have you used a harness/leash?

[kim]

i bought a harness/leash combo yesterday to use with tony in disney. i'll only need to use it while we're waiting in a queue.

here's my problem. i bought i yesterday! so i have no chance to try it out before friday.

so, if you've used one, how did the first experience go? i am picturing a huge freakout from tony and would like to lessen the probability of that happening.

[TtownAnne]

Why not just try it out around home first? Go for a walk around the block, and see how he does on the freakout-meter.

We use one with Caroline when we go to crowded busy places - the first time she didn't like putting it on (particularly over her head), but once we showed her Elmo on the front and told her she could talk to Elmo the whole time because he was there just with her, she was okay. Not *thrilled*, but okay.

[Nocona]

I haven't used Matthew's in a long time but when I had used it before it went pretty well. Try distracting him with something before putting it over his head. That should help. I'd definitely try it out before you leave!

[magoo]

I've got one that is like a little fanny pack for Anna, and she's fine with it.

[bunybomb]

Originally Posted by TtownAnne

but once we showed her Elmo on the front and told her she could talk to Elmo the whole time because he was there just with her, she was okay. Not *thrilled*, but okay.

It sounds like we have the same one as Anne. We don't use it often, in fact it's been just a few times. Alex was ok with it. Now that he says NO! very firmly, we haven't used it much.

[bunkie68]

I'm thinking this is something we'll have to use, at least in public places. So far Julian doesn't seem real inclined to listen to me when I tell him to stay close and hold my hand. In fact, in Barnes & Noble last Saturday, he did just the opposite - laughed and ran away from me. So I'll probably be getting lots of use from some sort of harness. I'd love to hear more experiences from others who've used them!

[Shanna]

I don't leave home wihtout JAcob's.. heh.. He *LOVES* it, though. Sometimes I have a hard time getting the harness off of him. I just hook him to the handle of the stroller when we're out and he's great. I dont' remember the first time we put it on him, but I don't remember him ever freaking out on it... he has thrown himself down with it and I have accidentally pulled him down with it, but I get lots of nice comments when I'm out about how well behaved he is and how every parents hould have one

[Nocona]

I either get "what a great idea" or "my dog has one just like that". Whatever, freak I usually say something like at least I know he's not going to run away in a crowd or something along those lines and the jerky person says "yea, that's a good idea". Why can't people just mind their own business?!

[kim]

i didn't get to try it out yesterday...hopefully today. i got the elmo one too...although i'm thinking with stubborn tony it won't make much difference

[sheila]

When we first tried ours with Maggie, we let her wear her part first without attaching it to the leash part to let her get used to the idea. once she decided she liked it, we attached the string, and she didn't seem to mind.

Good luck with Tony!

[kim]

just wanted to update that the harness was THE BEST THING EVER!!! he didn't mind it terribly and boy did it come in handy when he wanted to walk around disney world especially while waiting in the ride queues.

the only downside is he's wearing it in most of the pics

[cimberdog]

We just tried ours this weekend. I did get a look from someone, but I really didn't care. I was just waiting for someone to say something to me so I could use my clever response back when they reference a dog leash. My response will be, "Yes, that's right. I care enough about my dogs to keep them leashed and close to me, and I care even more about my child."

I got the Mommy's Helper harness from BabyCenter and so far, no complaints from Sam.