For many dog owners,dog harnessesare part of thebasic equipment for their dog. However, with so many differenttypes of harnesses for dogsand other collars and chain collars, it is not easy to find out what suits you and your dog.
Our guide to dog harnesses answers frequently asked questions about dog harnessesand helps you make the right choice!
Dog harness or dog collar: which is better?
For us, the answer is clear - it's all about the right mix!
You should also know your dog best andmakethedecision based on his and your needs.
If you are still unsure, you can generally say thata (specialized) harness is the best choice for puppies and young dogs, fearful dogs from animal welfare or for some dog sports. Even if you and your dog like to beactive togetherand go jogging, cycling or hiking, a harness isthe right choice for most people, as pressure and sudden movements are better distributed.
If your dog is able to walk on a lead, i.e. does not pull on the lead but has learned to walk on it in a relaxed manner,there is nothing wrongwith awell-fitting collaror afur-friendly chainin everyday life or as additional protection.
What should I look out for in a dog harness?
TheChoosing the right dog harnesshas more to do with the your dog's safety, but also with his comfort to do. For both, the material and fit of the harness are of the highest priority.
Before you buy a dog harness, you should ask yourself whether you have answered the following questions from our Dog harness checklistwithYescan answer:
- Is the dog harness padded and made of soft, high-quality materials?
- Is the fit of the harness suitable for your dog and does your dog have enough freedom of movement in the harness?
- Is the harness adjustable?
- Does the dog harness fit your activities?
- Does the dog harness meet your needs (additional safety, reflective, etc.)?
What types of dog harnesses are there?
Nowadays there are a variety of harness types. Among the best known are the following:
- H-harness
- Y-Geschirr
- Norwegergeschirr
- Step-in-Geschirr
- Saddle harness
- Safety harness
The choice of the right type of harness depends not only on the dog's activity and build, but also on its preferences - for example, some dogs do not like harnesses that have to be pulled over their heads and prefer a harness without overhead pulling.
What is a Y-harness dog?
Y-harnesses are an alternative version of the lead harness/H-harness.
This type of harness is named after the Y-shaped strap in the chest area and hasa particularly good pressure distribution due to the angled and slightly offset neck straps. Compared to H-harnesses, Y-harnesses have aparticularly tight and therefore secure fit, which reduces the risk of slipping out.Forthis reason, you shouldpay particular attention to good padding and high-quality materials in Y-harnesses!
In addition,a Y-harness is particularly easy to put on: You can simply pull the head loop over your dog's head, pass the chest strap between the front paws and close the fasteners on both sides around the chest. This meansno stressful paw lifting for your dog!
Why Y harnesses?
Y dog harnesses are popular for three reasons:
- They offer your dogmaximum freedom of movement, especially in the shoulder area.
- Theyhave a secure fitand are therefore also suitable for adventures if you need to hold your dog by the harness.
- They offermany options for adjusting the harness and adapting it to your dog.
SPRENGER Y-harness
At SPRENGER we know that different dogs and owners have different needs and preferences. For this reason, we also offer high-quality Y-harnesses in addition to our chains.
We offer our SPRENGER Y-harnesses in two versions: As adog harness Y-harnessand as adog harness Y-harness 2.0.
Both harnesses come in black and orangeand in different sizes - so small and large dogs will find the right dog harness for every occasion!
Advantages of the SPRENGER dog harness Y-harness
- Tear-resistant, lightweight nylon
- HarnessPadded with soft neoprene
- Ergonomically adapted shape andBuckles for individual adaptability
- High-quality fasteners for high resilience and security
- AdditionalSafety and visibility in the darknthroughcircumferential reflective stripes
Advantages of the SPRENGER dog harness Y-harness 2.0
Our SPRENGER Y-harness 2.0 is a Optimization of our popular classicand has a great advantage:It is available in even more sizes!
In size XXS as a dog harness for small dogs or in XL as a dog harness for large dogs, now every dog can benefit from harnesses in SPRENGER quality.
