Does your dog wear a collar or a harness?

**jackiesdaisy1935** · 03-08-2001, 04:17 PM

Our dogs always wore collars, until one day
we were walking Kona at the golf course and she just backed out of her collar. We couldn't believe it. Then it happened with Perry. Finally we wised up and got harnesses
(thats what I call them) We leave them around the house with just a collar because we have double gates, but when we travel we have their collar on with all the tags and also their harness which we connect to the leash. It may sound excessive, but it would only take one time for them to get loose.
Perry may or may not come back if he got loose, but most likely Daisy would be on her way to new adventures, and I could never take that chance.

**Daisy's Mom** · 03-08-2001, 08:55 PM

Daisy backs out of her collar too, quite frequently actually when she's being walked and is being lazy. The problem is we can't put the collar too tight because she has so much extra flaps of skin on her neck that she can just shake those flaps and squirm out. The good thing about her is we can totally trust her off leash and she will always come back, especially if you have food. We live in a hige field currounded by four houses of relatives who love Daisy to visit. She is always out off leash and she always comes home. She's a good girl

**ownerof3dogs** · 03-09-2001, 12:50 PM

My dogs wear collars around the house but when we go out for walks they wear the choke chain so they can't escape from it and so I can correct them easier.

**shais_mom** · 03-09-2001, 05:46 PM

Greyhounds are notorious for slipping out of collars, so I use a special martingale collar also know as a greyhound collar. It is the only collar I would ever use on my greyhound. If I ever get a doberman or similiar type dog I would use this type also, it is similar to a choke collar but has a loop so that it doesn't completly go closed. It is the only type of collar I would by for any dog.

**cal-girl_luver_20** · 03-09-2001, 07:52 PM

My dogs always wore collars. We once had a dog that kept getting out. He had on 3 collars & a harness on & he still got out.

**jackiesdaisy1935** · 03-09-2001, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by ownerof3dogs:
My dogs wear collars around the house but when we go out for walks they wear the choke chain so they can't escape from it and so I can correct them easier.

Ownerof3dogs, have you ever tried one of those martingale collars that Shais-mom uses.
When we had our Rottwiler, my husband trained her with a choke chain and he would never use one now, I realize when they try to get away, it closes up and has to be painful to the dog. Maybe you could look into one.

***BaSim*** · 03-09-2001, 08:53 PM

Simba does'nt wear a collar. Only when he goes for a walk or is outside he wears one.
A neighbor dog i used to walk had a bad experience with a collar. He was in his crate and he was scratching himself by the ears. His paw got caught in his collar and he couldnt get it out. He could've broke his leg or choked himself. He is a pure breed chocolate lab. And luckily it was a day I was going to walk him. So when I got there I saw him all tangled up. If i was'nt there to get his collar off, HE could have injured himself or...died.. Now Buster(the dog) is living in i think south carolina with his owner. I miss him. He was not very trained but I was trying to train him he was only 6 moths old.

So now Simba does not wear collars he normally wear them when we our home but not when he is alone by himself

**AdoreMyDogs** · 03-10-2001, 08:59 AM

My two kids each wear a collar at all times with ID tags on. Graham is very well trained, he won't leave my side on walks unless I "release him" so I have no fear that he'd ever run from me and Cassie always walks at my side or slightly behind me on walks and I can let her roam at the dog park without worry of her straying too far from me. Cassie is too stubborn for any formal training, but I think she stays so close to me because she was treated so porely where she spent her first 7 years of life that she does not want to every stray from me. When the weather is warm enough for Cassie to take a walk without her sweater then I put a harness on her, not out of fear that she'd run from me (she NEVER strays from me) but because her breathing is messed up and I wonder how comfortable it is for her to have extra weight (a leash) hanging from her collar. I put a harness on her to avoid any pressure on her windpipe. She really seems to appreciate it.

When I take Graham to an area that only allows leashed dogs, then I put his harness on and use one of those retractable leashes and he knows that he does not have to walk with me, he knows it's ok to do his own thing. When he has his harness on he knows that he's not required to walk with me. I only do that when we go somewhere where he's not allowed off-lead. Otherwise I just let him off lead to explore and to enjoy being a dog. He never strays far.

