(VICT) Re: Introducing the Toileting Harness
- From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 16:07:36 -0400
Hi, Martha,
The toileting harness looks just like a straight belt. It goes around the
dog's body at the narrow waist in front of the hind legs. It has two clips
on top and two on the bottom. You attach one handle of a plastic
grocery-type bag to the two hooks on the bottom, bring the other handle back
behind the dog's back legs and over the tail, and hook that handle of the
bag to the top hooks.
It works to capture the feces of both male and female dogs. I think it
would catch urine of the females, too, but I'm not sure about the males. As
I said, most people let their dogs urinate before putting the harness on or
before attaching the bag. If you had the harness on the dog without the bag
while it urinated, I don't think the harness would get soiled, but I suppose
males might possibly hit it, depending on how far back and how snugly the
harness was fitted.
I know that Ollie on this list uses the toileting harness on her female dog,
but I believe she uses it only for catching the feces. I have one for my
female miniature horse, Panda, and I think I will try using it for both
urine and feces, but I haven't done so yet.
I hope that explanation is helpful.
Best,
Ann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martha Harris" <latinanewschic@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 2:03 AM
Subject: (VICT) Re: Introducing the Toileting Harness
> Hi Ann,
> I am a little confused. Where does the harness buckle? I read somewhere
> that
> the relieving harness is only for when female dogs poop. Will the dog pea
> on
> the harness if she is wearing it when she is getting used to it? Sorry if
> this is a dumb question, but I am having trouble picturing it. I really
> want
> to buy one.
>
> Thanks,
> Martha
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 1:02 AM
> Subject: (VICT) Introducing the Toileting Harness
>
>
>> Below is a plan for introducing the toileting harness to a dog. I sent
>> this post to another list last March in response to a question. Please
>> do
>> let me know if points are unclear, or if something does not work, or you
>> just have a better way of doing it.
>> ------
>> Clicker Lesson Plan: Introducing Your Dog to the Use of the Toileting
>> Harness
>>
>> I know a few people who have used the relieving harness with their dogs,
>> mostly for reasons of easier, more efficient clean up. They have had
>> good
>> success by introducing the new equipment to the dog in a systematic and
>> positive way.
>>
>> 1. At first, I would just let the dog sniff the new harness, and I would
>> click and treat each time he does this. Repeat this several times, first
>> inside your house, then outside, in the place where you regularly relieve
>> your dog.
>>
>> 2. Then I would just drape the harness over the dog's back, again first
>> in
>> the house and then in his relieving place, and click and reward, for his
>> acceptance of the harness.
>>
>> 3. Once he indicates that he understands that the harness is a good thing
>> and that accepting it earns him treats, then I would move on to loosely
>> buckling the harness around his waist, without a bag attached, and reward
>> him for ignoring it for a few seconds. I would gradually fasten the
>> harness so that it fits more snugly, and gradually lengthen the time he
>> wears the harness before giving him the reward, until he can comfortably
>> wear just the harness for long enough to relieve himself.
>>
>> 4. Then I would begin putting the harness on the dog--again without bag
>> attached--before taking him out to relieve, and leaving it on him while
>> he
>> relieves. When he relieves himself while wearing the harness, I would
>> make a fuss over him and give him a special treat.
>>
>> I would repeat this several times. At some point in this process, the
>> harness itself will become part of the cue that tells your dog that it is
>> time to relieve himself, which may make relieving time a quicker, more
>> efficient process.
>>
>> 5. Once he is accepting the harness, I would do some desensitization to
>> the type of plastic bags that you will be using. First I might just have
>> the handles of a bag around my wrist as I take the dog out to relieve, so
>> that he gets used to the sound of the bag rustling and flapping around.
>>
>> 6. Then I might run the bag over his back, and click and treat for his
>> accepting and ignoring it.
>>
>> 7. After several repetitions of this, I might put the harness on the dog
>> and attach the bag to the top hooks and just let it hang there while he
>> relieves himself.
>>
>> 8. Then I would do the same thing, but also put his tail through the
>> handle of the bag which I clip to the top of the harness.
>>
>> During all this introductory process, you will need to continue picking
>> up
>> after your dog as you always have.
>>
>> 9. Once he is comfortable relieving with the bag attached to the top of
>> the harness, then I would attach the bag to the bottom and the top of the
>> harness, as it is meant to be used, and let him walk around and find his
>> place to relieve as usual. Reward successful relieving with the harness
>> on, at first with praise and treats, and later with praise and pats.
>>
>> After a systematic introduction, the relieving harness will probably
>> become just part of the dog's regular "wardrobe", and he will think no
>> more of it than he does of his collar or leash.
>>
>> You might not have to go through all the steps outlined above with your
>> dog. Guide dogs in general are not too body sensitive, after all, they
>> have to be comfortable wearing a guide harness, leash, collar (or two,)
>> etc. Many of them have also worn a cape when they were puppies. So if
>> your dog seems unconcerned about the harness after a brief introduction,
>> you could try skipping a step or two. But if he seems concerned or
>> refuses to walk or to do his business with the harness on, then you know
>> that he needs the task broken down into more small steps to understand
>> what you want him to do.
>>
>> As always, when we introduce new equipment to our animals, we want to be
>> sure to make the new experience a very positive thing.
>>
>> As for the problem of the dog urinating on the bag, the people who use
>> the
>> relieving harness usually let the dog urinate before they put on the
>> harness, so that the problem will be avoided.
>>
>> Hope this helps. I'm sure Julie J., who sells the harnesses, can answer
>> any questions you may have about how it can be used and how to train your
>> dog to accept it. But feel free to contact me on or off list, too.
>>
>> Best,
>> Ann
>>
>> e-mail: annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>
>
>
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