Firstly, if your dog pulls you for a walk, rather than you taking him/her for a walk, then it is perhaps time to think about using a harness rather than a collar, but which one out of the vast array to choose from is the best dog harness. I own several dogs ranging from a miniature schnauzer to a boxer and the best dog harness for one is not necessarily the best for another. For instance, my schnauzer doesn’t like the harness one bit, although all my other dogs love them.
What a lot of people do not realize is that a lot of damage can be done to a dog’s neck and spine by over using a standard collar and lead. Not all dogs have the same strength ratio to size in their necks as others, similar to humans, some are more prone to neck problems than others. I see a lot of genuine dog lovers dragging or jolting their dogs by the lead/collar in an attempt to make their dog walk to “heel”. Unfortunately these people would be mortified if they thought they were harming their dogs.
We all assume that all dogs can tolerate their necks been pulled vigorously from side to side in a genuine attempt to help their dog walk beside them. It can also be frustrating to any owner to have their dog continuously walking under their feet or pulling so hard it nearly pulls them over. It is these dogs that really do need a harness.
Firstly, the best dog harness doesn’t have to be a replacement for a collar, they can be worn in conjunction with a collar, but the biggest advantage of a harness is the way the force is distributed along the shoulders and torso of the dog rather than all the stress being around its neck.
Most harnesses are adjustable, so they grow with the dog. Sometimes though you may have to purchase a larger one if you have a medium to larger dog. They can come with comfortable fleece lining to make it more of a pleasure to wear. There are leather ones, nylon ones, customized ones, cheap one and expensive ones. But there is definitely one to suit any type of dog.
A harness can also be a solution to a dog that regularly slips its lead, which can obviously be very dangerous indeed. On the flip side to this problem is putting the collar on too tight as a dogs neck can expand when it becomes warmer and so can be a choking hazard. Car journeys can also be made safer with a harness
Which is the best dog harness for a car? Again there are many to choose from, but a car harness is always preferable than a collar as the force created when you have to stop suddenly or you are involved in even the smallest accident can be so great that it can launch your dog forward at a frightening speed and force that neck or spine damage is almost certain. Therefore, make an informed decision when you try to buy the top dog harness.