Harness = Blisters

Wasn't sure where to post this... We have been going on more frequent, longer walks and Jack's current harness has rubbed blisters on his chest just outside his "arm pit" on both legs. It is a "TUFF" brand. Has anyone else had this problem or know of a better type?

 

Rocky has a Sporn Halter that has sherpa sleeves that stay stationary even when the nylon straps slide back and forth under his "armpits". It's great for controlling pulling too but of course the best thing for that is good training. That said, Rocky's not a big puller but if he spots something exciting he'll sometimes lunge. With this harness, he corrects himself quickly without any pain.

 

Is pulling an issue? I've never had rubbing problems but I've had pulling. I used an anti-pull harness that worked well. It had cushions on the straps as some seatbelts do. Helps alot.

 

Maggie's harness used to do the exact same thing. If you and Jack otherwise like the harness or don't want to shell out the money for a new one, here's what I did. I went to the fabric store (JoAnn in my town) and bought a 1/4 yard of thick sherpa fabric - it looks like wool on a lamb. I hand sewed that around the areas of the harness that rubbed on Maggie's armpits and it works just fine. I didn't sew the sherpa covers to the actual harness, just sewed them around the harness, that way the sherp will stay in place and the harness will move causing less rubbing. Cost less than $5 and took about 20 minutes.

 

Well actually I am dealing with the very same issue. Rudy has tried just about every "no pull" harness out there and every single one injures her. We tried the gentle leader and it rubbed her nose raw, tried one made by Sporn (I think) and it just plain didn't work for her and tomorrow I will be returning the "Easy Walk" harness as her armpit is rubbed raw after 1 walk. I reverified all fitting instructions, tried again and it was still cutting into her.

I just ordered a "Tug N Hug" harness that I have read good things about - www.tugnhug.com. It's twice the price as the others but if it helps her to walk nicely and not have her wounded it will be well worth it. I will certainly share my experience once I receive it.

Good Luck.

 

I use the easy walk harness on all three of my dogs and never a problem until recently. Our last walk with all three was full of pulling and lunging cause they havent been out much in these cold days.

I have been searching for another harness and to no avail. I will be buying some shammy leather and making strap covers for the easy walk. I think it would work better than the sherpa ones I have cause it's less bulky. I found the sherpa made their underarms tender and sore without any visible injury.

There is a harness I found that is all leather and looks like a huge pair of sunglasses when fully opened. There is no edges that would rub anywhere, so until I save up $120 for three of those, I hope the shammy covers will suffice for now.

Let us know how the tugnhug harness works. I just can't put anymore money into things that don't really do the job. So if it works for your pulling boxer, it should work for the 3 of mine.

 

Boxers and their big chests sometimes makes it difficult to find a harness that fits nice and doesn't rub. If your dog is pulling and that is what is causing the rubbing, then I recommend trying the Gentle Leader Harness as it discourages pulling. Of course this is just a management tool, and I absolutley recommend training your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash.

Now, if the blisters are caused by the harness itself and not your dog pulling, then I would recommend the Lupine harness. It has straps that form a Y in the front, a single strap that goes down the underside of the dog--nothing in the armpits, and one that circles the midsection. It fits my guys nicely and I've never had any rubbing. Not to mention that Lupine offers a lifetime guarantee for everything "even if chewed"!

Now, if your dog is well behaved and walks nice on a leash, I would recommend the Comfortflex Sport Harness. I use this for my dogs and my female runs flyball in it. It only has two straps that are extremely well padded--one to go across the chest and another that circles the midsection. It evenly distributes any pressure and doesn't cause rubbing. It is, however, not good for dogs that fight the leash, twist, or will try to back out of thier harnesses. If you have a dog that's bent on getting out of it, they will. But for a dog that is well-trained on leash, I haven't found anything better.

 

Easy Walk Harness

I just tried the Easy Walk Harness (medium) on my foster girl Nyah today. It worked great on her pulling, though she tried here and there. All in all, much more pleasant than without it. After a walk around the block, it didn't rub her raw, but it is very tight. It is as loose as I can make this size. I think I may need to exchange it for the large size though.

What is the difference between the Easy Walk and the Gentle Leader harnesses? Does the Gentle Leader also go across their snout? Which is more preferable for the boxer?

Many thanks!

 

Update on the Tug N Hug

So the Tug N Hug harness arrived the other day and we have taken 2 long walks in it. It is extremely well made and sturdy (I paid a few $$ more for upgraded buckles). I have to say, it's stops her pulling about as much as the Easy Walk, which was good, but it does not cut into her anywhere, which is even better. I think this one is a keeper - and besides it's purple! Boxers are so hard to fit, but this seems to do the trick for Rudy.

 

There is the Gentle Leader Headcollar that goes on the head of the dog and over the snout. It discourages pulling, but many people find that it rubs their Boxer's snouts because of the short, upturned muzzle of Boxers.

There is the Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness that is a front clip harness that also discourages pulling.

Both products are made by Premier. The Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness is commonly referred to as both the "Easy Walk Harness" and the "Gentle Leader Harness".