Some dogs can get their collars or harnesses or other equipment on with no issues. However, there are many dogs who struggle with getting equipment on, especially harnesses that go over their heads.

A Harnessing Station might be just what you need if your dog is one of those dogs who struggles.

This is for the dogs who struggle with the process of getting the harness PUT ON. Once it's on, the dogs are completely fine with the harness. They can walk, run, and act normally. It's just getting it put on that is stressful for them.

Sometimes we mistake this behavior for wanting to play. They run away when the harness comes out. They race around and avoid you. They might even do what looks like a play bow. They might be bouncy. It might look like play, but it usually is NOT play behavior. It is anxiety. A Harnessing Station can help reduce that anxiety.

Some of you have read about Blitzen in our Blitzen Bulletin updates. Our Bulletin for October November December 2022 included details about our Harnessing Station for him. Here is an excerpt from that Bulletin.

Blitzen is very sensitive about handling issues, including getting his harness on. We cannot simply just slip the harness over his head and put it on.

I have a very carefully set up process that I use. So far, it's working well. But we are heavily structured with this process.

What does that look like?

We have a Harnessing Station. We put the harness on in the exact same location EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I am the one who puts the harness on. NO ONE else can put his harness on. Ed cannot put his harness on.

Ed cannot be anywhere near his Station when getting the harness on. No one but me can be near the Harnessing Station when it's time to put the harness on. Except for Zooka, as long as he's in his spot. But no other people can be in the area. Anyone else in the area makes Blitzen nervous.

His Harnessing Station is in the corner of the dog kitchen. (Yes, we have a dog kitchen separate from our own kitchen, where we prepare dog food, make our Peak Power Dog Treats, and store and handle food for boarding dogs.)

In the corner, I set up a stool.

Once the stool is set up, I hold out his harness just in front of the stool. Blitzen sticks his head through the harness.

After he places his head through the harness, he gets a couple of treats.

Let me repeat that so you didn't miss it. I do NOT put the harness over his head.

HE puts his own head through the harness. I do not place it over his head. It's his choice to begin the process. I do not force it. If he does not place his head in the harness on his own, the harness does not get put on him.

Next, I break up a bunch of tiny little treats. We use our Peak Power Dog Treats for this. I break up probably 20 of them. Tiny pieces.

I tell Blitzen to WAIT while I line up about 20 tiny treats on the stool. He waits while I place them all over the top of the stool. His face is literally a few inches from the treats. He waits patiently and does not try to take treats before I release him.

Then I say. . . Ready. . . GO!

When I say Go, he starts scarfing down the treats.

As he eats the treats, I carefully reach for one side of the harness underneath him and clip it in.

Then I carefully reach under on the other side and clip that side too.

I make sure that he has enough treats to keep him occupied while I hook both sides of the harness.

If he gets through the treats too fast, then I have to place more out before I finish hooking up the harness.

Once it's hooked up, he's happy and ready to go for his walk.

Many dogs struggle with getting harnesses on. In most cases, the problem is not WEARING the harness. The problem is the process of getting it PUT ON. Using a Harnessing Station as I have described – or some variation of it – might be just what your dog needs to get harnessed up easily safely and stress free.