Watch this before putting a harness on your dog! It's important to get your dog used to it first, and certified trainer Holly shows you how.

Have you gone to put a harness on your dog and they just aren't having it? Then when you put it on they aren't wanting to walk or cooperate? 

It's probably because they haven't been desensitized to it yet! While we may think that it is best to just throw them in the deep end and let them figure it out, it is actually really important to work at your dog's pace and slowly get your dog used to a harness.

In this video, Holly Ovington CPDT-KA teaches you how to get your dog used to a harness, safely and humanely!

Desensitization is the process of introducing your dog to a stimulus at a very low intensity. It is usually used in situations where a stimulus would warrant a negative reaction from our dogs. Like a harness, bathtub, muzzle, car, etc.

When introducing the stimulus at a low intensity and then working gradually to more intense levels of intensity, you are able to desensitize your dog through exposure. 

If your dog is afraid of something, using a positive stimuli and working to keep your dog under their threshold when desensitization work happens, you can combat their fears of different things. 

This benefits both your pup and you so much! 

Holly has been passionate about dogs from the get go! Holly was part of 4-H dog clubs from a young age, learning to train and show her own dogs.

Holly is certified with the Karen Pryor Academy, a Fear-Free Certified Trainer, an Instructor for Dog Biz Dog Walking Academy and Walks N' Wags First Aid Certified and runs Positive Paws Training in the Vancouver area.

For teaching you how to get your dog used to a harness, Holly demonstrates with a puppy using the 2 Hounds Design Freedom No-Pull Harness.

The key to making your dog love the harness is to approach it slowly, patiently, and do not force your dog too quickly to wear the harness.

<ins style="box-sizing: border-box;">Holly via her website.</ins>

<ins style="box-sizing: border-box;">Holly via Instagram.</ins>

<ins style="box-sizing: border-box;">Holly via her podcast.</ins>

How to Get Your Dog Used to a Harness | Pupford