recomend a harnes?

Discussion of useful training and pet care tools.

Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost

Post Reply
emma-louise
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:09 am

recomend a harnes?

Post by emma-louise »

ive had a read through some of the posts about harnesses and could any one recomend a good one for my staffy?
hes growing out of his first one fast and is starting to hate it more and more when i try to put it on him? it one of those ones where you have to fasten it at the back and get both paws through first he wriggles now making it no fun for either of us to get it on every day for walks tho hes fine when its on,

im sure ive seen some that you just clip at the side making it easier for you to pop it on but i cant seem to find any in the local pet shops plus the one hes got seems to twist to one side when we are out walking which cant be comfortable! can any one point out a good website? or a name of a good harness i can get my pet shop to order most things in :D

thanks
User avatar
Mattie
Posts: 5872
Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:21 am

Post by Mattie »

I have my Staffy in a trail harness from TRPD http://petcraftproject.proboards24.com/index.cgi? It is the 1 in wide Comfort Webbing, she gets all excited when it comes out and can't get it on quick enough :lol: This clips at the side and I only have 1 let to put through. Ellie didn't like this at first, don't think she has had a harness on before, but it only took being on twice for her to love it.

I have put a picture of Bonnie in her trail harness but this is the standard webbing not the cushion which is better. As you can see it isn't in a position to rub behind the front legs which is a plus if you have dogs that rub easily like my Greyhound.

Bonnie also has a decorative collar from TRPD and all the profits go to provide equipment for dogs in rescue, nobody takes a penny from this.

Image
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
emma-louise
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:09 am

Post by emma-louise »

cool that looks easier to get on than mine. mine was brill when he was tiny but now hes getting a fat git hes not as easy to hold and get in to it!
extra nice to know it goes to a good cause as well
Daniel Rose
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 2:49 pm
Location: Shrewsbury, MA USA

Post by Daniel Rose »

We have a 2+ year old rottie/hound (Rocky) that we got from rescue about a month ago, and he is a real puller, who is also a 65lb. torpedo outside when he sees a squirrel, dear, or a strange cat. We have been doing positive training, as best we can in snow and 20F or lower temperatures. Although we are starting to get some loose leash success hitched to his flat collar, we are still getting to know each other, and my wife and I are not yet preferable to a squirrel or a dear. One of us also has an injured wrist, which could be a problem if our torpedo suddenly fires.

So, we are looking at the Premier Easy Walk Dog Harness, shown here http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2751027 and here http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=3049100, as a possible solution. There is a video that you can access at the lower left of the picture that shows it in use.

Any thoughts on how effective this might be? If not, I'll let you know further when I try it.
User avatar
Mattie
Posts: 5872
Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:21 am

Post by Mattie »

I won't have a harness were the strap goes round the chest like that, it is ideal for a dog to push into with all his weight and pull his owner along. It would be wonderful if your dog was pulling a cart. :lol:

If you look at the picture of Bonnie in her harness, there isn't a strap round her chest it is down each side of her neck which makes it more difficult to push into. It also has a strap on the top which you can get home of for extra hold.
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Fundog
Posts: 3874
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Post by Fundog »

Emma-louise, when you find a new harness that fits your boy comfortably, you should find that he will eagerly "help" your get it on him by stepping forward, and into it, even raising his paws for you so you can put his legs through. That's when you know he likes his harness! It will be a mental challenge for you to try and get it all straightened out just so, without him jumping all over you. Once you have all the loops in the right places, hold it out at his head level, and he will rush forward and jam his head through it automatically. If he's jumping up and down impatiently while you get the harness straightened out, say something like "uh-oh," turn around, with your back to him, and fold your arms across your chest. Wait for him to go back and sit down before turning around again. Of course, you need to teach him to sit and stay in the first place, before you even pick up the harness. Trust me, it works!
Daniel Rose
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 2:49 pm
Location: Shrewsbury, MA USA

Post by Daniel Rose »

Mattie wrote:I won't have a harness were the strap goes round the chest like that, it is ideal for a dog to push into with all his weight and pull his owner along.
Mattie,

I would have thought so, too, but for the attachment of the leash at the front center of the breast bone. If you watch the video (icon at the lower left of the product photo), it is apparently almost impossible for the dog to pull on the leash without the owner gently turning the dog around. It is supposed to cancel the pull reflex that sled dogs respond to. It seems to be a very ingenious device in that way.

The one caveat I have been able to discover from reading the instruction manual (on the Premier Web site) is that they do not advise using this harness to run with a dog, as it might cause chafing. So, perhaps it is possible to train with this harness and may be move on to a trail harness later?
User avatar
Mattie
Posts: 5872
Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:21 am

Post by Mattie »

There is a ring at the front of a train harness were the strap from round the neck joins at both ends and the strap that goes between the front legs are attached, a lead can be attached here.

