Hi I'm looking for a good type of harness for Rory. At the moment I use a halti harness, but am having real trouble with the stitching giving way. Its happened twice now. I want one which has a connection point as the chest and back, but don't mind if its just got chest connector. He's very good on his lead but i'm having to restrict his exercise at the moment so he just wants to go everywhere at top speed so I really need a harness. Any ideas?
When you say he is really good on lead, but you are using a Halti....what's is your objective? Is it that you need something to stop him pulling, or you want to protect him while you train loose lead?
I just want a harness that does not fall to pieces after a few month use. He walks mostly without a harness at all and on a loose lead. Having to restrict his exercise has made him want to pull at things that excite him again. i need something which i can trust whilst I get over this hurdle as i don't want him to hurt his neck. Its almost like he's gone back a stage and is getting frustrated.
Ah, yes - I know all about that. It is difficult. How old is he now? I use a fleece lined harness from dog games. They are pretty much the same as the perfect fit (but they come in one piece, not several like the perfect fit). Since there is a size that fits Charlie, there isn't an advantage to the perfect fit for me. http://www.dog-games-shop.co.uk/ I've used it for ages, and it has never shown any signs of breaking or even any wear - even though it's main use has been to tie Charlie to a fence at gundog training when he has been lunging because other dogs are retrieving. I'm much more relaxed when Charlie is misbehaving if he is on a harness. I just stand still and wait. I'm not worried, because he can't hurt himself, and I just wait him out. It's very effective. I don't use a front fastening, just a back fastening. This means I don't need to mess around with double ended leads and all that malarky (if you use a Y shaped harness, without a double ended lead, the whole thing swings round and looks uncomfortable). When Charlie was on restricted exercise, I just worked and worked at loose lead. It was very tiresome, but since it was just about the only thing I could train, I just did it then - at least at the end of the restrictions, you will have cracked loose lead. Plus, because a back fastening harness doesn't help you in terms of stopping the dog pulling, all the effort goes into the training, and your dog really does learn how to keep the lead loose, and you still have it when you don't use the harness.
Charlie in a brown fleece lined from dog's games....he was nearly at the end of his restricted exercise here, but still on an extendable lead rather than off lead. I always use a harness with an extendable lead (but your dog has to be able to do loose lead before you can safely use an extendable). charlie boy by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr
I use the same harnesses for my two, at Julie's recommendation, and I really like them. They seem comfortable for the dogs and are good quality.
Yep, me three...I got the same harness (but from a US distributor)....Bella loves it... I got pink of course... LOL
That's a great pic - of Bella, of course - but also that the back cross on the harness for the attachment has the girth way clear of the front legs. A huge plus, I think. No nasty rubbings...
I have the same harnesses for my two and have been very pleased with them. Obi spaniel did reverse out of his though at the CLA Game Fair!!!! Which had Heidrun qualifying for the 100m sprint in Rio (in boots!) So Obi now has a high viz perfect fit ready in time for walks in the dark. All my harnesses came from Dog Games and I found the service excellent.
Scooby wore a Perfect Fit harness from Dog Games - (Coco wears it now - lucky it fits, but if it didn't we could have just replaced the piece that didn't) P1040501 by Sue Doyle, on Flickr
I use the Doxilock Harness though i'm sure they have changed their name to something else, It slips over his head and clips under this tummy. Easy to get on and fleece lined. Also has a handle on top and the bit across his chest is reflective. I like it and used it with Nevis as well.
I've put the Dog Games fleece harnesses back on my two for training for the past couple of days, since we're going to need them for the UK and this coming winter, and I think they're too small for them now. The girth strap is really close to the front legs, nothing like Bella's picture. So, it's time to upgrade. Now, the question is another one the same, or the Perfect Fit? Oooh, decisions, decisions....
I have both - the fleece and the perfect fit. Er....I actually have 3 fleece harnesses.... and several different webbing ones...we tried a LOT of harnesses. I prefer the fleece harnesses, and I haven't had any trouble finding one that I think fits him well. The advantage of the perfect fit is being able to choose the different size bits, but since I've been happy with the fit of the fleece harnesses, I prefer having fewer buckles.
I've been doing a LOT of clicker training with my two and their harnesses over the last couple of weeks and they are much, much better at having them put on now. Willow no longer runs off when hers comes out of the drawer, which is a big deal. I was thinking the PF would be good because it doesn't need to go over the head, but if that's not going to be an issue anymore... hmmm. On the other hand, I'm tempted by having replaceable parts, because they do run through a lot of undergrowth. But... the fleece one isn't exactly expensive, anyway. I measured them last night and they're both right at the top of the girth width bracket for the size 4, which is what they're in, and right in the middle for the size 5 on the fleece harnesses, so they're definitely due an upgrade. I'll ponder on it today.
I don't think it matters too much where the 'girth' strap is as long as it's not cutting under the arm or so far back that it's affecting chest expansion. In my experience the important thing is what the harness is doing under the neck and on the chest. It's important that it's not high enough to be anywhere near the underside of the neck (affecting the windpipe). Backwards pressure on the harness should have no effect on breathing and the harness should not ride up at the front if the dog pulls. I've seen the Y front ones do this and cause dogs to cough if they are too high cut and/or if the lead attachment is too far forward, which is a problem. Y front ones can also slip to the side and rub more on one leg/shoulder than the other - another thing to watch. No style is perfect. Just got to make sure the style you choose allows your dog to move freely and without rubbing or affecting breathing - that will be an interaction between your dog's conformation and the harness style. I'm a big harness fan though and have used only a harness for 16 years. Wouldn't use anything else for walking in. It's great to see them so widely used these days and to see so much choice in styles.
