Riley is scared of his ....hurtta jacket

[Jane57]

Honestly he is fine with the equafleece but wow when I come near him with his hurtta in my hand he is so scared!
Then when he has it on, he scurries back into his bed 
I thought it was because I had fastened the leg parts but tried leaving them hanging and he is still the same.

I think he would rather forego his walks than wear it to be honest.
Anyone elses pooch like this (by any remote chance ) lol.

[JennyBee]

Brodie can't abide her coats and jackets. She is better with her equafleece, although is still not keen. If I appear with one of her jackets then she runs off. If I do get it on her she freezes to the spot and won't move . She doesn't tend to walk in the rain anyway, but she has started doing the same with a new harness I have just bought her (and a waterproof snood I also just bought to protect her ears if she goes into the garden when it's wet) and it's time I started to do some work on this.

Think it's a case of gradually introducing it so they are used to having it nearby, with lots of treats so they associate good things with it, then building up until they are confident enough to wear it. Not sure if it will work with Brodie, but worth a shot! Will be interested to see if more experienced owners have a different idea on how to tackle it.

[Jane57]

Brodie can't abide her coats and jackets. She is better with her equafleece, although is still not keen. If I appear with one of her jackets then she runs off. If I do get it on her she freezes to the spot and won't move . She doesn't tend to walk in the rain anyway, but she has started doing the same with a new harness I have just bought her (and a waterproof snood I also just bought to protect her ears if she goes into the garden when it's wet) and it's time I started to do some work on this.

Think it's a case of gradually introducing it so they are used to having it nearby, with lots of treats so they associate good things with it, then building up until they are confident enough to wear it. Not sure if it will work with Brodie, but worth a shot! Will be interested to see if more experienced owners have a different idea on how to tackle it.

Aww Brodie sounds so similar, I will try that, good idea, my hubby and son have taken him out now, will see how they got on with him. He just stood there and hung his little head in almost like fear or shame and looked at the floor bless him.

[SophieBlueRoanLover]

(and a waterproof snood I also just bought to protect her ears if she goes into the garden when it's wet)

I'm thinking of one of these - Henry's ears get very wet. However, I don't have the luxury of a garden, and not sure if I could be seen out in public wearing one! So I'd need one to dry them off. Where did you get yours from?

[JennyBee]

They do sound the same - not sure why it is that Brodie is like this, I think it might be something to do with feeling restricted . At least he went out eventually, Brodie would still be glued to the floor .

(and a waterproof snood I also just bought to protect her ears if she goes into the garden when it's wet)

I'm thinking of one of these - Henry's ears get very wet. However, I don't have the luxury of a garden, and not sure if I could be seen out in public wearing one! So I'd need one to dry them off. Where did you get yours from?

I got mine from here, you just need to pop her an email - excellent service and I'm very pleased with the snood (or I would be if Brodie would wear it!):

http://www.shansartcockerspaniels.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=85

[Toni-UK]

I have considered a Hurtta coat but considering Ruby HATES her equafleece i don't think i'll bother.

If i put her fleece on to help her dry off she will run up and down the lounge/diner rubbing herself along the sofa,the chairs,the curtains,the wall in fact anything to try and get it off.She then runs up into our bedroom where OH is asleep and crashes around the bed trying to get it off.

When i have put it on her in the past when it has been snowing she is better wearing outdoor than in.

[JennyBee]

I have considered a Hurtta coat but considering Ruby HATES her equafleece i don't think i'll bother.

If i put her fleece on to help her dry off she will run up and down the lounge/diner rubbing herself along the sofa,the chairs,the curtains,the wall in fact anything to try and get it off.She then runs up into our bedroom where OH is asleep and crashes around the bed trying to get it off.

When i have put it on her in the past when it has been snowing she is better wearing outdoor than in.

That's really the only time I've seen Brodie happy to wear her equalfeece too - when we had that really bad winter a couple of years ago she was fine walking with it on out in the snow. She also wore her drying jacket at night when we were camping a few weekends ago; she wasn't happy but did settle, something she'd never have done at home.

