ALMA CANINACollar or harness: which to choose for your dog's breed
It's one of the questions I get asked most on walks around Girona: should I use a collar or a harness? The short answer is that it depends on the dog. There's no perfect option for everyone, but there are some very common mistakes you can avoid with a little information.
First things first: your dog's neck
Before you think about brands or colours, look at your dog's shape. There are three groups worth keeping in mind:
- Brachycephalic breeds (French bulldog, English bulldog, pug, boxer, shih tzu). They have short muzzles and narrower airways. Any pressure on the neck affects them more than other dogs, so a good harness is usually better for walks.
- Sighthounds and long necked dogs (greyhound, whippet, podenco). Their head is narrower than their neck, so a normal collar can slip off easily. For them there's the sighthound or martingale style collar, which is wider, spreads the pressure and won't slip off.
- Small dogs with delicate windpipes (Yorkshire terrier, chihuahua, Pomeranian). Like brachycephalic breeds, they're better off when the walk doesn't rely on the neck.
When a collar makes sense
A good quality collar is perfect for carrying an ID tag with their name and phone number, for wearing at home and for dogs that already walk calmly without pulling. What matters is the fit: you should be able to slide two fingers between the collar and the neck. Any more and it can slip off. Any less and it's too tight.
What I never recommend are choke, prong or electric collars. They work through discomfort or pain, and even if the dog stops pulling in the moment, they don't learn anything useful. They also often bring on fear or reactivity that wasn't there before.
H harness or Y harness
Not all harnesses are the same. Look at how the straps sit across the chest:
- Y harness: the front strap runs down the middle of the chest, between the front legs, without crossing the shoulders. It lets the dog move freely and it's the style I like best for everyday use.
- H harness or horizontal strap: one strap runs straight across the chest. Some of these restrict shoulder movement, especially in active dogs that run a lot.
Whatever the style, check that it doesn't rub under the front legs, isn't loose, and that your dog can walk, run and sit normally.
Kit is no substitute for training
A good harness makes walks more comfortable, but it won't teach your dog to walk beside you. If they pull a lot, the answer is training, not tougher equipment. In this article I explain how to teach your dog to walk without pulling on the lead.
My advice
Many dogs end up using both: a light collar with their tag that stays on all the time, and a comfortable harness for longer walks. If you're not sure what suits yours best, drop me a message. I can meet your dog, measure them and recommend what they need, even if you don't buy anything from me.
