# Collar or Harness?



## gBOYsc2 (Feb 6, 2011)

The questions is pretty straight forward. Do you prefer to use a collar or a harness while walking? The snow is starting to melt around here and the day is coming where we will be taking our baby boy out for walks so I am just wondering what most people prefer. I'm thinkin a harness might be safest because they are so small and delicate I would hate to hurt him somehow by givin the leash a little bit of a yank if I have to.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

defo a harness... so much more safer in lots of different ways.. they cant wiggle out of a harness as easy as they could by slipping the collar, and also its safter on their little throats if u did have yank the lead.
I walked Lola not so long ago with a collar and lead as her harness was being repaired and i really hated it! i felt like she wasnt safe bcoz i was paranoid she was going to slip the collar etc and i just couldnt wait 2 get the harness back for her!
I would just say dont waste your time on collars, get a harness


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Mine wear both -- collar for identification, harness for walking/leash attachment. IMO a harness comes off too easily for it to be considered an appropriate means of identification. A collar that won't fit over the dog's head isn't goin' anywhere.


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## *chiwee*love* (Feb 23, 2011)

I've found that both with my chi and with my fiance's pit bull a harness works best. Both dogs get excited when we go for walks and tend to pull (at least when we first head out.) We were having problems with Kiara (the pit bull) pulling on the collar and out of fear that she would hurt herself (or, heaven forbid, we would accidentally hurt her) we invested in a harness. Best decision ever. Not only does it spare us the fear of hurting her, we also found that we have better control of her and she actually pulls less when we use the harness. Since we had such great success with Kiara, we bought Honey (my chi) a harness very shortly after I got her. We've experienced the same results with Honey that we had previously with Kiara. So, my vote, especially when it comes to walks, goes to the harness!


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

yea i agree with you Kristi about the id on collars, mine used to wear both out but have the lead attached to the harness, just feels safer for us as my girls can freak when they see other dogs, i can control them better with a harness!!


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## *chiwee*love* (Feb 23, 2011)

And to add to Kristi's comment (I actually intended to add this to my response anyway, but forgot) both Honey and Kiara also wear collars for identification purposes. As an additional safety measure, we also have them micro-chipped. You just can't be too safe when you love your dogs as much as we all do!


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I am harness only person and just when they are outside. I am afraid of collars as so many things can happen to choke the dog, especially if they where them 24/7. A few examples one of which I just heard lately is... A friend has Great Danes and they were wrestling and one of the paws got trapped in her bitches collar and he started to freak and so did she, thankfully she was there and saw it and was able to release them. She said it twisted so fast that it would have certainly choked her. Also I see Chi's playing with other Chi's when they have the metal dangling from their collars and this can hit another Chi in the soft spot. Lastly, with the collapsing trachea and how fragile their throats are it just worries me. JMHO ;-)


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Yoshismom said:


> I am harness only person and just when they are outside. I am afraid of collars as so many things can happen to choke the dog, especially if they where them 24/7. A few examples one of which I just heard lately is... A friend has Great Danes and they were wrestling and one of the paws got trapped in her bitches collar and he started to freak and so did she, thankfully she was there and saw it and was able to release them. She said it twisted so fast that it would have certainly choked her. Also I see Chi's playing with other Chi's when they have the metal dangling from their collars and this can hit another Chi's in the soft spot. Lastly, with the collapsing trachea and how fragile their throats are it just worries me. JMHO ;-)


The collars were way too loose then! A great dane's paw is pretty dang big lol...it should NOT in any way be able to fit between another dog's collar and its neck. I have often seen big dog owners just letting the collars hang loosely on the dog's necks...to me that's just flat out negligence. 

I firmly believe a collar is an important method of idenification. If them getting caught or stuck is a worry to someone, get the quick release collar then. Ours don't wear collars inside but if they are setting foot outside the house on goes a *properly fitted* collar.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

I think it was the claw that got stuck and not the paw itself. My apologies for not being clear. I keep their identification on their harnesses and I cant imagine the harnesses coming off? They are also chipped


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Mine can all wiggle out of their harnesses if they really want, I guess that's why they wear collars. A claw makes a little more sense, cuz their paws are HUGE.


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Harness for me ! My sheltie has slipped his collar when frightened before


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

I use a harness for walking Zoey and only put a collar on if we are going out . I would never hook a leash on it though, wouldn't want any trachea damage. I have had Zoey get out of her harness before though, by backing out of it. That was when she was much younger and it was a bit big.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I use a harness for walking. I make sure and test it before we got and gently lift him up off the ground with the leash. I've had to use this in an emergency situation when we got rushed by a large dog out of nowhere. I just jerked the leash and he was in my arms in a second.


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## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

I use harnesses for walking. I'd never use a collar to walk a chi.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Another harness user here. We don't use collars.


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## Pinkchi (Nov 21, 2008)

TLI said:


> Another harness user here. We don't use collars.


Same here


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## Chiboymom (Jul 8, 2009)

Draco wears a harness for walking and when he is connected to his car seat. His tags are on the harness as that is what he is in 99% of the time. If he is going somewhere with me where he "might" get outside or away from me, then he also wears a collar with his name and my contact info. Unfortunatley, he has slipped his harness on occasion by backing out of it. Twice, it caused me a baby heart attack. Need to get another buddy belt. He outgrew his and they a pretty spendy, but not so much when the boys life is at stake.


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## Cambrea (Feb 21, 2010)

Does anyone use a gentle leader? I was recommended this by the vet for Pepper since she is such a spaz. I don't put her in it anymore because the only time she pulls is when someone reaches to pet her. I just inform people that she is not to be touched because she is still learning trust and people seem to listen.

I use collars for Coco and Pepper, but they don't pull when we walk and I'm constantly looking for a good harnesses because the collar makes me nervous. My toy fox constantly trys to hang herself, she is very much a terrier on her walks. She had a harness, but outgrew it then chewed it up while losing weight to get back in it. I am probably going to save up to get puppia ones, they seem a good fit for lots of chi people and I like the look too.


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## ProudChiDad (Jan 23, 2011)

step-in harness for my 2


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## BambiHilton (Mar 15, 2010)

I've used lead and collar once or twice when I forgot my harness's and I was at a friends but no whenever they got for their walks they have a harness!

I have collars too But they only were them outside or for photos ect!x


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## 2chis (Mar 16, 2011)

We have been using the Buddy Belt dog harness for 3 years now. I can't tell you how awesome they are! All pulling pressure is on the chest area and completely avoids the neck. They are a little pricey because they are leather, but they last forever. Mine have only gotten softer with age. They are pretty stylish too!


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## Chiboymom (Jul 8, 2009)

2chis said:


> We have been using the Buddy Belt dog harness for 3 years now. I can't tell you how awesome they are! All pulling pressure is on the chest area and completely avoids the neck. They are a little pricey because they are leather, but they last forever. Mine have only gotten softer with age. They are pretty stylish too!


They are wonderful and the dog cannot slip out of it. Very lightweight also.


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## rocky scotland (Jun 15, 2008)

Brodysmom said:


> I use a harness for walking. I make sure and test it before we got and gently lift him up off the ground with the leash. I've had to use this in an emergency situation when we got rushed by a large dog out of nowhere. I just jerked the leash and he was in my arms in a second.


I have done that too with the harness on Rocky when he was attacked by a siamese cat, they is not way I could have done that (without hurting him) if his lead was hooked onto a collar.

Rocky actually doesn't own a collar, only a step in Puppia harness.


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