Harnesses- What are the good for?

Absolutely Everything!

Hello folks,

After the release of our super-cheap yet durable Scruff MacDuff harnesses:

(£9.90- These beauties also come in red as well, by the way)

we got a lot of questions along the lines of- "are harnesses better than collars?" "will they improve my dog's behaviour?" and "why buy a harness in the first place?"

So in answer to your questions, we've compiled a list of the main benefits to a harness:

1) Safety.
Harnesses are a good buy, particularly if you dog pulls like a freight train. By distributing the weight more evenly across the dog's body, it means that strain is not put onto the dog's trachea or delicate spinal column but across the torso instead.

2) The Great Escape.
Harnesses are also good in there is a far smaller chance that your dog will pull himself free of the collar when excited. Particularly if collars come loose or wear with age, it can become possible for a dog to wriggle free. Get a harness and save yourself a search party.
In addition, some harnesses come with reflective strips so that cars (and you) can see your dog clearer at low light. We sell this pretty swanky harness at £18.00  that does just that:

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/reflective-v-mesh-harness-pink-grey.html

3) Behaviour.
Whilst harnesses are not the miracle cure to bad behaviour that some dog whisperers claim, the increased control of the dog allows for easier training and better discipline.
For dogs that pull a lot, a forward facing clasp is recommended whilst for smaller dogs, the more traditional backward facing clasp is more appropriate.

4) In the Car.
It is now UK law for a dog to be restrained whilst in transit. Getting a harness means that you can easily strap your dog into the the seatbelt of a car and thus protect yourselves, the dog and other road users from unwanted accidents.
Unlike human seatbelts, strapping dogs into the car is not designed to prevent injury on impact. However, it will stop any unexpected seat-sharing or hysterics in the back seat.

We sell the Clix Car Safe Dog Harness at only £12.00

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/clix-car-safe-extra-small-dog-harness-35-65cm-girth-1341.html

5) Breathing and Respiratory Problems.
As well as distributing the strain to the torso and away from the neck, a harness has the added benefit of not restricting the windpipe in dogs with breathing or respiratory problems, particularly small or short-nosed breeds.


6) Lifting.
If you buy harnesses with a handle attached, they can make it easier and more comfortable to lift your pet. If you spend a lot of time with your pet outdoors, for example hiking or on boats, it can make transporting your dog easier.
If your pet's hiking days are long behind him and he isn't so strong on his feet, a harness can make sure you can help him to his feet.

This high-quality Ruffwear harness has a handle towards the back of your dog's body to lift safely and comfortably:

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/ruffwear-webmaster-harness-1664.html


So there you go. Why not take a look at our harness selection and see if one is right for your four-legged friend?

http://www.scruffmacduff.co.uk/dog-harnesses.html