[Mandy Girl]

I have a puppy about 12 months old. His name is Cody and he's a mix. I want to take him for walks but he scratches when I put on his harness. What do I do! :confused:

[bushg]

If I were going to use a harness I would allow him to wear it in the house for about 10 or so minutes at a time so he could get used to it or I would just use a collar and leash. No choke chains or pinch collars please!

[bushg]

What kind of dog is he? I buy my mother in laws dog cat collars she is a chiuaua ( not the break away kind and just make sure that can Iput my finger between her neck and the collar, so that the fit is snug. Also maybe try having him walk around with a short lease on until he gets used to having a leash on as well.

[labman]

There really is nothing wrong with any of the training collars except maybe the metal prong collar. Many people chose harnesses, and if you feel better about using one, go ahead. I have seen references to ones that discourage pulling, but no nothing more. I would check the inside if the harness for any roughness that could be irritating him. New leather often has rough fibers on the back. Try to sand or shave them off. Maybe treat it with saddle soap or neetsfoot oil. If it is fabric, it could have some threads sticking out.

It may also just be a matter of getting him used to it.

As far as the weight mentioned in the title, you must either increase the exercise or decrease the food. Letting a growing puppy be overweight is one of the worst things you can do for its developing joints. Follow this link for a guide to evaluating your puppy's body condition and adjust what you feed it to bring it to its ideal body weight, LongLiveYourDog.com - Life Span Study - Rate Your Dog Also note the material on that site on lean dogs living longer.

[bushg]

I pulled out some of the articles from the dog trainer that I hired a few years ago. He worked for and trained German Sheperds for a prison here in Lebanon, Ohio. 1st and foremost they say to never use them (choke chains,or prong collars)on a puppy. If you choose to use them on an adult dog, make sure a trained and qualified *experienced* instructor shows you how. They should only be used as a training tool and should never be used for walks* meandering* down the street. The dogs should know that when they have a training tool on that they are to pay close attention. They should *never*be allowed to play or run around with a training tool on. Improper use or fitting could result in serious injury or death. We have pit bulls, doberman, and rotweiliers all over the Cncinnati area.I see dogs being lead down the street with all types of devices around their necks, some walking calmly and some straining with all their might, I also see idiots leave their dogs unattended in their yards with these devices around their necks.(sadly most are in chain linked fences) also heat registers on the floor could mean death if they were to become entangled in them.or while playing with another dog. I personally wish they costed a few of hundred dollars. People make me so angry when they go and purchase something so potentially harmful to an animal with little or no thought on how to use it! So if you choose this type of collar please know what you are doing first! This is not directed at the poster but people in general that decide to use these collars.

[labman]

For those interested in a training collar, many people disagree with much of bushg's post. The trainer she quotes may have been discussing younger puppies. Choke collars frequently are introduced at 4-6 months, well before the 12 months in the OP. I don't remember any age guidelines on the metal prong collar. I do agree on fitting it. It needs to be done by somebody that actually knows what they are doing. The restricted fabric slip collars, a form of pinch collar often called a Martingale collar, may be used starting at 7 weeks. When Holly wasn't responding well to hers at 11 weeks, her professional field trainer told me to switch to a Gentle Leader, a head collar.

Given abusive corrections, a young puppy could be injured even by a flat collar.

[bushg]

True but a padded collar offers a little more protection nor do they jerk the hair off the back of their necks (let your hair grow out and let me slip one around your neck then tell me how it feels, with out the dog pulling, their hair will naturally get caught in the chain therefore causing pain!) they not only need to be fitted they need to be taught how to use one correctly! These collars are dangerous and deadly in the wrong hands and should only be worn in training session in the presence of the owner or trainer and no other time I stress!ASPCA: Animal Behavior Center: Dog Behavior: Equipment Matters I think this site is well worth taking a look at regarding choke collars.Looking for a Dog Trainer? The Humane Society of the United States Warns: Beware of Abusive Training Methods | The Humane Society of the United States sixth paragraph down from heading Red Flag . In fact some humane societys will not let them be used in training at all. Dog Training Agreement Animal Humane Societys. Dr. P's Dog Training: Misuse of Choke Chains

[labman]

As I said, abusive corrections can injure a puppy in any kind of a collar. I have also posted time after time ''You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class.'' I looked at your links and I really don't feel they justify your posts. I also don't think your posts address what I posted, or the OP.

[bushg]

Sir with all due respect I just urged the op not to use choke chains or pinch collars, as she did not seem to be an experienced dog owner. You stated that training collars, including choke chains (not prong) were OK to use.You did not mention "abusive corrections" ,merely that they were OK to use. They are not OK if you are inexperienced! I am sure that you are aware of the effect that your *advice* has on some posters. Your signature state *Dog Expert* I'm sure you realise how impressed a inexperienced poster will be with your credentials. You did not state with proper training, that is they only reason that I continued with the post, and I think my sites show that they in fact can be dangerous. I gave my point because I do not wish for any one to use these improperly . If I had my rathers people would not use them at all , but that is just my little empathic narrow mind. I have heard countless people in dog parks ,pets stores... holler get a choke chain and it angers me to no end, just run buy one, they are sold on the shelves with no warning label, and you endorsed their use with no warning. I can show you many sites that warn against this 1960"s and 1970's method.

[RubyPitbull]

This post is going around in circles and isn't addressing the actual problem. Unless Mandy gives more information, everyone is speculating and seem to be more interested in getting their opinions heard than helping the OP.

Mandy, you need to give us more information on your situation before any of us can give you constructive advice. At 12 months old, since you state that Cody is very small, your "puppy" is an adult dog. Was this a rescued dog? Is he new to your household? Or, are you only just starting to walk him yourself? If you haven't had experience in training a dog to walk properly on a leash and harness, or if your dog has never worn a harness before, then there is an adjustment period that you need to take into consideration. The scratching is normal for a dog that isn't used to wearing a harness. It takes practice and patience to work through the problem. So, give us a bit more detail as to the circumstances of how he came to be in your home, what you know of his training to walk properly on a leash, and exactly what is occurring when you are walking him. We will attempt to help give you direction on what to do.

[labman]

Feeding and exercise are the 2 sides of a coin in weight management. I tend to look more at cutting back food, perhaps because my dogs are fairly active. Solving the original problem of the harness, as I tried to in my original post, would allow walks to burn off calories.

You can fit collars to even very small dogs. The Martingale style ones work very well even on young puppies. The adjustable ones can be adjusted to where they slip over the head and then slide down to stay on.

Rubypitbull made a good point. I really need her to keep me straight. Looking back at it, I should have just deleted bushg's off topic material rather then let the thread become a debate on training collars.