Harnesses, Collars, & Other Walking Tools

by Bailey Coldwell

As you are preparing for your new puppy or beginning leash-walking skills with your dog, you may grow confused about the best tools to purchase to help set you and your dog up for success. Harnesses? Collars? Oh my! With so many products out there, it can get overwhelming. 

Lately, it has been rumored that harnesses are considered “bad.” This is because of their placement on dogs and how we use them. Not all harnesses are bad for dogs. However, we do want to purchase a well-designed and well-fitting harness. 

When choosing a harness, you want to look primarily at the chest of the dog. If the harness cuts across the shoulders of the dog, restricting movements of the joints, you do not want to purchase it. Instead, look for a harness that creates more of a “Y-shape” on the chest of the dog, coming up higher towards the neck. This will allow the dog to have full motion of their legs. 

You also want a harness that has an attachment for the leash on the chest of the dog and potentially on the back of the dog. When we are working on teaching loose leash walking and want our dog at our side, connect the leash to the chest of the dog. When we want our dogs to walk nicely beside us, the back attachment of the leash results in more pulling. This is due to oppositional force. Think of it like a game of tug of war. If I were to come and pull on your arm, you would instinctively pull back. When there is tension, we want to automatically pull in the other direction. Therefore if the dog is by our side and the leash is attached to their back and they step forward to pull, the tension encourages them to continue that pressure. The same effect can happen with a flat collar on a rambunctious dog. 

When you are putting a harness on your dog, you want to be able to fit two fingers easily between the harness and every point of contact with the skin. You don’t want to be able to slide your entire hand through with ease. If a harness is too loose, the dog can slide out of it. They will also be more likely to chew through it. Having a loose-fitting harness will defeat the use of a harness, as the leash will misplace where the harness should lay on the dog. You also don’t want it to be too tight. This can cause rubbing, irritation, and injuries. 

I like to consider overall comfort for dogs. There are many bulky harnesses out there. I tend to prefer the ones that are slicker and not as much material to them. I avoid harnesses with handles on the back. I prefer harnesses that the dog doesn’t have to step into. The step into harnesses can be more invasive, as we must apply more contact to get the harness on. 

When you are introducing your dog to a harness (or any new training tool) understand that it can be a weird sensation for them at first. You are going to want to make sure to create a positive association with the item. It is great to use a harness that goes over the dog’s head, as you can lure their head into it. Eventually, this can lead to you saying a cue/holding out the harness and your dog can assist in putting it on. Check out our cooperative care course for more guidance on creating a positive association to contact. 

My favorite harness is the Blue-9 Balance Harness. A close second is the 2Hounds Design Freedom No-Pull Harness.  I find that the balance harness tends to stay in place better, but both of them are quality harnesses. 

So, when do I use a flat collar? When I have a new puppy in my home, I keep them on a leash with me if they are not in the crate or the pen. In the home, I tend to use a collar for convenience purposes and because it usually doesn’t take as long to create a positive association to a collar as it does a harness. Inside the home is usually not as distracting as it is outside. Therefore, since pups are less likely to pull and they aren’t putting that tension on their necks when inside, I tend to use a flat collar. 

I also currently use a flat collar on standard walks and outings with my 6-year-old lab. She no longer pulls on the leash, and her personal preference is for the collar. She does well with the harness once it is on. We use it in the vehicle and also when she is on a long line for safety purposes. She tends to be a more “body-sensitive” dog. This means that she struggles with the process of things being placed on her body. It tends to stress her out, therefore making her not perform as well when she is wearing a harness. I find that she is more at ease when she is wearing a flat collar, making the entire field trip more successful. When she was younger and would be more likely to attempt to pull in public, she would be on a harness. 

A martingale collar can be applied if we are using it for safety purposes. Some breeds, such as greyhounds, have very small heads compared to the girth of their necks. This can make it easy for them to slip out of a properly fitted flat collar. Martingale collars are made from fabric and tighten if there is tension on the leash. We do not want to use them to add discomfort by popping or yanking on the leash. 

We do not recommend choke chains/collars. Unlike martingale collars, there is no way to control how much the choke collar tightens, and if not used on the proper side, they do not release tension effectively. This can result in injury and is considered aversive. Prong (pinch) collars, although more controlled than choke collars, are still against our training philosophy due to the intention of causing pain and discomfort to the dog. We also do not recommend electronic collars, for the same reason. The only time I would suggest an electronic collar is solemnly for the purposes of getting a deaf dog’s attention, and only using the vibration level. Making the vibrate equal a good reward. 

There are also head halters (known as Haltis, head harnesses, head collars, and similar to Gentle Leaders). These tools tend to be controversial. They typically consist of a strap around the dog’s nose and usually another strap that goes around their necks, right behind the ears. The leash is attached to the halter either under the chin or at the back of the dog’s head. When not used correctly, they can result in injuries to the dog. When using a tool like this, it is important that we don’t add in any type of jerking motion to the leash. I would only recommend a tool like this for an experienced dog handler, if a person owns a large young dog in a city setting, or if the strength of the dog and handler is mismatched to the point of leash work being a safety concern. Head halters can be very challenging to create a positive association to, so it is important to take the time to properly introduce them over 2-3 weeks. Some dogs may still feel uncomfortable while walking and tension is created, and if not paired with loose leash walking training will only work if the head halter is on - as soon as it comes off, the dog may go right back to pulling.

When leash walking, remember that our dogs aren't giving us a hard time on the leash, they are having a hard time on the leash. We always want to think about the why in regards to our dog not behaving well on the leash versus trying to only rely on the tool. Regardless of the tools that we use, it will take time and consistency to socialize our dogs to the outside world. Our dog might still pull and act up on a harness, collar, head halter, or even aversive tools if they are too overwhelmed by the environment. Tools can be used to help set us up for success, but we want our dogs to walk with us. Our goal should be to help make it an amazing experience to check in with us and remain by our side. If your dog is not behaving well on the leash, we often have to change something about the setup, not just the tool. Reward more, take breaks, practice in less stressful situations, do not go forward if the dog is pulling, and allow the process to take time.