Harness recommendations General Chat

What is a good harness for the smallest of dogs? I've looked at the fleece lined ones at dog-games shop but the harnesses seem to swamp the tiny dogs? Especially puppies. I'm only going from the photos, and it might be that they are better if they cover more of the dogs body?

It depends what you call the smallest of dogs....?
Chihuahua size?

Yup chihuahua cross puppy.

Hi my Chi wears a harness, he's not a really small chi I got his from Pets at home not too expensive but it does the job.

My 2 wear a size small ancol harness (not the padded ones)
I had to try them with so many harnesses before I got ones to fit!

My very small Yorkie has a fleece lined harness from Snugglepets. It doesn't swamp her -- it fits really well.

Here is the website: http://www.snugglepets.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19_20_23

My Chis are pretty big, at the top end of the breed standard weight, but those harnesses would swamp them

Any reason why all these dogs wear harnesses, I've never used one on my Cavaliers, I find doing a lot of training is better than using a haness to allow the dog to pull without choking in the appearance of being lead trained ?

I use one because I would scream at my kids if they ever put stuff around their necks in case it got caught on something so I don't do it to my dogs either, I don't agree with collars, but each to their own I guess we aren't harming anyone

Most breeders I spoke to recommend using a harness and not a collar as the dogs are so tiny and delicate.

Nothing to do with them pulling/choking/lack of training here. Mine walk nicely to heal
Can't speak for others though obviously!

Their necks are very delicate though, and one of mine has a collapsing trachea, so I figure it best not to put any extra pressure on his neck than necessary.

Mine do wear collars with their ID on them, but never have a lead attached to it.


Don't understand the bit in bold. Why are you assuming people with little dogs who wear harnesses are not lead trained?

Any reason you choose to assume that because someone uses a harness on their dog that it isn't lead trained? and what relevance is your post on a thread asking for harness recommendations, apart from to criticize?

Surely it is common sense why using a harness is better than a collar for a tiny toy breed. There is a marked difference in the size and fragility of a Cavalier compared to Chihuahua.

Because 99% of the ones I come across both in public & at training classes definitely are not trained in anyway shape or form.

As for the dogs necks being so delicate that walking on a collar & lead would damage them confuses me I've never seen a Chihuahua in the show ring or at a show wearing a harness & having shown toy dogs myself I've seen more Chihuahuas than most people.

I'm glad yours are legal & actually wear a collar & tag, it's sad to see so many owners walking dogs without the legally required collar & tag(not harness & tag)

How do those whose dogs do not wear collars get around them not wearing the collar & tag as required by law ?

Mine will have a collar and tag, and then the harness just for walking. I just wanted recommendations, rather than a debate on harness vs. collar.

Trotting around a ring a couple of times in a collar is not the same as going for long walks in one. :?

I hate the way a lot of show dogs are strung up on those thin slip leads. I feel sorry for them as it can hardly be comfortable.

Why is it "sad" to see a dog wearing a harness and tag rather than a collar and tag? I presume that the authorities have bigger fish to try then to pursue individuals who's crime is to have tag on a harness over a collar.

My Papillon has never had a problem walking on a collar and lead

AND my dogs have never had a problem walking on a harness

P.s we are not illegally harnessing dogs without collars as long as they have I.D tag attached.

The Law states under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 ‘If a dog is in a highway or in a place of public resort the dog has to wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it’

This means a collar must be on your dog, and visible identification of the type described above must be on that collar. I did check for all you harness lovers and the opinion is that a harness is acceptable in place of a collar, again as long as it has an id tag on it.

We are allowed to walk our dogs in any way we see fit as long as it is safe to our dog and fellow walkers which I am very happy to say I fully abide by

So would you not keep a collar on with the harness or do they interfere with each other, so to speak?

I don't think it makes a difference, some people do some people don't, depends on what is more comfy for your dog, and type of harness

As I said, I have both, and they don't even touch each other, so no problem