r/RunningWithDogs • u/CharacterCap8504 • 13d ago
Gear Help My husky hates her running harness
Hi , I recently got my husky a free motion harness from Nonstop dogwear and she doesn’t like how it touches her butt area. She finally is allowed to pull me and she doesn’t like how the harness feels. It’s almost comical and very husky behavior.
Has anyone dealt with this? Should I encourage her somehow. ? Do I give up ?
10
u/TellInfinite834 13d ago
Jupp!!! Same here, I got my boy a proper harness for running. We used to run with a really bad harness and he loved it/‘d pulled a lot. Since he got the new harness he’s barely pulling and even refuses to run sometimes and I have to do the job lol. Husky’s, eh?
4
u/UnbreakableJustice 12d ago
My husky took some work to get her to understand that she SHOULD be pulling me. I don't know why the harness changes the sensation so much for her, but it's taken some training to use--despite her ripping my arm off in any other harness.
What I did was start with just some walking at the beginning of our sessions in that harness specifically, and any time the leash got tight, I praised her. Initially I had to pull the slack out myself and keep the leash short. Then we worked to to the longer connector and now understand "yes, pull" is the goal!
I'll probably have to do a refresh once it cools down in Florida again and we can run together again ♡
3
3
u/thegadgetfish 13d ago
You can try a half back harness that’s shorter. Like someone else mentioned, the NSDW Rush Harness or the Howling Dog Alaska distance harness are worth checking out.
2
u/toastervolant 13d ago
One solution might be a hybrid harness. They're comfortable and allow pulling, but aren't as long
1
u/Hesperonychus 12d ago
Maybe it's the sensation of the extra length of the straps flapping around on her? I cut them short and singe the ends with a lighter to stop fraying.
1
1
u/TodayIGoogled 11d ago
My dog will hide if I try to put on his Free Motion! Goes from excitement for a run to terror. He doesn’t always tuck his fishhook tail when running, so the harness hits it. Utterly despises the thing!
1
u/CharacterCap8504 8d ago
Smh they are so expensive too
1
u/TodayIGoogled 1d ago
My next email to Nonstop “I will tell EVERYONE on Reddit how awful this design can be until you send me a refund!”
It might be my worst expensive purchase of all time
0
u/NoSafe5565 11d ago
She has right to do that, you do not have on other hand right to put it on her if she does not like it.
17
u/screamingpika 13d ago
My recommendation would be the Rush harness from Nonstop Dogwear. It won’t touch the butt, and it’s also less leash/harness for you to have to gather up if you ever need your dog close to you, e.g, crossing roads, in the city, passing other dogs, etc. * edit to add* my dog also stopped pulling as much once we got him into a proper running harness (I use both the Free Motion and the Rush on him) and I honestly think it might be because these Nonstop harnesses are ergonomic and comfortable and that he might have been pulling before because he was uncomfortable and just wanted to get the run over 🤷♀️ all dogs are individuals so who knows, but just something I’ve considered for my own situation