[This message has been edited by AdoreMyDogs (edited March 10, 2001).]

**BoxerLover** · 03-10-2001, 10:46 AM

Nikki wears a collar with ID tags 24-7. But when I take her for walks she wears a harness so she doesnt choke.

**ownerof3dogs** · 03-10-2001, 11:33 PM

Originally posted by jackiesdaisy1935:
Ownerof3dogs, have you ever tried one of those martingale collars that Shais-mom uses.
When we had our Rottwiler, my husband trained her with a choke chain and he would never use one now, I realize when they try to get away, it closes up and has to be painful to the dog. Maybe you could look into one.

I would but since it doesn't tighten all the way they could slip it. Plus they hardly listen with the cain one know so a cloth one would probaly be useless. Also with Herc, he doesn't like kids so I have to have complete control at all times.
But thanks anyway for the concern but they don't seem to mind it at all. Acually they get all happy when I pull it out to go for walks

**Genia** · 03-11-2001, 09:05 PM

My boys always wear collars with tags. When we go for walks, I use a harness on Bandit for many of the same reasons AdoreMyDogs gave for Cassie. It is much easier for Bandit's breathing when the harness is used.

Adore, Bandit is stubborn also but as with you and your Cassie, he always walks beside me or slightly behind me. He will not stray. I can't teach him to "sit" or "fetch" but he's a natural on leash. Must be something about the breed.

**AdoreMyDogs** · 03-11-2001, 09:39 PM

Hi Genia,

There's one pug who lives fairly close to my apartment complex who pulls real bad on a leash. It's a little neutered male pug, and the owner keeps him on a collar and not a harness. I don't get it, he doesn't even snort! I see him often, pulling that leash as hard as he possibly can, and by his collar no less, and he makes no snorts whatsoever! He has a completely un-abstructed pant just like a normal dog! I have tried approaching the owner but she's super snobby and she wants nothing to do with any kind of chat about her dog. I am just curious as to why her pug makes NO snorty noises, even on the very hot, humid days!

I honestly don't know of any other pugs around other then that one owned by that not-so-friendly lady so I can't tell if it's normal for a pug to stick close to it's owner and walk well on a leash, but it sure does seem like it from what you said about how Bandit walks. That pug that pulls it's owner as hard as he can from his collar and has no typical pug snorts must be one of those exceptions

**Genia** · 03-12-2001, 09:22 PM

Originally posted by AdoreMyDogs:

I have tried approaching the owner but she's super snobby and she wants nothing to do with any kind of chat about her dog.
That pug that pulls it's owner as hard as he can from his collar and has no typical pug snorts must be one of those exceptions

The lady sure sounds unfriendly. Maybe that's why he pulls so hard, he's trying to get away

(Bad, Genia!)

**Pam** · 03-13-2001, 07:00 AM

You guys are stirring up my pug cravings again!

Maybe one day Bella will have a brother or sister pug!!

Our last two poodles before Bella wore collars with tags around the house all the time. One day Ashley (the miniature) was playing around with Whitney (the standard) and somehow got her lower jaw caught in between Whitney's neck and collar. I didn't know anything was wrong til I heard her yelping. Since Whitney was so much bigger, Ashley hanging from Whitney's collar by her jaw! Thank God I was home! Well, the collars came off. The only time they ever had anything around their necks again was when they went for walks and then they wore choker collars since that's what they were used to from obedience school. They behaved liked angels when they went on.

**Corinna** · 03-13-2001, 09:31 AM

Just a note for those who will be going on with different trainings. Merlin wears a normal web collarwith placstic squeese clips that break away if he's in trouble. For obediance lessons a chain traing collar. When just a walk he wears his thin web training, in the show ring he has a thick one . When we work on tracking or search and rescue work eh has 2 different harnesses. This seems to let him know what I expect from him with out him becoming confused and frustrated. He almost has a bigger wardrobe than me,if you count all his bandannas for all occasions.Corinna