An agitation harness is a training device that usually has a breast piece and leather or nylon straps going around your dog's neck, down the chest, between the front legs and behind the front legs around the chest barrel.
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Basic
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You may use an agitation harness for basic obedience or instead of a regular collar because it gives you more control of your dog's body.
Agitation
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Agitation training is the main use for an agitation harness. The dog is agitated or encouraged to attempt to reach, bite or attack something. The handler holds the dog back from doing it, which makes the dog more excited and develops more drive or desire.
Tracking
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The harness can be used while training a dog to do tracking to give the handler better control and increase the dog's drive to track.
Guard Dogs
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Agitation in police or guard dog training is for drive and control. The dogs are usually allowed to bite anywhere on the pretend attacker. The agitation harness allows the handler to control the dog, prevent it from harming the helper, increase drive or stop the attack.
Sport
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Schutzhund is a sport that includes guarding, obedience and tracking. Ring sport is a personal protection sport. Both use the agitation harness the same as for guard dogs. Schutzhund trainers also use it to guide where the dog bites as they are supposed to bite only the sleeve area.
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