Collars and Harnesses have been around since the beginning of the domestication of canines. Collars came first dating back to about 5000 B.C. when Egyptians made them out of leather. They primarily used them for the decoration and identification of their dogs. Harnesses were originally designed for pulling sleds or equipment. These were designed based on Equine Harnesses. Equine and Canine equipment is very similar although made for different species it has similar goals. Using Both the Collar and Harness Can be Beneficial for Dogs.
As a professional dog trainer, I choose to embrace both the collar and harness as both have their advantages and disadvantages. Every dog is different and requires different equipment to train. Doing what is best for your dog is all that matters. If you are not sure about what to choose or how to choose a dog collar or harness contact me today.
Collars
Traditional collars are designed simply to attach a leash to and go on a walk with your dog. A traditional collar is a flat buckle collar. It does not have a training function to it as training collars do. These collars’ primary function is to hold identification tags.
How Collars are Used:
Training collars are used to communicate with your dog what is the expected behavior. Common training collars are Martingale, Prong, Choke, and Slip. While I do not use Prong or Choke collars I do primarily use Martingales and Slip collars on my own dog and client’s dogs. Dogs who like to escape I recommend a Martingale collar as its design prevents your dog from escaping.
Pros and Cons of Collars
Although collars have been around for centuries they can actually cause damage to your dog. Though the severity and damage levels do depend on the breed and physical aspects of the dog. Proper usage and fit of these training collars are also essential to the safety of your dog. Some breeds such as the mini poodle are prone to collapsing tracheas and all it takes is one rough tug on the collar can quickly turn into an emergency situation. Other breeds such as Rottweilers, Pitbulls, Cane Corso, and Bull Mastiffs have thicker necks making collars the safer choice than harnesses. Constant Pulling on the collar can cause thyroid damage or spinal injuries over time. Collars are great for dogs who don’t pull and are not prone to neck injuries. Most dogs can transition between collar and harness if needed. A collar alone is not going to train your dog/.
Harness
Harness’s original intent was to help animals pull sleds or equipment. Their use today has changed the design and function of the harness themselves. The most popular types of harnesses are the back clip, front clip, Positively No-Pull double clip.
Pros and Cons of Harnesses
Although the location of harnesses typically lay on the dog’s chest, back, and shoulder region it can also cause physical pain to the dog and injury over time. The Easy Walk Harness is the most used harness in my training sessions. Research shows that some dogs may develop shoulder and front leg arthritis from this harness. While I respect this research I have used an Easy Walk Harness on my personal dog Aussie for many years now and multiple clients and have never had them complain about their dog having pain from the harness. This harness and most front clip harnesses help reduce pulling, increase control over the dog and decrease the stress on their neck.
Using Both the Collar and Harness
Using Both the Collar and Harness Can be Beneficial for Dogs. Certain behaviors such as pulling benefit from a harness more than a collar to start. Whereas aggression and reactivity cases a collar may be more efficient in communication to your dog on what is acceptable. Many of my clients use a traditional collar to hold ID Tags, a Harness for the car, and a training collar for when we go on walks. Based on your dog’s needs and training goals we can customize what tools are needs to best succeed.
Training collars and harnesses are only on the dog when we are training. When the session has stopped I release the dog and take off the equipment. Dogs actually learn to associate when they have the harness/collar is on it is training or working time. Service Dogs are a great example of this.
AVOID leaving harnesses and collars on your dogs at night, they can cause strangulation or lack of circulation in limbs.
If you have any questions on the different types of collars or harnesses that would best suit your dog please contact us today.
If you enjoyed this post, I’d be very grateful if you would help spread it by email to a friend, on social media, or even word of mouth.
Need Help Training? Contact me today!