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Proud Sassy in her Crufts 2013 dress harness and lead by eDog by kind permission of her Mum Naarah Cuddy

Say hello to SASSY who is Naarah Cuddy’s spirited young dog who will compete along with Naarah at this years Crufts 2013 in the agility event – they are from The Young Kennel Club and it is the first time for both youngsters at Crufts. Naarah asked us to make Sassy’s dress harness and lead for the prestigious event ! We were very honoured to have been asked and we wish these girls all the best for SAT 9th March 2013 Crufts

Crufts winnesr Naarah and Sassy on the winners podium receiving their cup

We are delighted to announce that Naarah and Sassy came 1st in their event!!!! Congratulations to this fantastic pair of youngsters

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Be aware of bloat symptoms in dogs and learn about how you can minimise the risk of bloat for your dog

Every dog owner should be aware of the dangers of dog bloat (GDV), as it can kill your dog within hours, sometimes minutes if you don’t go to the vets quickly enough.

When it happened just over 2 years ago to my Westie, I was totally ignorant of what dog bloat is, the symptoms or the fact that it is life-threatening.  Consequently I was totally un-prepared – my dog lived fortunately, although he was very poorly and kept at the vets for 2 nights under supervision, and the first night the vet said it was touch and go as to whether he would pull through. I will never forget it happening and the worry about my poor little dog- he is now more at risk of getting it again, as all dogs are who have contracted it before.

So, at least read this, become familiar with the symptoms and be prepared in case it happens and also take some preventative measures, as I had to do after it happened to Dougie to minimise the risk of him bloating again.

WHAT IS DOG BLOAT ?  Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus” (GDV)  (in laymans terms)

Bloat symptom distended swollen stomach

Bloat is what happens when food is not digested properly, causing gas to build up in the stomach so quickly that the stomach literally blows up like a balloon, stretching the organ so much that normal circulation of blood to and from the heart is cut off.  The trapped gas cannot escape.

The stretching itself and the lack of blood to the stomach’s cells can cause cell death, or necrosis.  In severe cases the stomach actually “twists and turns” (known as volvulus) at the top near the esophagus and at the bottom of the stomach at the pyloric valve.  Gas is trapped and can’t escape as a burp or the other end as “passing wind.” The gas builds and builds as it becomes trapped within the stomach. The stomach grows so big it cuts off circulation and irreversible damage is done to the cells. The dog goes into shock and then cardiac arrest. This can happen within several hours after the onset of bloat.

SYMPTOMS OF BLOAT

When Dougie contracted bloat, of course I knew he wasn’t well, as he wasn’t behaving as normal but not being aware of bloat, I didn’t know he needed to go to the vets until he had already suffered for a few hours.  He was very restless, drinking a lot of water, whining occasionally,very quiet and tried to be sick quite a few times with nothing but foamy stuff coming up (similar as when they’ve eaten grass).  Within minutes of me ringing the vet for advice, Dougie’s condition worsened quickly, with him collapsing and crawling to try and hide behind the sofa.  You are probably thinking why didn’t I notice his swollen stomach ? That’s what I keep asking myself but I’ll tell you it was not obvious at all.  Click here for the full list of symptoms of bloat My dog had enough of these well-known symptoms that had I been aware of them, I would have taken him 2 hours earlier to the vets.

If you suspect your dog is bloating – take him to the nearest vet as quickly as possible, keeping him warm.

Keep a handy note of your vets number and also a 24 hour emergency vets as well as taxis who take dogs – my car was having it’s MOT and I had a terrible job finding a taxi company who would carry a dog, especially a sick one.

