Have you recently adopted a new puppy? Congratulations! With all youโve had to do to get your puppy settled in, maybe you havenโt even thought about collars and harnesses. But you should certainly think of these things soon: puppy harness or collar?
Youโll have to decide whether you will use a puppy harness or collar. Can you use both? Yes, your dog can certainly wear both a collar and harness. In fact, many experts recommend that. Letโs talk about harnesses, collars, and the pros and cons of each.ย
Table of Contents
- 1 Puppy Harness or Collar – Understanding a Harness for Puppy
- 2 Puppy Harness or Collar – Exploring Collars
- 3 What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Collars for Your Puppy?ย
- 4 What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Harnesses for Your Puppy?ย
- 5 Why Should a Dog Wear Both a Harness and Collar?ย
- 6 Puppy Harness or Collar – How to Get Your Puppy Used to Harnesses
- 7 Puppy Harness or Collar – Enjoy Training Your Puppy!ย
Puppy Harness or Collar – Understanding a Harness for Puppy
- BEFORE PURCHASING โ please measure your pet's neck and chest circumference, compare the size chart, and choose the right size before placing...
- 2-FINGER RULE - After buckle up and adjust, the harness should fit tight enough that your baby will not be able to pull their legs through, but...
- HIGH-QUALITY COMFORTABLE MATERIALS - Made from 100% high-quality polyester (and cotton or velvet exterior), this breathable dog harness is sweat...
Harnesses come in different designs and materials, but one constant is that they have straps that hold your dog around the middle of the body.
They stand in contrast to collars, which hold your dog at the neck. Many dog owners prefer harnesses because they feel uncomfortable with attaching a leash to their dogโs collar. They worry that they might end up distressing or injuring their dog by leading it around on a collar.ย
Instead of attaching the leash to a collar, you can attach it to a harness. To use one, you should start getting your puppy adjusted to wearing a harness at the same time that you would normally start thinking about leash training.
Donโt wait too long to do this, as you want to start while your puppy is quite young. You can gently and gradually begin this when they are only about seven weeks old. Donโt make the mistake of waiting months to start leash training. Youโll find it a difficult task if you do.ย
Different Kinds of Harnesses
There are several different kinds of harnesses on the market. Youโll need to understand each of these and decide which one is best for your dog. There are:ย
Dual-Clip Harnesses
- No more pulling or choking - This Large vest harness is designed to discourage pulling by distributing save, even pressure around the chest,...
- Enjoy More Control - We've fitted our control harness with a front and a back leash clip rings plus a sturdy back handle; this makes the harness...
- Extra Padding; Extra Comfort - Your pup will love the highly elastic foam lining that minimizes pressure and the heavy duty oxford fabric which...
If you want to combine the perks of front-clip harnesses and back-clip harnesses, check out dual-clip harnesses. There are also multi-clip harnesses available.ย
Front-Clip Harnesses
- EVERYDAY DOG HARNESS: This No Pull Dog Harness is Constructed from lightweight No Rip Nylon and Anti-Chafe Padding, Perfect for running, hiking,...
- GREAT FOR PULLERS: No pull Front leading ring for more controls, help you train them to stop pulling! D-ring on the back for more relaxed walks....
- EASILY PUT ON and TAKE OFF the head-over harness hassle-free.Unique 4 points of adjustments Design for a near-custom fit.
If you want maximum control from the harness, choose a front clip harness. When you put a front-clip harness on your puppy, the leash connection clip is in the chest area. One potential downside of front clip harnesses is how theyโre a little more likely to tangle.ย
Back-Clip Harnesses
A back-clip harness is the most common type of harness. If you use a back-clip harness, be prepared for not having as much control as you would with other kinds of harnesses. Back-clip harnesses are best for dogs that are already well-trained with the leash.ย
Over the Head Harnesses
There are also head halter harnesses. These are quite different from other kinds of harnesses. Whatever kind of harness you decide is best for your puppy, ensure it is the correct fit. An incorrectly fitted harness is potentially hazardous for your dog.ย
Puppy Harness or Collar – Exploring Collars
- ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐: With reinforced stitching our designer dog collar is handcrafted for durability and...
- ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐: The quick release buckle is fully adjustable with a side release buckle to fasten around your petโs neck and...
- ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป: Give your dog some style with a Regal Dog Products Purple / Orange / White Plaid...
