Collar vs Harness

GSDkid · 06-04-2011, 10:09 AM

I've been reading up and talking to some friends who switched from Collar to Harness because of pulling on the leash. Sorry, I can't reference the URL because I forgot where I read it from BUT it states that dogs react more to pulling on the leash with a collar pressured at the neck rather than a harness which doesn't apply pressure to 1 area of their body. Any inputs on this or is it just a misconception? I'm thinking about switching over to harness and want to stay away from prongs.

Sarah Rose · 06-04-2011, 10:26 AM

We switched our dogs. They still pull. However harnesses are safer for the dog. Collars, when they pull, can cause damage. We now use a holt head harness/collar along with a regular harness now...the pulling stopped instantly. I am amazed. They need a little time to get used to it but I love the instant results.

FredD · 06-04-2011, 10:33 AM

Pulling has nothing to do w/ collars or harness. Pulling has to be controlled by owner. Harness is made so the dog has free head to work, (no neck pressure). Prongs are used as a control, nothing more. Collars are many to chose from also used as control to a point. Pulling is tast to be controlled by the owner/trainer.

Cara Fusinato · 06-04-2011, 01:12 PM

My first dog I walked on a collar. Aussie so the hair is crucial to this story. We were almost hit by an RC jet airplane, the dog freaked, pulled out of the collar, and RAN while I held leash and all the ID (he was microchipped though). I switched to a harness the next day.

Walked dogs 1 & 2 on harnesses for YEARS. Dog 2 passed due to organ failure and Dog 3 replaced. Harness walking. Dog 1 had developed lipomas oddly in every pressure point area of the harness. Figured it was just a fluke. Dog 3 began developing lipomas in the same areas. I freaked. I researched.

I switched to martingale collars. LOVE THEM. Pulling is indeed more about owner control (ever seen 70 & 90 pound Aussies walking together sight a flock of sheep? -- not obese, freakishly large, BTW). Martingales give a bit more control than the collar in regards to pulling though, are pretty darned hard to slip out of as they were invented for the hounds with narrow heads, and don't have prongs or the ability to fully choke like a chain. I leave their everyday collar on with the ID tags and then behind it further down on the neck I place the martingale for walking. This way it rides further down and not up by the head and is even harder to slip out of as there is a second collar in front of it by the head and to pull out both would have to pull off or one slip over the other with tags dangling etc. Not likely. My dogs walk wonderfully on martingales.

I love the safety of a harness, but the dog can get get of them if they back just right and the whole lipoma thing freaked me out as they indeed grew and finally Dog 1 did pass of mass-effect. Martingales are harder to slip out of. Martingales do a good job in addition to training. Pulling is still pulling though.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 06-04-2011, 01:15 PM

There's a reason sled dogs wear harnesses.

There are front hook harnesses like the Sense-ation and the Easy Walk that can help minimize pulling while you train your dog not to pull on leash, but they're training tools, not a fix-all.

jmoney · 06-04-2011, 03:10 PM

The harness is not going to solve your pulling problems, get a prong or fur saver collar and begin instructing the dog on the proper place to be while walking, because up in front not paying attention yanking on the collar is not the right place. We are actually in the process of moving away from the prong back to the remote collar now that our pup has finally gotten things in perspective

**JakodaCD OA** · 06-04-2011, 03:21 PM

as soon as I slap a harness on one of my dogs they think one of two things 1. I'm going herding or 2. I'm going tracking.

For some they work, but for a pulling dog, I think a harness makes it worse. Of course if your dog is not a puller the harness might be great.

1sttimeforgsd · 06-04-2011, 05:29 PM

I prefer the prong myself, my lab can slip out of a harness faster than you can blink your eyes. She got scared at the vets office and backed right out of it, luckily we were inside. Since then I have never trusted a harness.

doggiedad · 06-04-2011, 06:18 PM

teach your dog to heel on either side
with or without a leash. train, don't depend
on a device. i read somewhere

"when your dog
isn't doing what you want you have to ask
yourself what am i doing wrong".

BGSD · 06-04-2011, 06:21 PM

I switched from collar to a harness (Easy Walk) and it makes it much easier during walks. He pulls much less with the harness. So yes, harness is easier and better.

06-04-2011, 10:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
GSDkid Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 474	Collar vs Harness I've been reading up and talking to some friends who switched from Collar to Harness because of pulling on the leash. Sorry, I can't reference the URL because I forgot where I read it from BUT it states that dogs react more to pulling on the leash with a collar pressured at the neck rather than a harness which doesn't apply pressure to 1 area of their body. Any inputs on this or is it just a misconception? I'm thinking about switching over to harness and want to stay away from prongs.

