Translated by Nick R
Probably, your dog is wearing a collar right now and you don’t see what could be wrong with it.
Well, here I’ll explain what harm the collar can do to your pet’s health and if you should consider buying a harness for walks from now on.
Table of Contents
Collars for dogs
First of all, we must clarify that collars come in different forms, made of different materials and some with specific uses.
Types of dog collars
Standard collar:
These are the basic collars used for walking canines, they can be made of nylon or leather, and they usually carry the dog’s identification with the contact information of the owner.
Choke collars:
These collars are the ones used to make the dog walk by your side and avoid pulling the leash. This type of collar tightens the animal’s neck when it pulls the leash; the same force the animal uses to pull the leash will be the same force used to hang it.
However, they are not recommended as they are very likely to damage the dog’s neck.
Semi-choke collar:
These have the same function as the choke collars, but they squeeze the dog’s neck more lightly as a warning not to pull on the leash. These collars have a ring through which the leash passes and can be graduated: the diameter reduces as the dog pulls on the leash, which causes choking.
They are not recommended either and much less if your dog pulls very hard on the leash during walks since it could also cause physical damage.
Spiked collar:
This type of collar is used for training, but as negative stimuli and punishment. It is a kind of metal chain with spikes pointing inwards (that is, towards the dog’s neck). If the dog pulls on the leash, the spikes will press on its neck and, as you can imagine, it can hurt it.
Head collar:
This type of collar seeks to have greater control of the dog on walks. It is tied around the muzzle and behind the dog’s head, this will allow you to manage the direction your dog will take when walking and not pull the leash.
This should only be used on walks, you should not leave it on at home.
Electric shock collar:
It is a collar with a kind of square battery to generate the shock. It is also used for training as it generates electric shocks in the dog at different intensities that the owner moderates by means of remote control.
Of course, this is not the most recommended either. It will only generate stress and anxiety in the dog, besides, it could also cause damage to its health, especially if it is used indiscriminately.
Note: If your dog pulls a lot on the leash and doesn’t walk by your side, there are other ways in which you can teach it; positive reinforcement will always be better than physically hurting your dog and generating fear.
On the other hand, in this article called The regulation of harmful collars: advancing canine welfare by Emma Infante Sentelles, animal rights advocate, with a master’s degree in animal law, tells us how in some countries the use of collars such as electric shock or spikes is already regulated and how they are harmful and unnecessary for training.
Training with positive reinforcement is effective and has no physical or psychological consequences for the animal. Quoting the article: “In Italy a recent sentence of the Third Section of the Criminal Court of Cassation clearly states: “The electric collar is certainly incompatible with the canine nature, based on the production of shocks and other electrical impulses that provoke different reactions (…) being a training based on pain, light or strong it does not matter, it affects the psychophysical integrity of the dog (…)”.
This type of collar should be considered animal abuse and therefore be prohibited, following the example of other countries such as Austria and Switzerland, and thus defending the rights of our pets, who deserve to be trained with love.
Advantages of dog collars
- Standard or head collars can be a good choice if your dog doesn’t pull on the leash as they won’t cause harm.
- They are easy to use.
- They can be worn all day long, of course, make sure it is the right size.
Harm the collars can cause your dog
- If your dog pulls too much and too hard on the leash, it’s better not to use collars as they can cause damage to the trachea and choke them.
- For brachiocephalic dogs such as Pugs, French Bulldogs, or Boxers, it’s not recommended to use collars, as it can worsen their respiratory problems and cause serious choking damage.
- In this article from PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals tell us that collars can cause different physical injuries and psychological problems to the animals:
- Spinal cord lesions.
- Fainting due to drowning.
- Damage to the skin: constantly strangling the dog can cause its fur to peel. Spiked collars can leave scars and electric shock collars can even cause burns.
- Brain damage due to lack of oxygenation.
- Crushing of the trachea, since the pressure that a collar can exert on the neck is practically the same pressure that the dog uses when pulling the leash.
- Aggressiveness.
- Intraocular pressure.
- Stress and anxiety, since, if used for training, for example, it will only cause fear because dogs will know they will have a bad time wearing it. You wouldn’t like to be strangled, would you? Dogs won’t like it either.
Harness for dogs
A harness consists of several straps that go around the dog’s chest, which prevents pressure on your furry one’s neck. In addition, you’ll have a better control over your canine without causing any harm. It is a very good option for walking your dog in a comfortable and safe way, and there are different types of harnesses to choose from.
Types of dog harnesses
Anti-pull harness:
This harness has two straps, one hooked on the back part and the other on the front part of the harness, which gives the owner control over the whole body.
This type of harness prevents the dog from pulling on the leash because when it does, the harness will make it slow down. It will be much easier for the owner to handle the dog without causing damage and avoiding neck or spinal injuries.
Pulling harness:
This is used if your dog performs outdoor sports such as canicross, which consists of running with your dog that will be tied to you by means of a harness that will be attached with a leash to your waist, or bikejoring, this sport consists of you riding a bike and your furry or your furry ones (since it can be done with more than 1 dog) will help you pull the bike.
It is not recommended for walks because if the leash is not well stretched it could come off.
Y” harness:
It can be nylon or leather, it comes in different styles and colors and you will get it in any pet store as it is the most common. The straps of the harness form a “Y” across the dog’s torso.