CAUSES OF BLOAT

Drink better dog bowls help dogs slow down drinking - click pic to read how these clever bowls work

Vets do not actually know what exactly causes bloat in dogs but the following have all been proven to contribute significantly to causing it:

• drinking too much water too quickly (can cause gulping of air)
• gulping their food down quickly
• drinking copious amounts of water before or after eating
• drinking or eating from elevated food bowls
• exercise too soon before or after eating

What you can do to prevent/minimise the risk of bloat: Eat better slow feeder dog bowls don’t use any elevated dog bowl slow your dog down eating- use a slow feeder bowl slow your dog down drinking – use a drink better dog bowl don’t give water an hour before or after food don’t take your dog out immediately before or after eating (leave an hour’s gap) feed 2 or 3 small meals a day, not 1 big one if you have more than 1 dog, feed them separately to avoid one eating the lions share don’t ever feed dried food only sprinkle some crunchy food in with whatever you feed your dog, this encourages more chewing and again slows down the eating process

All slow-feeder dog bowls are different and we tried out 2 other brands before keeping these Alpha Paws Eat Better and Drink Better dog bowls.  We found with other brands that because the separators stuck up vertically, short-snouted dogs had difficulty getting any food without getting poked in the eye with the protrusions – these slow-feeders are ergonimically designed for comfortable use.

Any dog can get bloat at any time but these are the dogs most at risk:

• deep-chested breeds of dog – click here for full list of dog breeds at risk of contracting bloat
• elderly dogs – especially male
• dogs who have had bloat before
• it can often be hereditary

I hope that my experience will hopefully ensure that others are at least more prepared to deal with bloat if it ever happens.

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If you are looking for a soft, comfy dog collar that is hard-wearing and waterproof, look no further than the Spiffy Dog Air Dog Collar which does exactly what it says it does on the tin – no more stinky dog collar smells after swimming or a day out in the country!

Dougie’s had his Red Striped Spiffy Dog Air collar for nearly 2 years now, so we thought we’d write a review to share what we like about these waterproof dog collars.

Spiffy Dog Air Dog Collars - waterproof,odour resistant,soft and very comfortable

We live in the Lake District and often go out on boats and for lakeside walks with our Westie dog and when the weather is good our dog loves to swim and cool himself off in the lake. He wears a doggie life jacket and we used to take his collar off because a few hours later it would stink the room out back home and the collar wasn’t wearing well with constant dips.  We wanted to find a waterproof dog collar that he could keep on in the water with his ID tag.  We bought another dog collar, which claimed to be waterproof and all sorts of other things but it didn’t last the summer, as the stitching came undone, causing the edges to fray and although it looked nice when we bought it, it wasn’t a particularly comfortable dog collar.  A bad buy and at £17.99 it left rather a bad smell under our nose!

The video below shows the Spiffy Dog Collars

What causes dog collars to smell is that they harbour bacteria, sometimes mildew and absorb odours of whatever your dog rolls in and we all know what dogs like to roll in, invariably we are not so attracted to!  You can shower or bath your dog to get rid of smells but a dog collar needs to be breathable to be odour resistant.  We bought the Spiffy Dog Air Dog collar for this reason – it is made from breathable Aerospacer, the same stuff trainers are made from, meaning that you can even put your Spiffy Dog collar in the washing machine! I have sometimes put Dougie’s on the top rack of the dishwasher, along with his lead which he often manages to trail through mud and other things.  The Spiffy Dog collar feels soft and spongy, quite like a good quality carpet underlay, so very comfy.

Red Bones Spiffy Dog Air Collar

Constantly getting a dog collar wet can also cause the D ring to rust, no danger of this though as Spiffy Dog collars have anti-rust stainless steel hardware, making them all year round best dog collars.

If you are looking to buy a puppy collar that will last, Spiffy Dog collars are one of the most adjustable on the market, making them very good value for money and if your dog suffers from skin irritations, these collars will not chafe.

Spiffy Dog collars won awards in 2008 for being one of the best new 15 dog products that year and now in 2013 are still at the top of their game – watch out for the new designs coming soon.

We offer our customers the best price at £12.70 for the Spiffy Dog Air Dog Collar and £12.99 for the matching multi-way Spiffy Dog leads

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Best Dog harness review by Sephi and Maya’s Mum for our eDog fleece harnesses

eDog fleece walking harnesses (royal blue)

Cerise Pink eDog fleece dog harness

eDog fleece dog harnesses are worn by both dogs above, Maya the Labrador and Sephi who is a perfect mixed breed (Chow, Labrador, German Shepherd and Border Collie), both take the Large size. These lucky girls belong to a customer and now friend, who both tried out our fleece walking harnesses for our customer’s detailed review below:

“I have seen and used many harnesses in my time but when opening up the parcel containing these 2, all I could say was ‘wow’! Firstly, they are superbly soft, not just being fleece on the outside but also fleece lined dog harnesses. Secondly the colours are stunning and the webbing on the outside of the garment is matched perfectly and finished nicely. I measured the width of the harness as a generous 5cm and the webbing inset is 2.5cm (Large size). The close up pic below shows both the outside and inside of the harness. The front ‘D’ ring is very strong, being 4mm thick and 3 cm wide for durability.”

