Sunday evening the D-ring on Tikva's red mesh harness detached itself so the harness went in the bin. Luckily she had just come in so I clipped her tether onto her collar and went and got a new harness [light purple this time] from my bedroom and the little booga would not let me put it on her. Eventually got it on her yesterday afternoon. Phew. About midday my neighbour came in with a small packet that had been delivered to our shared mailbox yesterday. Much to my surprise there were two vest-type step-in harnesses that I must have bought from AliExpress yonks ago. As Google had locked all bar one of my gMail addresses, saying that someone had tried to use my password to get in [?????] I was locked out of my AliExpress account, and when I contacted them from my ISP email address to ask them to please transfer my account they wanted me to fax identity to them to prove I am me. I no longer have a driving licence and my ID card is, of course, in Ivrit and they would not accept it, so I opened a new account from my ISP address. But as I cannot access my original one I have no record of what had been ordered, paid for but had not arrived. Then I checked the postmark and the package with the two step-in harness had been mailed on 19 January Now I know that mail from China can take anything up to six weeks, but this was a bit longer than that and I do not remember ordering them. Right. This afternoon, just about 24 hours since I had put the new light purple mesh harness on the booga she heard someone talking very loudly on a mobile phone outside, and shot out like a bat out of hell - and the new harness strap thingy that the D-ring was looped in ripped from the harness and off she went standing at the end of the path with her front legs on the pavement, barking like mad, and my heart was in my mouth in case she following the noisy idiot or went in the road. So I called - "Tikki boi [come]" and B"H she came in. I did not fancy another fight with her so thought I would try one of the just arrived step-in ones that does up at the back with a wide velcro strip and one of those plastic clips with a D-ring on each side. It only took 10 minutes and a handful of tiny treats - and it is rather large on her, and because I must have ordered it during the winter, instead of being just mesh it is lined. But at least it is a lot less flimsy so should be OK. That little Tikva moves like greased lightning and small to totally destroy a harness like that shows how powerful she is.
Wander off? She was going full tilt and I was amazed she could come to a dead stop from the speed she was going!
Not all of them Myra - the D-ring on the red harness had opened a bit and it was only the second one to have done so. Both of those harnesses had lasted a few months and Tikki wears them 24/7 as they are lightweight and do not bother her. From the look of it, the stitching of the strip that held the D-ring onto the new harness was faulty, and once that strip was detached the rest of the harness gave way. I have checked the other new harnesses I have, also from China through AliExpress, and all have a longer strip holding the D-ring stitched strongly both sides, through the harness itself. This latest one must have been from a different manufacturer but I have no way of checking due to being unable to access my original account.
Gotcha. I had a leash from China that LOOKED solid, but broke when Jade went after a Poodle that was yapping at her and had gotten away from his owner. It was horrifying. The growling and small dog screaming. Fortunately she was wearing her muzzle and the dog was mostly screaming in fear. Jade was unable to do any harm and I snatched her off by her harness and vowed to avoid stuff from China in the future. Little man popped up and was no worse for wear. Turns out when I checked what broke, the metal part that connects the leash just snapped!
I do not buy leashes from China but bolt clips do break, usually at the most unfortunate times. This was the first harness that the narrow webbing holding the D-ring had given way due to the faulty stitching, but the webbing that holds them can slip through the unwelded D-rings on any harness, not just the cheapos from China. I would like to get Tikva the same harnesses as Pereg had but they cost $33.95 plus UPS postage, which is far too much for such a small dog as Tikva although they were ideal for Pereg.
@mjfromga I have had D rings & lead clips break on English handmade collars & leads, I also had stitching come apart that fasten the a buckle in place on a harness I bought in America, doesn't matter whether it's made in England, America, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Italy, France, Spain, to name a few countries there will always be defected items slip pass QA from time to time. I just check every day for any damage to my dogs collars harnesses leads before we go walkies. ( I also take spare collars & slip leads just in case to be on the safe side)
Can't say I'd trust handmade stuff either. Stuff from brands known for quality is what I trust most. I've had two more leashes break, one was a flexi string lead that snapped in two and another flexi lead that just rolled right off the little thing when it got to the end and the dog just... kept going. Flexi leads are junk. Never had a D ring or leash clasp ever break before the Chinese leash and never had nylon leashes become unstitched. Have had pulling dogs for many, many years.
The Flexi lead (tape kind) I use for Rosie is 20 years old now and still going strong Harness I check every day to make sure everything is secure. I've never had one break, but have had one where I had to strengthen the stitching around the D ring.
We have had the plastic device that locks the length on a Flexi fail - meaning that you had to leave your thumb on the button to check the dog. All other parts have been fine and, like Chris, some of ours go back as far as the original pattern. When I used to sell them, the only reasons for failure were due to, the dog being way above the recommended weight for the spring, and chewed or abraded cords - dogs pulling around brick walls being the main reason for this. I referring to genuine Flexis, any other makes were pale imitations and didn't last at all well. I can't say that I am a fan as I find them too bulky in the hand, but for a dog with an unknown or an unreliable recall, they do offer some tangle free liberty. This is purely personal, but I have never used a harness for any purpose other than tracking. They are not allowed under KC rules for any of the activities that I have ever taken part in, (showing, obedience, w. trials and HTM), and used on a dog that pulls, they just appear to provide an extra level power, which usually comes with reduced steering ability. I know it's an unfashionable opinion these days, but I will freely admit to being stuck in the past.
