# Harness or Collar?



## Jjgibbs (Feb 1, 2012)

We just got a 9 week old GSD. We have tried three different collars and finally a harness. I know that since Gibbs is so young it is going to take time to adjust to either. However, we wanted to know your opinion...harness or collar? Both?

If it's harness that wins the poll, do you keep the harness on at all times, even during sleep? Or do you constantly remove after an outing? We are anxious to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for any opinions that may come!!


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

I use a collar. They really need to get used to it if you ever plan on using one. Though I don't leave it on when they are unsupervised.

If you choose to use a harness, I would NOIR leave it on when the pup is unsupervised either. The puppy could very easily either chew it up, or worse yet, gret its jaw caught in the harness and injure itself.

I only use a harness when I WANT them to pull. Not for just everyday walking.

Why have you used 3 different collars?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I liked to use a harness on my baby pup. But I didn't use it for training, just when we were going on walks and he wasn't trained yet. I never left it on him without a leash attached. I'd much rather have a pup pull than choke. 
Though many say they will learn not to pull if they are choking themselves off. 

During training sessions, I didn't have him on anything....just worked on engagement/focus with food rewards. 
When he outgrew his puppy harness, we went to a flat collar and during training, I never had a problem with pulling. But he is pretty handler sensitive, flat collar, leash pop is enough unless we are doing protection work.
On recreational walks I didn't mind his pulling as it build a bit of muscle on both of us!


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## Msmart (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm a big fan of the martingale collar. It is similar to a choker but a lot easier on the neck but you can also use it as a harness so the pressure is on there chest. Works wonders with my girl.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

A martingale is a collar that the dog can't slip/but won't restrict tightly. It isn't a harness. 
Can you link to me a photo of what you are writing about as far as using it as a harness, Msmart?


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

It all depends on the dog. Daisy has to have a harness because she will pull until she chokes herself. Ditto and Dakota do fine with regular collars, but would probably do good with a harness. I have never had any problems with leaving collars on my dogs but many people have had problems with it. The choice is yours. We leave Daisy's harness on when the weather is good but take it off when the weather is bad (extended bad weather in the forecast.) Again, she has no problems with it. She ignores it and so do the other dogs.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

My dogs only wear a collar/harness when they are in public. I have 10 acres fenced around me and we don't have to deal with other dogs/people so my dogs run naked at home. 
I use a harness when they are babies. It doesn't rub their neck raw like collars can. Once they get a bit older, I switch over to the fur saver or rolled leather for when we are around others at shows/training. For protection work, they wear an agitation harness. For obedience, Whiskey wears a prong and the others wear a fur saver. 
I would never leave a harness on when you aren't around to monitor the dog. I also don't like leaving collars on dogs. I've just heard of too many accidents when dogs get their collars caught on things and panic.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i got my when he was 9 weeks old. he used a flat
collar untill he was 9 months old. at 9 months old
he had a choker. by the time he was 9 months old
he was trained to heel on either side with or without
a leash. my dogs collar is never on when he's home.
if i used a harness it would never be on him when he's home.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I do a harness for the first few weeks, this allows the puppy less stress on his growing joints to pull and explore their surroundings.

Once "leash training" starts, we move to a martingale collar, I feel safer with this with a young dog who doesn't have a rock solid recall yet, just in case they slip their collar.

My youngest (9.5 months) is on a martingale right now.


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## Dakotasmom23 (Jan 11, 2012)

In my experience, a harness only encourages pulling and does not train the dog to heel (or loose leash walk if that's all you want). I too like the martingale type collar because if they do pull, it will tighten and keep the pup from slipping it off, or backing out of the collar. If you are consistent, eventually they learn to stop pulling. If they don't, then the gentle leader head collar is perfect for pullers (but that wouldn't be something for everyday use, just walks, when pup is older). Also, regarding the harness, I had 2 fosters chew their harness right off.


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

I use a collar right from day one. I want my puppy to learn to control himself (as far as how hard he can pull before he needs to stop for comfort) right off the bat. This is important to me in my big dogs especially. My Cardi, I allow to pull all she likes because at maturity, she's 23 lbs and I really don't mind when she pulls when we're running. However, she only pulls so hard or she gets uncomfortable. I also do loads and loads of collar grabs in a positive way so that my dog is neve leary of being reached over/around to the neck for the collar.


