01/02/2022
We’ve all worn an uncomfortable item of clothing that was too tight or didn’t fit properly, preventing our full range of movement.
How do you feel with the top button of your shirt done up? Do you happily rock a polo neck like you’re in The Man from Uncle?
Some of us can handle heavy jewellery that puts Flavor Flav to shame, others opt for lighter designs or none at all.
Some of us will be more sensitive to restriction than others.
The more active I’ve become, the less tolerant I am to restrictive clothing and heavy accessories.
Let’s consider your dog’s equipment.
DOG TAGS:
I sometimes see dogs wearing disproportionately large ID tags that are very heavy! Consider how this may feel in motion. Have you ever ran with a heavy item/accessory thudding against your chest? It can either do your head in or actually become a bit sore after a while (sensitisation).
What about the noise? Clanging on the water bowl, tapping on the d-ring of the harness? Some dogs can be very sensitive to the sound of metal on metal.
* Consider the use of bells to locate dogs who roam. Firstly, we should be careful of relying on these, but also the dog may be sensitive to the sound, potentially increasing in arousal due to the persistent noise. But also, other dogs may be sensitive or confused by the sound, I know Kanita is when dogs rush over with the larger bells on.
My dogs now wear these flat ID tags on the top of their harnesses. When they wore the classic tag it was attached to the front of their harness so it wasn’t flapping and tapping on their spine (think of all those nerves!).
HARNESSES:
These should not pinch the shoulder/armpit nor cross the chest!
Imagine trying to raise your arms above head while wearing an off the shoulder top or doing yoga with your trousers half way down your legs. Not only would the latter raise eyebrows in class- it would be uncomfortable and inefficient!
Step-in harnesses (what I refer to as 'the bra harness' due to looking like a bra!) can be invasive to put on, causing many dogs to become harness shy. They are also far too close to the armpit and often pinch or cause fur matting.
T-shirt design harnesses are usually no different to a collar in their function, as they sit too high on the throat, applying pressure to the trachea when the lead goes tight. Ironically, this design is often preferred by brachycephalic breed owners.
The K9 design severely restricts shoulder movement by crossing the scapula. Whilst the over the head design is helpful for harness shy dogs, there are other designs that allow a full range of movement.
The same applies to 'no pull harnesses'. These operate by restricting movement. It's like gong for a walk on rocky terrain in stilettos or running across a daisy filled meadow with your knickers round your knees (!!)- depending on what rocks your world, you may not fully enjoy the experience because you are inhibited. I never recommend the use of 'no pull harnesses', I recommend teaching dogs to walk on a loose lead.
It can be done with persistence and critical thinking if an existing method hasn't worked.
Front-leading harnesses:
I do not use these either, they are restrictive due to the two point of contact and lead coming from the centre of the dog's chest. Indeed, they can be used with skill that prevents the lead pulling across the chest, but the lead buckles knocking against the back and front may be tedious for some dogs.
I see a lot of dogs on front leading harnesses showing frustration towards dogs or decreased interaction with the environment due to the boxing-in the handling method causes.
I also see a lot of dogs crab (side-angle walk) when on a front leading harness.
I only use the front clip as a discrimination 'you are allowed to pull' cue. My goal is to use this as little as possible and for my dogs to walk in a balanced fashion with a lead attached to the centre-back of their harness.
Harnesses should make minimal contact with the body in terms of surface area covered- especially so for athletic dogs. They should not slip and slide around.
If your dog escapes from their harness (usually K9 or step in designs) then the Haqihana double H or Ruffwear Flagline are great designs- available from our online store).
H design harnesses (look down from above and you should see an H) are in my experience generally suited to most dogs.
FITTING GUIDE:
-The neck piece should sit on the clavicle (boney bit below the neck) and not higher.
- You should be able to get 2-3 fingers width between your dog's armpit and harness strap.
- You should be able to get 2-3 fingers underneath all of the straps on your dog's harness to ensure it is not too tight. The harness should clips should meet to fasten with no pulling at all.
LEADS
Choose a lead that is the right weight for your dog- small dogs should have thin, lightweight leads and small clips.
A too heavy lead, especially long lines, can be like wearing a rucksack on one shoulder, causing an imbalanced gait.
Slightly longer leads also set dogs up to succeed with loose lead walking by actually being able to be slack. A short lead is generally tight from the get-go, making the margin for error simply too small.
I never go shorter than 1.5 metres.
HEAD COLLARS:
The other day I was walking with a client and a dog on the other side of the road looked tense and upright, looking ahead (in our direction) without dipping their head to sniff or looking side to side. Signals dogs use to soften their body language. As I got closer I could see the dog was on a head collar. It physically couldn't soften it's body language, and my client's dog was responding to the tense body language and needed encouragement to soften theirs.
Head collars inhibit natural canine body language.
These should be avoided except in extreme examples- such as owner injury or size and strength of dogs being dangerous for the owner to walk otherwise.
The goal should be to move away from their use by training dogs to walk on a loose lead.
COLLARS:
"Sighthounds should wear a martigale collar to support their neck".........or maybe they could just be walked in a harness?!
My dogs don't wear collars, ever. When Tooey arrived his neck was like a rock, it was so tense (and he was walking skew-iff, called crabbing). The collar was removed and he has been walked in a harness ever since. His neck is soft and his gait has straightened out as much as it will for a dog of his weird stature!
Dont get me wrong, sometimes collars are needed. Especially in multi-dog households during initial introductions.
But they should be proportionate in width to the dog's neck.
Too often I see dogs wearing massive bulky collars or even big dogs being walked on thin collars that dig in.
Your dog should be able to move their neck muscles with ease, including lolling /hanging over the edge of things when resting!
The collar should not dig in if pressure is applied (flat collars, not rounded) and if pressure is applied- you need to work towards teaching your dog to walk on a loose lead.
"Stop picking such small battles" they might say, it's just a lead/tag/collar.
Well, for dogs that are using this equipent for an hour or two a day, we do need to consider the potential consequences of of frequent use. We've all been whacked out of line by using something that wasn't right for our body- whether it was using a bag, sleeping in an awkward position etc.
PUNITIVE EQUIPMENT:
If it tightens (even just a little), squeezes, pinches, shocks or makes a noise- be assured, there is a better way that will help support positive emotions in your dog.
Examples: half-checks, choke collars, slip leads, pinch collars, prong collars, vibration collars, spray collars and shock collars.
* Vibration collars can be used well for deaf dogs and slip leads are somewhat sensible for rescue/capture and can be used properly (with the stopper) for gun-dog work.
I don't care how big the dog is, how extreme you think their behaviour is.....I've been doing this for 11 years and have worked with all breeds of all shapes, sizes and motivations and have NEVER once used such equipment. Please just know- there is a kinder way and there is never a right or nice way to use this equipment. It works simply because it startles/scares, causes anxiety/fear and/or hurts (or is uncomfortable).
You can get your kind and comfortable equipment from our online store- with equipment options for all shapes and sizes of dog:
https://themuttyprofessor.co.uk/shop/