[Jenna]

We bought Bailey a reflective jacket and he hated it (went ballistic when we put it off and frantically tried to get it off)

Since he responds well to clicker training we started teaching him to like it and now he actually noses it until it's over his head.

Introduce the jacket slowly, first at a distance, and click and treat for no reaction (if he reacts leave it on the counter or floor and distract him with a game or two until he gets used to it being in his presence) Jackpot treat for him looking at it with no reaction and keep on clicking whenever he makes eye contact with it and doesn't react (he doesn't have to be wagging his tail- disinterest will do fine at this stage)

Slowly move closer to the jacket, or bring the jacket closer (whichever he is more comfortable with)

The idea is to get him to like looking, and then interacting, with the jacket. So loads of treats for a paw touch or sniff or walking towards it.

Once he is comfortable enough to actively seek out interaction between the jacket and himself, start shaping him to like having it put on him (i.e. if it has to go over his head feed him treat through the neck hole of the jacket, first extending your hand through the hole so it's not so close to his face, and gradually treating further 'inside' the neck hole until he ha to stick his head through to get the treat)

This should be done in short sessions and always end with his favorite game or activity to keep things on a positive note.

As always with clicker training, remember that initially the treat has to come immediately after the click and once he i comfortable with the exercise (i.e. fully comfortable with you putting on the jacket and fastening it etc) then you can wean him off the treats, increasing the time between clicking and treating, and also rewarding with other things such as praise and toys.

It seems like a long process but goes surprisingly quickly, and we worked it into the middle of our other training sessions so he didn't get scared or overly excited by the scary jacket. We also increased the value of the treats the closer he got to the jacket, and the more he volunteered interaction. If he is not progressing as he should (he cowers away or still reacts to the jacket) it might be that you are going too fast for him or your treats aren't high value enough. Increase the distance between him and the jacket and treat often. Never end with him feeling unsure of the jacket, even if you have to go back to step 1 again (we want him comfortable with the jacket so he associates it with only good things, and the closer he gets to the jacket the better he feels)

It worked for us, so I'm sharing it with you in case you want to give it a shot. If anything is unclear just shout and I'll clarify.

Also- it might be the smell of the jacket. A blanket that we bought for Bailey smelled of the other animals at the vet shop and he only used it once we had washed it a few times.

[Jenna]

I have considered a Hurtta coat but considering Ruby HATES her equafleece i don't think i'll bother.

If i put her fleece on to help her dry off she will run up and down the lounge/diner rubbing herself along the sofa,the chairs,the curtains,the wall in fact anything to try and get it off.She then runs up into our bedroom where OH is asleep and crashes around the bed trying to get it off.

When i have put it on her in the past when it has been snowing she is better wearing outdoor than in.

This exactly describes how Bailey was when we first put it on him.

[JennyBee]

Thanks for that, Jenna, I'm planning on using the clicker and it's good to see the stages I should go through written down like that . Might as well start now since she is on steroids, she'll do anything for food at the moment

[Jenna]

Thanks for that, Jenna, I'm planning on using the clicker and it's good to see the stages I should go through written down like that . Might as well start now since she is on steroids, she'll do anything for food at the moment

If you have never trained with the clicker before remember to 'charge' the clicker before you start. Click and treat immediately for a while without using any commands. You will know she is ready to start receiving commands if she turns her head at the sound of the clicker. You don't want her focussing on the treats so vary how you offer a treat. You can treat directly from your hand, then put it on the floor, then toss it to her etc and keep switching up the pattern. Also once she has gotten the general idea then wait a few beats between the click and treat. Vary the origin of the treats too, so take some out of your pocket, some out of a treat bag on your hip, some out of a container on the counter. This helps her to focus on the click first and the treat second and will strengthen her response to a click.

