is it ok to leave it on

[MeekosMummy]

Hi all sorry i havnt been around much since moving - we dont have an internet connection yet grr!

Anyway - quick question - is it safe to leave a harness on all day?

Reason being - when we moved house we now have a big back garden with grass and yard. Before we moved we just had a small bit of yard at the back of the house.
Meeko refuses to come in from the garden and will bark and run off round and round the garden (i dont chase him so he doesnt thonk its a game from me - he made this game up all by himself!!) iv tried rattlin treats to encourage him to come in shake his lead everything but he wont listen! Hes even started barking at the patio doors for us to let him in then he will run off and bark as soon as u open the door!!

My thoughts on what to do now is stop him running riots by taking him out to toilet on his leash but when he has his harness put on he gets over excited as he thinks its time for his walk. Can i put it on in the morning take him for a walk then keep it on all day to take him out the garden on it when he wants to go out? ... Or do you have any better suggestions/training techniques? Xx

 

[LariP]

It shouldn't hurt anything to keep it on the way you describe. Many people leave a collar or harness on all the time. The one time you don't want to do it is if they are in their crate unattended. It could become a hazard if it were to get caught.

 

[jimmyjj]

If the gardens secure I would leave him and let him enjoy his new garden. I ll come in when he's hungry

 

[Vicaroo1000]

It's time for some leadership for Meeko! You are the pack leader and you make the rules. Begin immediately:
1) go on walks where YOU control where Meeko goes and how he behaves
2) opening the garden door and making him WAIT until you say he can go out (do the same at gates and other doors too - both IN and OUT)
3) when he barks at the door (sounds like an attention getting scheme) ignore him until he's calm, quiet and waiting to come in. I'd put a leash on him so you have access to stopping him in his tracks when he goes to run away. (You could put your foot down on it) Likewise, in his mind, having the drag leash on will make him think you have more control than you really do (I am using this strategy for off leash walking in public at the present time).

Of course using a drag leash means paying attention to what the dog is doing -- you wouldn't just put one on him and turn him loose as he could get caught on something. It's a training tool. You are the pack leader! Lead Meeko! My guess is that he'll respond quickly. He's probably dying for some rules, boundaries and limitations (most dogs are LOL).

GOOD LUCK! Meeko is adorable btw.

Edited to add - for training purposes, I'd suggest using a collar over a harness. You have more control over the dog when you have control over the head.

 

[Davidh]

Sounds like he is loving his new big yard. As [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION] said as long as he is not in his crate unattended, you can leave the harness on. [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] gave some good training advise too.

 

[whitebronc]

Edited to add - for training purposes, I'd suggest using a collar over a harness. You have more control over the dog when you have control over the head.

I thought using a collar was bad for them?

 

[Rural mystic]

If he is a puller and tugger on leash I wouldn't want to use a collar unless or until he quits doing that. The harness I wouldn't think would hurt but personally I think I would just put it on when you took him out unless you have a fenced in area and then I would let him go outside without either unless you are training or walking. I definitely would not want to leave him in a crate alone for any length of time with a collar and maybe not even with a harness he might get it tangled on the crate and hurt himself

 

[MeekosMummy]

He doesnt have a crate i didnt do crate training with him so thats not a problem.. I dont like to use collars on any dogs unfortunately either. My only concern really is the harness being leather and when hes led down curled up in all sorts of shapes and sizes can it cut into him or cause any problems bold patches etc. Sorry i didnt make it clearer in the first post - i babble a lot lol.

Hes well trained walks great and listens inside - its just since moving he wont come in from the garden when called any more and im thinking of how to get him in when i need him. The gardens well fenced so thats safe for him i just dont like leaving him out there on his own incase he eats a slug or stone or something dangerous without me noticing and i cant stay out there long with him because of my skin baby and the weathers freezing cold!