Derry GRRRL Adjustable Dog Harness

This all depends on your dog's walking ability, behaviour and physical condition. One of the most popular solutions is to fit your dog with a harness that allows you to train you dog to walk properly. Luckily, there are alternatives for dogs who pull, whether they are large or small.

Both collars and harnesses are good choices to use for walking your dog, but they have reasons why they might not be the best choice for every dog. So, which one is better for your dog?

You may need firstly to assess your own dog, their physical condition and their behaviour, as this isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.

If you have a dog who is healthy, free of any neck or spine issues, and well trained that they never pull, then a collar would be a simple
and affordable choice for walks. A quick clip of the leash onto a collar affords a walk at any moment, and a well-trained dog will make the stroll easy on their body, and on yours!

However, most dogs don’t fit in that category. Many dogs can have genetic orthopaedic and joint issues that can involve their neck or back,
and most dogs pull until they are trained not to.

By design, harnesses don’t put stress on the neck or back, and are safer for older or weak dogs, brachycephalic breeds, toy breeds, and dogs who suffer from neck injuries, back injuries, back pain, or tracheal collapse.

Harnesses however are safer for dogs who pull.  Can be better for training puppies, or dogs who aren’t used to leash walking, such as rescues.  And can give you more control over your dog at any time.

Harnesses seem like the best choice for your dog’s well-being and your sanity during walks. However, most harnesses don’t have a place to attach ID tags. If your dog was to get loose, whoever finds them may not be able to find you. A collar has always been a personalised way to show ownership, and today, we use tags on them to identify dogs and locate their owners.

So, which is better for a walk, a harness or leash? Ultimately, clipping the leash to a harness is the best way to safely walk most
dogs, as it gives you more control over the walk and reduces any injuries to your dog. But having a collar on at the same time gives you extra security in knowing that if your dog gets loose, they can be identified and returned to you
easily. That peace of mind is priceless and is well worth the effort of having both.

In general, a well fitting dog harness should be a snug fit, but not too tight. It should be tight enough that your dog can't back out of it.  Just like with a collar, you should be able to fit two fingers (but only two!) between the harness and your dog.

If your dogs weight is fluctuating, if its gaining or losing weight, make sure their harness and collar keep up with these changes. Ensure you check the fit often to ensure they can't slip out of the harness or that the harness is too tight and digging into their skin. When you reach the limits of the harnesses adjustability, replace with a new size.

No.It can become uncomfortable, can get caught on something, and cause skin irritation. Use it only for its intended purpose, for
walking your dog.

Generally, Jack Russell’s come under 'small' size, all harnesses are adjustable to an extent so can be fit to your dog’s exact measurements (please see size guide).  My own jack Russell currently fits into a small size.

Our large in the adjustable harness range fits a cocker spaniel size, and our stepin2 range in large would fit a Labrador (please see size guides)

Many stepin2 harnesses only have a back ring for the lead attachment, while over-the-head adjustable harness styles may have a chest ring, back ring, or both. Some dogs can find putting anything on over their head unpleasant. If this is your dog, a stepin2 dog harness is a great option.