Collar vs Harness – Which is Better for My Dog?

Twenty-five years ago, when I started my professional training career, the only choices for collars were either a choke collar, prong/pinch type collar or nylon/cotton/leather collar. The old-style choke or prong collars used the “pop-n-jerk” method of training, which operated on a negative leash/collar correction when the dog did not respond appropriately. A flat collar was just not effective on most dogs, especially dogs those that pulled when on a leash.

Pulling with a Collar

The other concern was all the pressure put on the dogs neck could damage the dog’s trachea, esophagus and thyroid, as noted by Jean Dodds, DVM.  You can check out her article on neck damage from collars, Can Collars Really Damage the Thyroid?.  Dr. Dodds notes that the thyroid gland “can be easily injured by trauma and sudden pressure forces”.

In Search of an Effective Collar or Harness

As time progressed, I tried several other types of collars and harnesses that came on the market which addressed pulling, but none of them really were as effective as I would have liked them to be.   Therefore, I created my own training harness.

An Effective Dog Harness

The “MerryWalker Dog Harness” is a compilation of harness styles, which I think is a more effective way of training, especially when dealing with pulling on a leash. The “MerryWalker Dog Harness” utilizes a front/chest leash attachment harness, combined with a Martingale style neck collar. The MerryWalker Dog Harness is constructed as a single unit, as the harness and the neck collar are physically attached.

The MerryWalker Dog Harness Difference

The “MerryWalker Dog Harness” guides and steers the dog from the front of the dog’s chest, which helps:

• Eliminate “opposition reflex” pulling.
• Doesn’t put pressure on the dog’s trachea, esophagus or thyroid gland.
• The Martingale style collar is attached to the harness, which keeps the harness
high up on the dog’s legs, keeping it from falling down on the dog’s legs.
• The “MerryWalker Dog Harness” comes in seven sizes and seven colors.