Official Vet Blog Recommendation: if Your Dog Pulls on the Leash, Use a Harness Instead of a Collar
If you have ever watched an especially rambunctious dog pull on a leash that is attached to his collar, surely you have suspected that the activity might be bad for his neck.
It turns out that this common-sense observation has merit.
Two types of dogs are at special risk from neck lead use. The first group consists of Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, and other individuals with snubbed noses (so-called brachycephalic individuals). Due to the conformation of their noses, sinuses and other airways these dogs have trouble breathing even under ideal circumstances. A tight collar around the neck can dramatically exacerbate their respiratory issues. I recommend that all snub-nosed dogs be walked using a harness.
The other group of dogs that is at high risk of injury from neck collars is made up of larger dogs that pull hard on walks. Labrador Retrievers are over-represented in this group.
At a recent lecture at the Pacific Veterinary Conference, a leading expert on neck and throat surgery in dogs (the same individual who admonished the attendees never to perform elective debarking surgeries) discussed his concern that chronic injury to the neck could damage a nerve that runs to the voice box. This, in turn, can lead to a life-threatening syndrome called laryngeal paralysis. His recommendation: use a harness.
Of course, all breeds of dogs can still wear appropriately sized collars to hold their identification tags. And it is crucial that the person walking the dog be able to physically control the animal at all times.
But I would be happy never to see another dog pulling so hard on his collar that he can’t breathe.
Photo: Buster models his harness. Forget about that other guy.
You have questions. 
Curious to see the Doctor’s thoughts on Ceasar Milan’s collar therory/trianing method?
What about Gentle Leads? I have min-pin who pulls like crazy on a harness, but the non-slip collar keeps him in check a little better. I would rather use a harness, but he gets really agressive and I have a harder time controling him. I can turn his attention away easily with a collar.
I like pie. so does my dog. is it healthy
As far as harnesses go, I see way too many people with puppies on harnesses than need be. Ever think of training the dog to heel? to not pull? I’ve owned various dogs in my life and have never once needed a harness because I train my dogs not to pull from an early age. All it takes is positive reenforcement and treats. Mary Ellen
@Mary Ellen – Yeah, that was the first thing I thought too. A harness doesn’t teach them not to pull. But seems to me lots of people would rather take a shortcut than go to the effort (!) of training. Like the dog stroller in the F&S catalog, the copy actually says ‘easier than leash training!’. Ack.
@Dee – the problem with Gentle leads and the other face halters is that the really rambunctious ones can give themselves whiplash when they run to the end of it. Picture a boisterous year-old lab trying to chase a squirrel and hitting the end of that leash. Makes my neck hurt just thinking about it.
When I first got my dog she pulled, so in addition to training I used a gentle leader front harness (not the face kind, the chest kind) for walks when there wouldn’t be time to do real training. After about a week, though, I discovered that the harness was digging into the skin under her front legs, and had even broken through and caused bleeding. We tried adjusting the fit but the rubbing never ceased and the $30 harness was thrown away.
Ultimately she was successfully trained to walk without pulling, however I did buy a traditional harness for longer walks, since I prefer the leash placement and overall control. My dog, however, seriously dislikes it. Does anybody know if there’s a comfortable harness out there for a medium-sized dogs?
*Kerry, the harness my fiance got for his small dog is made of wider strips of fabric similar to bluejean material. It’s as soft as your favorite, well-loved, and almost useless pair of jeans.
As for harness vs. collar, Sammy (the dog mentioned above) has back problems from an accident that happened when he was a puppy. After switching him to the harness after amlost 8 years with a collar, we noticed that his back spasms had decreased because he wasn’t being forced on his hind legs when the person walking him turned without the dog realizing it. I have heard that for dogs that refuse to learn how to properly walk with a collar, a harness is good because it causes fewer problems. Or if the dog is exceedingly rambunctious, like my fiance’s sister’s rat terrier.
.., I can sense that you love dogs too.. :) I have watch somewhere in the you tube that there are ways to train dogs to stop them from pulling the leashes.. i just don’t know how effective it is.. hope this could help…