During the summer months when it’s warmer we tend to do more walking with the dogs and take the opportunity to enjoy a slower pace when we are out and about. We still always use a harness on the dogs, even for our walks, because of the pressure on the neck that using a collar and lead exerts if your dog pulls at all. We also use a hands free system with a walking belt and bungee lead, even if some of the dogs are off lead most of the time, they have a line attached to a belt just in case they need to be under control if we come across livestock or need to cross a road.
All of the harnesses we use for walking are also suitable for canicross but because they are shorter in style, allow you the flexibility to let your dog off lead safely in them, as there is less to get caught in undergrowth.
Our favourite hiking harness is the Non-stop Line Harness because it’s padded throughout with strong buckles and webbing straps either side which offer plenty of adjustment to ensure a snug fit on your dogs’ body. The Non-stop Harness was originally designed for tracking and features a concealed webbing loop on the underside of the harness too. A snug fit on body and neck means the harness doesn’t move on your dogs’ back if they are off to one side or the other sniffing. This also makes it a good canicross harness for dogs who drop back and drop to the side but it’s perfect for our strong pullers when walking:
We also love the Howling Dog Alaska Distance Harness because it too offers a great option for both canicross and walking. It has one strong plastic clip and adjustable webbing on the chest and is padded through the neck and chest section to offer comfort for your dog. The Distance harness offers two points for you to attach a line to, the ring on the back of the harness and a cord from the ring which sits further down the dogs’ back, this gives you the choice of how much freedom you give your dog on the walk. The ring offers closer control, the cord more freedom:
https://www.k9trailtime.com/shop/howling-dog-distance-harness.html
Another great multi purpose harness is the Neewa Adjustable Running Harness because it is padded through the neck and chest and as well as being adjustable on the chest, it is the only harness we stock which is also adjustable on the neck. The Neewa Running Harness is again great for walking your dog in because of the adjustment, ensuring a snug fit and that the harness doesn’t move around over your dogs’ back if you’re just wandering along and stopping for little breaks:
https://www.k9trailtime.com/shop/neewa-running-harness.html
The Zero DC Short harness is another one than can be used for walking and of all the harnesses we sell is the most popular for canicross, dog walking and a range of other activities such as swimming and agility. The Zero DC Short, in spite of it’s name, sits the longest down the back of the harnesses we’ve suggested for walking. This means it does move a little more over the dogs’ back but this doesn’t cause any issues. We use these harnesses a lot for swimming as they are so lightweight and dry quickly:
https://www.k9trailtime.com/shop/euro-short-zero-dc-sports-harness.html
All of the harnesses we use for walking / hiking are lightweight, dry quickly if they get wet and can be used for canicross as well as off lead work such as agility and flyball.
So if you’re thinking of doing more walking with your dog, your dog pulls and / or you would like to be hands free for a more comfortable experience, you can look into getting your dog a hiking harness and belt set up with us to enjoy hitting the trails with your four legged friend.
For a personalised harness consultation please e-mail info@k9trailtime.com
Happy Trails!