All the advantages of the dog harness Y-harness 2.0 at a glance:
- Available in 6 sizes from XXS - XL
- Tear-resistant, lightweight nylon
- HarnessPadded with durable, soft softshell
- Infinitely adjustableon chest strap and waist belt
- Premium Duraloc bucklesclose easily yet securely
- Made in Europe, designed in Germany
- AdditionalSafety and visibility in the darknthroughcircumferential reflective piping
What is a safety harness?
To the question "Which dog harness is the safest?" the answer is quite simple: the so-called Safety harness or panic harness.
Safety harnesses for dogs are characterized by their third bar. Thisencloses the dog at the narrowest part of the bodyandmakes it impossible to unwind.
This type of harness for dogs is particularly helpful for animal welfare dogs that are new to Germany, where it is recommended as part of double protection.
Double securing for dogs - how does it work?
Above allFor particularly anxious dogs, a double safety device may be appropriate in unfamiliar or stressful situations. The reason: These dogs often react headlessly at first and choose to flee first. This becomes particularly problematic if a piece of equipment fails.
For this reasonYou need the following for double protection:
- Safety harness
- Very well-fitting collar orChain with pull-through chain
- Adjustable safety leash
- Führleine
The Adjustable safety leash is attached to the safety harness and wrapped around your own body or attached to a waist belt,so it cannot be accidentally dropped or slip through your fingers. The lead is attached to the collar or chain and held in the hand.
How do I find the right size for a dog harness?
To ensure that the harness fits the dog properly, it is not only important that the general fit is right, but also that the right size is chosen.
You know thatYour harness fits properly and is the right size,if no strap/ring presses on the sternum or larynx at the neck and the belly straps have enough distance to the elbows, but still rest on the rib area. Additionallyyou should be able to easily slide your hand under the straps at all points of the harness.
StraightFor dog harnesses for puppies and young dogs, you should check the fit regularly to avoid unpleasant pressure points. Well-padded dog harnesses that can be adjusted are particularly recommended!
Measure dog harness
For a well-fitting dog harness, it is important that you measure your dog correctly. You can find out how to measure your dog for our SPRENGER harnesses here: Measuring your dog.
Dog harness correct fit
Our video shows youIn a nutshell, how our Y-harness should sit on your dog!
The most important thing is that there is a hand's width of space between the front leg and the chest strapbetween the front leg and the chest strap so that there is no unpleasant friction.
AlsoAt the neck, the right fit is important. Make sure that it sits not too high on the neck and therefore presses on the larynx.
Advantages of dog harnesses at a glance
The advantages of dog harnesses are many and widely known, it is not for nothing that many trainers swear by them. But harnesses are also an absolute must, especially for special dog sports. Canicross harnesses, mantrailing harnesses, pulling harnesses for dogs and dog harnesses for securing dogs in the car have a special design that is adapted to the specific requirements.
The two biggest general advantages of harnesses for dogs are:
1. Dog harnesses allow an even distribution of pressure
Many dog owners are concerned that a collar or chain puts too much pressure on the dog's neck, especially with young, wild or not yet leash trained dogs. In such cases a well-fitting harness helps to distribute pressure evenly over the dog's entire body.
2. Dog harnesses provide control and safety
Fits the harness correctly,Reduces the risk of unharnessing compared to normal collars. This applies in particular to safety harnesses.
Disadvantages of dog harnesses at a glance
Nevertheless, dog harnesses are not the right choice for every dogthe big problem here is usually the fit, which is not suitable for every dog's physique. The consequences:
- Dog harnesses often do not fit perfectly
- Dog harnesses can chafe
For this reason, the Choosing the right type and size of harness is particularly important for dogs!
In addition, it is often mentioned as a disadvantage thatHarnesses restrict dogs. However, this is only partially true:
Some types of harness are not particularly well suited to dogs anatomically. They can not only unpleasantly restrict their movements, especially in the shoulder area, but can also cause permanent damage through incorrect loading. For this reason, saddle harnesses for dogs are not recommended.
PART OF YOUR PASSION.
