September 24th, 2020

Written by myself and Miyagis Dog Training and Behaviourist Services 🐾

We get asked a lot about what harnesses we recommend and why!

Harnesses are always my favourite choice for walking a dog. Attaching your lead to a collar puts unnecessary tension on the neck which, especially for little dogs, can lead to health problems like a collapsed trachea. A harness evenly distributes weight across your dog’s chest, whereas a collar does not.

Safety is, of course, the number-one reason to use a harness—using a collar can restrict breathing and damage the tissues in a dog’s neck if they pull too hard—in addition to your dog’s comfort, education (obedience training), and mobility.

Harnesses are not a cure all but when you are taught to use a harness correctly and loose lead walking then a harness will be the best piece of equipment that you can purchase to help your Dog.

But it is vital that you purchase a Y Front Harness as this does not restrict the shoulder movement. Harnesses which restrict movement go across the chest and this can cause damage to the Dogs chest and this will not aid in managing a Dog which pulls.

Y Front Harness are available from TrueLove, Ruffwear, Perfect Fit and many more companies as well as Ttouch specialist harnesses for Dogs who are having Ttouch therapy.

However a Y Front Harness can only be successful when used in conjunction with a double clip lead and proper Training in how to use the Harness and how to fit it correctly too.

Harnesses have all these advantages:
• They offer better control on walks and make it easier to manage your dog on a lead.
• They discourage pulling by redirecting your dog.
• As most harnesses have a handle on the back, they allow owners to assist dogs who need a little help standing up, getting into cars or crossing barriers on walks.
• If your dog has a habit of backing out of their collar, a harness can be a literal life-saver.
• Brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds like pugs and frenchies sometimes have trouble with collars that put pressure on their necks. A harness can help redistribute this pressure, making it easier for them to breathe.

I always use these harnesses as they have two points of connection for the lead. Make sure that the straps are adjusted to give a snug fit but still allow you to fit the width of two fingers between them and your dog’s body. An ill-fitting harness will not only make your dog very uncomfortable, but it will also make training more difficult. Signs of a poor fitting harness include:
• Fur loss or chafing around the harness area.
• Your dog is able to wriggle free.
• Your dog is strongly resisting walking.
• The back piece of the harness is rotating from side to side.
Harness - https://amzn.to/2TQ8wEt