May require more physical strength than walking your dog on a traditional dog collar, depending on the size of the dog. If a harness is too big, your dog may be able to wiggle out and escape. Dog harnesses that are too tight can be painful for dogs.
One of the most prevalent dog training problems that dog owners deal with is their dogs pulling on the leash. And regrettably, many ignorant dog owners unintentionally hurt and damage their dogs’ delicate trachea and neck regions. These kinds of dog neck injuries brought on by pulling on the leash can cost a lot of money to treat or, worse yet, could endanger your dog’s life.
The physical suffering of a heavy puller may be more understandable if you’ve ever had a sore neck or back. The majority of people experience the effects across their entire body, and chronic pain can easily make you feel 10 to 20 years older.
Why is that, given that the neck and cervical spine are one of the body’s most significant energy channels? Numerous issues, such as lameness, skin issues, allergies, and even cancer, may manifest if the energy flow between the head and the neck is interrupted or constrained.
The majority of people are unaware of how many issues collars can cause. None of us intentionally want to harm our animals, so we are constantly searching for the best answer.
No-Pull harnesses can be bad for dogs
No-pull harnesses have a strap across the dog’s chest that is tightened to deter the dog from pulling. This may actually cause him to change the way he walks and shorten his stride. The dog tries to avoid running into the o-ring and carabiner that are hanging directly in front of his legs, but the tight chest strap prevents him from moving his shoulders and front legs normally.
A week or two of wearing such a harness won’t cause any long-term harm to a dog. However, using this harness exclusively to walk your dog for months or even years could cause musculoskeletal changes because it continues to limit their shoulders’ range of motion.
In addition to these problems, no-pull harnesses don’t really work to stop dogs from pulling on leashes that already have very bad habits because those dogs just ignore the harness and carry on pulling the same way they always have.
It will be much better to use focused training to teach your dog not to pull on the leash.
This does not necessarily imply that all harnesses are equal; some are made for small dogs, others for larger dogs, and still others are simply poorly made. The straps of the harness need to sit far away from the dog’s joints; this is the second-most important factor I look for when purchasing a dog harness. At best, the straps will be uncomfortable for your dog, and at worst, they could injure them in the future and prevent young dogs from growing properly if they sit on or are too close to the dog’s shoulders. The straps on Phoebe’s balance harness can be seen in the image below; they are placed far from her shoulders.
After their first time using a harness, a client I recently worked with stated they no longer wanted to use one on their dog; when I inquired as to why, they replied that the harness had rubbed the dog’s hair off on his shoulders. The harness was an extremely ill-fitting Easy Walk model, and it did result in hair loss where it rubbed. However, this is not a general issue with all harnesses; rather, it was a problem with the kind of harness, how it fit, and how they were using it. Pulling on the dog while out for walks only served to aggravate the annoyance the harness was already causing. However, everything in this blog is clearly illustrated by this example. When selecting the equipment you use with your dog, you should be careful because not all harnesses are created equally.
Petsafe Easy walk harness: This is probably the most widely available harness on the market which is unfortunate because it is made very poorly and not with the dogs physiology in mind. This is the go to front clip harness at most Petsmarts and Petcos. The Easy Walk sits right on the dogs shoulder blades and can rub them while they are walking. It also loosens quite a bit with use and is very easy for a dog to get out of. Last but not least, Petsafe is a company that sells shock collars as well as other punitive devices, so when I can keep my money from going to them I do so.
When fitted properly, none of the harnesses on the following list will restrict your dog’s movement because they sit away from their joints. A front and back attachment is also present on the majority of these harnesses. If there is anything unique about the harness that needs to be noted, I have noted it next to the harness name.
Sense-ation harness: This harness is definitely a step up from the easy walk harness but still not ideal. It doesnt have the additional martingale loop like the easy walk, which keeps it from loosening quite as much and makes it easier to fit properly. Like the Easy Walk the sense-ation harness sits across the dogs shoulder blades which can impede movement.
Do dogs pull more with a harness?
Dogs do not pull more in a harness. How much experience a dog has with walking on a leash and how much of a history he has of pulling negatively determine whether or not he pulls.
Because they have learned that pulling on a leash allows them to move while out for a walk, dogs frequently do so. As a puppy, they begin to pull a little bit, and as they get older, they gradually exert more force when pulling. Because being “dragged” by a 10 lb puppy is not at all bad, owners initially do not react to the pulling, and by the time they realize that their dog is pulling excessively, the behavior has already become deeply ingrained.
However, these bad leash manners depend on whether the owner has trained the dog to stay by their side and maintain a loose leash, not on whether the dog wears a collar or a harness.
A dog that has been trained to walk well on a leash will perform admirably when wearing a harness. However, a dog that hasn’t been properly trained to walk will also pull on a collar. The tool does not teach the behavior!.
FAQ
Are harness harmful to dogs?
Harnesses are excellent for dogs, so the answer is definitely yes. Any age, size, or breed of dog can be walked in safety and comfort using them.
Why you shouldn’t leave a harness on a dog?
No, you shouldn’t leave your dog’s harness on all day. Additionally, since harnesses are not intended to be worn continuously, doing so may result in sores developing under the armpits. Even when fully cushioned, clothing can rub and lead to sore spots.
Is it better to use a collar or harness?
Our experts agree that a harness is the safest choice for going on walks and other outdoor activities or situations that might cause your puppy to pull on the leash, even though a flat collar is best for everyday wear and for displaying ID tags.