Royal Blue eDog fleece dog harness and D ring

Note:

‘D’ rings are used to provide a far more secure solution than ‘O’ rings, giving the flat edged webbing a flat edge of the ‘D’ ring to attach to.  The front ring can be used for lead attachment if you are intending to use the harness to train your dog not to pull, however if it is just to be used as a walking dog harness, you could attach dog ID tags at the front and/or your favourite dog charm and use the ‘D’ ring on the back of the harness to attach the lead, matching fleece dog leads and collars are also available. Also using the lead attached to the front ring helps to balance a dog when walking, and therefore it is a very suitable dog harness for a dogs with spinal, or leg injuries and amputee dogs.

Read how our fleece dog harness works as an anti-pull harness

Dougie our Westie in his brand new eDog Union Jack fleece harness

Below are the various colours that the eDog fleece walking harnesses are available in.

“When we tried the harnesses on Sephi and Maya, they fitted perfectly, after suitable adjustment. There are 2 points of adjustment, allowing for growing dogs and being available in 11 sizes, you can get a perfect fit dog harness for every dog, from tiny toy breeds right upto really large dogs. The harnesses go on easily with the wide V shaped straps going over the head and sitting on your dog’s shoulders, then just snap shut the 2 parachute clips on either side. Even Maya couldn’t attempt her usual houdini trick with these escape-proof dog harnesses! Being made of very soft fleece, the harnesses are very suitable for dogs who have sensitive skin or skin disorders.

“Both Maya and Sephi have worn their harnesses regularly for several months now and they both have been washed with no colour fading – they can be hand-washed or machine washed on a low temperature”, a delicates or wool wash is what their Mum used. One important point though, no tumble drying, best to dry outside on the line or flat to keep the fleece in peak condition.

“One concern I had, was whether the fleece fabric would prove too hot in summer but as the fleece is breathable, this wasn’t a problem at all and it was actually in the middle of summer that these were first worn by Sephi and Maya.

There is no doubt that both doggies are happy and comfortable – if you have had problems before with harnesses causing rubbing and discomfort to your dog, especially near the two front legs, this soft fleece fabric provides a non-chafing dog harness.”

adjustable perfect fit fleece dog harnesses

eDog fleece dog walking harness

Fleece harnesses are not as cheap as nylon ones but being priced here on our site at £16.00 upwards (VAT free) depending on size, we feel for all the extra quality features they offer, such as the high comfort factor, they are good value for money overall and as can be seen from our pics, they are very smart looking.  Compare our prices to other fleece harnesses and you’ll see they are excellent value. We also make custom sizes of our fleece dog harnesses at an affordable price.

Read how our eDog fleece dog harness works as an anti-pull harness

Henry the Pug in his Cherry Red custom made eDog fleece harness by kind permission of his Mum

Pugs are notoriously difficult to find good fitting harnesses for – read what Henry’s Mum said about his custom made eDog fleece harness

“My conclusion is, without reservation that if you are looking for a soft, comfy, perfect fit dog harness, this has got to be the one you get for your dog!”

We also like that they are UK made.

See our measure guide for how to measure for a fleece dog harness, as with any harness, this is the big secret to getting the best fit for your dog and therefore a soft comfortable fleece dog harness that your dog will enjoy wearing.

See all fleece dog harnesses in our own UK shop for VAT free purchase at the best prices.

We now have CosyDogs high vis fleece dog harnesses too!

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Which dog life jacket for your dog? We review the best dog life jackets, for tiny/small, medium and very large dogs.  Safe dog life vests for every dog.

See all EzyDog Seadog flotation vests – tiny, small, medium and really large dog life jackets   our prices are the best with no VAT payable

EzyDog large dog life jackets

Dougie safely protected in his small dog life jacket (EzyDog Seadog flotation vests) ...he's only thinking about jumping!

