Need help with ideas and dog harness finding

[Ash]

So. Shadow, Keith's husky needs something to do. He's extremely energetic, and while we go up to the dog park a few times a week, it's not always in my schedule to be able to take him, and during the winter, it's just not feasible to spend 2-3 hours at the dog park. A walk around the block doesn't usually do him in, and it's getting frustrating. It's not his fault, he needs something to do. So, I was thinking...

Would getting him a harness and "working" him to pull something (wagon, kids, etc) around the block help? If so, does anyone have good suggestions for harness sites, or how we could work with training him? He's four years old, but like most huskies, extremely smart. He grasped the concept of his gentle leader in 5 minutes (even if he doesn't like it).

Thanks guys.

 

[Dolyphinm]

Ash, a harnessed up husky would be a wonderful thing for him! I love the breed. Give me a few and I will look up harness info. Need to tend to my pair of crazies now.

 

[Dolyphinm]

If you want to do regular husky work this site provides a little info and some supplies
http://reshaequip.com/dog_sledding_articles.html#Sled Dog Equipment

You could also invest in a doggie backpack and work your way up to Shadow carrying some water bottles or something with a little weight to it. Plus it could be nice have a portable doggie cooler on hot days lol.

 

[addictedtochins]

What about a dog sled?

 

[eroomlorac]

My first Border Collie always had a ton of energy and my kids were small. In the winter I'd put her in a sledding harness and have her pull my kids on one of those inflatable inner tube snow toys. I'd tie her harness to one of the handles of the inner tube and I'd walk her on a second leash. The kids had a great time and the dog got a little work in. She loved to do it, too. I'd walk her to a field where I'd let her off leash and she'd trot around the field pulling the kids. It was pretty fun. In the summer when there is no snow, it's frisbee catching for my Border Collie.

 

[arf2184]

Sledding/pulling sounds like a great idea.

For harnesses, I recommend Nordkyn. http://nordkyn.com/
With sledding/pulling, just make sure the sled/cart/etc doesn't out run the dog (or run into the dog). Also don't let go of the leash until you know you can get him to stop.

If you'd like to compete in something, I would look into weight pulling too. http://www.iwpa.net/index.html
My lab mix and I used to have a lot of fun with that. It doesn't take a ton of training if you're just there to have fun. The dog just needs to stay long enough for you to get across a line and then pull when you call him/her. You can use pulling a cart, sled, tire, etc to help with conditioning. You'd need a freight harness for weight pulling (or just go to a novice pull and borrow some one else's).

 

[arf2184]

Just wanted to add, check the Clearance and Sales section of the Nordkyn website. They have a bunch of x-back harnesses for $10 and recreation harnesses for $8. Maybe one will be the right size for your boy. Doesn't get much cheaper than that!

 

[Ash]

Thanks, guys. We've considered the weighted backpack idea but would that really appeal to his natural instincts?

Also, do you have any recommendations on where to get a decent priced cart? I'd love to use a sled, but that's only feasibly for maybe 2 months out of a year where we live. It's rare we get a lot of snow, so more often than not, we'd need a cart to hook him up to. I was thinking about a wagon with some sort of reinforced siding or something to keep it from running into him.


Carol, if throwing a ball or frisbee worked for him, I'd be set, but he has no drive to retrieve unless it's on HIS terms.

 

[Brittney]

I have a very hyperactive dog and I got her a backpack. In the cooler months, I load it up with water and hike up a mountain behind my house. We have a water break and I fill her bag back up with the empty bottles, but I also evenly weigh it down with rocks. By the time we get home, she is worn out.

I found these harnesses http://www.siberian-husky-dog-breed-store.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=5. They are designed for pulling. You can get a radio flyer from toys r us and modify it with the harness and load up the wagon with weighted objects and have him pull it around the block. That may help.

 

[Peep_erz]

cart pulling sounds like a great idea for your dog. I would like to caution (and you may know already) to take it slow at first and don't start on the street or sidewalk. Many dogs who love to pull and run can wear their pads off if they aren't use to it.

 

[Ash]

We definitely plan on starting slow, and have no intentions of running him with a cart, at least not for a while. He's used to walking on asphalt and sidewalks, so that should help him at least a little if we do start running him there.

