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03/03/2025
🐾A collar is great for keeping your dog’s identification tag on; however, it is not ideal for training or walking.
The biggest problem with a collar is that it can potentially cause a lot of damage to your dog’s neck. Prolonged pressure on the neck can affect the dog’s lymph nodes, mandibular gland, thyroid glands, trachea and esophagus.
🐕When you're walking your dog on a collar and encounter an unexpected change in the environment, your dog might react by suddenly darting after something or running away in fright. If they reach the end of their lead during this sudden movement, they'll be sharply yanked back. This abrupt stop can put a significant amount of sudden pressure on their neck, potentially leading to whiplash, bruising of the esophagus, and other injuries.
Choke collars, including prong and chain types, are linked to several severe injuries in dogs. These injuries can range from spinal cord damage and whiplash to crushed trachea and difficulty breathing. Further harm can include fractured larynx bones and damage to the esophagus with bruising. Prong collars work by pinching the dog's neck skin when they pull on the leash. Over time, this repeated pinching can lead to the formation of scar tissue, which is less sensitive to pain, causing the dog to gradually ignore the discomfort due to the decreased sensation in that area.
❗️Any collar that tightens around a dog's neck can cause significant discomfort by restricting their air supply. This not only frightens the dog but can also trigger a fight-or-flight response. Such experiences can lead to long-term fear or even aggressive behaviour in dogs as they try to avoid or escape from similar situations in the future.
Depending on its design, a harness can distribute pressure more evenly across a dog's chest and back. The primary aim of using a harness is to alleviate strain on the neck and help prevent injuries to the trachea, offering a safer and more comfortable alternative to traditional collars.
⚖️Not all harnesses are created equal, and some are specifically designed to discourage pulling by causing discomfort or pain. These types of harnesses may rub, pinch, or tighten when the dog pulls, leading to discomfort and pain. The intention is for the dog to associate pulling with these unpleasant sensations and learn to stop in order to avoid them. It’s important to avoid harnesses that have straps running straight across the chest, as these can restrict freedom of movement and be uncomfortable for the dog. Additionally, be cautious with harnesses labelled as "no-pull." While they are designed to discourage pulling, some may achieve this by causing discomfort.
When looking for a harness, you need to look for the right size and shape. I personally prefer the ‘Y’ shaped harness because the straps of the harness sit far away from the dog’s joints and does not restrict movement from the forelimbs by allowing the shoulder to rotate and the leg to extend forward.
When choosing a harness, look for one that fits well and complements the natural shape of your dog. I personally recommend the 'Y' shaped harness because it's designed with the dog's comfort and mobility in mind. The straps on this type of harness are positioned away from the dog’s joints, making sure they don’t restrict movement. This allows for full shoulder rotation and doesn’t obstruct extension of the front legs, making it ideal for active dogs who need to move freely without discomfort.
If the straps of a harness sit too close to the shoulders, they can interfere with your dog's natural movement. This not only causes discomfort but may also negatively impact your puppy's developmental movement patterns.
❌Harness to avoid ❌
Avoid any harness that does not seem to have been designed around the dog’s physiology.
For instance, a harness with a strap across the chest and shoulders can limit your dog's natural movements. It's important to also ensure that the strap around the abdomen doesn't sit too close to the dog's elbows or pinch under the armpits, as this can cause discomfort and restrict movement as well.
Another harness to avoid is anything that works by ‘closing’ around the dog’s body (tightening and decreasing is size) when your dog pulls on the leash. This causes pressure and discomfort, and some can even cause pain. The dog then learns to avoid the unpleasant feeling by not pulling. This does not teach your dog to walk nicely, this teaches your dog to avoid pain and discomfort.
I would NOT recommend using a head harness, halti, or head collar. These tools can cause discomfort to the dog's nose when pulling, and in the event of a sudden jerk, they may lead to serious injuries to the face, neck, and spine. Additionally, such discomfort can increase stress and potentially exacerbate behavioural problems rather than solving them
Anything that inflicts pain, discomfort and causes serious physical and emotional damage to the dog should never be used.
✅The kindest harness to use for a dog who tends to pull would be a harness shaped in a ‘Y’, which has an attachment on the top and front of the harness. A good positive reinforcement trainer can help teach you how to show your dog to walk nicely on leash.
*𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄* 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬.
A dog pulling on a leash is not an equipment problem; it's a matter of behaviour and appropriate training! First, identify the underlying emotions and reasons behind your dog's pulling. Next, work on building their confidence and improving their impulse control. Begin training by rewarding the behaviours you wish to encourage instead of reprimanding the behaviours you don't like.
Be patient, be kind, and if you are struggling with this, please find a reputable positive reinforcement trainer in your area.
