My dog is Houdini. Help?
April 5, 2012 6:57 PM Subscribe
I need a harness for dog that he cannot escape. I have tried everything that I can find at PetSmart, Petco and local pet stores. I have tried the kid of harness that is like a shirt and the thinner types. Help?
I have a "husky" chihuahua (about 13 pounds but he's tall) who always escapes any harness I have ever purchased. I have tried putting them tight enough where only one of my fingers fits between him and the harness. He always finds a way to get leverage and slip out of his harness.
I need a good harness so I can walk him and get him back to his normal weight. Ive been afraid to walk him ever since he slipped out one time on a walk.
Any suggestions for an inescapable harness?
I have a "husky" chihuahua (about 13 pounds but he's tall) who always escapes any harness I have ever purchased. I have tried putting them tight enough where only one of my fingers fits between him and the harness. He always finds a way to get leverage and slip out of his harness.
I need a good harness so I can walk him and get him back to his normal weight. Ive been afraid to walk him ever since he slipped out one time on a walk.
Any suggestions for an inescapable harness?
A couple of ideas:
Try walking him on a Gentle Lead headcollar instead of a body harness. It really helped us keep control over our dog (a scent hound) when he got fixated on a smell.
You could also try putting him in a regular harness and then maybe put a snug t-shirt over it (cut out a hole for the leash clip).
posted by elizeh at 7:03 PM on April 5, 2012
Try walking him on a Gentle Lead headcollar instead of a body harness. It really helped us keep control over our dog (a scent hound) when he got fixated on a smell.
You could also try putting him in a regular harness and then maybe put a snug t-shirt over it (cut out a hole for the leash clip).
posted by elizeh at 7:03 PM on April 5, 2012
Good news: I believe I know what you want -- a Hug-a-Dog harness. Bad news: you'll have to have it made to measure, and wait a few weeks for it to come in the mail.
I have a deaf dachshund who pulls hard, and it's the only harness I trust for her. The business was started for doxies, but they will make a harness for any dog. They're good people -- excellent customer service; I once got a free refurbishment I didn't even ask for -- and they make the harnesses by hand. Personally, I've found them a good investment, because each of the harnesses has lasted a long time.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:07 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I have a deaf dachshund who pulls hard, and it's the only harness I trust for her. The business was started for doxies, but they will make a harness for any dog. They're good people -- excellent customer service; I once got a free refurbishment I didn't even ask for -- and they make the harnesses by hand. Personally, I've found them a good investment, because each of the harnesses has lasted a long time.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:07 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I have this for my dog. The added benefit is the dog no longer pulls when on the leash because each time he does pull he is turned towards me. He has never come close to escaping and walking him is a joy now. I can't imagine how a dog could Houdini this!
posted by snowjoe at 7:25 PM on April 5, 2012
posted by snowjoe at 7:25 PM on April 5, 2012
thirding the gentle leader. if your dog has a little bit of a snout for it to rest on it'll work wonders. just make sure you watch the dvd so you put it on properly. i cannot stress this enough. make sure it's on properly or it will not work.
posted by no bueno at 7:45 PM on April 5, 2012
posted by no bueno at 7:45 PM on April 5, 2012
Just my experience, but my dog has managed to wriggle out of the gentle leader nose lead. He has not gotten out of any of his harnesses, including the one made by EasyWalk one linked by snowjoe (this is our preferred harness as well).
I think elizeh might be onto something with the T-shirt idea. It's sort of like our setup for running with the dog, using this vest. It goes over the EasyWalk harness and I think it would be pretty impossible to get out of both.
posted by smalls at 7:58 PM on April 5, 2012
I think elizeh might be onto something with the T-shirt idea. It's sort of like our setup for running with the dog, using this vest. It goes over the EasyWalk harness and I think it would be pretty impossible to get out of both.
posted by smalls at 7:58 PM on April 5, 2012
Try the Puppia harness. My dog did not try to get out of his, but I think it would be difficult to do.
posted by Wordwoman at 8:19 PM on April 5, 2012
posted by Wordwoman at 8:19 PM on April 5, 2012
Why use a harness at all? Is there a problem with a standard collar?
posted by EKStickland at 10:37 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by EKStickland at 10:37 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
You could try putting on both a collar and an EasyWalk harness, then you clip the leash to both the collar ring and the harness ring at once.
posted by trillian at 8:42 AM on April 6, 2012
posted by trillian at 8:42 AM on April 6, 2012
we love yap wraps. super strong Velcro. our 14 pound poodle- chihuahua pup is very comfortable wearing it. google 'em.
posted by davidmsc at 1:54 AM on April 8, 2012
posted by davidmsc at 1:54 AM on April 8, 2012
This advice from trillian is spot on: leash clipped to both an EasyWalk or some similar front-ring harness and a collar.
posted by tangerine at 11:08 AM on April 11, 2012
posted by tangerine at 11:08 AM on April 11, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by alphanerd at 7:03 PM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]