We always recommend the use of a harness (rather than a collar) for walking dogs, especially small dogs. This is because when dogs get excited they tend to backup and then a collar can easily slip over their head. Also, any time you pull your dog towards you when he or she is facing you, the collar is in danger of coming off. For example, when you try to turn around to return home when Fido wants to continue walking, or when you try to get Muffy into the car, or into the vet’s office!
To try to prevent the collar from slipping over the head in these situations you would need to make it very tight, and even then there is no guarantee it won’t come off. A tight collar is uncomfortable and can even be painful for your dog. Imagine how you feel wearing tight shoes. You should be able to fit two fingers under your dog’s collar. Check you puppy’s collar every couple of weeks while he is she is growing to ensure it is not too tight.
Another problem with using collars for walks is that small dogs have delicate throats and pulling on the collar can hurt their throat, causing coughing or real damage. A collar is always required to be worn, but the purpose of a collar is to hold the ID tag, not for walking. It is a legal requirement in NSW that all dogs must wear a collar with ID tag when outside his or her own property. For safety’s sake, we recommend keeping it on 24 x 7. You never know when someone may open your door or your gate and Trixie will make a run for it.
Another advantage of owning a dog harness is you can use it to transport Spot safely in your vehicle. Some harnesses feature a loop which you can put a seat belt through. This is fine for a dog which sits still while in the car but is not good for a dog who likes to move around. It will allow too much movement and will get twisted. To solve this, either use a pet carrier in the car or buy an adjustable length seat belt strap/tether which clicks into the seat belt clip on one end and hooks onto the harness on the other. This enables your dog to be safe in the car without danger of flying forward if you brake suddenly. It also minimises driver distraction. Never use a seat belt tether attached to a collar because in an accident it could snap your dog’s neck!
Petitude stocks a fabulous variety of harnesses in a multitude of styles to suit every pet.
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Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.
