Interesting thoughts on harnesses

[snowbunny]

I came across this on Facebook. I've not looked into the claims, but thought it was worth posting here for discussion. Basically, it says that, due to the way dogs are put together, harnesses with horizontal straps across the chest area should be avoided, as they inhibit movement in the same way that an elastic band wrapped around our upper arms would.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/tier...lections-on-chest-harnesses/1369929759778331/

 

[Oberon]

All harnesses probably negatively affect shoulder action.

Horses, when competing in jumping events, wear a breastplate, which is like a Y front harness that dogs wear. These breastplates have recently been found to significantly restrict shoulder movement and forelimb extension. https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/breastplates-change-way-horses-jump-research-finds-644546

Probably need to do a proper comparison across dog harnesses before saying that one style is worse than another style.

There is probably no substitute for running freely without a harness.

 

[snowbunny]

There is probably no substitute for running freely without a harness.

I absolutely agree with this. But it does answer the question why many people seem to report that harnesses with a horizontal chest strap are almost instant game-changers for a pulling dog. I've never been able to understand why; if a harness isn't physically turning the dog to prevent that forward motion and if it has no built-in punisher, how it could cause such transformation? It didn't make sense from a behaviour standpoint and the commonly-touted assertion that it's because "the harness is so comfortable" just doesn't hold water when it comes to behaviour change. Nothing bests training and free running without a harness, for sure, but while we're trying to achieve that in a safe way, it helps to understand why the devices work, and I think this goes some way to explaining that.

Obviously whenever there is tension on the lead, there will be some restriction of movement in place, whatever device is connecting that lead to the dog; we just have to decide which is the least harmful in as many contexts as possible for our particular team. And understanding why these things work goes some way to being able to make those decisions.

 

[Oberon]

Front strap harnesses with a front fastening point are really pushed at our dog club (where they’re sold). I see many instances of them having no effect on pulling whatsoever. I wish they weren’t pushed onto people. I think that if they do slow a dog down it’s because they turn the dog by kind of hooking behind the elbow that’s on the outside of the turn.

Yes, agree that we should know how these things affect motion and safety.

A lead attached to a collar is probably the worst of all options due to the risk of neck injury......any harness may be better than that.

 

[Emily]

A lead attached to a collar is probably the worst of all options due to the risk of neck injury......any harness may be better than that.

The other thing I notice is that if Ella wanders along next to me (flat collar and lead) then the lead actually hangs down in front of her right front leg. I think (I can't be certain - even though I feel like I spend most of my life over analysing her gait) that it affects the length of the stride with that leg and does make me worry about long term impact.

 

[Beanwood]

On the initial consultation with our rehab vet, the subject of harnesses came up with both dogs. In summary, she doesn't like straps across a dog's chest as they need to have a full and natural range of movement through shoulder, elbow and spine. When we looked at Caspers foreleg extension, you can see some stiffness, but for his age, actually not much. By changing a dog's gait gives rises to biomechanical changes elsewhere... for instance, back and back musculature. So for both dogs, everyday use of a harness is a no-no. We didn't have a discussion on the best harness, tbh, but I am back this week and bringing their harnesses to check for fitting.

 

[Oberon]

It is tricky, isn’t it. Definitely good to have some decent studies that have analysed gait etc.

Our harness has a strap across the front but the part that takes the tension is at an angle, sloping up the shoulder. So kind of a combo between a Y front effect and a ‘straight across the front’ effect. It’s a soft and loose harness though, and Obi walks on a loose lead (except for lunging at cats etc....!) so hopefully there’s not too much happening to put pressure on or throw his stride off. Hard to know though.

One thing to keep in mind is that asymmetry is pretty normal and none of us walk or move evenly left to right (even if you think you do!). So it’s not realistic to hope for symmetrical movement even without a harness. We should still strive for minimal interference from gear of course.

 

[Emily]

Very true. I dread to think what carrying a toddler on my hip does to my gait ?

 

[JES72]

I finally ordered a new harness for Homer minutes before reading this article. Its a Julius K9 so has a front horizontal strap. We don't use the harness often but its handy to have more control and have him more secure when he may get spooked or new places when we're on holiday.

 

[HAH]

Hm, we've got the Julius K9 with the front horizontal strap and it works really well - and is far better than his previous y front (!) harness, in that it seems a lot more comfortable for Kipper and his gait appears to be far more natural and easy. It's difficult as, until we've nailed walking to heel, we're going to need a harness - so whilst the ideal is to minimise anything that interferes with usual motion (particularly whilst we're at this key growth phase) it's always going to be a balancing act with all the other factors (like comfort, ease of use, security etc.). We don't use it daily, but I think I'll look at getting a 2nd harness without a front strap so we're not overusing one piece of equipment.

