HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLAR OR A HARNESS FOR MY DOG AND HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ONE IS BEST?

Choosing the right collar or harness for your dog is important for their safety and comfort.

Here are some things to consider when making your decision:

1. Purpose:

   What is the purpose of the collar or harness? Is it for everyday use, training, or walking? Is your dog a puppy that is still growing and whose body shape as well as size will change over time? Each collar and harness is designed for different purposes and different ages and stages of your dog’s life.

2. Breed, Behavior, Size, Fit:

   It's important to choose a collar or harness that fits your dog and the size they’re at the particular point in time that you are buying the collar/harness, and choose it properly. Measure your dog's neck for a collar or chest for a harness to ensure a proper fit. A collar or harness that is too tight can cause discomfort, while one that is too loose may slip off and your dog could escape or get caught up on something. * Most all collar/harness manufacturers will include the correct way to measure your dog in order to buy the correct fit/size of their individual products, so best to follow their guidelines.

   Breeds like Pugs and Bulldogs may have trouble breathing in a collar, so you may want to choose a harness for them.

   Breeds from the Spitz group like Huskies, Malamutes, American Eskimo Dogs and Samoyeds were literally ‘bred to pull’ as in ‘pull a sled’ , so you may want to not only consider a Harness rather than a collar for them, but consider looking for the ‘type’ of harness that has a ‘Martingale’ type attachment for their leash to attach to in front on their chest,https://a.co/d/66KOG2e

   rather than a harness where you can only hook the leash to a place on the harness at the back of their shoulders. *Dog breeds that are bred to pull will ‘instinctually’ do so when Hooking a leash to a harness that has a hook on the back of the shoulders. That’s not going to be a nice, easy walk for either of you. We would suggest a Harness with a ‘martingale’ front like the ‘Easy Walk Harness’ from a brand by the name of Pet Safe, or something like the The ‘Front Range Harness’ from Ruffwear https://a.co/d/1dySoUP , which is a padded everyday dog harness that is easy to put on like a vest and comfortable for dogs to wear. Ruffwear says it is ’ A key piece of gear for canines embarking on a life of adventure with their humans.’ All of our former pups wore the Easy Walk harness and the little pup we have now wears the Ruffwear brand ‘Front Range’ harness. *This harness features two leash attachment options: an aluminum V-ring centered on the dog's back for everyday walks, and a reinforced front clip webbing at the dog's chest to ‘redirect’ dogs that pull on leash, like some of the breeds we mentioned above. This Ruffwear harness even has an ID pocket which keeps dog tags quiet and easily accessible, and the reflective trim and light loop for The Beacon™ boost visibility in low-light conditions. *Harnesses are generally recommended over collars these days as so much research has been done to confirm that attaching a leash to a collar; which is obviously worn around the neck, and then jerking the leash - either you or the puppy/dog pulling on the leash can oftentimes cause neck and spine issues. Harnesses do not cause these types of neck and spine issues as they distribute pressure more evenly. So unless you are prepared to set up regular visits to a canine chiropractor for neck and back/spine adjustments, we’d recommend starting off with the appropriate type of harness rather than a collar.

3. Material: Collars and harnesses are made from different materials such as leather, nylon, and neoprene. Consider your dog's age, activity level and behavior when choosing the material.

4. Comfort: Choose a collar or harness that is comfortable for your dog. Look for features like padding or a wider band for added comfort. https://a.co/d/49BhQVs

5. Safety: Your dog's safety should always be a top priority. Consider features like reflective materials or a quick-release buckle in case of emergency and dual clasps like one at the front of the chest and one on the top of your dog’s shoulders for choices to attach their leash to.

   Ultimately, the choice between a collar and a harness will depend on your dog's breed, size, behavior, and specific needs. Consult with your veterinarian or a professional dog trainer for further guidance.

   Ultimately, choosing between a collar and a harness for your dog depends on a variety of factors including breed, size, behavior, purpose, and training. *Consider all of these factors before making a decision, and consult with your veterinarian or a professional dog trainer if you need additional guidance. In our experience we have also found that there are many knowledgeable people working at the more reputable pet supply shops who are often willing to help you choose the correct collar or harness for your pup and some will even help you get them properly fitted. * Just be considerate and go at a time when they are not super busy. That way they will be able to devote more quality time and attention to you and your pup when choosing such an important items as a harness and you will all be alot more stress free.

