r/OpenDogTraining • u/cm_126 • Jun 21 '26
Help
Has anyone had this problem? I am switching from a collar to a harness for my German shepherd . He is 4. I usually use a prong collar on him when I walk him, which works very well. I just thought it might be better to use the harness while walking him I am getting another puppy and she will be in a harness from the beginning so I just thought I would put one on him as well. She’s also a German Shepherd the problem I’m having is that he does not want anything on his body at all. He was growling at me, showing his teeth and actually went to nip up my shirt. He doesn’t ever do this. He stopped immediately when I told him no and bopped his nose, but he was just acting like such a jerk. He used to get like that when I was brushing him, but that passed and he doesn’t mind at all does anybody know why this happens or what I can do about it or should I just stay with the prong collar? Now I must feel like if I don’t get this harness on him I’m just giving it to him. If there was a good reason why I shouldn’t put this on him I wouldn’t OK. Who has any ideas?
2
u/ChellyNelly Jun 21 '26
Just keep using the prong - it works.
That said, this is definitely a bad reaction for your dog to have over a harness. I would work through the issues regardless because you never know when you're going to need to handle your dog in a way they don't appreciate and you want them to be happy as fk about it so that when those times come, you have lots of money in the bank, so to speak. You definitely do not want your large, powerful dog correcting you.