Collar
These should be flat collars and
adjustable to grow with your pup.
They should have a D ring to
attach a lead to and a tag with your name, address, and phone number on it –
this is a legal requirement.
Avoid head collars and collars that
tighten as your dog pulls these can cause damage to your dog’s neck muscles,
spine and nerves. Prong & E-Collars should never be used as they
cause pain and suffering for your dog and damage the dog-human relationship.
Harness
The harness should be adjustable so
that you can make it as comfortable as possible for your dog to wear.
Choose a harness with a Y shape
front piece, this will allow your dog’s front legs to move freely, a harness
which restricts movement of the front legs may cause problems for your dog in
later life.
Ideally it should have a D ring
clip for the lead on the front (on your dog’s chest) and the back of the
harness (on the dog’s back). This will
give you more control when you are walking your dog and training them to walk
nicely on a lead.
Lead
Leads should be a fixed length,
maximum 2meters, adjustable, cloth lead with a clip on both ends. This gives you the option to shorted or
lengthen the lead easily depending on where you are walking.
A long line of 5 or 10 meters is
also useful for recall.
Avoid retractable leads, the handle
does not allow you to have a secure grip, if the lead is dropped it will
retract and wrap around your dog or other people causing injury and there is
more risk of the lead detaching from the winding mechanism.
The only way to stop your dog
pulling on the lead is to train them to walk beside you. This takes time and commitment; quick fixes can
be damaging to your dog’s health and their relationship with you.