Purchasing the Correct Supplies to Welcome Your New Puppy Home

Now that you have done your breed research, talked with reputable dog breeders, visited or volunteered at shelters, like we shared with you in our first article; Choosing The Right Puppy For You And Your Lifestyle, and you’ve decided on the breed for you, it’s time to purchase the correct supplies to welcome your new puppy home.

HERE ARE THE BASICS YOU WILL NEED:

1. Food and water bowl- Stainless Steel made in the USA and size appropriate OR Glass. https://a.co/d/9TjU23A https://a.co/d/cu6ptCI https://a.co/d/5WU7sRt

2. No-Pull Harness like the ‘Easy-Walk’ Harness by Pet Safe https://a.co/d/fRR8U2F

Open Range Harness by ‘Ruffwear’ https://a.co/d/ic0Uxqi

and/or 3. a ‘Quick release’ Collar like https://a.co/d/0yp8Eb4

3. 6 Foot web nylon or cotton Training Leash https://a.co/d/1TY74uK or https://a.co/d/20ddjW9 * do NOT get a Retractable or Leather leash for a puppy or untrained puppy/dog. The retractable leashes are very dangerous; especially in the hands of an inexperienced dog handler, and the leather leashes are wonderful; but not for puppies because typically, puppies like to chew. Alot. So save the leather leash for when they are a bit older and finished with teething. You’ll thank us then. * Also keep in mind that a 6 Foot leash or under is the ‘typical’ leash required by many city, county, and state parks and on many trails in National Parks.

4. Crate for Crate Training- Either a Plastic more ‘den-like’ crate like a PetMate Vari-Kennel https://a.co/d/9jQcLlH which we highly recommend, or a

Wire Crate with Removable Tray https://a.co/d/5ygzi7K .

Don’t try one of those Collapsible Travel crates https://a.co/d/fxzVuOi UNTIL your puppy is FULLY over teething and potty training. Trust us. Those are great for later on in life when your dog is less likely to destroy it. These types of crates are great for short travel, hotel stays, dog related events such as agility competitions where the dog must stay in a cool shaded space until it’s their turn to participate in the event. Things of this nature.

5. Grooming Supplies including a Brush https://a.co/d/gkwej7D https://a.co/d/iNM7ROf

Comb https://a.co/d/a22rhRK

Flea comb https://a.co/d/cMXx0z6 * This comb is the one we have for our little American Eskimo Dog.

Nail Clippers https://a.co/d/hJs4bwW https://a.co/d/e5rCJMq

and/or a

Dremmel Nail file https://a.co/d/hsbg5P7 and you may need or wish to use a

Muzzle for helping to destress the dog and you or your dog groomer- https://a.co/d/89CuD1y

6. Toothbrush like a Finger brush https://a.co/d/dihbMHo or you can use Gauze https://a.co/d/03C7PQ3 or pressed cotton pads with the Dental Rinse https://a.co/d/dBPAWwa on it. * Dentahex or Gel-Me are two dental rinses we would recommend.

7. Bath towel like the Soggy Doggy https://a.co/d/03C7PQ3 and Bath Brush- We recommend the “Soggy Doggy” Super absorbent Microfiber chenille bath towel and the ConairPRO dog & cat Shampoo Massage Brush https://a.co/d/8nXIDH2 to start off with. *These tools are all inexpensive and easy to use investments for your grooming supply arsenal.