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## Msmart (Dec 18, 2011)

onyx'girl said:


> A martingale is a collar that the dog can't slip/but won't restrict tightly. It isn't a harness.
> Can you link to me a photo of what you are writing about as far as using it as a harness, Msmart?


Its not so much a harness in a traditional sense. I couldn't really find anything online in reference to it so I took pics of it with my dog best I could. I actually was taught this at the MSPCA shelter that I volunteer at. To be used when a harness is unavailable. To explain it the martingale collar will be on with the loop on there chest. The lease goes behind there leg (I use left leg cause she walks on my left) and back up across the chest going through the collar loop and up to my hand. Like I said it works good when I don't want her leaving my side. If you have any further questions just ask.


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## Jjgibbs (Feb 1, 2012)

BlackGSD said:


> I use a collar. They really need to get used to it if you ever plan on using one. Though I don't leave it on when they are unsupervised.
> 
> If you choose to use a harness, I would NOIR leave it on when the pup is unsupervised either. The puppy could very easily either chew it up, or worse yet, gret its jaw caught in the harness and injure itself.
> 
> ...


 
First collar we bought was like a choker but too big. Second collar was nylon but he kept scratching so we got a third leather collar but that was too big. So we have been using the nylon collar and the harness depending on how much time we have to get him ready to go outside.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh I'm glad this is posted because I've been thinking about this for my 11 week old girl the past few days. I went out today and bought one of those no pull harnesses. Although I'm a little concerned it won't teach her not to pull, I want to give it a go. I always feel sorry for her in her collar when she starts pulling and I can see her trying to breathe lol. I'll let you know if it works!


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## Jjgibbs (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. I am going to look into the martingale collar. It looks odd only because I have never seen it before. As for pulling, Gibbs doesn't really pull. He is pretty good at walking with us. Sometimes he gets lazy and will just sit or lay down and we have to coax him up into a jog or tug gently so he gets the hint then he's usually pretty good. We chalk it up to a puppy being stubborn and/or tired. My main concern was comfort and efficiency. Thanks again!!


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## Jjgibbs (Feb 1, 2012)

JoMichelle said:


> Oh I'm glad this is posted because I've been thinking about this for my 11 week old girl the past few days. I went out today and bought one of those no pull harnesses. Although I'm a little concerned it won't teach her not to pull, I want to give it a go. I always feel sorry for her in her collar when she starts pulling and I can see her trying to breathe lol. I'll let you know if it works!


Yes please keep us updated!! We can compare notes.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I wouldn't use the martingale with the leash threaded under the leg for a puppy...that looks like an injury waiting to happen. Thanks for posting how you configured that Msmart!


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## Msmart (Dec 18, 2011)

onyx'girl said:


> I wouldn't use the martingale with the leash threaded under the leg for a puppy...that looks like an injury waiting to happen. Thanks for posting how you configured that Msmart!


Not a problem. Ya I wouldn't do it for a young puppy or even a dog prone to pulling. I just know from personnel experience it really slows my Gsd down and we both can enjoy our walk more. I actually got one of those easy walk harnesses yeasterday the ones that clip on down on the chest. Still haven't really formed an opinion on it yet.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Msmart said:


> Not a problem. Ya I wouldn't do it for a young puppy or even a dog prone to pulling. I just know from personnel experience it really slows my Gsd down and we both can enjoy our walk more. I actually got one of those easy walk harnesses yeasterday the ones that clip on down on the chest. Still haven't really formed an opinion on it yet.


Oh I saw those, I got the one that clips on the back with the mesh panel on the chest. It looks very comfortable but not tested it out yet other than fitted it properly. The lady at the pet shop said they get equal reviews on both, but they are very popular and apparently work miracles! We will see lol.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

When I've pulled dogs from shelters, I'll use a longer line and wrap it around their middle(down the torso) so they can't pull so much. It is a way of control if you need it and only have a flat collar to use.. 
I used the front clip harness on Onyx and it chafed her under her front legs(armpits)


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## Msmart (Dec 18, 2011)

JoMichelle said:


> Oh I saw those, I got the one that clips on the back with the mesh panel on the chest. It looks very comfortable but not tested it out yet other than fitted it properly. The lady at the pet shop said they get equal reviews on both, but they are very popular and apparently work miracles! We will see lol.


