Corgi Versus the Harness, Round Two

So it's been a little over a week since I started walking Dally in her harness, and we've had progress!!

I listened to what Taryn and Rebecca suggested and when the husband and I took the girls hiking Friday, we had Dally wear her harness. We had to keep the pups on a leash for the first part of the trail, but Dally trotted along just fine with the harness on--she was so excited just to be out some place new (well, it wasn't brand new to us, it'd just been a while since we had been there). Once we took the leashes off, both girls ran around just fine--Dally didn't once hesitate with the harness on.

(As you can see from our Instagram video:)

 Since then we've been going on walks daily with the harness. I have learned that Dally is a creature of habit and feels "naked" if she's not wearing her collar and, thus, will not walk far from the house without it on. So, when we go for walks, her collar is on and so is her harness, but the leash is attached to the harness. There's only bee a few times that she's really acted like she would not walk with the harness on and I've narrowed it down to a few things: it might be "too tight" for her (must not mess up her "plush" coat, as Merinda calls it), it might have moved forward so the girth strap is under her arm pits, and/or I pulled her forward with it.

Don't they look cute in their matching harnesses?

And, boy, let me tell you...she does not appreciate you pulling her forward with the harness on. She will give you a look only an irritated Corgi can give you, like "Excuse me? Who's walking here??"

I stated that I would win this battle, and I think I actually have--and much faster than I thought I would. However, I don't believe we're 100% cured. After all, it's a Corgi's prerogative to keep their humans on their toes.

Corgi Versus the Harness, Round One

If you've been reading my posts regarding Dally's physical issues lately, you know that I'm at the point of trying anything and everything to keep her in one piece and happy.

So when the chiropractor and I were discussing how the disc would have been irritated to a point of being out of place and swollen. The only thing we could think of, besides the jumping off of the bed and couches (like we touched on earlier), was our daily walks.

Mind you, I don't jerk on my dogs. LaMesa wears a ComfortFlex Harness and has for the past two years because she would pull more ahead on our walks. Dally usually just shuffles behind us at her own pace. That isn't really a problem, except for when she suddenly stops to sniff something or go potty. If I'm not paying attention, I don't know she's stopping so I will jerk a little on her leash because of the sudden stop.

So that could be the problem.

So how do we solve that? Pay better attention to Dally when we're walking? Yes...that would help. But maybe it's time to look at her attire.

Dally asks: Does this harness make my badonk look fluffier? Be honest.

She got her very own ComfortFlex Harness, only in the color of a diva--hot pink.

Seems like an easy fix, right?

Maybe for some other dogs, but this is Dally we're talking about. The first week after getting the harness, I couldn't wait to try it on her and take her for a (short) walk. First I fit the harness to her, making sure it wasn't too tight and it didn't rub behind her "armpits." Then I let her wear it around the house for a couple of hours. The next day, I was ready to take her for a walk...

We got to the neighbor's driveway. Yep. Barely a hundredth of a mile. Walking FAIL.

I thought maybe she was still a little sore, so I let her go back to the house, took her harness off and promptly left with LaMesa--she was more than ready for a walk. The next day I tried it again. We maybe got a little further with more coaxing, but that was it.

I asked Merinda about what she thought and her response:

Merinda, the voice of reason.

OK, OK... Yes, I get it. Dally is a diva. She is a drama queen. If it's not the way she wants things, she's not happy. She's a Corgi. But this is a battle I have to win, because I can't walk her with just a collar any more if I'm afraid one pull or one accidental jerk might cause another disc problem.

So what can I do to get her comfortable with walking in the harness? She's been wearing the harness around the house, going into the backyard with it on, etc. I did finally get her to "walk" with me and LaMesa last night by basically leaving her in our dust--LaMesa and I went ahead and Dally shuffled behind us to catch up, all while dragging her leash and wearing her harness. It worked--she made it all the way to our destination on her own while wearing her harness. Then when we went back to the house, I held onto her leash and she ran alongside LaMesa. (Note: We were walking just down the sidewalk to care for Merinda's cat, there was no traffic, and I kept my eye on her that she didn't go into the street.)

But I can't always do that.

Can't we all just walk peacefully and happily, all while wearing a harness?

So, I'm reaching out: How do you teach old dogs new tricks and how can I get Dally comfortable with walking in her harness, on the leash, with me and LaMesa?

Walking With the Stump Kids

The Stump Kids and I go on walks everyday, at least once, if not twice, or some times three times, a day. I'm lucky to work less than 10 minutes from home, so I'm able to come home on my lunch. As long as it's not raining, I'll take the girls for a short walk just to stretch their legs, and mine. I feel like days that I don't get our lunch walk done are longer for me at work--I relish that time with them and the fresh air.

Then, depending on the weather, I'll take them for a walk after I get home from the gym after work. We'll walk anywhere from a mile to two, on top of the .75 mile loop we do at lunch. It keeps them in shape, as well as another way to exercise myself.

It's funny to see how some times they'll be total opposites at the end of the leash. Most times, LaMesa will be up front, leading the way, and Dally will be in the back, taking it all in and just shuffling along.

LaMesa leads the charge, always keeping an eye out for squirrels
up ahead. She doesn't pull on her leash, unless she sees the enemy.

Meanwhile, Dally shuffles along behind for the most part. Some times
she'll be up beside me or towards the front, but she likes to go at her own pace.

However, throw a squirrel in the mix, and they're both alert and pulling at the end of the leash! They are always on squirrel patrol on our walks.

LaMesa wears a ComfortFlex harness to help with her pulling. She can be good about heeling if I really make her do it, but I feel like walks are meant to be relaxing for both of us. Dally walks just fine with her leash collar and leash.

How do your dogs like to walk with you?