Separation Anxiety v Harness

[safari22]

We have a stair gate that is open/closed about 50:50 throughout the day between the front door and the living room.

Our 7mo pup hates being left at home alone but we do keep it to around 30-60 minutes.

She doesn't understand the term 'walk' for whatever reason but when we say it, put our coat and shoes on, offering her the harness and picking up the treat bag she will sit on the front door mat.

If I try to put the harness on she will bolt behind the stairgate (which she knows gets closed), watch us close the stair gate and then whine to come with us. I'll then open the stair gate, offer up the harness again and she'll run off into the living room. At this point, I left the house without her to go for a walk. I've done this a few times, leaving and then coming back a few seconds later to put the harness on and we go for a lovely walk.

I just don't get it. The harness isn't too tight, doesn't affect her once it's on or anything, but she is given the option of coming with us or staying by herself and she always chooses the option she genuinely hates.

Sat here having been out doing errands for 30 minutes with a now panting, drooling dog as my shadow.

Are we putting too much faith in the dog 'learning' not to be annoying while we're getting ready? This isn't exactly new, the first time it happened I just left for 5 seconds, came back inside and offered the harness back up and she begrudgingly put it on.

I know some people will say to just put the harness on and get them out of the door but I'm not the most mobile when bending down so she can in theory just outrun me (treats work).

 

[mkatzwork]

@safari22 How did you introduce her to the harness? It turns out our puppy is too small for the XS harness I got her so I don’t use it yet, but I just gave it to her and let her play with it. I don’t mean to teach her it’s a toy, but I let her get used to it on her own terms. By the time she’s big enough, she should be used to it. Of course, she still needs to get used to wearing it, but at least she will not see it as some new strange thing. That’s the theory.

 

[safari22]

@mkatzwork She's just always had it. We're about 4 months in from the first use so I've put it down to the adolescence phase.

Question really is whether or not she'll learn to just get on with putting it on if she wants to come with us. I leave the house during the working day for one of two reasons: errands (rarely) or a walk with her (daily). I don't quite understand why she would rather stay at home by herself which is what she hates most.

 

[mkatzwork]

@safari22 How is she with a collar? Can you try a different style of harness? Maybe you just need (even) more time.

I know from earlier attempts that our girl doesn’t LOVE the harness, but it’s something I want her to get used to. On some of our walks, she can pull and I think a harness will be better for control.

 

[safari22]

@mkatzwork Fine with the collar and will give a different harness a go.

Again, the question is about both her and my reaction to all of this. If she is being silly after being offered the harness (which she knows results in us going out), she doesn't come out with us, even when a second ago she was anxious about NOT coming with us.