Freedom Harness

I love staying on top of new dog gear. Toys, leashes, collars, training tools - you name it and I want to learn about it. Harnesses are special though. All of my personal dogs and foster dogs are walked on harnesses because I don't mind if they pull a bit and I want to protect their throat. Unless a dog is supremely trained in loose leash walking and never pulls on the collar, they need to be wearing either a head collar which does not put pressure on the throat or a harness.

This will end badly for both of them.

Small breeds in particular are prone to collapsing trachea, which is exactly what it sounds like. The trachea, also known as the windpipe, can partially or completely collapse on itself and cause coughing, hacking, and breathing issues. We need to protect our pups delicate neck areas by making sure we are walking them responsibly with gear that supports their health.

Halti Optifit Head Collar, my personal favorite head collar.

Head collars need some work to adjust the dogs to wearing them, and while I like head collars and have used them myself, my go to is harnesses. I choose which one I use based on what the dog needs. Walking harnesses may be different than car harnesses. Always have them crated or in a crash-tested harness in the car. My sweet Sappho wears her Kurgo Tru-Fit Enhanced strength harness except when she's doing nosework. This is a crash tested harness that she wears the entire day on weekdays, including during her lunch time walkies. Sappho doesn't pull, and so a normal back-clip harness works for her.

Sappho loves fake grass.

Maya tends to pull, and so she wears a Wonder Walker. This has a front and back clip, so if she isn't pulling I'll move the leash to the back and if she is, it stays up front. The downside of the Wonder Walker is because it crosses over the shoulder, it can impede movement. However, it is one of the few front-clip harnesses that fit small dogs, so it has its benefits. Front clip harnesses are great because they reduce the amount of pulling a dog can do and yet doesn't cause any potential damage like a collar may.

Maya wears a "toy," but don't tell her that.

Cody had been wearing the Wonder Walker which suited us pretty well. However, my big dog friends were really happy with the Freedom Harness. It doesn't impede movement like the Wonder Walker does and sits on the body differently, more like a typical harness. However, the smallest size they made was a small, which fits 20+ lb dogs! I recently learned though that the makers of the Freedom Harness have thrown a bone to us little dog owners, and made an extra small. It said it fits 12-18 lb dogs, and so with delight I ordered one for Maya.

Maya swore to me she needed a large like this pup. 

 Alas, when I got here I found the sizing guidelines pretty off. It swam on Maya. She could slip out of it so easily and it looked like I had given her the hand-me-downs from one of my friend's larger dogs! Well that wouldn't work! I tried it on Cody, and it fits him pretty well. It's still a touch large, but with almost every strap cinched down it serves its purpose admirably. The only downside is he keeps getting referred to as a "she," but I believe he's masculine enough to pull off any color!

Totally pulls it off.

 The big question is of course - how well does it work? So on our walk Cody put it through its paces, making sure he can do a number of vital tasks.

He can stop and ask for lovings in it.

It remains on through a good shake.

He can compete with Maya for prime sniffing space.

Works just fine for a sniff at a distance from foster mom.

He can wee wee in it (perhaps the most important task!)

He can walk nicely on leash.

Bird watching is a breeze.

It stacked up pretty well for Cody! The front is a touch loose but not a serious issue, and I love how the soft velvety lower girth strap prevents any chafing under his arms. Overall, this is a pretty solid harness, but I wouldn't get it unless you have a 16+ lb dog. Cody is 17 lbs or so now (he's gained some muscle!) and any smaller than Cody and it just will be far too loose.

Stop taking pictures, we got things to do!