posted 12-15-2003 04:07 AM         

I was also told that a harness gives you very little control over the pup when it is walking, because it does not direct the head. For a very young pup, I'm not sure this matters as you aren't doing a whole lot of directing at the beginning anyway!

I would have him wear a regular buckle collar all the time, with his ID and rabies tag attached. He will scratch at it for a while, because he's not used to it. He will eventually adjust, though. It's very important to have ID on him, in case he manages to get lost somehow. You might also consider getting him microchipped when he goes in to be neutered.

Make sure the collar is not too tight. you should be able to get a few fingers under it when it is on him. Check it often (every day for a while), as pups grow very fast and it will need to be loosened as he grows.

If you want to use a harness when you walk him, you don't have to take the collar off. You can just put the harness on and attach the leash to it.

He won't know how to walk on a leash automatically. Take it slow, with lots of praise to coax him along. You can also try using treats to entice him to walk with you. Keep it short for now.

Good luck, and welcome to the board!

posted 12-15-2003 10:08 AM         

I used a harness on all my dogs when they were small pups, actually until about 5 or 6 months. They seemed to mind this less than a collar and didn't do all the pulling and trying to back out of it like they did a collar. Once they got the idea of walking on a leash we moved the leash to the collar. Your harness should fit snuggly enough that he can't get it off. Same principal as a collar..you should be able to get one or two fingers under the straps. When you pull on the harness it doesn't pull on their neck which I prefer. All of my dogs still have harnesses that fit them, I keep one for all of them. Dooleys (which you can see part of in the photo on the other thread) is a flyball harness and he always wears it when playing flyball. However, he does not always walk nice on it..partly because it means FLYBALL! to him...this is a sport where he is allowed to be jazzed up, we don't ask for alot of obedience heeling etc when he is doing flyball so he associates it with that.
In short I would use both. Your pup should have his flat collar on at all times, so just put the harness on him and switch back and forth, practicing with both. I do not use a regular leash with my harnesses, they are too long for my tastes. They sell short straps...depending on your dogs height compared to your own, get the strap(usually sold next to the leashes) long enough that when the dog is standing at your side and your arm is hanging comfortably at your side it's just long enough with no excess. I use a 12" strap for Witt who stands with his back up to my knee. I like this set up for walking in crowds or stores..situations like that. I cannot stand it when people use those leashes that reel out and then let their dogs walk 10 feet in front of them in a crowd or similar place...it never fails that dog manages to make his way to my dog and thrust himself into our space, it's very rude. Your dog should be walking next to you politely in those situations both for having good public "manners" and for his safety as well of that as the other dog or person he may trip up or accost. (JMO) At any rate these straps on a harness also serve as a perfect seat belt..if you run your seat belt through the strap loop. DO NOT DO THIS ON A COLLAR, if in an accident your dogs neck could be broken.