Last year we had to replace Dougie’s dog life jacket, as his original one had served him well on numerous boat and beach trips but it had ripped slightly (our fault) and was a little dated with safety features having improved somewhat since we had bought his over 5 years ago when we were in the States.

EzyDog Camo pink dog life jackets

We knew what had annoyed us about his old D.F.D. (doggie flotation device) – for example the Velcro on the straps going under his belly was always getting stuck to his fur, the dog life jacket was a little rigid and finally having to fit it over his head (he didn’t like this at all).  However, there were good features that we wanted this time round too, like a strong grab handle – this is invaluable if we have to double moor a boat and I have to lift my dog from one boat to the other, then again onto the quay.  The grab handle also acts as an important safety aid in that if your dog ends up in the water accidentally or tires whilst swimming, you can use a boat hook or similar to bring your dog to safety quickly.  We also wanted high buoyancy – his previous dog life jacket had still supported him even when it had ripped a little – it got caught on a hook.  Another thing, we liked the D-ring on the back, as often, after a swim, we’d put him on his lead to walk back to the boat – it saved removing it and putting his harness on again.  So lots of original features we appreciated and some room for improvement with the new dog life jacket we were shopping for.

Rolly in his, learning to swim - tiny dog life jackets by EzyDog

Armed with our check-list we set about our research online and we looked at some dog life jackets that we had seen other dogs wearing on The Norfolk Broads where we often hire a boat and here in Cumbria where we walk and swim regularly in lakes – weather permitting!  We decided also to look at the best dog life vests that are being used by dogs doing water sports, like surfing and such, as they must surely be safe and durable to stand up to those sorts of activities.  We were on the right track as finally, after much comparisan of various dog life jacket reviews, we chose an EzyDog doggie flotation device – D.F.D.  Why – firstly because their dog life jackets are safety tested and also we were familiar with the high quality of other EzyDog products we had used – harnesses and leads – and being an Australian company, they know about dogs’ safety in and around water – dogs surfing in Australia wearing life jackets for dogs is commonplace, a far cry from us wanting just safety and peace of mind for our dog swimming in The Lake District or to get him out of water he shouldn’t be in on holiday on the canals or the Norfolk Broads!!

Benj sporting his EzyDog dog life jacket whilst having fun aboard the waves!

Dougie is a small size in EzyDog dog life vests – we measured his girth and length, this is really important to get a comfortable fit for your dog.  EzyDog offer a full range of sizes to fit toy breeds right up to huge dogs and even puppy life jackets! (we have full measure instructions and size measurements on our EzyDog dog life jackets).

Small dog life jackets by EzyDog

After a whole summer of use, what do we and Dougie like about the doggie life jacket ? Well, Dougie loves getting it on – just place over your dog’s back, clip the parachute clips together around the front neck and then click in the two side buckles, no stepping in, no over-the-head and no Velcro! Dougie gets so excited the minute he sees me with it in my hand – he just knows we are going somewhere exciting!  When you first get the dog life vest, you need to spend some initial time adjusting it properly on your dog to get the best fit, but thereafter it’s plain sailing.  Our dog is comfy, we walk him when he’s wearing it, just clip your lead to the back ring which isn’t made of metal – so cannot rust, in fact there is no metal at all on the jacket.  Dougie has swam in his and the buoyancy is super with the jacket being thicker than his previous one – these life jackets for dogs are a little regid when brand new but as soon as it had been in the water a few times, it moulded better to Dougie’s body.  The grab handle is very strong and we love the zip compartment across the bottom – useful for a small roll of bags for you know what and a few treats!  So all in all a happy purchase.

Since we bought ours, EzyDog have added 3 additional micro tiny dog life jackets and puppy life jackets to their range of sizes, so in total 8 sizes are available, in plain red or yellow and camo khaki or camo pink dog life jackets.

See full product details and watch the video of these best dog life jackets in action

EzyDog Seadog flotation vests and EzyDog micro dog life jackets  our prices are the best with no VAT payable

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*****S A L E *****25% OFF ***** KEEP YOUR DOG 100% SAFE IN THE CAR

DOGS HOLIDAY CAR HARNESS SALE – you won’t find Bergan car harnesses cheaper any where else – our price guarantee

Bergen small tested dog car safety harness

The Bergan dog car harness is the only safety tested dog seat belt system currently sold in the UK.

