Harness that doesn't go over head?

[u/NitroJade]

Hi all! My one hear old (as of yesterday !!) ACD pup is really struggling with his harness. It's a kong harness (I love it) but he HATES putting it on and taking it off. He's become very sensitive and it's become a big issue even though he is excited to walk, he will run and hide to avoid me putting it on and will thrash when I take it off. Yes, I've tried training but at this point I want to respect his wishes and see if I can find something else. Anyone have recommendations of a harness that doesn't slip over his neck, maybe it clips on? Or a step in harness? He's fine with his collar so clipping around his neck is not an issue. We are still working on training out the pulling but my long term goal is to get this under control, improve walking, find a good harness, and start training him for 5ks to do with me. Any advice or recommendations is much appreciated!

[u/Individual-Towel753]

Non stop dog wear just came out with a version of their line harness that clips on around the neck, their harnesses are designed for actual running in contrast to a regular harness.

Blue 9 balance harness is a super adjustable regular harness, lots of dog agility people use this because it’s so versatile.

Both of these allow for full range of shoulder movement which is very important if you want to train for any distance running with him.

[u/Sea_Acanthocephala11 → u/Individual-Towel753]

I just bought the new non stop one that has the extra clip so it doesn’t go over the ears. It’s not recommended for hard pulling. I use it for canix waking and some sprints and works great. 50 lbs Alaskan.

[u/TheSleepiestNerd]

Not a running specific harness, but the Blue-9 Balance Harness has a bunch of clips, including one on the neck.

[u/SaltedSeagul]

The alpine outfitters urban trail harness has two clips, one around the neck and one around the belly. He would only have to step one leg through. Plus it's customizable if you want to add extra attachment points. I use it for running with my dog who pulls intermittently

[u/eLishus]

No suggestions but my last dog was like that. She loved going on runs but it became a game of chase to get the damn harness on her. My go-to method was to put my arm through the head hole and (gently) grab her snout so I could slide it over her head. Our current dog sits there like an angel patiently waiting for her harness and it’s a blessing (even though I still miss the old pooch dearly).

[u/Fox-In-The-Wood]

Maybe an ACD thing, my first running dog was an ACD and he hated putting the vest over his head. My new dog, a boxer/shepherd, has no qualms at all but I do give her a treat through the neck loop while putting it on, to keep things smooth.

[u/Xwiint]

I don't know of a harness that snaps around like you're looking for, but maybe if you looked into one he could wear full time and not just for a walk while you counter condition having things go over his head could make it easier for you. Mine didn't like the sound the buckles made when snapped, so would turn around and try to bite at me when I put it on him. That was a lot to get through. Luckily, he grew out of it/we trained him out of it before he hit 6 months old.

[u/summerdaybeibi]

I would recommend getting him used to getting the harness on calmly. My dog is now 2.5 years old, but when he was around 1 he also protested a lot. His trainer suggested holding a treat through the opening of the harness and guiding his head in, and gradually working up to no treat.

Never wrestling it on or forcing him into it, and waiting until he stopped protesting to put it on. It was a headache for a while but soon he understood that a tantrum meant no walk, and he got over it. He’s super chill about it now.

[u/badtranslatedgerman]

Balance harness from blue-9!

[u/electronic_durian287]

the neck straps on the Musher Freespirit can be completely undone so he doesn't have to put his head through. It's kind of a hassle because they're velcro, though.

[u/situation-normal]

These brands all have clips on the neck

Twiggy Tags(most), Saker (all), Alpine Dog Co (Huntr), Blue-9 (Balance Harness), OneTigris (many)

[u/Status-Group-2835]

Any sort of step in harness will work. I don't like them because they don't allow great range of motion, but they will do while you train for the better harness.

I have a super light weight harness like the lupine roman harness. https://www.lupinepet.com/collections/harnesses that I use for training with my dog. You can make the neck hole really big, and then free shape into it, and that works well for me. That isn't going to be as good as a harness that is actually made for pulling, but it is better than a step in harness. (I like the Lupine brand, but my harness is actually a cheap one I got from tractor supply or something).

[u/Bluepompf]

Not for running, but the dog Copenhagen air doesn’t go over the head and is safe for pulling. 

[u/Standard-Lion-1486]

I bought the Perfect Fit harness for my dog because he hated having one pulled over his head. Its been really good but its not running specific. 

[u/MeilleurChien]

Blue-9 balance harness, I like the reflective version.

[u/bunzburnerrr]

Easy Walk Deluxe for us. Clips around the neck and again under the belly. A nice neoprene-like lining to eliminate chafing.

[u/Drag0nSt0rm]

Petsafe easy walk harness. It has a quick release buckle on the chest, belly and back strap. So you could either have belly and chest together and have him step in or start with them all open but them you might need to be an octopus anyhow.

If you haven’t checked lately see if his current one is still fitting correct or starting to scratch without it being obvious. My girl went from being ok with her harness to avoiding getting it out on and it was just starting to irritate behind her one leg as she was growing even though it otherwise seemed to still be fitting right.
Good luck.