Your puppyโs collar must fit correctly and be comfortable. The collarโs width should increase with the size of your dog. The most important collar use is for holding your puppyโs ID tags. While many experts recommend against connecting the leash to a collar, your dog will still need to wear one for this purpose.ย
Never use shock collars, prong collars, or choke collars on any kind of dog, and especially not on puppies.ย
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Collars for Your Puppy?ย
- ADJUSTABLE / CUSTOMIZABLE FIT: This handmade dog collar fits small, medium, large, and big dogs. It can be used for neck sizes ranging from 13...
- VIRTUALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE: This heavy duty waterproof dog collar is constructed with rust resistant, nickel-plated double buckle which lets the...
- COMPLETELY WATERPROOF: Does your pup love the beach? This is the perfect collar for you! vinyl-coated webbing is more durable than rubber, nylon,...
Many dog owners are more familiar with collars than they are with harnesses. However, there are some significant potential drawbacks to connecting the leash to your puppyโs collar. If you have a smaller and more delicate breed of dog, pulling him too briskly may cause serious medical emergencies. For example, this may cause a collapsed trachea.ย
Other kinds of dogs (for example, dogs that have heads the same size as their necks) may be able to squirm their way out of the collar. Yes, that is possible. And on top of all this, even dogs that seem fine being led by the collar may end up with medical problems in the long run.ย
So, to summarize, here are some disadvantages of collars:ย
- Some dogs may escape from their collars.
- Collars may cause injury, especially in smaller dogs.
- Certain kinds of collars are always a negative choice for your dog.
- You get more leash control from a harness than from a collar.
- Collars may damage your dogโs trachea or thyroid.
- A collar may catch on objects, causing neck injury.
Below are some advantages of collars:ย
- A well-fitted collar is great for wearing around the house.
- You should hang your dogโs ID tags and other required items (such as license and rabies vaccination verification tag) from a collar.ย
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Harnesses for Your Puppy?ย
- Durable Structure: The dog harness is made of breathable mesh fabric, padded with soft cushion to protect your dog's skin, soft and lightweight...
- Reflective Design: The dog halter harness has strong reflective design, ensure your pet highly visible at night, the reflective stripe will show...
- Quick Buckleaway: The dog vest harness has fast release buckle, you can buckle it off when pets face incident outside, prevent dogs from injuring...
A correctly fitting harness is essential for your puppy. Get your puppy used to wearing a harness early on, so they can enjoy more comfortable and controlled walking outdoors. There are many advantages to using a harness for your puppy. These include:ย
- Better leash-control
- No risk of neck injury for your puppy
- Greater comfort for your puppy
As helpful as harnesses are, however, there may be disadvantages to using a harness. Here they are below:ย
- A poorly fitted harness may cause injury and other problems
- Too frequent harness wearing may lead to skin chafingย
- Harness adjustment may be tricky
- Dogs shouldnโt wear harnesses unsupervised, as they may get caught on thingsย
Why Should a Dog Wear Both a Harness and Collar?ย
As touched on earlier, your dog will need a collar for wearing its ID tags. You should also have a harness, as thatโs what you should attach the leash to. Get your puppy used to a properly fitting collar and harness early on. When your puppy is just at home, it wonโt have to wear a harness. However, when you go for a walk a leash attached to a harness is ideal.ย
When you connect the leash to a harness instead of a collar, your dog will be more comfortable. You will also have better control, and youโve eliminated the risk of neck injury for your dog.ย
Puppy Harness or Collar – How to Get Your Puppy Used to Harnesses
Give your puppy plenty of time to slowly get used to the feeling of wearing a harness. Never try to rush getting your puppy accustomed to harnesses and collars. This is a process that will take time. Introduce the harness to your dog in a gentle and subtle way, and slowly get the puppy used to the feeling of having the harness against his skin.ย
Gradually put the harness on the puppy. Take care that the puppy never associates the harness with something unpleasant or negative. Try putting some dog toys or treats beside the harness and let your puppy see that. Make getting used to the harness a part of playtime or treat time. Make sure your puppy associates the feeling of the harness with positive things.ย
Once your puppy is used to the harness, donโt make him wear it too much. Never make your dog regularly wear the harness when just at home. As mentioned earlier, wearing the harness too much can lead to skin issues. Also, when a dog wears a harness unsupervised, it may get caught on things in the environment.ย
Puppy Harness or Collar – Enjoy Training Your Puppy!ย
- ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ : With reinforced stitching our designer dog collar is handcrafted for durability and...
- ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ : The quick release buckle is fully adjustable with a side release buckle to fasten around your petโs neck and...
- ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป : Give your dog some style with a Regal Dog Products Navy/White Striped Bowtie Dog...
Now you understand the differences between harnesses and collars, and you know how to use each. Good luck with training your puppy!ย