Bergan have successfully tested the following sizes:

small dog car harness, medium dog car harness, large dog car harness and extra large dog car harness

Until we found out about the Bergan dog car harness, we, like many just assumed that manufacturers of dog seat belt/harness systems would by law have to have their products undergo some measure of safety testing, especially given that all other car safety products have to pass rigorous testing.  Shockingly, any one can make/sell a dog car safety harness without any testing whatsoever and claim it will keep your dog safe.  The truth is most of the flimsy nylon dog car harnesses that are sold, may give your dog some added protection, with some products being far better than others, but there is the likelihood of harness straps giving way, and certainly no guarantee of your dog staying safe in a car accident.  The untested dog car harnesses at best will keep your dog in one place but not necessarily if there’s an accident.  The bigger the dog, the more strain is put on a harness, given some dogs weigh as much as humans.  See the facts below:

News added June 23rd 2012

An American company called Sleepypod, manufacturers of dog car seats in the US published their shocking results of having tested a weighted 15lbs dummy crash-dog called Max, in crash conditions at 30 mph firstly with a regular non- safety tested dog car harness, the type you can buy just about anywhere, and secondly with the dummy wearing no dog car safety harness at all:

“Crash-testing of the ordinary dog car harness yielded a strangled crash-test dog; the crash-test dog was propelled forward with so much force that the stitching on the harness came undone, the harness buckle broke, and the crash-test dog was caught by the neck in the harness which twisted and flung the strangled crash-test dog backward into the seat. Lastly, an unharnessed crash-test dog was thrust into a barrier with such force that its head was crushed on impact.”

The above really demonstrates that there is no point whatsoever in equipping your dog with a car harness unless, like the Bergan harness, it has been safety crash-tested and passed.

Rory out for a walk in his medium Bergan dog car harness

Truffle the mini Dachsund in her large Solvit dog car booster seat,used in conjunction with the small Bergan car harness

Bergan are an American company who specialise in pet auto safety products and dog harnesses and they are 1 of only 2 manufacturers worldwide who have had their dog car harnesses tested and passed.  The other company also American, however do not have a full compliment of sizes that are tested, Bergan do, they have 4 sizes which are all tested, for dogs weighing upto 150lbs!  Crash testing dog car harnesses is prohibitively expensive but Bergan have set a very important safety standard and hence in the States have become the choice of best dog car harness for responsible, caring dog owners who demand the same exacting safety standards for their dog as themselves and their children.  We demand the same for our dog, if you do, read on.

Bergan large car harness in Mossy Oak design

Our research complete and positive, we sent away for one of these Bergan dog seat belt systems from the US for our dog first to try out and review, both as a harness for the car and a walking dog harness, as that is another advantage, the product doubles up as both.

In the UK, the Highway code rules that dogs must be safely restrained in any moving vehicle, this is the law, for your protection and that of your dog.

Our Westie dog Dougieboy in our car in his small dog car harness by Bergan

Bergan adjustable dog seat belt tether which attaches to the back of the harness

The unique thing about the Bergan dog car safety harness is the way it fixes both onto the harness and fits in the car, no other product uses this method, attaching to the same latch in your car where a child safety seat is fastened in – makes sense as child safety seats have to pass rigorous testing, as do the fitments in a car to which they are secured.  For the XL size harness, Bergan recommend using the seat belt for fastening onto (see video) and equally, it is safe to simply plug-in your own seat belt into the normal socket and clip the end of the strap around the actual seat belt webbing.

Additionally the Bergan dog car harness is suitable to be attached to any secure anchor latch in a caravan,motor home, 4 x 4 vehicle or in the car boot of any estate car, making the product very versatile for different car owners and holidays where your dog gets to go too.

The video below shows how to put the Bergan harness onto your dog (it’s a step-in dog car harness) and secondly how to secure the harness tether.  Notice how the harness allows well for growing dogs, we don’t recommend cutting off too much of the harness strap if you have a puppy, just secure the excess for a few months.  The Bergan is therefore an ideal puppy car/walking harness.