8. Toys-* age and size appropriate. * Remember that puppies will be ‘teething’ for several months, and that just like their human baby/toddler counterparts, this is a very frustrating and painful time for them and therefore, they will need a variety of different textures and types of safe, non-ingestible toys for them to get thru this phase in the most comfortable ways as possible. Trust us, you will NOT want to skimp on this. https://a.co/d/7NkAZLs https://a.co/d/4uBAscl https://a.co/d/5H5ZLbw https://a.co/d/8nBF7Wa https://a.co/d/drvN2fn * this JW Pets Toy is great for stuffing with favorite Treats such as https://a.co/d/bNIXKNN we use these for our Miniature American Eskimo Doggie along with these etta says Yumm! our pup is hooked on these Chicken sticks https://a.co/d/8BGdH97 they are like Jerky for humans and are human-grade food as well. We LOVE them for easy to bring along on car travel or air travel trips. You can also cut them into smaller bites and stuff them into a toy for a challenging puzzle for your pup. Keeps them busy in mind and body for at least a few minutes til they retrieve the treats.

* Remember to read the labels and NEVER buy Toys made in China. Never. No matter how inexpensive the price is. It’s not worth it for your baby to accidentally ingest lead, or other types of toxic materials. Of course you will want to supervise your puppy family member just as you would a human baby/toddler to make sure they do not swallow and or ingest parts of a toy. You don’t want anything bad to happen to them or have any unnecessary visits to the veterinarian. Way too many stories of puppies/dogs and other pet animals eating inanimate objects; things like clothing, blankets, polyester fiberfill out of doggie beds, pieces of toys and having to have intestinal surgery, and so on.

9. Premium Quality Puppy Food https://a.co/d/6Z4W11v https://a.co/d/6XyMFsk https://a.co/d/aXwSXOq

and/or Homemade Food, if you are highly experienced with Canine Nutritional needs, or want to learn how- [CONTACT US FOR A CONSULTATION]

10. Premium ‘High Value’ Training Treats - Once you determine what their primary sources of protein will be, this will make it easier for you to choose a High Value treat. We recommend The ‘Real Meat’ brand Dog and Cat food in either Chicken or Turkey, https://a.co/d/cRBrTmA as they are high in all essential nutrients and easily digestible and ‘Charlee Bear’ Grain-Free chicken crunchy treats https://a.co/d/ezBy4lo or Bixby Pet ‘Pocket Trainers’ https://a.co/d/g9A5qaX for everyday walks and training. *All of these treats are sourced and made in the USA.

11. A reputable Veterinarian for Regular Visits and Exams and An Emergency Veterinarian; just in case your regular vet is not open ‘after hours’. * Also, we HIGHLY recommend that when traveling with your pet you either research in advance emergency veterinarians in the area you will be staying OR find out who and where they are located as soon as you arrive at your destination, ‘just in case’. * We are not veterinarians and are not affiliates with these two links listed below. The first link if for more allopathic veterinary care and the second one is for more Holistic care. You will need to Copy/Paste them into your browser.

https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/yourvet/finding-veterinarian

https://ahvmf.org

Optional items to purchase may include:

A Travel Carrier/Crate for safe trips in the car, to the veterinarian’s office, airline travel , etc. * For small dogs under 20 pounds we recommend the “Sherpa” brand Airline Travel approved Carrier, https://a.co/d/2YpyUcN https://a.co/d/atlD7Yl https://a.co/d/fyLhBNO and for medium to larger dogs we recommend a PetMate Vari Kennel https://a.co/d/dbmXMlX in the appropriate size for your pup. *And No matter how many photos or videos of pets riding in the front seat you see online and in social media, don’t fall for this unsafe practice. * Think about it- if a front seat of a vehicle has an airbag that will deploy in event of an accident, and anyone under the weight of 150 pounds and under Five Feet tall cannot ‘safely’ sit in the front seat of a vehicle, do you believe that a tiny animal such as a dog or puppy will be safe and protected while riding there?…

a Baby/Puppy Gate https://a.co/d/6m8D3yA https://a.co/d/av2urOc to ‘Safely ‘Puppy-Proof’ Your Home’ and partition off sections of your home that you don’t want the puppy in initially. We would recommend a metal gate rather than one with wooden parts for obvious reasons like chewing/teething. * You can gradually introduce/allow your pup into rooms as they become potty trained and more trustworthy and are no longer teething.

We’ll have a separate article on “How to Safely Puppy-Proof your Home” coming soon.