With the trail harness, if you hold the strap on top for big dogs or just lift you hand with small dogs, this lifts the dog's chest and tummy so they can't pull. :lol:
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Daniel Rose
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 2:49 pm
Location: Shrewsbury, MA USA

Post by Daniel Rose »

Well, I just picked up this Easy Walk harness, and shall give it a try.

I had trouble figuring out where and how to buy your harness on the TRPD site, but I'll go back to it if this one does not seem to work for any reason (chafing, continued pulling, etc.). I tried searching on harness and came up with nothing.

Exactly how DO you find something and purchase it there?
Paul&Muttley

Post by Paul&Muttley »

I had an Easy Walk harness for Muttley, and it worked OK, but it clipped on the front of his chest and it worked by interfering with his front legs when he pulled. He managed to get one leg out of the straps and it got twisted up, because he likes to walk in front or to the side (which is actually easier for me when we walk on narrow trails). But I lost the harness after using it a few days, and then switched back to a Martingale flat collar, which holds securely without excessively squeezing his neck. But he would still pull too much. And the Easy Walk was about $25.

A few weeks ago I bought an anti-pull harness at Walmart for less than $10, and it works fairly well. It is similar to the Sporn harness or trail harness described above, and it works well for a dog who is walking ahead. Muttley seems to like it, and willingly sits for me to slip the loops over his head, and he holds his legs slack so I can lift them into the side loops, which then can be tightened and clipped to a leash. I can recommend it as being a good value for the price, but there may be better ones available.
Daniel Rose
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 2:49 pm
Location: Shrewsbury, MA USA

Post by Daniel Rose »

Paul&Muttley wrote:I had an Easy Walk harness for Muttley, and it worked OK, but it clipped on the front of his chest and it worked by interfering with his front legs when he pulled. He managed to get one leg out of the straps and it got twisted up, because he likes to walk in front or to the side (which is actually easier for me when we walk on narrow trails).
OK so, the Easy Walk I got for Rocky worked great on our maiden voyage. I wasn't quite sure how tight to make all the straps, but I followed the instructions as closely as I could, then tightened everything a bit more (but not too much). I think I probably tightened the chest strap more than you did, because Rocky, at first, got ahead of me (as usual), but he didn't come close to stepping out of his harness.

Eventually, with some "waits" and "goes," I actually got Rocky to walk truly loosely beside me for the first time in the month we have had him. The biggest challenge was the border collie we met on the path, both of which wanted to have a go at each other. The collie owner got her game little beast to sit in the snow off the path. I tried to sit Rocky, but he is clearly not ready in this situation yet. Rocky also pulled hard on the leash to lunge as we passed, but just by stopping and holding on, he eventually turned and let go (as designed), then we immediately resumed walking on with Rocky hanging loose beside me again.

So, once fitted, this harness is a snap to put on, and he seems to naturally walk lossely with this thing, just as some reviewers elsewhere have said. I guess we will have to see how it goes as I try to get him sitting in more encounter situations, and especially when we start encountering more squirrels.

However, thanks for the Walmart suggestion. I'll take a look there if this one doesn't work out and I still have trouble obtaining the trail harness form TRPD.

BTW, for anyone else who has trouble shopping at the TRPD Web site, they actually have a whole forum and a topic on the difficulties of using their own site, which I think is both hilarious and rather welcome: http://petcraftproject.proboards24.com/ ... hread=6286
User avatar
Mattie
Posts: 5872
Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:21 am

Post by Mattie »

TRPD isn't a business, it was formed by 4 people who made things for their own dogs and decided to make and sell them to raise money for dogs in rescues. Not a penny goes into anyone's pocket, all profits goes to rescues including the one I work for RDR.

They will make things to order, their coats are very hard wearing, well made and comfortable for the dogs, problem is they last too long and I get fed up with them.

This is Gracie in her terry towelling bathrobe, these are really good for wet dogs. :lol:

Image


They do plain fabrics, checked, plaid and waterproof do coats. This is Melin in his faux sheepskin coat, it was take 2 weeks after his operation on his spin and he is still feeling sorry for himself.

Image

There are also fun coats, this is Ellie in her frog coat. :lol:

Image
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Daniel Rose
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 2:49 pm
Location: Shrewsbury, MA USA

Post by Daniel Rose »

Mattie wrote:TRPD isn't a business, it was formed by 4 people who made things for their own dogs and decided to make and sell them to raise money for dogs in rescues.
Yes, they seem a fine volunteer support operation. Those coats are very clever, indeed. :D

So, it would probably be very good just to get this custom harness for the support--er--as a donation ...
Post Reply