The harness tether being adjustable is another unique feature, allowing you to adjust the freedom required for the size of your dog, for your dog’s comfort and making the product suitable for use with a booster cushion or dog car lookout seat, or your dog’s bean bag, dog bed, whatever would make your dog more comfortable on longer journeys.  As we have a small dog, he likes to lookout of the window, so for long trips, we put his wicker basket bed on the back seat and use the Bergan dog car harness with the tether extended.  Each different size harness has a different size tether too.  If your dog is a chewer, replacement tether straps are available in all sizes.

Because every size dog is a different height, you can choose which size tether you have with your size of dog car harness, to ensure your height dog has ultimate safety and freedom as well as comfort without being restricted unnecessarily. Tethers do not permit enough freedom to roam around though, as this would defeat the safety objective.

Not many manufacturers make really large XLarge (extra large) dog car harnesses, but Bergan have, the sizes go by your dog’s weight, as the harnesses are so very adjustable at all 4 points, which means the harness will last for longer.  If  you are looking for a small dog car harness, a Bergan will fit provided your dog/puppy is 10lbs or over.

extra large safe dog car harnesses by Bergan for dogs upto 150lbs!

Large safe, tested dog car harness by Bergan for dogs upto 80lbs (Labrador Henry pictured)

We like the fact that the harness is wipe-clean, (very useful after muddy walks) it’s made from a type of breathable rubber which feels nice to the touch, pliable and well-cushioned on the breast plate.  Many people prefer a step in dog harness for the car and for walking, simply unhook the tether from the back of the harness, leaving it attached in the car and clip on your lead, saving you the trouble of refixing the tether to the car anchor fixings each time.  We don’t have any children and wondered what do you do if you have a dog and a baby/child safety seat?  Simple there are 4 fittings in total along the back seat of a car, 2 needed for a child seat and only one fitting is used for a dog, so even if you have 2 small dogs and a child seat, it will work well, provided your dog is trained around your child.

Bergan now have a Patent Pending on this unique harness that actually saves dogs lives.

View full product details for this unique dog car restraint.  Every dog deserves the protection of a safety/crash tested dog car harness and the good news there is no VAT added on your purchases on this site at present.

Read our own customer’s reviews of the best car harnesses for dogs by Bergan.

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Maya's magic, pink fleece anti-pull dog harness

Here we detail how our fleece dog harnesses work as an anti-pull harness which can stop your dog pulling, combined with some patient training from you.

Our fleece dog harnesses are eDog fleece dog harnesses, and Cosydogs high vis fleece dog harnesses

You can read one of our customer’s review of the eDog fleece dog harness to get a detailed overview of this fleece harness, which also doubles up as a regular walking harness.

Dog collar V dog harness for walking?

Stop your dog pulling! Sephi walking nicely on a loose lead

Two out of every three dogs pull whilst walking on the lead, some worse than others and we know it’s no fun at all being pulled around whilst your dog dashes off in all directions.  Dogs pulling whilst on a lead attached to a dog collar can cause damage to the dog’s trachea, even resulting in a collapsed trachea and/or spinal damage and in severe cases blindness.  The answer is to switch to a harness with the lead attached, as a dog harness does not fit near the neck and therefore cannot cause the damage a collar and lead can and works by spreading the pressure from pulling evenly throughout the dog’s chest area, which cannot cause any harm to your dog. Our harnesses never cause coughing, gagging, or choking because the chest straps rest on the breastbone.

Fiki the Standard Poodle in her deep chested custom eDog fleece harness by kind permission of her Mum

Dogs pull simply because they have not learned how to walk, they naturally want to walk faster than us, they therefore have to learn to slow down to be able to walk on a loose lead by your side.  Also there are many distractions on a walk, wildlife, new smells and other dogs, all great temptations for your dog to dash after!

Almost any puppy or dog can be trained to walk properly, it however takes effort, time and patience from you to achieve this, and bear in mind, some dogs learn quicker than others!

Pups can start training as soon as they are able to go out in public places after all their injections, say from 5 months of age upwards.  Dogs are never too old to learn a new trick, so training your dog not to pull is something that whilst is best done early on from a puppy, can be started at any time in a bid to cure the problem.  If training a puppy, don’t expect quick progress as they can’t concentrate for more than say 10 minutes training per session.

