When the harness arrived I quickly took it out of the packaging and put it on Max incorrectly. Max didn't seem to care, he was just excited to have something new. Fortunately for me, the harness comes with an informative and easy-to-follow pamphlet. Following the directions, I was able to adjust the harness and put it on him correctly. It looks very sharp and the strap that goes over his chest is specially made to be soft and smooth. Each strap lay flat against Max and there were no pinch points.
Next it was time for a walk. I ordered the harness with a training leash that is really versatile. The manual covers many of the configurations of the leash, which can be really long or short and attach in the front, back or a combination of the two. I ended up attaching both ends to the back, which made the leash equivalent to the amount of lead I usually give Max when we walk.
Now it should be noted that I wasn't expecting miracles. I realize that a dog needs consistent training in order to perform well on a lead. Up until now, our walk's mainly consisted of Max being so excited that he pulled and choked himself with a traditional collar. With a traditional collar and leash system it took about 5 miles to calm him down enough that he was in a trainable state. So, I really just bought this harness so that he would stop damaging his neck. I wasn't expecting it to help keep him from pulling without a few months of training.
To my surprise, when I took Max out with the new harness, he pulled a little and then immediately stopped. He looked behind him and waited until the lead was slack to start walking again. It seems that the little bit of pressure around his chest does much less damage than a traditional collar and is easier for him to notice. He walked better on his new harness than he ever has in the past. The harness also has a firmer feel to it, than his traditional collar. I always used to worry that Max might quickly duck his head and slip his old collar. With the harness I know this won't happen.
I also purchased a new, custom engraved name tag collar for Max. The collar has a reflective stripe and a metal tag that is attached in such a way that it doesn't jingle. This has made my home a lot quieter. I also feel that Max is a safer with the reflective stripe. I know I always wear retro-reflective items when biking because they make one much more visible to drivers. Now my dog can have the same improved visibility.
So overall, I am very pleased with my purchase. Both products I received do exactly what they're supposed to do. They are high quality items and the training results I have observed with them are fantastic.
Ryan T. - Trenton, NJ |