There is a wide range of dog harnesses you can consider right now and each type offers unique benefits. The commonest options are; The back-clip, front-clip, dual clip, head-halter, and step-in harnesses. The purpose of choosing the right harness is to ensure that the dog moves around comfortably and to reduce pulling while relieving pressure on the animal’s trachea and the entire neck and back region.
Back-clip Dog Harness
Back-clip dog harnesses are some of the good quality dogs harnesses out there. It has a D-ring attachment on the back of the dog, and it is easy to use while remaining comfortable for most dog breeds. One of the benefits of this harness is that the leash is less likely to get tangled around the legs of the animal. Another benefit of this harness is that the attachment is located at the back rather than near the throat, which makes it more comfortable. There is less risk of choking with this harness rather it provides more control. In addition to being the commonest types of harnesses, these harnesses are some of the most affordable and they come in different adjustable sizes.
Front-clip Dog Harness
Though the front harnesses are less common, they are however great choices especially for dog breeds that pull a lot. The tension on the harness pulls the dog towards the owner, rather than forward thus providing better control. The main benefit of this type of harness is that it discourages pulling without causing any discomfort. Front-clip harnesses also come in adjustable sizes, and you need to measure the girth and width of the neck of the dog before you purchase one.
Dual-clip Dog Harnesses
The dual-clip harness provides the benefits of both the front and rear-clip options. The rear clip on this harness is more active for guiding the dog during walks, the front-clip will be more effective when the dog decides to pull. The combination of front and back-clip makes this harness more powerful and more convenient than the individual front or back-clip harnesses. The back-clip option provides a gentle guiding towards the dog owner.
Head-halter
The head-halter will be one of the best harnesses if your dog is a very strong puller or reactive when placed on a leash. They often look like muzzle but they remain a painless tool for walking boisterous dog breeds. They do come with a strap around the neck and another strap around the snout. The leash is attached via the D-ring located under the chin and when the dog pulls, the halter will simply cause the dog’s nose to move down towards the owner, hence it will be almost impossible for the dog to pull in a straight line.
Unlike the choke chains, head halters wouldn’t cause any pain and your dog will still be able to open its mouth. You should be prepared for your dog’s react9ion when you put head-halter on its head, some may even attempt to remove the harness with their paws or simply rub their heads against the floor. You mustn’t yank or pull halter harness to avoid causing pain or injury on the dog.
The Anti-Lunge Halters
The anti-lunge halters work exactly like the usual halter harnesses but they are longer and can reach almost the back of the dog. They make it harder for a dog to pull or lunge hence they are most suitable for the bigger dogs that can be difficult to control. They don’t cause pain, despite discouraging lunging and pulling.
Step-in Dog Harnesses
Step-in harness is a different style of harness which means it can have a front, back or both types of attachments. The step-in harness will require that your dog put its two feet through the holes rather than pass the harness over the head. This option might be difficult especially for the over-excited dogs because most dogs will prefer the step-in harness.
Conclusion
When it comes to the use of dog harness, you need to exercise some patience with the animal. Most dogs wouldn’t like to be controlled for too long, hence you should use harnesses for short periods in the beginning until the dog gets used to it. You will need to spend some time using positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement should include the use of treats to reward the dog once she obeys the use of harnesses. You should adjust the harness accordingly, especially when the animal is feeling too much discomfort.
Dog Harnesses should not be used when the dog is around the house, it should be used outdoors only, doing this will ensure that the dog has lots of free time to be independent and not rely on restricted control with harnesses and collars. It is important to choose the right harness size for your dog, this will help prevent struggling with putting the harness on the dog.
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