He's such a good dog, I hate seeing him bored and acting out...

On another note, does anyone have any suggestions of how to help ease him out of going absolutely NUTS when he sees a leash? If he weren't so obnoxious, I'd practice just getting it out and messing with it before putting it back, but he is absolutely crazy and sings/talks/paws at the door. Unfortunately, until we move, there's not much I'll be able to do because Keith's parents have no sort of follow-through, but I'd like to have some ideas as to what we can do when we move to get him out of the habit.

 

[Peep_erz]

If he knows sit, lay down, and stay I would work on making him go through those commands before getting the leash out and trying to get him to hold the stay as you get the leash out. You have to be patient and very very stubborn about it. I'm going through this right now with my dog and food. He turned into a super hyperactive kangaroo when it was close to feeding time. I started with sit and stay while I scooped his food and now we are working on lay down and stay while I scoop his food.

 

[Ash]

He knows sit and down. Stay... well that's hit or miss. Keith didn't do the best in training him. I usually make him sit and stay before opening the door to go out or even come in, otherwise he bum rushes you. It's a long road ahead of us, to be sure.

In a way, though, I'd like to desensitize him to the leash. We have two other dogs, and he seems to think every time a leash is out, it's for HIM and will go nuts, and then gets pissy when you don't take him. I'm hoping that if we work more with his leader, he'll realize that the leader means it's his turn, and not just the leash.

At 4 years old, the poor boy has a lot of issues we need to work on...

 

[arf2184]

Like Leah said, I'd have him sit for the leash. Also sit at the door before going out and sit and wait for food. This way he learns a little bit of patience....though he'll still likely be excited about the leash, at least he won't be bouncing all over. The extra exercise should help too.

I'd start him off dragging an old tire in the yard if you can. Just go to a tire shop and ask if you can have one of their throw-away tires (a smaller one like 14"or 15"). They should give it to you for free. Tie a rope around it and hook it to the harness. Initially, he is likely to spook a bit until he gets used to something following him. A tire is nice because it has more drag and its not likely to run him over if he stops suddenly.

ETA: When you're home, I would just grab the leash, put it on him, and walk away. Keep an eye on him so he doesn't get tangled on anything, but ignore him otherwise. Once he settles down, take the leash off and put it away. That way he learns the leash doesn't always mean something special.

 

[addictedtochins]

Maybe you could search online for instructions to make a dog cart yourself. Maybe look at carts for mini ponies IDK

 

[Ash]

He does have to sit before being 'attached'. The problem is when he sees the leash. He gets so excited, he can't handle it. He sings, runs in circles, etc. He'll sit, but he can only hold it for about 5 seconds before he's up and running around like a lunatic.

I was looking at pony carts, I think the mini ones would work well for him if we can't come up with our own. I'm figuring he could easily pull about 75 lbs. He drags me on a walking harness and I weigh about 135...

I'm hoping that giving him something to do will get rid of some of this pent up energy, but at the same time, we need a way to help him control his excitement... Like I said, it'll be a long road. We've got a lot to work on with him.

 

[arf2184]

I guarantee you he can easily pull way more than 75 lbs.

When my 70 lb lab mix and I did weight pulling competitions, we only did it once or twice a year so were in novice pulls. The cart with no added weight for a wheeled pull weighs about 350 lbs. She'd be so bored for the first few pulls, just walking it across the line. She used to pull about 175 lbs around the block for training. She'd also pull several tires (with wheels in them) across the yard. If I remember right, she pulled over 1400 on a cart for her best pull in competition (that's only for 16 feet though).

You and your dog are going to have so much fun! I wish I had a pulling dog again.

 

[Ash]

Good to know. We'll definitely have to look into a slightly "bigger" cart then for him, or modifying a pony cart. Anything to give him something to do... Lol

 

[Jenn]

Ash, I have a doberman who is very energetic, and we bought him a dog back pack and fill it up to make it heavier for him, and then walk him with that on. It makes it much more of a workout for him. He usually carries our water bottles, rocks we find at the beach, etc. I grew up with 2 huskies and I know that they can get themselves into trouble if they don't get their energy released.