Dog Community

New to harnesses - how tight?

Posted : 5/22/2006 10:21:46 AM

I just bought my dogs a harness a few weeks ago and have been using it on all their walks now, but I'm not sure how tightly it should fit to their bodies. Does it go by the same rule as the collar - that you should be able to fit 2 fingers between the dog and the harness? Or should it be looser than that? I've experimented around with it and I can't find an obvious "perfect" fit. Or maybe it just doesn't even matter. It fits my Lab mix pretty well as he's very round, but my Golden/Saluki mix has a very houndish build - her chest is quite thin, so the harness slides around on her a lot. The only concern I really have is that if she stops and the harness gets pulled it sometimes slides up her neck a little bit, but I can't see that it would be able to come off at all. I must be missing something here because I don't think harnesses should be this confusing [&:]

Mia

Posted : 5/22/2006 11:59:18 AM

I'd love an answer to this too. I have a BC/ Pointer mix and her deep chest coupled with a thin body is making harnesses a pain. I haven't found one that fits anything like I want. I don't want it on her neck, and I don't want it binding up her elbows either. it seems like the chest straps are all too xhort so the harness slides all over the place.

I've been lightly looking at hound harnesses for dog sledding. They were the closest thing I found to the fit I want, though I haven't actually gotten my hands on one yet, and it might have problems with backing out of the harness.

-Mia

Vivian

Posted : 5/22/2006 12:20:44 PM

April's is just tight enough so it doesn't slip over her head, it has a couple of times. *S* I think one finger under it should do it.

Mark R.

Posted : 5/22/2006 3:11:57 PM

Getting a harness is a good choice, because with a collar, I always worry about my dog choking or something if he has a collar, so it gives you the peace of mind.

Mikaela Ritter

Posted : 5/22/2006 8:43:16 PM

Yeah I walk my dogs on a retractable leash and I feel like they're much safer with a harness than a collar. They also look pretty cool, and the dogs love wearing them (no idea why) : )

heather muroski

Posted : 5/22/2006 11:13:54 PM

two fingers snuggly. anything more than that is too lose.