Afraid im not a lover of harnesses either, only time ive ever used them was for tracking. As for flexi leads ive never used one as I like to be in control of my dogs, the force of a large dog running full pelt at the end of a flexi not a great scenario.
I prefer harnesses to collars even more so now after I went to a dogs seminar last year held by vets & the trainers association UK, we were shown video's of dogs that was pulling on collar & stopped once they were in a harness, we were also shown a video by some vets showing the damage done to dogs trachea caused by dogs pulling on collar when walking. We were also shown video's of big powerful dogs being walked on head halti's /harnesses/collars & their owners talking about how more in control they were with the head halti & harness, it was not all one sided there were those there that prefer using the new anti pull collars [Cesar Millan collar] but mostly it was all about the benefits about using head halti's & harnesses Benefits of using harness Does not put strain on the dog's trachea No more coughing or gagging when the dog pulls A dog walking harness discourages pulling When worn correctly, a harness makes it difficult for a dog to slip out A reflective dog harness helps make dogs visible in the night Cons of using a collar Collars may cause damage to the trachea of certain breeds When misused, a collar can be uncomfortable, painful and may even cause a serious injury Some collars cause coughing and gagging when the dog pulls Dogs with slim necks are capable of slipping out of certain collars Some dogs may react with fear and escalated aggression when forced to wear a collar Cesar Millan anti pull collar Dogmatic head halti Walking harness
I used thin soft leather harnesses on the Griffon girls many years ago as I would take out all four of them, in two pairs using a double brace and one leash, so I only had two leashes to cope with. When I got Little One and she was old enough to go out for walks, I found that if a collar was loose enough for her neck she could get it over her head. So I got her a harness and actually clipped the harness to her collar and she was Houdino no more - still an escape artist if she got the chance, which is why after a few nasty scares with LO and cars, I made sure that I never opened the door until she, then Pereg, were clipped onto their tethers. And Pereg always wore a harness as well as her collar [which held her tags]. She was not an escape artist though and had a great recall. Tiddler Tikva also wears a collar for her tag as well as a harness. One of the main advantages of a harness with Pereg was that if she had a seizure and was banging her head on the wall or a doorframe, I could easily move her by grabbing her harness to pull her to safety. With Tikva her harness is ideal for yanking her up or holding onto when I need to check her for ticks, or for her monthly Frontline application. She may be small but she is extremely strong and if she does not want then she will just wriggle away from me and I cannot hold her. Mind you, Michal, her vet, can do anything to her...
Point taken Tina, I can see both sides, especially for tiny dogs. I just prefer the unobtrusive look of a leather collar - they can always be broader for dogs that can exert too much pressure on their own tracheas, such as Lurchers and Bullies - but there is no substitute for plain old fashioned training. These days lead training is a very gentle process, and there is no excuse for windpipe damage. I do occasionally use a Halti on Merry, as she has a horrid muck eating habit. This works really well used together with with her neck collar, but you do see misuse of them too, especially when combined with a long lead or Flexi. I'm no CM fan but have to admit that his extended collar does interest me - I'd love to try one on a suitable dog, but they do look ever so clumsy, and part of the reason we have dogs is that the way they look pleases us, au naturelle!
Any tool used can cause damage if not used correctly. People are under the false impression that a harness will stop their dog pulling it won’t, the device itself doesn't train the dog, nothing replaces that it is the owner that has to train their dog. Quote ) I do not believe that there is a harness on the market that is nonrestrictive and that also helps the dog not to pull,” says Dr. Zink.” There are however some very nice, well constructed, nonrestrictive harnesses on the market. However, those should not be considered as a method to teach a dog not to pull. In my opinion the real way to get a dog to stop pulling is to train it.” http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_7/features/the-no-pull-debate_20782-1.html
Harnesses have little effect on a truly pulling dog. Jade is very old now, but she still has some nasty tendencies. I feel more in control of her with a harness. Its easier to grab if I need to and it does help pulling a little. Needless to say, training is the best way to stop pulling. May I also say that I prefer the look of a harness on a dog to the look of a collar.
I recommend the Walk In-Sync Sport Harness & Leash Training System. You need a new harness, different color and to start slow. Gives treats when she sniffs it. Eventually work up to touching her with the harness. Take a day to let her sniff it, a day touching her with it and on the third day, put it on her. The RC Pet 3 in 1 VestHarness is another great harness that I recommend. Google can be weird with their e-mail system. Sorry about that. I hate when stuff like that happens. That is a really long time for a mail-ordered item! I honestly recommend only ordering from places in your country. If you are in the United States, the quality is much better. It sounds like your girl has a fear of noises, too. I would recommend purchasing Only Natural Pet Stress & Anxiety Homeopathic Remedy. You're very lucky she is good on recall. You need to train her to accept a harness and make sure to use a lot of treats. Be gentle. The Ruffwear Web Master Harness is another great product I recommend. I think it would hold up better than a harness made in China.
Walking with your canine companion is one of the best things you can do for the physical and emotional well-being of your furry friend. The painful metal protrusions on prong collars pinch the skin around dogs’ necks when they pull and can scratch or puncture the skin. Dogs who wear shock collars can suffer from physical pain and injury (ranging from burns to a heart condition called cardiac fibrillation) as well as psychological stress, including severe anxiety and displaced aggression. Individual animals vary in their temperament and pain threshold—a shock that seems mild to one dog may be severe to another. Using a collar to hold a dog’s ID and license tags is a great idea. When it comes to safety and comfort, using a harness is ALWAYS the best way to walk a dog.