I have heard similar things as well. Another thing I used was the harness that is actually a backpack for the dog. Started out having her carry very little weight but have progressed up to water bottles so she has water on our walks. It clips on her back about half way down. When she has this on it is like I have a completely different dog.


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## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Msmart said:


> Not a problem. Ya I wouldn't do it for a young puppy or even a dog prone to pulling. I just know from personnel experience it really slows my Gsd down and we both can enjoy our walk more. *I actually got one of those easy walk harnesses yeasterday the ones that clip on down on the chest.* Still haven't really formed an opinion on it yet.


This is what we got for Rocco (who is a big time puller, choking and all) and it works wonderfully. He can't even pull because the moment he tries, it turns him around. I love it.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

I only got chance to test this harness today, as it's been snowing and we've mostly been playing in the garden as opposed to walks.

Well, all I can say is.... AMAZING! I don't know how it works, all I know is Winter always pulls as soon as she realises we are on the way home when she's just wearing a collar. She tried today wearing the harness, but immediately stopped every time. In the end she settled for a fast walk but still comfortable, which is fine by me as that's how I'd prefer to walk. 

I was very sceptical. I did not think this would work and especially for a puppy, but I was wrong! We enjoyed our first proper walk


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## Jjgibbs (Feb 1, 2012)

JoMichelle said:


> I only got chance to test this harness today, as it's been snowing and we've mostly been playing in the garden as opposed to walks.
> 
> Well, all I can say is.... AMAZING! I don't know how it works, all I know is Winter always pulls as soon as she realises we are on the way home when she's just wearing a collar. She tried today wearing the harness, but immediately stopped every time. In the end she settled for a fast walk but still comfortable, which is fine by me as that's how I'd prefer to walk.
> 
> I was very sceptical. I did not think this would work and especially for a puppy, but I was wrong! We enjoyed our first proper walk


YAY!! That's excellent news!! We have been alternating between harness and collar, depending on the urgency to go out. Gibbs seems to not pull as much with the harness but even when he wears the collar he understands that pulling won't get him anywhere.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

I use a harness for walks. Only put it on before going for the walk.

A collar with his name tag stays on permanently. If you have a second dog, it is recommended that you take the collar off, since the other dog's teeth and get stuck in the first dog's collar and choke him.

People prefer martingale or prong collars to teach their dogs to walk well. I feel it is excessive. I do not like to "choke" my dog. 

A dog learns to walk well depending on the training and time spent by the owner. If you teach him early on, then your dog will walk well even with a harness.

I recommend that you take the walking well as the first and primary training for your dog. It supersedes potty training, bite training and every thing else.

Potty training is a breeze with a crate, and bite training will take you quite a few months. 

However walking on a loose leash has to be taught early on.

Also, my pup looks dashing in his fancy harness compared to a collar.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Kaz said:


> People prefer martingale or prong collars to teach their dogs to walk well. I feel it is excessive. I do not like to "choke" my dog.


Prongs and martingales do not choke dogs....if fitted properly there is a certain point where the collar won't tighten up, so choking is impossible on a martingale and a prong on the dead ring won't tighten either. 
Have you ever seen a martingale or a prong fitted properly?


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

For walks i use a front clip harness. It is the only thing that made my 120 lb newfie/lab mix manageable. It did not make him pull more and he now walks with no pulling at all. And if he does set his sights on something, I know I can hold him back. His was called a "sensation" harness. My trainer recommended them. My 7 month GSD has a front clip harness too but different company. She is still a work in progress as far as not pulling. I love these front clip harnesses.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

With tiny baby puppies on outings I either want a martingale on for the no slip factor (the puppy can't back their little head out of the collar and then get away) or I use a combo of a flat collar and a harness attached with a coupler, again for the safety factor. 

That's my primary concern for a baby puppy. I am not worried about them walking nicely on the leash because that will come, but I am concerned they could pull out of it. 

Overall, I will use a flat, or a martingale, and work on training and teaching. My crutch tool is a front clip harness, and that's what I will use for pulling until I have that down pat. 

At home, no collars in the crate, or if playing with other dogs, or in general, if unsupervised. 

Enjoy your puppy!


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