# Collar or harness?



## Vespa

I have heard that it is best to walk my Chihuahua puppies with a harness rather than a collar. Apparently Chihuahuas suffer from weak tracheas. Does anyone have any advice in this area please?


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## Bella~n~Wiley's mom

I would go with the harness. Not only do I use a harness for my Chi's but both of the labs I have owned over the years. They aren't super expensive and it's SO much better for them!


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## zaek1

Definitely the harness. You can get them quite cheap. The collar can damage the tiny trachea like you said. It happens when either dog or owner pulls of the lead.


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## Yoshismom

Agree, definately harnesses for walking. You can buy a collar for looks but not a good idea to walk them on it or allow it to be tugged by a child;-)


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## PixiePink

I used a harness when they were still puppies for mine but then moved over to collars when they reached adulthood. They both have a Coach collar. They are made of leather and are solid, thick and wide (not skinny fabric like cheaper ones) and they are both doing great with them. That said, you can definitely still use a harness when they are adult, especially if your chi is really small (mine are both about 7lbs so they can easily handle a collar) or if they are being walk by young kids, as Yoshismom mentioned. 










(They do not wear those booties out...they were only used for pics.)


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## Mandy

I would definetly say harness i only put a collar on for show i would never attach a leash to it though harnesses are way better for their tracheas xx


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## jesshan

In almost 30 years I have never had a problem with the trachea, harnesses can pull their shoulders out if they pull on them so there are pros and cons to both. Mine never wear a collar all the time because it can rub the coat on the chest and for show purposes that is no good.

I show mine on a shoe string lead but never a collar and lead.


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## Aquarius

Gosh Denise, I never realised there were pros and cons to both.

What do you use to walk the dogs?


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## *Chloe*

i mainly use a collar they dont wear it all the time just for walks - the trainers at my obedience club and my vet said its fine, both mine walk well and dont pull anyway - i love buying cute harnesses tho rarely use them :lol:


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## jesshan

If at a show they are on shoe string leads but for every day walking I use the semi choke chain leads (no chain actually touch the dog) they are about 3/4 cm in width and made from the nylon which is slack an the neck unless they pull bu as soon as they stop, the collar part loosens again.


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## PixiePink

jesshan said:


> Mine never wear a collar all the time because it can rub the coat on the chest and for show purposes that is no good.


Although I do use collars to walk them, mine too never wear a collar inside the house (and they are both microchipped). Their collars are strictly for walks or trips outside the house. Rubbing the coat off is one reason but also because Minnie once grabbed Mackenzie by the collar when playing in the house, got her teeth stuck in it and almost choked Mackenzie to death. We actually had to cut the collar off of Mackenzie while his eyes were bulging out and starting to turn red!!! :nshocked2:

And also because they love being "naked"...


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## * Bailey & Kahlua's Mom *

Bailey only wears a collar for looks, he has never been leashed at the collar! I only use a harness on him when we go walking, I've had to quickly yank him up out of harms way too many times, and having a harness has saved his life and limbs many times.


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## Brodysmom

I use both. A buckle collar for ID purposes (although he has a microchip) and I took him all the way through 8 weeks of puppy kindergarten on a collar. Later, I was convinced to only walk him on a harness, so I switched to a harness for walking, but he is used to walking on both.

Some chihuahua's have a tendency towards a collapsing trachea, but many are perfectly fine. 

Brodysmom


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## rocky scotland

I use a Puppia harness for Rocky.


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## unchienne

I use a collar for around the house wear and to attatch their rabies tag (just found out that my vet does have smaller ones available), but use a harness when walking them. Hasn't worked out very well for now because they're a bit stubborn and so am I. We're working on it though.

For Boo I use a collar. It's as much for his preference as it is mine though, and he NEVER pulls on his leash. I've tried harnesses on him, but he hates them. Lowers his head and drags his feet whenever they're on. But he's a hefty 6 pounds (7 now) and in the many years we've been walking has never had the collar pull against his throat.


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## Han&Riley

I heard that collars can break Chis necks! i got riley a harness & he seems ok with it 
didn't know about the shoulder thing though!! Have to watch him carefully from now on.


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## ElectricBlueWings

Harness. People on here favor the puppia step in vest too.


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## catz4m8z

Both mine used a collar til recently. Am swapping Hannah to a harness as she managed to rub all her fur off the underneath of her neck and make it quite sore. Too much stopping and sniffing with me having to pull her, little madam! I will admit she looks adorable in a harness and its like clothes shopping for your chi's for those of us not brave enuf to go for the works!


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## majic

I use a 'Buddy Belt' harness for Fifi. They're wonderful, they're made of really nice-quality leather and come in loads of colours. You can get matching leads too, and there's a ring for attaching ID tags. I got mine from eBay.


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## Maleighchi

I use collars on my chihuahuas. They never stay on all the time though. I've never had a problem using them either.


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## msmadison

how do you measure for a harness are collar? We bought they XS ones, but they're still way too big for Madison!


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## FireFox

I use soft harnesses only for walks.
Recently i got tiny collars for ID tags - they wear them all day, just in case. But i wouldn't attach lead to them.


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## opezi

Mia has been using a collar for two years now but I don't want to take the risk of damaging the neck or trachea, so I will be buying a harness tomorrow. She had a harness once but it caused her to lose fur where the harness lay, so I'm going with a mesh harness.


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## Moonfall

Both for us. When Douglas is working he works on a collar. When we are just out for a walk he usually wears a harness.


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## AnnHelen

Only harnesses for my boy


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## Wicked Pixie

This is a really old thread, there have been numerous discussions on harnesses versus collars much more recently.


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