Tikva went missing General Chat

There are three scaffolding poles outside, holding up my solar panel and boiler. The one nearest the bungalow wall is blocked off and I had taught Pereg "this way, that way, back" etc so she could untangle herself if she had gone round one or both of the other two, although she quickly learned how to do it without instructions.

Tikva has not yet learned, plus the rope of her tether gets stuck under the open front door, so she stands and waits - sometimes quietly eeping, until I go out and show her which way to go.

This morning she was really diabolical, and it seems like every few minutes I would have to grab my crutches to go out and "rescue" her. And then I realised that she had been out for a while, in the direction where I cannot see her. No eeps, but her tether was caught under the door. So I opened the door wide, and there was her tether with her empty harness at the end of it.

PANIC

Called out to her and heard her yawn. Behind me. Flonked out on the couch.

Somehow she had gotten her front legs out of the harness [it is a step-in vest style which does up with a wide velcro strap around her chest and a double plastic clip so it has two D-rings, one on each side of the clip. Not the mesh ones she previously wore which had only one D-ring which tended to open. Also they had to be put over her head and what went over her head did not easily come off.

And she had just walked out of it, come in, and gotten on the couch to have a zonk.

The problem seems to be that the wide section across her front cannot be adjusted, therefore she obviously had room to get her front legs out and then just walk out of it. A smaller size would be too small round her chest though, and the measurements of this are exactly her size. Also suitable for her weight. The next size down would be far too small.

I am beginning to think that just a soft, decent width buckled [not the clip type] collar and no harness would be better for Tikva. She would no doubt get herself wound round the poles but at least she should not be able to get out of a collar.

Unless I can find some way of shortening the front section, which would be near impossible as it is all one piece, I am stuck for a suitable harness.

If she's running out to the end of the tether when dogs/people go past, Malka, I would be wary of using a collar. Have you seen the harnesses that have two straps (one around the chest and one further back)? Looking at them, I would imagine it makes it impossible for a dog to get out of accidentally

I wouldn't use a collar on small dog, I would look at the escape proof harnesses.

I had sorted out the harnesses I had bought for Tikva [wrong size, not as described etc] and gave definitely useless ones to Michal when she came today to give Tikki the Drontal pill after she had brought up the one [not Drontal] that Michal had given her on Wednesday. Some too small, some just not right, and some that I had not ordered or paid for but got sent anyhow. All new.

Michal likes to give a present to all her new clients and the little harnesses are ideal.

I also gave her a quality dark blue cat carrier that I would not have even looked at. Did not order it, did not pay for it, was not charged for it and it is nowhere in my purchase list, and Michal said they could use it at the surgery.

I kept some harnesses and have been fighting with a very strong Tikva to try them on. In the end she is back to wearing a regular mesh harness [a pull-over-the-head type]. I had checked the D-rings on all the harnesses and three were nicely closed. Trouble is they are all large size [well she was growing at the time] so even though the waist do-up is loose, even though adjustable to the tightest, I think she would have difficulty in getting out of it. I hope. She walked out of the step-in vest type as it was too wide across the front so she got her front legs out of it - and walked out of it, but she would have to back out of a harness like this and she does not like things being put on or taken off over her head..

I am also not happy about Tikki just wearing a collar - she moves like greased lightening and for her size and weight is so very strong. Being the 1st of the month it was Frontline day so while Michal was here she fought with Tikki while I Frontlined her. I mean this puppy is amazingly strong and Michal is used to dealing with much larger dogs - but she says she has never seen a small dog as strong.

Then comes the usual "but of course it is because of what you feed her on" - Michal being a vegan!

You need a Dachshund mesh harness as they are slightly different from the nornmal mesh ones

Tina, Tikki is nothing like a Dachshund in shape, and checking all the Google Images for Daxie harnesses, they are all exactly the same as the mesh and step-in ones I have/had. I do not like the regular mesh ones as the D-rings are not usually fully closed therefore they slip loose. I thought the step-in ones where they do up with velcro across the chest onto the back and have a double clip each side, also on the back, with a D-ring on each side of the clip, would be fine.

The problem is that they go across the chest and Tikva can do a Houdini act by somehow getting one, and then both her front legs out. because the chest part is wide. A Doxie could not do that as their legs are so short.

