So my miniature dachshund is almost 6 months old, and he has generally been pretty easy to train. He got used to sleeping in his crate like 2 days after we got him (as a 12 week baby), and generally is happy to nap in there / sleep through the whole night 95% of the time. Every now and then he'll bark when we put him in, but it's rare and usually just because he's thirsty or didn't get enough exercise. He's been learning "leave it", "sit", "look", and crosswalk crossing well, and we're just now starting with "come" (shoutout to Sue Ailsby's training levels!).
Anyways, my issue is that he seems to hate having his harness / leash put on. In the mornings when I go to let him out of the crate and bring him down for the walk, he won't come out if he sees the harness and he growls/tries to bite me i try to pick him up myself. He also runs away from me when i pick up the leash
when he's out of the crate already.
This is the ONLY time he ever acts this way. He seems to enjoy his walks (will take me around the neighborhood / park for an hour or more whenever i let him) and is super sociable with other dogs and people. He never growls at me at any other time, and he's super playful and cuddly throughout the rest of the day. I asked his vet recently and he told me the harness is properly fitted for him and shouldn't be an issue. I have tried giving him treats while i put the harness on, but he ignores the treats if he knows what I want from him. I've tried closing the crate again if he growls at me, but after 2-3 tries I usually have to pull him out anyways bc I have to get on with my day… It's just getting really frustrating and puts unnecessary stress between us.
Anyways, my question: how can I help him be more comfortable with having his harness / leash put on??
submitted by /u/Financial_Apricot_47
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