Harness or Collar?

As a dog owner, you will definitely own at least a collar and / or harness. But do you know which one is better for your dog?

We get either a collar or harness with the intention to take our dogs out and want to make sure we keep them safe and secure. 

A collar often wins in terms of its size and ease of wearing.Yet it poses some concerns as well, particularly if you are trying to control a dog that is pulling and tugging at his leash. If the dog were to be in a collar, such pulls and tugs will be directly causing a pressure against the dog’s throat. It’s even worse if the owner were to be using a choke collar (gasp!).
Over time, the poor dog’s throat and / or trachea will be damaged.

Imagine having someone trying to crush your throat or strangle you. How does that make you feel? 😊

Some owners may also not be aware of how fitting the collar should be. Too tight, and the dog feels strangled. Too loose and you run a risk of the dog escaping by slipping its head through the collar. This is especially so if you have a dog whose head is smaller than its neck.

So how then? Maybe wearing a harness will help? After all, the harness is worn on the body and covers a bigger surface area, that should take away the risk of injury to the trachea and also make it harder for the dog to escape?

Well, it’s a yes and no. While yes, if the dog had a harness on, the force exerted by the owner will be spread over a bigger surface area (more of the chest), thereby reducing the damage.  Abrasions over time to the skin may still occur if you have a highly excitable dog who is prone to pulling. Also, unknown to many new and / or inexperienced owners, the dog could still escape from a harness if he were to reverse.

Collars also have their advantages. Being smaller, they are easier and more comfortable to wear over a long period of time. With collars, you can also include name tags and emergency contact details, making it easier to reunite lost dogs with their owners.  That’s why at Hope Dog Rescue, we use a combination of both collar and harness for our rescues. However, we are careful in the type of collar we use.  Our dogs use only martingale collars which tighten slightly when pulled but come with a stopping mechanism to prevent excessive tightening. With both a collar and harness, the dogs are better secured and we reduce potential flight risk and injuries. 

We hope that this nugget of information will help you make a more informed decision the next time you shop for your dog. End of day, safety and comfort of our dogs are topmost on our minds. 

 

Caleb

Chloe 

Cadi

Zeus

Do dogs need shoes?

As an animal welfare organization, we have seen our fair share of dogs that have been mistreated and neglected. However, we also have to acknowledge that there is a growing population of dogs that are over pampered by their owners and treat them as if they were their children, rather than just pets. It is not uncommon to see people dressing up their dogs as they would their children. While most people understand that doggy clothes, except on the rare occasions, do not serve any purpose for the dogs, shoes, on the other hand (paw), is a bit more grey.

Do dogs need to wear shoes? The answer is no... and yes. In general, dogs' paws are designed for the outdoors. You may have heard that dogs sweat through their paws to get rid of heat in hot weather. But their paws also serve as heat transfer systems to heat up cooled blood that has been in contact with cold surfaces, which explains why huskies and other sled dogs can run in the snow for long periods without getting frostbite. So in general, there is no need for dogs to wear shoes but they can be beneficial in certain situations.
What are some of these situations?

Extreme weather conditions may warrant the use of shoes, especially if the breed is not a native to that climate. For example, a husky would not need shoes to walk around Alaska in the middle of winter, but a chihuahua might need shoes (and maybe a coat!) as they may be more susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia. It may be easier to circumvent the need for shoes in a climate such as ours which can get very hot. As mentioned, dogs do cool themselves down through their paws so it would be better to leave them bare. However, this does not mean that you should have no regard for other heat related injuries such as burns. There is no need for shoes if you keep your walks to the cooler parts of the day. A general rule of thumb is, if it is too hot for you to walk barefoot comfortably, then it is probably too hot for your dog too.

Some other situations that may warrant the use of shoes is if the terrain is very rough and rocky. While a dog's paws are hardier than a human's barefoot, they can still get cut on sharp objects. Vets may also advise owners to throw some shoes on their dog if they are recovering from some sort of foot injury/surgery to help with recovery or to prevent ripping of stitches.
Senior dogs may also require shoes if their legs are weak and sliding. Shoes will give the senior dog better grip and balance.

Besides these situations, there is very little other need for a dog to wear shoes, and it may even be harmful to them if the shoes are not of the correct size or not worn correctly. Dogs may also trip and fall if they are not used to walking around in shoes. The need for shoes is really situational and if a certain situation warrants it, then make sure you do your research to get the right shoes and the right fit for your dog. Above all else, make sure your dog is comfortable. If your dog absolutely refuses to walk in shoes, then you should not force the dog but try to come up with alternatives that can still keep your dog safe. Remember, shoes for dogs should be an aid, never an accessory!