The best walking equipment for dogs

Rachel Williams Author

Dog walks should be an enjoyable experience for both you and your dog, but have you ever put much thought into what your dog actually wears?

Collars

UK law states all dogs must wear a collar with an up to date ID tag with the name and address of the owner. Phone number is optional, yet highly recommended. A flat collar with either a metal bucket or plastic snap (quick release) is the most comfortable and safest for your dog to wear. You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and the dog’s neck. If you have a sighthound whose neck is larger than their head, a martingale collar can be used. Prong, choke, and shock collar should never be worn as they can damage your dog’s neck and cause pain.

Collar vs harness

A dog’s neck is an extremely sensitive area. Too much pressure put on a dog’s neck by wearing a collar can lead to:

• damaged eyes due to increase blood pressure in the head
• issues with the thyroid gland, salivary glands and salivary lymph nodes
• limited oxygen supply into the body, damaging the heart and lungs.

To protect the sensitivity of your dog’s neck, leads clipped to a harness are advised (especially if they pull) as this helps to distribute a dog’s weight more evenly across the body. Harnesses come in all shapes and sizes and a good fit will benefit your dog’s range of motion.

What type of harness to use?

It’s important that any harness your dog wears is fitted correctly and allows full movement of all their muscles. Badly fitting harnesses that restrict movement can be damaging to your dog’s physical health.

Not only that, but if your dog is already fearful or frustrated on the lead, feeling physically constricted can exacerbate the feeling of confinement. The lack of freedom of movement causes additional stress for a possibly already anxious dog, before they even walk out the door.

In this skeleton image you can clearly see the difference between the two main types of harness and how it can affects your dog's musculoskeletal system.

Chest strap harness

Harness that have a strap across the dog’s chest are not recommended as they limit the movement of the shoulders impacting on their gait and incorrect weight distribution over the body.

Y shaped harness

Y shaped harness give dogs free movement of their shoulders and if your dog pulls, the pressure is put on the sternum, not soft tissue. It is also beneficial to dogs with respiratory issues. A harness that has a D ring on the front connected to a lead will encourage the dog to turn if they pull ahead. For a persistent puller, using the front and back D rings with a double ended lead gives you more reign by acting like a stirrup. I recommend researching the following brands: Perfect fit, Ttouch, Ruffwear, Hurtta and Dog Copenhagen.

Leads

As mentioned above a double ended lead works great with harnesses and gives you options whether to clip onto the front, back or both. If your dog has not learnt recall yet (the ability to come back to the owner when called) then a longline or training lead is your best bet.

They come is varying lengths, 5m 10m to 50m long. They give your dog freedom to explore open spaces without the opportunity to get lost. It’s a good idea to practice your lead handling skills with another person before using it with your dog.

Slips leads can come in handy for emergencies where a dog is not wearing a collar or harness and, in some cases, if your dog does not pull on the lead. As a slip lead tightens when tension is applied, it can damage your dog’s neck as mentioned above.

Extendable or flexible leads are very popular for their ability allow your dog greater freedom without switching between leads.

However, they can cause harm to owners through trip hazards, rope burn and even finger amputation. Also due to the nature of an extendable lead, you dog is predominantly experiencing tension, making it hard for them learn to walk on a loose lead and understand your handling intentions. Instead a lead that has several rings or handles at various lengths is a friendlier alternative.

Head gear

Muzzles are a great addition when fitted correctly and introduced slowly. Typically, people think muzzles are for ‘bad dogs who bite’ but they are used for many reasons. For example, anxious or frightened dogs may wear them during vet or grooming visit, dogs who are recovering from surgery and need to keep the wound dry, to prevent food scavenging on walks and to stop the capture of wildlife. Fabric muzzles stop dogs opening their mouths and hence prevent panting so a basket muzzle is much more comfortable for dogs and can be worn for longer periods.

Figure 8 head collar and leads are used for dogs who pull, this is where the material is tight across the dog’s nose and neck. As mentioned above, this can cause pain and injury and so I do not advise using these. Alternatively, some strong dogs may benefit from a no pull head collar however this must be introduced slowly and carefully.

Coats

Dog coats can be greatly beneficial, they help to keep your dog warm and dry and high-vis jackets can signal to other owners whether your dog should be approached, ignored, or given space. However, coats can often make it harder for other dogs to read body language so be mindful of what your dog is trying to tell you and those around you.

Whatever your dog is wearing, make sure they are fitted correctly and are happy wearing them. You may think they look dashing in their fashionable items but observe their body language for signs of discomfort and ensure everything fits correctly.

Categories: : dog safety, dog training, puppy training