What do you use to take your dog on a walk? Have you ever considered a harness? Take these four reasons into consideration when choosing the right training tool for your dog.
1. More Control
Harnesses offer support to the neck, chest, back, and legs. Because harnesses support more of the dog's body, the harness gives the handler more control of movement. Instead of only holding your dog back from the neck, owners are able to hold their dog by most of their body. This is especially helpful for big, muscular dogs who have the strength to intensely pull whoever is at the other end of the leash.
2. Discourages Pulling
Front-clip harnesses are especially helpful to discourage your dog's pulling. The chest ring allows the handler to redirect and steer the dogs attention by requiring the dog to turn around instead of pulling them back. Dogs aren't able to pull with a front clipped harness because they are forced to turn around. Additionally, harnesses trick dogs into thinking that they are pulling, when they really aren't.
3. Prevent Injuries
Walking with just a collar directs all the stress to the neck. Some dogs are very delicate, so a harness that allows an even distribution of pressure may help prevent injuries. Using a harness may even help with your own safety! Because it discourages pulling, your dog is less likely to cause strain and stress on your arm. In addition, harnesses make it harder for your dog to tangle their leash around you. We've all experienced an excited dog. They may accidentally wrap their leash around your legs, arms, fingers, etc., and cause an injury. Fortunately, harnesses make it more difficult for your dog to tangle you up.
4. Difficult to Escape Out Of
Some pups transform into little escape artists when on a walk. If motivated enough by that squirrel they just saw sprint across the grass, dogs can wriggle out of their collars when on a leash. Other dogs with thin faces, like Greyhounds, have the ability to simply slip out of their collars. Harnesses make it much harder for a crafty dog to escape.
Now that you've decided to purchase a harness, it's time to choose the best harness for your dog. Make sure to consider size and style when getting your new harness!
Don't forget to follow Thousand Hills Pet Resort on social media and subscribe to the blog!
References: AKC, Project Pawsitivity, Canidae