You can increase her response by working on the command 'watch me' during training sessions. This is done by shaping her to make eye contact with you (or look at your face for very shy dogs) Do this by showing her the treat and slowly bringing it up to your eyes so she looks at you. Click and treat in the same way as before and slowly fade out the lure and replace with command. She'll soon realise that in  order to get a click (and therefore a treat) she will have to look at you. Jackpot treat for lightbulb moments and slowly increase the length of time she has to watch you before clicking (only to be done when she is confident with the command)

Most of my advice to behavioral or training questions is to use a clicker simply because it works and is the best and fastest training method that has worked for Bailey. We don't experiment with other forms of training as this works for him, and why would you change something that is perfect anyway? You can use it in pretty much any situation from getting pup used to a cone or nail clipping to doing tricks like wiping their paws on the mat before coming into the house or twirling through your legs . Once you know the basic principles of clicker training you can play around with getting pup to do just about anything and stringing commands together to make up more complex tricks.

It's loads of fun and tires out pup nicely. And best of all it improves the bond between you and your furbaby.

[SophieBlueRoanLover]

They do sound the same - not sure why it is that Brodie is like this, I think it might be something to do with feeling restricted . At least he went out eventually, Brodie would still be glued to the floor .

(and a waterproof snood I also just bought to protect her ears if she goes into the garden when it's wet)

I'm thinking of one of these - Henry's ears get very wet. However, I don't have the luxury of a garden, and not sure if I could be seen out in public wearing one! So I'd need one to dry them off. Where did you get yours from?

I got mine from here, you just need to pop her an email - excellent service and I'm very pleased with the snood (or I would be if Brodie would wear it!):

http://www.shansartcockerspaniels.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=85

Thanks Jenny - they look very cute (will draw the line at gold lamé though!) - might try one of the fleece ones for post-walkies.

[Wenco18]

Lottie is fine with hers although Lola does run away at first  , I play a game with her making her look at me while I put the neck opening to my face, then I slide it onto hers and give her a treat  . She does slide around the floor at first with it on but is fine as soon as I put on her lead and go out.

The good thing I find is that whereas normally they go crazy waiting for me to open the door, they both stand there quietly  ( In shock I think  )

I have found their Hurrta's brilliant the last few days, especially for Lola as it is keeping her under carriage clean and dry till she gets her stitches out 

[Jane57]

Lottie is fine with hers although Lola does run away at first  , I play a game with her making her look at me while I put the neck opening to my face, then I slide it onto hers and give her a treat  . She does slide around the floor at first with it on but is fine as soon as I put on her lead and go out.

The good thing I find is that whereas normally they go crazy waiting for me to open the door, they both stand there quietly  ( In shock I think  )

I have found their Hurrta's brilliant the last few days, especially for Lola as it is keeping her under carriage clean and dry till she gets her stitches out 

Oh it runs in the family then  Aww hope Lola is healing well.  The under carriage is kept brilliantly dry, that was our biggest thing with Riley as with them being so low to the ground .
I took him out today, he was the same at first, then we got out the gate and he really refused to move I enticed him with some treats and he was a bit better but all in all quite a stressfull walk where he puffed and panted and pulled .
Totally different with the equafleece but of course that dosnt keep the belly dry. 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

(and a waterproof snood I also just bought to protect her ears if she goes into the garden when it's wet)

I'm thinking of one of these - Henry's ears get very wet. However, I don't have the luxury of a garden, and not sure if I could be seen out in public wearing one! So I'd need one to dry them off. Where did you get yours from?

I said that to myself back in March, after taking Charlie for a walk and having to bath him afterwards (he was full of grit/mud/water - I couldn't have dried him with all the stuff in his fur)...after THAT walk I bought one (in about April) and I LOVE it. Charlie has the 4 legged suit. I did also buy him a waterproof snood (it was meant for garden use only - so when he went out before bed he wasn't wacking me in the face with his wet ears (even dried they are still damp)...I've used the snood in 'public' a couple of times and it's good too. His ears stay dry, so all we have to do when we come back is a feet wipe. It may look stupid but the practicality for me totally out-weights the 'stupid-ness' of the coat. I've had a few comments on the coat - all positive, and I do notice people driving past having a smirk - but on the whole no one points and laughs (as I assumed they would).