Puppy Wardrobe: Wearing More Gear

Two yellow Lab guide dog puppies wearing booties as they sit in front of an outdoor fountain and flower pots.

So far, we have taught our puppies to be comfortable wearing the puppy jacket and a head collar. As our puppies grow up, there are many other things we can (and should!) introduce before we need them.

As a general rule, we want to think ahead as much as possible so we can proactively plan to positively introduce gear before we absolutely need it – especially if they are used in inherently uncomfortable situations (like when recovering from a surgical procedure).

Some examples include:

Elizabethan (surgery recovery) cone or recovery suit that will be worn after the pup is spayed or neutered
Protective booties if they will be needed on really hot pavement or chemically deiced roads
Doggie diapers needed for intact females while they are in season
Raincoats if they will be used on rainy days

What else can you think of?

Getting Started
Follow the same general principles you used when first introducing the puppy jacket and head collar.

Allow the puppy to check out the item before you try to put it on them! Encourage and reward with kibble and a happy voice when they investigate and sniff it.
Practice touching the puppy with it: on their head, legs, body, etc. Pair with a happy voice and kibble!
Think about what might happen when you put on the item – will you need to hold the puppy’s leg(s)? Will the item need to touch the puppy’s head? Feet? Tail?
Once the puppy is comfortable with you putting the item on them, don’t forget to throw a party and play their favorite game to help them get used to moving around while wearing it!

If the puppy seems uncomfortable, go back to an easier step for a while longer and reach out for support!

Combining multiple pieces of equipment can be more challenging than having a pup wear one item at a time. Gradually work up to puppies being able to, for example, wear booties while also dressed in their jacket and head collar!

What if…

I didn’t think of something and now the puppy needs to use it? Don’t beat yourself up about it! If you don’t have the luxury of time to gradually introduce something, just do your best to pair the new item with your happy voice and plenty of kibble as you put it on. Each new item we introduce following this same pattern will help the process go more quickly with new items in the future. We can’t expect to know every single thing a pup might need in advance, but we can set the stage to make future novel equipment easier to introduce!