06-04-2011, 10:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
Sarah Rose Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Burnsville, MN Posts: 73	We switched our dogs. They still pull. However harnesses are safer for the dog. Collars, when they pull, can cause damage. We now use a holt head harness/collar along with a regular harness now...the pulling stopped instantly. I am amazed. They need a little time to get used to it but I love the instant results. __________________ Kiba - German Shepherd/Border Collie Mix 10/2008 Scout - Basenji/Pitbull Mix 10/29/2009 Ninja - GSD 3/4/2011 Sino - German Shepherd/Blue Lacy Mix - RIP

06-04-2011, 10:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
FredD Master Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 912	Pulling has nothing to do w/ collars or harness. Pulling has to be controlled by owner. Harness is made so the dog has free head to work, (no neck pressure). Prongs are used as a control, nothing more. Collars are many to chose from also used as control to a point. Pulling is tast to be controlled by the owner/trainer. __________________ Mikko-GSD- 2008 Wiley-GSD- 2009 "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning how to dance in the rain." (Author Unknown)

06-04-2011, 01:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cara Fusinato Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Central CA Posts: 152	My first dog I walked on a collar. Aussie so the hair is crucial to this story. We were almost hit by an RC jet airplane, the dog freaked, pulled out of the collar, and RAN while I held leash and all the ID (he was microchipped though). I switched to a harness the next day. Walked dogs 1 & 2 on harnesses for YEARS. Dog 2 passed due to organ failure and Dog 3 replaced. Harness walking. Dog 1 had developed lipomas oddly in every pressure point area of the harness. Figured it was just a fluke. Dog 3 began developing lipomas in the same areas. I freaked. I researched. I switched to martingale collars. LOVE THEM. Pulling is indeed more about owner control (ever seen 70 & 90 pound Aussies walking together sight a flock of sheep? -- not obese, freakishly large, BTW). Martingales give a bit more control than the collar in regards to pulling though, are pretty darned hard to slip out of as they were invented for the hounds with narrow heads, and don't have prongs or the ability to fully choke like a chain. I leave their everyday collar on with the ID tags and then behind it further down on the neck I place the martingale for walking. This way it rides further down and not up by the head and is even harder to slip out of as there is a second collar in front of it by the head and to pull out both would have to pull off or one slip over the other with tags dangling etc. Not likely. My dogs walk wonderfully on martingales. I love the safety of a harness, but the dog can get get of them if they back just right and the whole lipoma thing freaked me out as they indeed grew and finally Dog 1 did pass of mass-effect. Martingales are harder to slip out of. Martingales do a good job in addition to training. Pulling is still pulling though. __________________ Cara Central CA + Shay -- GSD X ASTCD mix + Mayson -- Aussie + Cats -- Zeus, Apollo, Pandora, Athena + Llamas -- Chinadoll, Here Kitty Kitty + Goats -- Lizzy, Matilda (large), Taffy, Cookie (mini)

06-04-2011, 01:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,959	There's a reason sled dogs wear harnesses. There are front hook harnesses like the Sense-ation and the Easy Walk that can help minimize pulling while you train your dog not to pull on leash, but they're training tools, not a fix-all. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

06-04-2011, 03:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
jmoney Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 83	The harness is not going to solve your pulling problems, get a prong or fur saver collar and begin instructing the dog on the proper place to be while walking, because up in front not paying attention yanking on the collar is not the right place. We are actually in the process of moving away from the prong back to the remote collar now that our pup has finally gotten things in perspective

06-04-2011, 03:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
JakodaCD OA Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Location: Old Lyme, CT USA Posts: 14,237	as soon as I slap a harness on one of my dogs they think one of two things 1. I'm going herding or 2. I'm going tracking. For some they work, but for a pulling dog, I think a harness makes it worse. Of course if your dog is not a puller the harness might be great. __________________ Diane Danger Danger vom Kleinen Hain aka Masi "Angel" Jakoda's Bewitchen Sami CD OA OAJ OAC NGC OJC RS-O GS-N JS-O TT HIC CGC "Angel" Steinwald's Four x Four CGC HIC TT Harmonyhill's Hy Jynx NA NAJ NAC NJC RS-N JS-N HIC Jakoda's Jagged Edge

06-04-2011, 05:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
1sttimeforgsd Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: West Virginia Posts: 4,897	I prefer the prong myself, my lab can slip out of a harness faster than you can blink your eyes. She got scared at the vets office and backed right out of it, luckily we were inside. Since then I have never trusted a harness. __________________ karen, mom to: ace-gsd (bi-color) 6/14/2010 mandy-yellow lab 1/31/2009 baby-terrier mix 11/25/2000

06-04-2011, 06:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
doggiedad Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jenkintown,Pa. Posts: 9,846	teach your dog to heel on either side with or without a leash. train, don't depend on a device. i read somewhere "when your dog isn't doing what you want you have to ask yourself what am i doing wrong". __________________ "Life Without A Dog Is A Life Unfulfilled"

06-04-2011, 06:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
BGSD Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 450	I switched from collar to a harness (Easy Walk) and it makes it much easier during walks. He pulls much less with the harness. So yes, harness is easier and better.

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