Anti-pull dog harness review

Our fleece dog harnesses have a front ring for lead attachment which can be used in two ways if you are using the harness as an anti-pull harness. Its front chest lead attachment stops pulling by steering your dog to the side and redirecting his attention towards you.

Method 1 for using our best fleece anti-pull dog harness

Simple 8 step daily plan to train your dog to walk on a loose lead with no pulling, developed by a professional dog trainer and personally used by ourselves for many years with puppies and older rescue dogs alike.

1. Fill your pocket with your dog’s favourite treats!

2. Teach your dog to sit nicely, whilst you put the harness onto your dog.  At this point many dogs start getting over excited and can’t listen to you, so keep calm and your voice even and firm, when teaching your dog to calm down.  Don’t shout or lose your patience, sometimes this can be the hardest part!  Reward sitting with a treat, then quickly and deftly fit the harness, then get your dog to sit and stay.  Repeat this step, until your dog can do this every time he sets eyes on the harness and lead, instead of going beserk with excitement.

3. With your dog told to stay, move towards the door and tell or motion your dog to follow, having him sit again (reward again) about 1 metre away from the door you are using.  It’s vital that you exit the door first, with your dog waiting until called to come, as you are going to lead this walk, not your best friend! When you are outside, call your dog, immediately attach the lead to the front ring of the harness.

4. Use a strong lead (not too long 1 metre is ideal).  Our fleece dog lead is ideal and matches our best fleece non-pull dog harness, attaching to the front ring of the anti-pull fleece harness (you can use the back ring for your lead when your dog is able to walk without pulling).

5. Direct your dog to your left side.  If he tries to cross over to the other side, immediately stop still, re-directing him again to your left side, reward and praise your dog verbally, then proceed walking.

6.  Ensure you are the pack leader on this walk, and to reinforce this point to your dog, don’t let your dog walk very far ahead of you (even if the lead is still loose). Bear in mind that if you aren’t leading, you can’t be in control. Your dog’s shoulder should not pass too far in front of your own feet. If your dog does walk too far in front of you, just stop in your tracks, making a verbal signal such as ‘oh, no’ and giving a gentle tug on the lead just once but at the same time as halting to get your dog’s attention and then make your dog come back beside you, start off again and repeat as necessary, not forgetting praise and reward for not pulling.  As dogs respond to body language before verbal commands, stopping abruptly or shaking a finger will grab your dog’s attention ahead of any verbal command.  Dogs look first and hear second. Maintain consistency, so your dog doesn’t become confused.

7. For dogs who aren’t responsive to the above, try touching your dog – dogs do respond to touch. Touch him on his shoulder or back to get him to look at you. Sometimes putting your hand down in front of your dog’s face if he starts to pull ahead may also prevent him.

8. Learn to know when your dog or you have had enough on a training session, as going on when you are exasperated, angry or tired will be picked up by your dog and have a negative effect.  Try to end on a positive note, as even just a little progress every day is enough and then let your dog off somewhere safe, where he can sniff and play. Following this daily will give quicker results than less frequently and best if only one person does the training and therefore all the walks during this training period, so that your dog has continuity.

When your dog has learnt not to pull, these fleece non-pull dog harnesses can be used as a regular walking harness by simply transferring the lead to the back ring if you like, as in the picture of Maya at the top.

See all fleece anti-pull/walking harnesses in our own shop, where we offer you the best prices with no VAT at present

Method 2 for using our best fleece anti-pull dog harnesses

Stop your dog pulling with our eDog fleece harness with front ring and training lead to rebalance your dog

This other method of using our fleece anti-pull dog harness, to train your dog not to pull, uses the Tellington TTouch techniques and relies on the proven principle that some dogs respond better to 2 points of contact with the fleece dog harness with front ring for lead attachment being used as well as the lead being attached to the back harness ring too at the same time, using a double-ended fleece dog training lead which again matches the fleece anti-pull dog harnesses.

Marie Miller, who is one of the UK’s top dog trainers has done some work with  fleece dog harnesses with a front ring using Tellington TTouch and the double-ended dog training lead to stop dogs pulling.

