[whoelsebutkels]

ive herd that its better to get a harness for your chis, and that a regular collar is bad....

can anyone give me info on this?

rufus wears a collar daily and ive been taking him for more walks recently and wanted to know what the best thing to use would be.

thanks :wink:

 

[OzzyAndLilysMom]

it is fine for them to wear collars but when walking it is best to use a harness as their winpipes are very fragile and likely to collapse if the pull on the collar :wave:

 

[mel]

I have gone through two harness's and one collar. Pip HATES the harness. One, he is scared of it, and doesn't like me putting his legs through it and it just doesn't fit right. So, we use a cat collar now. I have the kind of leash that retracts and allows him to run a little. I also know that the harness is better, but I have to allow my baby to decide what he likes best I guess. See what your baby is more comfy with and go with that. If you choose a collar, just keep an eye open for any discomfort in the neck.

 

[Joss]

Opposite

I have heard the opposite, that it is better to wear a collar! The harness can chafe the "armpit" and also make them walk a bit like a bulldog. But if there´s a big dog who wants to eat your baby, the harness is alot better... They have great ones at www.chiwawagaga.com which don´t chafe anything that I´ve noticed.

 

[KB]

Kemo has all kinds of harness they have never chafed him and when I first got him I left it on him for a month or more so I could grab him better. I would NEVER use a collar for walking there are too many things that can happend unexpected!! I know first hand, having that harness gives you a safe way to quickly pick up your dog if need be. Please get the dog used to a harness!!

I personally think that is best for ANY dog!

 

[Ms_P]

My 2 were both fussy with the harness at first, but they did get used to it.
I would much rather have a little chaffing under the arm pit than a chance that my pups would get strangled or have their windpipes collapse.
I would also rather put up with a little fussiness than have a dog die and not be able to fuss.

Mine only wear them when we go outside, so I have to put them on and take them off several times a day.

 

[Vala]

Re: Opposite

I have heard the opposite, that it is better to wear a collar! The harness can chafe the "armpit" and also make them walk a bit like a bulldog. But if there´s a big dog who wants to eat your baby, the harness is alot better... They have great ones at www.chiwawagaga.com which don´t chafe anything that I´ve noticed.

Harness is better but with continued use of harness the shoulders beging to separate a little and its daily use is not recommended if you have a show quality chi...it will EVENTUALLY affect the way his front legs stand together...from an esthetic point of view..not health related...on the other hand for walking, harness is the best...I have lifted my Stinky to safety more than a couple of times when other dogs get "TOO FRIENDLY". He's got collars but that is just to show off!

 

[KB]

I have NEVER heard that Val, how tight are they wearing it!

 

[whoelsebutkels]

ok thanks for the tips guys. i got rufus a little black harness but its weird so i might buy a new one thats easier to work with and since we are going on walks more ill just use it for walks and keep his normal collar on him while in the house. great advise ladies!

 

[Vala]

I have NEVER heard that Val, how tight are they wearing it!

I read it on my chihuahua handbook..i think...I'll find it to make sure...but yeah..something about how the legs look funny after too much harness use that is not bad for the health but desqualifies or takes marks off a show chihuahua. hehehe..i'm pretty sure i'm not hallucinating!

 

[Vala]

UPDATE

Sorry, I said shoulders and is ELBOWS pg. 22 The Chihuahua Handbook by D. Caroline Coile, PhD. Yeah, so is the elbows the ones that pull away from the body not the shoulders...sorry

 

[Kelly]

I remember reading that too vala

 

[Auggies Mom]

I would stick with a harness as it is not worth the risk of injuring their trachea. Plus I have had to fast lift Auggie 3 times out of dangers way. As for it being difficult to get it on I really think he will get used to it. I'm lucky Auggie puts his leg through the closed side himself and I just have to do the clasp

 

[Joss]

Many of the people who are "agains" a harness are breeders and they want the puppies that they sell to be the next champion. I have collars on both of my chihuahuas. Used to use a harness on my oldest one, but he started to pull on the leach alot, and with a collar he don´t! But he walks without a leach most of the time nowadays...
These damages to their neck/throat is something I´ve never heard of. I often discuss similar things on a swedish forum aswell and no-one there have or have had those problems with a collar. How do they get this enjury?? You would have to pull quite hard to damage them.

 

[Auggies Mom]

I am not a breeder but I personally would never walk Auggie with a collar. There are numerous sites that have information about trachea collapse. They are times for safety reasons I pull Auggie a little which I can do with a harness but could not do with a collar. Also he has sometimes pulled very hard himself when he saw a person he knows and wants to run to or another dog or a cat.