You in the market for a harness? Well stick with me and I'll give you the
lowdown on what to get, why, and how to use it best.
Ian here with Simpawtico Dog Training and before we jump into the ins and outs of
harnesses, please make sure you're subscribed so you never miss any of our
videos. Also don't miss my specific recommendations for which harnesses to
buy at the end of the video. Although dog collars have been around since ancient
Egypt we are not really sure who the first person to harness a dog was. In
Canadian Thule sites from around 1000 A.D. there's archaeological evidence of dog
harnessing. There are historical records in Arabian literature of the 10th century
regarding the use of sled dogs in the subarctic. And in the 13th century Marco
Polo wrote about seeing dog sleds in the steppes of Siberia. Even the Chinese wrote
about dog sleds in examples of their 14th century poetry. At any rate
harnesses have gone through roughly three birthing periods:
the first was when we harnessed dogs to sleds. At this point dogs were working
animals, not companions. The sleds allowed us to traverse ice, snow and even
muddy conditions that precluded horses or carriages. The second was when we
developed smaller breeds and dogs started moving into companion territory. Dogs
were being bred to hang out rather than work and harnesses allowed us to pull
them to safety without breaking their necks. The third of course is the modern
age where harnesses of many, many types are available at most pet stores and dogs
run the full gamut for everything from working animals to companions. Nowadays
there are so many configurations and intended purposes you got to go in
knowing what you need.
That's what this video is all about. Today there are essentially two main
categories of harnesses: body harnesses and front hook harnesses. Each one serves
different overall purposes. Let's first talk about the main reason people get
harnesses in the first place: because their dogs pull. Now, you've probably been
told you need a harness at some point by a well-meaning pet store employee or
friendly neighbor.
However putting a body harness on your dog will just make pulling worse. You've
got to come at the problem from a different angle–literally. When your dog's
wearing a body harness and they start forging ahead, it's natural for us to hold
them back, even to try to pull them back. Since harnesses were originally invented
to attach dogs to dog sleds, then by design a harness redistributes
pressure onto the dog's frame. In essence this makes it more comfortable pull. Thus, the
problem just becomes a test of strength and reduces it to oppositional forces. With
the dog's lower center of gravity and powerful back legs you're going to have
a struggle no matter what kind of dog you have. Let's do this
smarter. Let's not try to muscle the dog into compliance. Instead of oppositional
energy it's much easier to convert it to rotational energy. This is the principle
behind the front hook harness. If the dog pulls the harness starts to turn their
body around and the dog won't go in a direction they are not facing. Bottom
line: a front hook harness is the best choice for a dog that pulls, not a body harness. As
with any training tool though the ultimate goal is to use it as a weigh
station and phase out of the tool over time. A well-mannered, nonreactive dog
that walks nicely unleash could then go back to a flat collar or body harness.
Likewise, there are definitely instances when a front hook harness is an inappropriate
choice and a body harness is better.
The two most prevalent examples for the modern pet owner are if you tie your dog
out or when you're traveling in a car. A body harness is far superior in these
instances over a front hook harness or even a collar. A back hook body harness is
also better if you engage in athletic activities with your dog such as jogging,
agility, frisbee or fetch, or dock driving. A front hook harness can somewhat impede
the full range of motion in the shoulders.
Also if your dog is well-trained and walks politely, using a body harness is really a
non-issue anyways. I in some cases, especially if you live in hilly areas,
you may want to train your dog to pull. Any dog trainer worth their salt knows
that putting an annoying behavior on cue builds an off switch for it.
Training your dog to pull when you want can help cease pulling at other times. A
body harness is best in this regard.
So let's break this down a bit: the pros of a front harness are that it's the
best option for helping train a dog to stop pulling;
it's easier to put on and remove (most of the best brands are lickety-split on and
off). On the other side though they can be chewed up if they're left on so they're
not recommended to be worn all of the time, and they're not recommended for
tying out, riding in the car, or for athletic activities. The pros of a back
hook or body harness are that they can be worn all the time. They are
appropriate for tying out or for securing in a car;
they're better for athletic activities with your dog, and they're good secure
safety for smaller dogs, perhaps even the best choice for toy breeds. On the
downside though they're not recommended for a dog that pulls, and they can be a
pain to get on and off.
Now there are also many body harnesses and they're labeled "no pull." These use
interesting configurations of cords and straps to put pressure on different
places on the dog's body. I've given many of these a series of test runs over the
years and they're all pretty hit-and-miss in that regard.
Plus they can be overpriced and complicated to get on. As I've said many
times before i'm an adherent of the KISS principle: keep it simple, stupid.
I don't like having to maneuver a dog around a lot just to get this stupid
thing on.
I don't want to have to mess with that. I want the harness to go on and off
lightning fast. So for example the Sporn no pull harness: it's about 50/50
effectiveness. And for massive dogs
it's pretty useless. There's also the Freedom No Pull harness. It's not bad but
their system like many others relies too heavily on the hardware. Two leashes?
that's absurd and gimmicky. Keep it simple, stupid. Leverage is the key, along
with solid training techniques. Any company that promises to do the job for
you is lying. Here are my harness recommendations. As far as front hook
harnesses go the Softtouch SENSE-ation is my favorite it's durable simple and
effective.
The Petsafe Easy Walk is my second choice. It's also a pretty darn good
harness. For body harnesses the Kong Comfort Control Grip is my favorite
overall. The handle allows the dog to be restrained, lifted and even secured in a
car without any additional equipment. Both the Four Paws Comfort Control
harness and the simply wag dog body harness for little guys have breathable
mesh that offer support and less chaffing. These may be your best choice
overall for small and/or portly dogs. There are also some nifty hybrids out
there that offer dual connection points for the best of both worlds. For example
the Ruffwear Front Range harness is durable and well-made and features dual
connection points on the back and the front. It's suitable for walking training
and riding in the car.
This is one of the highest rated hybrids on the market right now
incidentally. There's also the Kurgo Go-Tech Adventure harness. Reviews are
fifty-fifty on the overall durability though so use your discretion if you have
a strong dog. Links to all of these harnesses are in the description. So good
luck choosing a harness if you need one. Here's a question: what's been your experience
with harnesses and what harnesses do you recommend?
Let's connect in the comments. Don't forget to thumbs up this video if it
helped you out and as always keep learning keep, practicing and i'll see
you soon. Thanks for watching!