Many of the steps in this training are the same as above, including the praise and reward steps, so follow steps 1-3 of method 1, but instead attach the lead in 2 places, both the front ring and back ring which is designed to balance a dogs posture and correct pulling behaviour.  Secondly use the fleece dog training lead fully extended to 2 metres (giving half that overall length) and the idea behind this method is that the lead forms a containing barrier across the dog’s chest which has been proven to help a dog walk in balance and curb any sudden excitement and the urge to pull.  For this method, you can have your dog on whichever side is easier for you.

If your dog tends to lean into the lead and pull, simply meet the pressure briefly, but then immediately relax the pressure and melt away – the reason behind this is because if you keep up the pressure, i.e. you pull too, your dog will just carry on pulling!  Repeat this process until your dog knows you are not going to play pull.  Ensure your own movements are smooth and you maintain balance whilst walking, your dog will mirror your body language.

Our fleece dog harnesses come with a ‘How to stop your dog pulling’ guide. Training your dog is the best way to bond with your dog and it should be enjoyable and fun for both of you.

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Xtra Dog fleece dog harnesses are worn by all these dogs. Testimonials for reviews of these soft, perfect fit fleece walking dog harnesses.

See all our fleece dog harnesses

Shima GSD in her red Xtra Dog fleece harness and fleece collar

Review of the Red Xtra Dog fleece harneess

Hi,
Thank you sooo much! Your service has been fantastic! I think she’s the most gorgeous girl! Shima is 2.5 yrs, her full name is Heshima, which means respect in Tahiti!

Susan

Greyhound in a large black Xtra Dog fleece harness

Thank you very much for your help…..they do like the harnesses…..
Your welcome to use the photos for your site yep…..if it helps to spread the word of greyhounds and greyhounds in comfy harnesses…..:) Richard

FAQ (from customer)

Will my dog be able to back out of the XtraDog fleece harness, as this is currently a big problem?

David

Hi David

Backing out of dog harnesses is 9/10 times due to a poor fit, I have to say.  A harness should fit securely, see my link below and look at how to measure and fit a dog harness:

http://www.fleecedogharnesses.co.uk/shop/how-to-measure-for-an-xtra-dog-fleece-dog-harness/

The other reason for backing out of a harness, is dogs who have really thick set necks, just about the same size as their head circumference such as Bulldogs etc., but this is not the case with your Labrador at all.  Either of the 2 front ring harnesses will be safe, providing you have the correct size and adjust the harness well to fit your dog properly.

4/10 people buy dog harnesses without measuring their dog – I know, despite all my advice on my site! You need to measure your dog’s girth (exact) and neck (exact) to get the perfect fit harness.  If you would like to do that, I’d be more than happy to advise on the size for your dog to avoid mistakes and disappointment.

2/10 of those people go on to put their harness onto their dog too slackly – hence their dog backing out in certain nervous situations.

Alfie the Beagle Cross in his Berry Red XtraDog fleece dog harness

On another note, whether or not you choose to embark on any proper training plan, the Xtra Dog fleece harness is a high quality, comfortable walking harness, which the Premier Easy Walk is not – it’s just a train your dog and then get something better when your dog is trained product, which is why for my money I’d opt for the fleece harness.  Even if you decide to just continue on with the extendable lead, let him pull and sniff, at least he won’t come to any harm and would be comfy in the fleece harness (as he undoubtedly would not be comfy or indeed pain free in a collar and lead arrangement when pulling).

I have re-read your previous mail and note you have a trainer.  I am not surprised your trainer recommended the Gentle Leader head collar, as you now tell me your dog is timid – the head collars are designed and very good for nervous dogs – the main theory behind them being the belief that if you can control a dog’s head, you can control his body – but I’m sure your trainer must have explained this to you when recommending and given you some training plan to use along with the head collar, as after all it is simply a training aid.

Obviously I don’t know your Labrador’s history – I do know however that Labs in general are fairly easy to train but obviously your dog has his own history and possibly difficulties as a result – I’m guessing and just wanting to best help you.

I hope I have answered your question and again, you know where I am for any further discussion.

Best Regards

Joanne