For your dog, which is preferable—a dog collar or a harness? Most of it is dog-specific! The degree to which the equipment fits your dog will depend on a number of factors, including its design, fit, introduction, and usage.
There are a ton of dog collar and harness options available, along with a ton of contradicting information when contrasting dog collars and harnesses! Which is better for your adult dog or your puppy? How can you tell? Although the response is “it depends,” the following tips will assist you in selecting the ideal equipment for your dog.
Choosing which dog collars or harnesses to discard is the easiest part of the process. Any device intended to inflict pain or suffering on your dog is not eligible for consideration. This includes prong and choke collars, shock collars (marketed euphemistically as “e-collars”), and harnesses that tighten around your dog’s barrel, called “no-pulls.” Never listen to someone who claims these aren’t unpleasant. They are, and that’s how they use pain to manipulate the dog.
We would much rather teach dogs how to behave properly when walking than simply punish them for pulling or other undesirable behavior.
Next, even if the equipment isn’t made or meant to be unpleasant, we advise against giving it to your dog. It will be challenging to get your dog to willingly learn and comply with you if you employ equipment that they obviously detests.
When presented with some things, like head halters, most dogs find them repulsive at first. Many dog owners find the process of counter-conditioning and desensitization to be particularly difficult when trying to teach their dogs to accept head halters, as most dogs need a very slow, gentle introduction and significant conditioning before they will accept these devices. It’s best to put the head halter away if your dog exhibits signs of disliking it.
Although vibrating dog collars are sometimes advertised as aversive, they can be utilized positively if you help your dog associate the vibration with good things from the beginning. Vibration dog collars are frequently used by owners of deaf dogs to signal or cue their pets for certain actions, though the dog does not need to be deaf to use the collar for this purpose. However, once more, it’s not a good idea if your dog indicates to you that she finds the vibration unpleasant even after you’ve tried to desensitize and counter condition her.
Regular harnesses, which are typically regarded as non-aversive, make most dogs happy. On the other hand, you may mark it off your list if your dog flees from you when you pick up her harness because it means she detests it!
Every dog collar and leash has the potential to be unpleasant if used incorrectly, therefore even our recommended training aids must be used correctly—please don’t yank, jerk, or hang! Generally speaking, our top picks for dog walking equipment are:
Our initial tools of choice are usually flat collars, martingale collars fitted correctly, and front-and/or back-clip harnesses.
Back-clip harnesses and flat collars are ideal for non-pulling dogs.
Martingale dog collars can be extremely helpful if your dog has mastered the ability of pulling out of her collar. Martingale collars, sometimes known as “Greyhound collars,” are perfect for dogs with extremely narrow skulls and thick necks when the head is smaller than the neck. Just enough is tightened with leash tension on these “limited slip” collars to keep them from slipping over the dog’s head.
We prefer the more recent style of front-clip harnesses for pulling dogs. There are no shoulder straps on these goods to restrict the dog’s range of motion. We believe that vibration collars and head halters are appropriate for dogs who are accustomed to them.
For dogs who play or wrestle with a lot of mouth-to-neck biting, we suggest breakaway collars. In order to avoid potentially fatal choking incidents, take off your dogs’ collars before they play or when you leave them together unattended.
Puppies need to have the greatest consideration when selecting a collar. Aversive tools are obviously out of the question, but even a flat collar can cause serious harm to a puppy’s delicate trachea if it pulls. Use additional caution when handling your puppy to ensure that you aren’t applying pressure to its sensitive throat; wearing a harness is usually a preferable option.
Regarding the collar/harness conundrum, there is no simple solution. Examine your alternatives, seek assistance (if necessary) in selecting the right product, observe your dog’s reaction to your selection, and make adjustments as necessary. And don’t forget to train your dog so that regardless of the equipment you select, pulling becomes less of a problem.
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