A Potty pad tray and packages of appropriately sized Potty Pads https://a.co/d/2gsd5oP https://a.co/d/1xFH04j if you will be Potty Pad training your pup * for example if you live in an apartment or place you cannot always quickly take your pup out when the need arises, the weather is really bad outside, or if you travel frequently and want to ensure that your pup always knows where it’s ok to ‘go’ potty. * Dogs are creatures of habit & once they are trained on where to do their pottying business, they will always want to do it there and not disappoint you, so its always best to bring their ‘regular’ items such as the potty pad tray/pads, etc. along while travelling and save incurring unnecessary hotel/AirBnB charges for pet damages whenever possible and alleviate your pet’s anxiety. * We found that once our pup was house trained not to go potty in the house, and on ly on the potty pad/tray we ended up replacing the artificial grass with the potty pads. That way it was super easy clean up to fold up the used pad and put in the trash or diaper pail.

Identification Tags https://a.co/d/cYkYAaW

Air Tag https://a.co/d/d67it6K with Air Tag Holder for Dog Collar https://a.co/d/eJJu7SS https://a.co/d/6D4dffv

FiCollar: https://a.co/d/j0E9xjV

Microchip or Tattoo: You will want to consult your local veterinarian and or reputable pet supplies store for trustworthy references and contact information for these services.

Pet Insurance; Most Pet Insurance is for Accidents and Illness and we are working on partnerships with them as we speak, but there are some companies that do offer Preventative Health and Wellness packages as ‘add-ons’ and we will have another article on Choosing the Right Pet Insurance later on. * Usually, the Earlier you purchase Pet Insurance the better in terms of pricing, deductibles, and so on.

Choosing The Right Puppy FOR You And Your LIfestyle

Choosing the right puppy for you, your family and your lifestyles is crucial to the well being and longevity of your new pup.   There are steps you are going to want to take in order to choose the best puppy for you and your family.

Follow the articles in this series.

*Please do your 'breed' research by going online, talking to trainers, pet sitters, reputable registered dog breeders, go visit and volunteer at shelters, and spend quality time hands-on with the breed(s) or mixed breed(s) you think you are considering before bringing a new puppy home.  Realize that not every breed fits every person or family.  You must remember that each breed was bred for specific tasks and temperaments, not just ‘looks’.   That cute, fluffy, exotic, energetic or yippy little darling puppy may not be right for you at this point in your life.                                                                                             As of this writing in November, 2022, there are over 200 recognized breeds and many mixtures thereof,  so you will find one that is right for you, just be patient.               Please also consider 'fostering' through a reputable breed rescue or shelter program first, and thoroughly understand that the life of this sentient being depends on your choices.  Puppies are loving, devoted friends and not disposable merchandise you can just throw away and go buy another one when you decide you don't like it anymore, or when some social media site tells you their breed is not ‘on trend’.  Speaking of social media, do not go out and buy a puppy just because they say it is a popular breed. Over a period of several years we have witnessed firsthand many puppies and dogs of all breeds; both purebred and mixed breed alike and of all ages, sizes and personalities become the hopeless victim of some human's selfish and or unwise choices.  Consider and be honest with yourself if you even have, or will be willing to make the quality and quantity of time necessary for a puppy or a dog.  They are a lot more time consuming and expensive than many people think.  If you’re ready for a puppy and the puppy is ready for you, trust us, you will be united with one another as the universe has a way of doing this.  We are not trying to dissuade you from welcoming a puppy in to your home. We are encouraging you to please make caring and wise choices, and enlist the help of qualified professionals like us for any questions or issues you may have or perceive to have encountered during this, or any phase of your dog's life.  Dog people like us are here to help you be your best for your dog.  You can do it.  Just don't get frustrated and always stay positive because dogs are extremely perceptive and can actually sense our emotions.

PS-If you did just bring home a puppy; hopefully your breeder and or veterinarian told you, that just like human babies, puppies need to build up their immune levels and make sure they have had ALL of their necessary core vaccines up to the age of 16 weeks ‘before’ you go carting them around in public.  Especially do not take them to settings like dog parks or even public parks where there could possibly be sick humans or animals until that immunity is built up nice and strong.

*Our next article in Choosing The Right Puppy for You and Your Lifestyle Series will be about Purchasing the Correct Supplies to Welcome your New Puppy Home.