I did find one US site "Hug-A-Dog Dachshund" - none of their harnesses would suit a non-Doxie shaped dog unless I wanted her looking like she had been bandaged round her neck and round her body. And for nearly $40?

Needless to say I did not check about overseas delivery. I mean poor Tikki would have been wrapped up like an Egyptian Mummy.

Much as she is difficult at times, still very mouthy on my hands although without hurting, but it we reckon that it is her way of showing love as she will not do it to anyone but me, but she does go for my feet when she is in the mood. She has a wonderful recall and, like before when she walked out of her harness, she just left it outside, came in and went straight up on the couch.

I wonder how many other puppies, and yes, she still is a puppy, would do that?

I only use a harness for tracking, as there are KC rules governing what a dog is allowed to wear in competition. However, I am quite impressed by the Julius K9 harnesses - which I think is the make that Barbara has for her two dogs. They must be fairly secure as the police use them to help hoist their dogs over walls etc. I have checked and they do baby sizes in both grades, and there is a measurement guide. Of course, it is still possible that they may not suit Tikva's body shape.

This is the extra bit on the Dachshund harness

As extra piece around neck


Can alter neck/chest with the 2 clips as well as waist strap

Other harnesses that's escape proof

You seem to have found some good designs there, Tina. It suppose it is really is down to the way they fit - when you hit on the ideal one for your dog, you are better sticking to that pattern. A tracking harness is only ever in place for half a mile, (20 mins. max), so oiled leather with a four point adjustment is perfectly adequate. However, the latter two that you show certainly look as if they would be more comfortable for longer periods, or more regular use.

I wouldn't think that a hotdog (Dachshund) would like bulky harnesses very much. The last one looks absolutely too uncomfortable to be used frequently. When we used to tether Jade, she wore a nylon collar with a regular buckle (not that brittle plastic kind). Never broke and she still has the collar today and that was after years of harsh outdoor use.

Many thanks to you all for your suggestions and comments.

I tried to do a multiple quote and answer and messed up. Sorry. Tina, thank you for taking the trouble to find an escape-proof harness for Tikva. The think is that even though she is half Dachshund she is not Dachshund shape.

She also needs a harness that is very lightweight and does not cover too much of her because of the heat.

The other - main - point is that she wears her harness all the time, like Lexi and Pereg did, so if they needed to go out in the night I just had to clip their tether on. With Tikki, once her harness is on [after a fight] I would have the same fight taking it off. So it has to be a non-rubbing harness that she thinks is part of her.

Why oh why have I got such a difficult puppy?

The last one's are what xulio wears (from morning to bed time) he's a Beagle X Fox Hound & a brilliant escape artist, these are the only harness he not been able to escape from.

Would you like to come and try to hold the strong wriggler while I try that harness on her?

Who is Xulio?
Is this your lodger's new puppy - or a foster?
Would love a photo.

No he belongs to one of my sensible dog walking club members, Xulio was handed in to The Rescue Home after his previous owners had a baby, he's roughly 15 months old now & best words to describe him is lager lout all mouth no brains, but is very loving & as to kiss everyone he meets.

Tikva to me looks like a hotdog (that's just what we call them here) in body, but her legs aren't as stumpy and she looks broader in chest. Hopefully you'll find something suitable. My large black monstrosity doesn't much like harnesses, but he only wears them if we are entering a public facility. Would be extremely difficult to find one that he would tolerate wearing all the time, so I'm sure this task is difficult!

Not really Myra - and when she is standing she has a waist to die for, and her tuck is almost up to her spine, not as big as it looks here:



Her legs are far longer than a Doxie and her body much shorter. Her shape is far more like her Minpin sire than her Doxie dam.

Right - I have ordered one of those spectacle shape harnesses as they do up with a buckle. I hate the plastic clips because not only do I not trust them but I find them extremely difficult to do up - and open? Takes me ages as my fingers are so weak. And that harness will not be too hot for Tikva, nor do I think she would be able to walk out of it.

The only thing I am not sure of is the single D-ring on the spectacle shape harnesses but I will not know how secure it is until it arrives. If it is well secure with no chance of slipping through the leather [or whatever it is] then I will order another one.

The problem is that if I order from AliExpress the harnesses come from China, but if I order the identical harness from eBay they also come from China. And the Chinese companies, although they give sizes, also say that their products are hand-measured [what? each one?] so there could be a 2-3cm difference either way.

I mean heck, do they make each one by hand?