Hi all,

Just wondering if you prefer to use collars or a harness for your pups? I have always used a harness for any pups we have had as I was always led to believe they reduced the strain on the delicate neck of a small pup, however have always found they do encourage pulling somewhat?

Is it necessary to use a harness for a pup or can you use a collar safely so long as you are training to walk on a slack lead from the word 'go'? I would always use a harness when I have to use a long-lead for recall training.

Josh

Buster started out on just a collar, lead-training from the word go (stop walking when tension on lead + reward for slack lead), to avoid a pulling-habbit forming.
Once he reached about 7months old, he became much more out-going on walks and would lunge at people/other dogs (to say 'hi') or spin around like a bucking-bronko with excitement, so I got a chest harness to avoid possible injury to his neck.

He wears a collar & a harness. His lead is attatched to his collar for pavement walking and attatched to his long-line when not on pavements (he doesn't go loose, he stays on a long-line). The harness comes in handy for attatching his poo-bag holder onto.

I use a harness for all my dogs.  When I had pups they were trained from the start not to pull so that wasn't an issue (well, it was attempted with Remy as a pup but he was my first so mistakes were made, it was clicker trained later on in the end).

My oldie has neck damage from pulling on a collar all her life (severe pulling I should point out, one of the strongest and worst pullers I've known) while nothing was done about it by my brother (she was his dog) - so she now has to wear a harness regardless of my preferences.

If/when I get another pup they'll be on harness from the word go and trained from the start as well.

harness for the pup at themoment as she sounds like she has kennel cough when on a collar, she is fine when just me and her walking on a collar but when out with the pack and she is being sensless as we call it and wanting to be in front of the others or dashes about wanting to play with them all when they are walking then the harness goes on,her ringcraft training is comming on really nicley and she does not pull or choke on the collar and lead there.

I use a harness for all of my dogs, right from first time out, they only try to pull when out two or more together. The only time they see a collar is either at a show or ringcraft class.

Harness.....never use collars unless at ringcraft or a show.
I can't bear to hear that awful choking noise on any dog & worry a collar damage's their throat.

Thanks for all the replies. What sort of harness do you use for a larger dog? If I can get training done sufficiently quickly, as my dog will be an 'only child' so-to-speak and hopefully trained to walk on a slack lead at all time, I think I will use a collar. If I do not succeed straight away with the collar I will switch to a harness. Sorry if this seems a silly question to ask but I am making the most of the time I have to research the dog and hearing other people's experiences is invaluable.

Josh

I would always use a harness for a puppy as well,too much risk of putting pressure on their delicate necks if you use a collar and also they can interact with other dogs in a much more natural manner with a harness.Dog games harnesses are excellent http://dog-games-shop.co.uk/

Thanks Helen, sorry, I did mean to say that during the puppy stage I will be using a harness. I have previously liked the 'puppia' harnesses as the material is breathable and they can't generally step out from them. I will look at the link you posted, thanks very much.

Josh

this is going to sound thick,so apologies in advance,but can you let a pup offlead in a harness,or is it only for lead walking?my pup  pulls and Im worried about her neck.I have 2 to walk,dont know whether to get pup a 6foot lead,like the one jess has,so I can loop it round her chest,as I do with jess,or to try a harness.She first went out on a borrowed harness as she was scared,and I felt she couldnt wriggle out of that so easily as a collar,but she was on a long line in that.

Pam, have a look at the puppia harnesses

http://www.elmoswardrobe.com/products/soft-dog-harnesses_32/436_406.html

They come in a lot of different sizes and they are made from a breathable sort of material. Very good quality and have used them in the past. I would let my dog off the lead in the harness.

Josh

I use puppia harnesses for my 2. The lead clips to the back of the harness - unclip to let them free :) We use L and XL for 10 and 12 kg pups. elmoswardrobe sometimes has stock issues, but ebay is good

> this is going to sound thick,so apologies in advance,but can you let a pup offlead in a harness,or is it only for lead walking?

Yes,you can leave harnesses on while the pup's off lead.

You can indeed.  Remy had a harness at the very start briefly and it was such a fiddly one that I didn't take it off!  So long as it's a good fit (e.g. not too loose so it might snag on bushes, if pup is of the exploratory type) then it should be fine :-)

Thanks everyone,am about to look at the link to puppia!

We had harnesses for ours when I was driving them to the local park to walk them. Now we've moved and I can walk straight out of my front door and up onto a nice little walk, they are usually on collars unless I'm taking them somewhere in the small car and we need to use the car harnesses. Puppy doesn't really like the harness she's in at the moment, I need to either wash it to make it more flexible or buy a lighter weight one for her some time.

just ordered a lovely red puppia harness-if i like it,will get jess one too,so they match!

I am still on the look out for a nice brown one - all ours are black, which is fine on the tricolour Cavalier and the buff Yankee, but I've never thought it looks as nice on the blenheims! :-D

Hi Lucy,

Here is a brown one on eBay so they must make them... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PUPPIA--HARNESS-in-BROWN-XS-to-XL_W0QQitemZ180543313152QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=225680671332&rvr_id=225680671332&cguid=6395f23b12f0a47a09654de5ff7f11f6

Josh

Thanks Josh - I didn't mean a Puppia one though, I don't like that style. Ours have Hi-Control safety harnesses, but it's just a harness without all that extra material that I guess is meant for shock absorbing but would instantly make the Yankee's coat into matts. It seems to be being discontinued too when I go to search, so I guess I'll have to look around next time I need one! Luckily they last years.

Sorry- I misread your post! I'm looking for a puppy harness myself so if I come across any of the ones you want in brown I will post here.

Ooh, thanks! :-)

thankyou for that link,parrysite,ive just taken gwen out in her new red one that came today,she still pulls a little,but not so hard,and it has got to be better for her neck.Delighted!Going to order one for jess now!Thanks again!

Glad that you like them Pam, I found my terrier pulled a lot less when he wore this harness. They look quite nice on small breed dogs, too.

Josh

I always use a harness. I personally feel it's safer and also gives you more control over the dog x

Sorry to bring up an old thread but a friend of mine said that harnesses often give dogs a funny gait and can lead to shoulder problems- is there any truth in this or are 'modern' harnesses different to old-fashioned ones?