Are harnesses harming your dog?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Short answer is yes! If your dog is not wearing the correct harness then major and irreparable damage will be being done to musculature, bone and ligaments. If harnesses are being worn from a young age (puppy) then it could impact development and have serious implications for the rest of their life.
Harnesses were designed and created for breeds like the husky whom were born and bred to pull people and transport goods over long distances. The harness allows the weight of the sled to be spread across the dog and so the dog can easier pull the weight.
Dogs in harnesses pull and being in a harness allows them to do this MORE efficiently! If you have a dog that pills get him onto a slip lead and see if this helps! Don’t put him into a harness.
We tried 3 harnesses - Julius K9 a very popular brand (probably the most popular) in most cases they are very badly fitted to the dog and are just uncomfortable. The harness is popular because it is cheap and easily put on by the owner.
Second was a cheaper harness I use for SUP boarding and swimming with my dogs. With the results I have seen I won’t be using it any longer.
Third was the most expensive and is a Ruffwear harness. I use these harnesses for my hydrotherapy clients and they have proven to be the best providing Koda with the most amount of movement allowing him to have the most natural movement.
If you have a harness you’d like me to test please let me know!
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave me a comment and tell me what you think!
Thank you for the video, it was very interesting to watch!
My current dog is wearing a harness since she's a puppy and I'd like
to mention that a harness that is ment for sport such as pulling a sled,
has a different design from the harness types we use nowadays to walk our dogs.
And while I agree that an unfitting harness can harm a dog over time,
I'd always like to remember that a collar is even more harmfull whenever
the dog is pulling and be it just for a moment - while a fitting harness
can cover the damage way better.
I mention this because you say ' If you have a dog that pulls get him onto a slip lead'
I think using a slip lead on a pulling dog is a strange adivce as there is only
2 options. Dog will stop pulling due to pain or it will still pull and damage it's health.
I know slip leads and even prong collars are common around the US (correct me if I'm wrong)
But for me it's still creepy to see those tools on young or very agile dogs who did not
learn to walk on lose leash yet. Prong collars are luckily forbidden here.
Hi thank you, I enjoyed and learnt a lot making it.
Firstly, I would never suggest a prong collar. These collars tighten as the dog pulls and has protruding metal which sticks into the dogs neck. This collar is cruel and painful for the dog. Doesn’t fit into my training techniques at all - positive only!
Harness are all different types of designs and I went through a few. Those sporting harnesses are far better for your dog as they at least give allowance for your dog to move appropriately.
A slip lead , if used correctly, can be an amazing tool and the dog never even has to pull to learn to walk nicely on it. However dogs that pull can quickly learn to walk on these leads with some training and no pulling. A lead is meant to be an extension of you allowing you to reach your dog and give them signals from a distance.
These techniques are best learnt from puppy before the adoption of pulling sets in. However can easily be taught to older dogs and I have taught many all with the use of slip leads.
If owners are able to talk to their dog and give commands and the dog can listen effectively no lead is needed. This reduces the impact on the dog all together. I am lucky where I live to at I have very little need for leads and we can navigate the few roads I need to do with obedience training.
This isn’t recommended for everyone as I have complete trust in my dogs.
I can do a video on this if you’d be interested? Getting a dog to walk to heel isn’t as hard as it may seem with the right tools.
Collars on pulling dogs that either don’t listen or don’t care about the owner the other end of the leash are the big problem. It is mostly down to a lack of relationship or bond between the owner and dog. Once this is resolved walking can become a doddle.
Finally, harnesses/collars and what you choose is mostly down to personal preference. I prefer to walk my dogs on leads and do the work to ensure they walk nicely to heal so they are never at any risk.
Owners that choose to walk on a harness can do so, however if they would like to reduce the impact an ill-fitted harness can do their dog over the dogs life then they can contact me for a 1-2-1 training session and I will be more than happy to help.
Prong collars were designed by a veterinarian. The Herm Sprenger prong collar is the only prong collar people should be using if they're gonna use a prong as off brands have bullet shaped tips or edges that aren't properly rounded.
It would be interesting to see the Perfect Fit harness.
It's a Y-harness. What's special?
So which do you recommend? Brand?
Ruffwear harnesses are great as are Non stop Dog wear but any harness which is open and allows the full movement of the shoulders is great.
epic