choose?
First, you want one that allows full range of motion of the shoulders. You don’t want to use a harness that goes across the shoulders to prevent movement. Preventing the full range of movement can cause early arthritis, pain in shoulders and spine, and an irregular gait.
They also limit movement so your dog doesn’t pull. Which also means they aren’t necessarily learning to loose leash walk.
So what kind of harness should you choose?
You want a “Y” or “H” shaped harness. These allow full range of movement of the shoulders and spine. Having both a front clip and back clip is ideal.
Now, with any equipment you choose you need to teach loose leash walking. While harnesses allow full access for a dog to pull, the training process is not any more difficult then teaching to loose leash walk in a flat collar. However, if your dog pulls a lot, has a prey drive or is reactive, we recommend another tool. Harnesses while great are not for every dog. Talk to our trainer and behaviorist about alternative tools.