Could you help me find the right harness?

[SweetGeneVincent]

I have a springer x pup who is 10 months old. He pulls on the way to his walk but is generally starting to calm down otherwise (well, just a tiny bit - he is a springer after all!).

At the moment we are using a Mekuti harness with him which links to his shoulder across his chest with the other end of the lead linking to a clip on his back. We don't need such a full-on harness now so end up just using the front loops, if you see what I mean - so the lead crosses his chest and clips to his shoulder. This is obviously not what the harness was designed to do and so, although it is working, it ends up slack around his back and poorly fitting - absolutely not the harness' fault, more the way we are using it.

Anyway - does anyone know of a harness that clips across the dog's chest? If I just use the back clip of the harness on its own, the pup will pull with all his might, putting all his strength into his shoulders - not good!

We are in Australia and we have a harness call 'sensible'. It is a front connecting harness and just goes around the back and chest. Very lightweight and effective.

I've started using an easy walk harness with Jasper. It clips under belly, over shoulders and across chest. The lead clip is on the chest piece, so helps with the pulling. We're still working out the kinks re adjustment, but it seems comfortable for Jas and is lightweight.

We have a sporn harness, no clips on it just tightens to fit by using a plastic sliding cord lock.

Not sure how effective it is on pulling as the lead clips on his back, but is the best fitting harness we have tried so far and a few other dog walkers have enquired about it saying how comfortable and easy to use it looks.

sorry to hijack but the mikki harness has great reviews on Amazon, does anyone have a first hand opinion? it's the type that ightens round the legs I think.

Thanks for those ideas. The easy walk looks close to what I need, I think. I had the sporn harness when the pup was younger and he just seemed to view it as a challenge to pull his way through it! We are on our 7th type of harness/halti in his short life and the Mekuti has been the best so far.

At least the local dog rehoming centre gets the benefit of our trial and error!

We use the 'happy at heel' harness. It goes round the chest and clips onto the side. Its brilliant. My pup is a bouncy 8 month cocker spaniel and it works really well for him. It clips under the tummy and looks comfortable too x

sununu - I use the Mikki harness with our lab, works well to stop pulling, bit of a faff to fit until you get used to it though. Serious plus side v v cheap!

batteryhen - I'm glad you mentioned the 'happy at heel' harness. I happened to be wandering round the VetUK website (as you do with a pfpup!) and found that one. It looks like what I had in mind but couldn't explain it in my OP.

"If I just use the back clip of the harness on its own, the pup will pull with all his might, putting all his strength into his shoulders - not good!"

And this is why I never recommend harnesses for pulling dogs - think about what huskies wear so they can pull a sled most comfortable and effectively!

That said, Xtra Dog do several harnesses with a front ring attachment including fleece lined, the T-Touch branded one, foam lined walking harnesses etc. and double ended leads to match. :) Dog Games also do a range of custom fit harnesses with, I think, a front ring option.

The happy at heel harness goes around the front of the chest so the dog ends up pulling against himself :) They soon get the message and my pup doesn't pull anymore.

Glad to be of assistance OP :)