Interesting article - I might try and get that book at the library, as there seems little else on this specific topic and the study seems a fair size (measurements based on 327 dogs across 32 breeds: Dogs in Motion).

 

[Charlie]

Very true. I dread to think what carrying a toddler on my hip does to my gait ?

I can testify to this, it does you no favours at all and after 4 toddlers even less x

 

[MaccieD]

I had read an article about the study/book sometime ago and it just reinforced for me why I recommend Perfect Fit. Strangely it's only very recent that I bought a harness for Juno, Perfect Fit of course, but only really to help her carers walking her when we went on holiday. A just in case scenario. Just looking at a harness with a strap across the chest makes me cringe - it looks uncomfortable. It's not surprising that the popular 'No Pull' harnesses all have a chest strap - it restricts movement and is uncomfortable. I do k ow clients who use Julius harnesses, mainly for the sturdy top handle - a 44kg and growing reactive dog needs alot of holding, particularly when the client is 5'2" and tips the scales at 50kg.

 

[JES72]

There is probably no substitute for running freely without a harness.

Which is why we need to keep areas safe for dogs to walk off lead. We are so lucky in that the UK is more open about this than some other counties but we need to keep it that way.

 

[Natalie]

On the initial consultation with our rehab vet, the subject of harnesses came up with both dogs. In summary, she doesn't like straps across a dog's chest as they need to have a full and natural range of movement through shoulder, elbow and spine.

My physio / rehab vet says a similar same thing - she feels that many harnesses are ill fitted, and particularly those with a single strap across the shoulder have the tendency to rub or change movement across the shoulder joints, or worse, slip lower and impair free movement.

She has recommended the cosy dog harness to me - only her personal preference, no direct link to the company - and I agree, as a V shaped harness, fully fleecy lined, it is comfy. It's downside is at a push, dogs can reverse out of this if they really set their mind to it.

Is there a difference between a horizontal shoulder strap, and a chest plate?- I feel the latter may disperse the pull across a larger area, whereas a strap is more concentrated and more prone to rubbing if not a great fit?

 

[Beanwood]

I completely forgot to bring the harnesses to the vet, mainly because it was Bramble's turn at the rehab vet. I did though check the harnesses on Casper, and found the Haqihana fits nicely around the head, leaving lots of space around the shoulder. Casper allowed me ( with a very solemn expression...) to check his shoulders, and extend his elbows while wearing it. I also popped the Ruffwear harness over too, that also had a nice clearance around the shoulder, and a snug fit around the neck. I also liked the Copenhagen harness recently reviewed by Nando.

 

[Natalie]

I also liked the Copenhagen harness recently reviewed by Nando.

We've been using this one a lot this year, and although it's a snugger fit( plates rather than straps) I'm really happy with it - assuming it;s the same one? Tried to find a side on photo here

 

[Shamas mom]

I've tried a good almost half dozen harnesses on Shamas so far....I can attest that an ill-fitted front-clip harness negatively affects gait. I have noticed that Shamas has a tendency to go sort of "bent" along his spine when stopped from the front, if he forges ahead on an ill fitted harness. The best so far: Kurgo Journey. Still not the good fit I'm looking for, but we can't swing the $80+ shipping for the Perfect fit. The biggest thing I find on a front clip harness is that when the dog pulls, the harness shifts sideways.....and interferes with the leg movement on whichever side the lead is on. That seems to apply whether it's the Easywalk, which drags on the back of the leg joint, or the Kurgo, which contricts the front of the leg.

So far I've used Easy Walk, Step-in, Y-harness, H-Harness(the car-restraint type) and the Kurgo Journey. Harnesses are beter than collars for Shamas, because he's got a tendency to panic and bolt, or lunge.

I'm actually currently toying with the idea of a harness that clips off the shoulder. I like Shamas to walk on my right side and a local merchant has designed a harness that has the clips on the shoulders. So I put a Carabiner clip on the left side of his Petsmart Y harness, and I've been walking him with that the last couple of days. Less shifting, better gait, and a more relaxed walk. You can see it below, in the pic I took this morning. The biggest thing I find with Shamas and harnesses is that they tend to sit very close under his arm pits- doesn't matter what harnes I use. It's just the shape of is body. I can buy one that's long enough to sit further back, and it'll shift forward and sag in the front. :/

If you have a dog that lunges, then using the back clip leaves you with a dog leaping away from you while you try to pull it away. Not a good option either-it looks for all the world like your dog is getting away from you, and is very scary for the person on the receiving end! Front (and shoulder)clips let you turn the dog easily, getting his attention back on you so that you can continue with the walk.