Gate Manners & Using Our Harness

In 2019 Kathy and I delivered these seven month old pups to Minnesota. Wearing their harnesses, with a long lead rope attached at the front, these pups traveled with us with complete safety. They were a big hit at rest stops!!

We use harnesses on our pups until they understand how to walk with us gently without pulling. My far away harness of preference is called a Balance Buckle Neck Harness. I purchase these from www.clickertraining.com but I am sure they can be found other places. This harness has six adjustment points so it is easy to adjust it for complete comfort for the dog. I love it for times when I am off the ranch with the dogs because they cannot slip this harness! It is also quick to put on the dog; this is important to me here at the ranch as I am always in a hurry.

Pups twelve weeks old to five months old or so fit the Med/Lg size. As adults they wear the Large size.

I use the front attachment point with pups as they learn to walk calmly with me without pulling. When they are good at that I switch to a collar here on the ranch but for the life of the dog I use a harness off the ranch for safety.

One of my pet peeves, with my dogs or with livestock, is being push at as I come through a gate. We begin to teach the pups gate manners by six weeks of age. We also teach the pups to stand calmly while we put on their harness and how we would like them to come through a gate.

To do this we position the pup in relationship to us, and to the gate, exactly the same way every time. Our pups/dogs are taught not to come through a gate unless they are wearing a harness and leash, or collar and leash, and are positioned to the gate opening.

This is a lovely system. It makes it very clear to the dogs what my expectations are. With adult dogs I take this training further; the video below shows the early gate training, and how to put on the harness we use.