My puppy is 11 weeks old. He is a maltese/shih tzu mix. I put a collar on him with the ID tag. Should I use a leash to attach on the collar or use a harness? He doesn't like it when i try to walk him with the leash. my friend suggested getting a harness.
2007-06-16 23:32:49 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Harnesses are better for toy dogs. You also increase chances for a collapsed trachea with a collar and not with a harness. Your friend is correct.
2007-06-16 23:51:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I have a Dalmation that is 14 years old. She was a puller as a puppy. We tried every kind of leash that we could. We went to obidience school with her. (My trainer snickered when we brought in a Dalmation.) She still pulled. Now that she is old, she coughs (do dogs cough?) and hacks. I wonder if the leash did damage to her throat. When she was about two years old (still pulling) we tried a harness and she was easier to control. We even found a harness that was a basic collar, with a pull that goes down the front and under the legs and attaches on the back. You can check out the link below for something like we had. It worked great! I recommend the harness. And it won't do any long term damage because the pull is on the front of the chest instead of the tender neck.
2007-06-16 23:49:58 · answer #2 · answered by Bruce N 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The body harness is a tool gaining in popularity. When properly fit, the harness is usually safe. As a tool, it is very effective at harnessing the dog’s energy so they can pull much more effectively. Draft dogs such as sled dogs would not be able to pull such great loads without a good harness. Around town however, we see more dogs in harness simply as a management tool. Owners of these dogs have very often given up on trying to get their dogs to stop pulling, and so have decided to make the pulling more comfortable for the dog. If one thinks about it, it’s really sad because these owners have in essence written their dogs off as being incapable of learning to walk beside them on a nice loose leash.
2007-06-17 00:56:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any short-faced dog like a shih tzu should use a harness. Collars can cause eye-injuries called a proptosis. If the dog pulls on the collar or the collar slips off his head, it can make him loose his eye.
And I like harnesses better anyway. They are much easier to use to teach the dog to walk on a leash.
2007-06-17 00:13:23 · answer #4 · answered by mama woof 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He doesn't like it on the leash because he is still learning, although i would agree with your friend and get a harness, this can help prevent your dog from pulling on the leash when he is older as well, so i would get a harness.
2007-06-16 23:37:18 · answer #5 · answered by Danta* 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A harness is good for big dogs that are hard to control. I think try a collar/lead as best you can. your dog needs to learn how to walk with just that incase there is a time where the harness is unavailable. Cover all bases
2007-06-17 00:19:30 · answer #6 · answered by . 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not all harnesses prevent dogs from pulling. Some are made to harness the strongest part of the dog, so the dog is able to put more muscle behind the pull.
I was advised by a dog trainer not to use one as it causes the dog to walk different.
2007-06-17 00:46:25 · answer #7 · answered by spuggy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personally, I find that you have to use a harness with dogs who are harder to control while on a leash ( they struggle alot ) or for bigger dogs. But if he does not like the leash, buy him a harness see if he likes it. It's much easier.
2007-06-16 23:40:23 · answer #8 · answered by Shaqo_Wyn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HARNESS! leashes focus on the neck, and I've heard of active dogs choking on them. harness controls the whole body, and can give better command
2007-06-17 00:52:28 · answer #9 · answered by tori Lynn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The harness is kinder. With a leash there is a tendency to tug at the neck.
2007-06-16 23:40:58 · answer #10 · answered by insp.clouseau 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