Do Harnesses Cause Dogs to Pull More?

Many dogs wear harnesses and don't pull so they obviously don't cause dogs to pull.

But it's still something we hear a lot from dog professionals out there. Here's the theory. It all stems from something called the "opposition reflex" (which isn't a reflex at all if I'm being pedantic) which means that when a dog feels pressure in one direction they will apply pressure in the other direction.The problem with this idea is that it holds true for collars and pretty much anything else - if a dog pulls on a collar they feel pressure in the same way that they do on a harness. The only difference is that hit hurts more.In fact, there has been research done on this very subject which shows that harnesses categorically do not cause a dog to pull (Shih et al, 2021)

Why do dog trainers not like harnesses?

Well, here's the thing. Most qualified dog trainers do! When all is said and done, the "secret" to having a dog that doesn't pull is meeting that dog's needs and training! So, a good trainer knows that there is no equipment which will "fix" pulling. The key to it is working out WHY your dog is pulling, and start there, rather than just trying to suppress the pulling behaviour.

Why are harnesses better than collars for dogs that pull?

The physiology of our dogs' necks is really similar to ours, so if you put something around their neck and then pull on it, it's going to be pretty unpleasant for them. Not only that, there are a lot of health conditions which can be caused by dogs pulling on a collar - Shay Kelly has written a really informative blog in this which you can find here: https://shaykelly.com/2021/07/06/should-mans-best-friend-be-led-by-the-neck/So why would we cause pain and damage to our dogs, even though we know that a collar won't even stop pulling? But it's not just that, when collars don't work then more extreme methods can often follow. Firstly, "checking" the lead - an aversive (which means a method which punishes and causes pain to the dog) method which is psychologically and physically damaging to the dog.The next step might be to try a slip lead, which tightens around the dog's neck when they pull (and don't be taken in by those saying they're fine if used "properly", they work by causing pain, end of story). Again, causing long term damage.And if the slip lead doesn't work, how about a prong collar? Here's a photo of my arm after 10 seconds of moderate pressure put on a prong collar - and, yes, it hurt!

So imagine putting that torture device around a dog's neck? It's no less than abuse.

You may also have heard that it's ok on dogs because the skin around their neck is thicker than humans. This is totally factually incorrect. Dogs' skin is 3-5 cells thick - compare that to humans whose skin is 10-15 cells thick.

What damage can a harness do to a dog?

Yes, harnesses can be damaging to dogs too. But the thing is, they are the least bad option we have, if we choose them correctly.

One of my dog's, Hattie, hated her harness when I first got her as a nervous rescue. She didn't pull on lead so the best option for her initially was a flat collar. She's now totally fine with her harness.

Some harnesses have a chest plate which goes below shoulder level and can restrict movement in our dogs. Some can be uncomfortable as they fit incorrectly. I like an X or Y shaped harness to allow my dogs the most natural range of movement possible.

To get real help with your dog that pulls, check out our Walks Without Worry course!

Carter, Anne J., Donal S. McNally, and Roshier, Amanda L., (2020). "Canine collars: an investigation of collar type and the forces applied to a simulated neck model

Shih HY, Phillips CJC, Mills DS, Yang Y, Georgiou F, Paterson MBA. Dog Pulling on the Leash: Effects of Restraint by a Neck Collar vs. a Chest Harness. Front Vet Sci. 2021 Sep 6;8:735680. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.735680. PMID: 34552977; PMCID: PMC8450523.

Categories: : reactive dog training