houndluvr77

I see a lot of people use a harness on their basset, is there a health reason for this or is it purely just a preference?

Kirska

Anabelle requires a harness because she has a bad neck. I think most people who use harnesses use them just as a personal preference, or to relieve strain on the dog's neck.

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Mom to Anabelle and Lila, rescued ladies and Harley, Corgi/Beagle/Basset/?? mutt

"Saving just one dog won't change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog." - Richard C. Call

Bernie's Mom

I have always used a harness on every dog i've had. I like them for several reasons. Bassets are a lot stronger than you think and can pull like crazy. Especially when something (like a possible food source ) catches their attention. I don't like the strain on their neck and I feel like I have better control.

I had Bernie at work with me last week and took him out to potty and he saw someone across the parking lot that he wanted to make friends with and took off like lightning! Almost ran out right in front of a car. If I had only had a collar on him it could have crushed his throat when he suddenly got to the end of his leash. Scare the mess out of me!!

Plus every basset i've had must be related to Houdini because every one of them has been able to pull out of their collar.

houndluvr77

Thank you for the responses, I will certainly consider a harness for my Petunia!

Wworm

Oh yes, I've always used harnasses too for my wiener dog and basset. Both are long-backed dogs and prone to back and neck problems (can't remember which breed this was for, but the statistic was 1 in 4 had back issues). So I never wanted to do anything to invite a problem in their neck or back, since they are prone anyway. Takes half a minute more to put on than a collar, but I decided it was worth it.

If you get one for Petunia, post a pic..!

Boomer's Mom

I use a harness as it puts less strain on his neck, esp. when he sees something and wants to take off after it.

Mikey T

A traditional harness is a lot harder for the dog to escape so much better for tieing the dog out on. For puppies it does not put any strain on the neck so it is safer as well. and there is virtual nil chan ce of strangulation that can happen if a dog/puppy get cauht on a traditional collar, so qa collar is actual not designed for permanent use.

However a harness has some serious drawbacks. It put pressure on the front of the setnum when the dog reaches the end of this leash. A dogs natural reaction to restraint is to act against it. So in reality a harness cause the dog to pull harder. You will note that the harness used by sled dogs and weight pulling dog all have this feature. For a serious puller on leash walks it is not a good choice at all.

Personally I like the Sporn no-pull harness without the sherpa pads for teaching puppies to heal and/or loose leash walking. If you start this when the puppy is young they tend tu pull much less when older and for obedience the automatic sit when you stop moving happens naturally so there is less work to train this behavior. Keep in mind this is specifically a tool for leash training ad is not designed to be worn all the time. However the colar portion if so desired can remain on permenantly with the caveates of all collars that there is a small/remote chance of death caused by the collar if the dog gets hung up on it.

FWIW that statistic is for dachshund which have by far the highest incidents if IVD peekenese are a distance second, the rate is much less in bassets The biggest health factor in reducing incidents of IVD is keeping the dog slim. What most people percieve as the ideal weight of a BAsset is one of an overweight dog often bordering on obese.

roscolaylamommy

We've used the Sporn harness for our dogs for well over a year now. I can say for a fact it makes a HUGE difference in how hard they are able to pull. I've noticed that I'm able to control my three better with a Sporn which helps immensely if there is a squirrel present on our walks.

Annie714

Chalk another one up for Sporn! We use it as well, but not all the time. I'm always concerned about the under arm part hurting her sensitive arm pits. But that's just the momma in me. She's probably just fine wearing it for a 30-45 min walk.

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Blog about the antics of Annie and I. http://thechickandthehound.blogspot.com

MollyMcFrecklesMom

Yes, the Sporn harness is a godsend. Molly was pulling a lot on walks and it was causing shoulder pain for me. To the point that some days I couldn't physically walk her (I have a bad shoulder). I investigated the Sporn and picked on up for her. Immediate difference. She's learned not to tear around and jerk the leash when she's in it and it's like I am walking a whole new dog. Winston will be getting one too. For now he's in a regular harness, as it's sufficient for his age.

I use harnesses simply because I feel more secure having them in it as opposed to a collar. Bassets have this way of slipping out of collars...must be all that extra skin. Of course I feel better when they are pulling with a harness as opposed to a collar. I worry about the neck and possible injury.

But definitely check out the Sporn harness. They aren't that expensive. I got mine at Petsmart.