier.  The Kuvasz runs back down the road.  I follow him in the bus and soon come upon him gently licking Jake's muzzle, a red pool has formed under both dogs.  I run toward the pair, first aid kit in hand. Gauze, gauze, vet wrap, More gauze, no more vet wrap. Not working anyway.  The nearest vet is 30 minutes away. "Go, go, go!!"

"K-you have to get on now.  We gotta go fast big guy." I say to the Kuvasz, while I load fading Jake into the front seat.  I open the side door for the big white dog and he jumps in because he knows the desperation in my voice is beyond question.  "Stay with us....easy Jake, good boy...you're gonna be fine"  I say as I navigate the rough road back to the parkway.   

Phone. Push the right button. "Courtenay Veterinary Clinic, Jen speaking"  My foot pushes the accelerator down hard and the bus roars up to 80kmh.  "Hey Jen, it's Lynne calling from Go Dog Go!  I have 75 lb lab bleeding heavily from radial artery coming in-about 15 minutes. Can you guys be ready?" "We'll be waiting".

Pedal down.  The bus roars up to 110 down the parkway.  If a cop chases let him.  Deal with it then.  I am soaked in Jake's blood now, as is the front area of the bus.  There is an uncharacteristically sombre mood among the dogs.  Everyone is really quiet.  In fifteen minutes we arrive at the vet's and their crew of nurses comes out to help unload Jake. 

Jake was lucky and, with emergency care and round the clock, dedicated and competent medical attention, survived two parallel wounds to his radial artery.   I knew the culprit had to be glass to go so quickly and easily right through Jake's skin and flesh.  Probably the jagged end of a bottle.  As long as it laid in the stream it would be a danger to any passing animals.  So I went back and found it in the stream:   A knife shaped Miller beer bottle neck.  It made me wonder where the logic in selling alcohol in glass bottles lies.  Think about it:  Drunk people and empty glass bottles...