Vest harness:
This type of harness looks like a vest, they can come padded on the inside and are quite comfortable and easy to put on. They have a snap at the top where it closes and attaches the leash.
Advantages of dog harnesses
You’ll have good control over your dog. If it pulls on the leash, it’s a good option to handle it during walks.
They are comfortable and won’t cause physical damage to your dog as the pressure they exert is uniform all over the dog’s torso and doesn’t put pressure on a specific place as a conventional collar does.
Perfect for dogs with respiratory problems; they won’t choke them or squeeze their neck in any way.
They are also recommended for sports dogs, so, if you go out running with your dog, pulling harnesses are ideal.
Disadvantages of dog harnesses
Some dogs may find it difficult to get used to the harness.
If your dog is aggressive and tends to jump or attack, it may be more difficult to control it with the harness.
If your dog has a lot of hair, leaving it on for a long time with the harness on is not recommended, as it could get tangled or pull the fur.
Comparison of the collar with the harness
With all this information in mind, we’ll compare the harness and the collar so that you can make a decision. We’ll analyze aspects such as sport (if you like to exercise with your dog), health, respiratory problems, and the control you can have over the canine during the walk.
| Item | Collar | Harness |
| Sport | The collar will tighten around its neck and may cause the dog to feel anxious during the walk instead of enjoying it. | It’s perfect for sports as it molds to the dog’s body and won’t apply any pressure or discomfort. |
| Health | As I mentioned, the collar can cause physical and psychological injuries to the animal. | It won’t cause any harm and there are different types of harnesses for different activities. |
| Dogs with breathing problems | It’s not advisable to put a collar on this type of dog, such as brachycephalic breeds since they won’t be able to breathe well due to the pressure on their neck. | It’s perfect for this type of dog since it puts no pressure on their necks. |
| Control | Although some collars are used for training, you won’t have that much control over his behavior by holding them by the neck; besides, you can harm them when pulling the collar. | As it goes around the dog’s chest, you’ll have better control and your dog will be much easier to guide. |
Conclusions
The harness is much more advisable both for your dog’s comfort and to avoid serious health damage. Personally, I use precisely a “Y” harness for my dog since she pulls a lot on the leash, and some years ago when I tried with the collar, I choked her, so I didn’t last a day and switched to a harness.
So, if your dog pulls a lot on the leash, the harness is ideal to prevent it from getting hurt and also to have better control over it, but remember that this is only an accompaniment as it is necessary to train and educate your dog to avoid unwanted behaviors like this.
On the other hand, if you decide to put a collar on, remember that it only works if your dog is very calm and never pulls the leash and if it is not a breed that suffers from respiratory problems.
Recommendations for your dog to walk without pulling
The collar or harness is only a complement to the training to stop your dog from pulling the leash. You must take the time to educate it to avoid this behavior.
The best way to teach your dog how to behave is with positive reinforcement, here I’ll explain what you can do to make your dog walk by your side without pulling the leash all the time.
Reasons why a dog pulls the leash
This type of behavior is quite common and many furry owners suffer on their daily walks because of this. The dog may pull the leash because of:
- Stress or anxiety: if your dog pulls the leash from the moment they go out and during the whole walk without caring about choking from the force it makes, it’s probably because of stress or anxiety. It has too much pent-up energy and will need more outings a day to let off steam.
- Fear: your furry could also be pulling on the leash due to the fear that some noise may cause it, or seeing other people and dogs. So in these cases, you must help it to overcome this. First, take it out in more solitary streets and without much noise while it gets to know and adapt to its environment. Exposing dogs to different stimuli from puppies is very important to avoid this type of behavior.
- Wanting to socialize: it can also happen that your furry dog wants to get closer to smell and interact with another dog. Simply stay still and order it to sit and wait for the other dog to approach. Although, on the contrary, this situation could also happen when they want to attack another dog, so if your dog is aggressive remember to muzzle it and get help from a dog trainer to eliminate this dangerous behavior.
- Lack of education: it is very important to teach your dog from puppyhood the basic commands to give you and your dog safety and more control. You can read this article about 15 easy tricks to train your dog at home.
How to teach my dog not to pull on the leash?
- It’s important to take it out as often as necessary to release all its energy and so when going out it is not anxious and starts pulling on the leash. An adult dog should be taken out about 3 times a day, but if you notice that your dog is still very energetic you should increase the duration of the outings or add one more outing a day.
- One training technique you can use if your dog pulls on the leash is: every time you are walking and your dog pulls on the leash stop, and stand still until it stops pulling on the leash and looks at you. When it has calmed down, go back to walking, do this as many times as necessary until your dog understands that every time it pulls the leash you will stop and will not continue walking.
- Another technique is: when you are walking and your dog pulls on the leash, you will stop and change direction, and every time it pulls you change direction so you don’t advance much. The idea is that your dog calms down and pays more attention to you.
- Another technique is: in your house, put the leash on your dog and hold a snack in your hand that your dog can see, as you walk around the house. Your dog will be walking next to you as it is focused on the treat. You can say the command “together” as you walk and give it the snack. This way your dog will learn that when you say the command, it must walk next to you.
- Another way to teach your dog is, if for example, it wants to approach another dog or a person it knows and pulls on the leash, you need to stop and back up a little bit and command it to sit. After a moment you go to where it wants to go as a reward.
