In the last 5 to 10 years, dog harnesses have gained popularity over dog collars amongst trainers and owners. Pet supply companies and manufacturers claim that harnesses provide more comfort for dogs, are more effective for training, are safer for dogs, and decrease risk of slip or escape.
A harness, unlike a collar, wraps around both the chest and the neck. When a dog pulls forward, the pressure is distributed throughout the dogs chest instead of neck, thus preventing choking or neck pain.
Harnesses are very commonly used for training service dogs. As early as four weeks after birth, service dog puppies are walked and guided in harnesses to train them to walk correctly with their patient. When training a young dog, a lot of caution must be taken to not harm the neck or trachea. Small puppies have small necks with fragile throats and tracheas, and pressure around the neck can lead to a collapsed trachea and life-long respiratory problems. Additionally, harnesses are used to train service dogs because they can be used to carry emergency medical supplies, like epi pens or insulin.
This analysis will discuss Amazon's best-selling puppy training harness, the Puppia RiteFit Harness. Ease of use, effectiveness, problems, and potential design solutions of the Puppia RiteFit Harness will be presented.