Harnesses

[catbus]

Looking for recommendations for a good harness. I have seen xtra dog on the FB dog training page..
Clover is a 15 week old collie. Want to get one as an aid to teaching her loose lead walking, despite DH saying that she will 'pull more powerfully if she is comfortable on the harness' as opposed to being bloody strangled on a regular collar (does he have a point as she is pretty strong already??)
Do most harnesses for pups only last a certain time before you have to invest in a bugger size or are they fairly adjustable from pup to adult?
Tia

I've got an extra dog harness...it's a nice harness btw.

They're front fastening, so what happens if they pull is that it moves their weight to the side and they can't 'dig in' like they can with a collar or back fastening harness. So instead of moving forward they have to take a step to the right or left and then you have a loose lead.

If strangling worked, dogs would never pull, lol.

They are adjustable, but, not massively so, I'd think you'd need one now and one when she's about adult size...I wouldn't think with a collie that you'd need more than that though.

xtra dog even.

Go for one of these Perfect Fit Harness, it comes in three pieces so it can grow with her.

YY to perfect fit. Love mine. Well not mine, the dogs.

Do the Perfect Fit ones operate in the same way as the star dog ones, with regard to them not being able to pull as they have to move to the side?

And I have just realised I meant in my op, bigger size, not bugger size. Although to be fair, she is being a real bugger at the moment, so a Freudian slip well done

Fgs, xtra dog not star dog

Perfect fit have a ring in the front too, so yes, they work the same way.

Though you'd still need to swap all 3 pieces more than likely, so I'm not convinced that's easier than just buying one, lol.

But lots of people recommend them - I haven't tried one yet though.

Probably only have to change 1or two bits actually. Plus if one bit gets damaged the added bonus is you don't replace the whole harness.

I have a perfect fit harness for my pup. Over the past year he's gone from an XS front (with D ring) with S back and girth, to first a M girth, then a few months later a M back and just recently a S front (very narrow chested Lurcher). I found it fantastic for getting the (excuse the pun) 'perfect fit' for my dog. You effectively get a bespoke fitting harness for much less cost.

As Lilcamper says, you can replace individual parts if they get worn or damaged (we did have to replace a girth when we daftly left his harness on when both dogs were in the travel crate for a long journey and it got chewed ). You can also buy different coloured pieces - if you have a fashion conscious dog!

whispers I have three different coloured top bits for one dog with matching collars and tags.

I have resisted the lure of the various colours, but will admit to a minor addiction to sighthound collars.

Any experience of these? I assume they operate in the same way as the above mentioned harnesses?

www.mekuti.co.uk/harness_shop.htm

But I note that they have to be used with a double ended lead and think the xtra dog ones are either double ended or single clip compatible

Mekuti are fine too. Both the Perfect Fit and the Mekuti need a double ended lead. It's like having power steering and brakes

They're all supposed to be double ended leads really...just so they're secure. I think Mekuti have a funny fastening though, so you can't just use any double ended lead, you need to make sure the clips fit.

But yes Mekuti harnesses work in a similar way.

Thanks. Looks like Mekuti come with the lead and works out cheaper
Need power steering ASAP!

You can use a double ended halti lead with a perfect fit.

Like this one.

I liked the fleece on the xtra dog one, it looked comfy, that was what swayed me, lol

Oh one thing you might need to know, if you use a longline or flexi ever...you don't attach that to the front ring, you use the one at the back so it works like any other harness and not getting a jerk at the front if they reach the end.

I buy my double ended (police style is what they're often called) leads off Ebay. They're much cheaper than many places and made of really nice soft webbing. I will admit to having those in several colours.

I use the front and back rings together for lead walking, the back one for longlining or if my other dog is off-lead and I just want to give Pip some extra length and the front one if I have the lead around my waist or over my shoulder for hands free walking.

I buy them from eBay as well, fleece lined ones - I clearly have a fleece fetish, lol

I have a Mekuti, it's fine, the double ended lead feels more secure in my hands than a normal lead, but with all of those harnesses with front attachments, you still have to teach your dog to walk on a loose lead. I thought the Mekuti would be a magical end to being dragged round the streets, it wasn't. But it did make it slightly easier.

Tell your husband that collars are only for displaying tags. If you attach a lead to a collar you risk damaging ligaments, the vertebrae and windpipe. And when a dog pulls while wearing a collar, they cut off their air supply making it harder for them to think , which collies do a lot of

Thanks all. Just ordered a Mekuti. Am liking the look and sound of lovely fleece double Enders (oo er) and could easily see that turning into a worse fetish than I already have for yarn .
Whilst I'm being realistic about it not being a magic cure, I like to think I will be able to at least regain some kind of composure whilst training her to walk loose lead and not look like a ballet dancing twat with a breathless, straining furry crocodile
Plus I am having to walk her with all the kids so need at least a bit more steering.. Here's hoping

Nothing magically fixes pulling, but you get a bit of time to reward not pulling, which makes the training so much easier...and your arms don't hurt quite as much, lol.

The fleece lead was because I bought it in winter and I thought, ooh, nice and soft and extra warmth on my hand...I didn't really think about the fact his harness was fleecy too, lol.