My dog got out of her H harness. What should i do?

[jasinswift]

Yesterday she was playing with a dog and she got out of her harness. Today i tightened it but she still managed to escape. She tends to run excessively when she's off leash, so this fact concerns me. What should i do? Tighten the harness or change harness type? I would attach photos of how it fits her but I can't. Anyone who knows how to do it?

 

[lupacexi]

@jasinswift Ruffwear's Web Master harness is pretty secure from personal experience.

With all houdini dogs, make sure that microchip and collar tag information is kept up to date and it would be worth training a solid recall.

 

[ohsosoveriegn]

@lupacexi I second the webmaster, my dog isn’t a Houdini but he loves his... a rescue near me requires that their dogs wear one for the first three months because of how secure they are (their dogs come from overseas and have past trauma that makes them easily spooked)

 

[jasinswift]

@lupacexi Yeah I'm lucky that she has a decent recall, otherwise she would have escaped a couple of times

 

[tony2468]

@lupacexi My reactive and fear aggressive Boston terrier has had one for almost five years now and it’s still holding up.

 

[dsamfire21]

@jasinswift Secure her harness to her collar, that way you have the backup of the collar if she slips the harness.

You can also get a martingale collar, they tighten so they can't pull out of them.

 

[jasinswift]

@dsamfire21 Are martingales safe considering she's a hound mix (she has a long and slender face)? I already heard about them but i never thought of buying them

 

[dsamfire21]

@jasinswift We use the ones that are all webbing (no chain) and they come in a variety of widths. I believe martingales were actually meant for sighhounds originally. They can even have padding on the inside to help protect the neck.

The additional loop only tightens when the dog pulls, so if they try to back out the collar becomes tighter, but never tight enough to choke.

I definitely recommend connecting the collar and harness though even if you stick with regular collar. If you're doing front clip, use a locking carabiner to conned both rings. If harness is clipped on the back, there's a few solutions I've found online that are basically mini leash extensions.

This gives you a backup so your dog would still be connected to your leash by the collar if the harness failed. The harness is still the main attachment so it also makes it more difficult to back out of the collar as well.

 

[recall]

@jasinswift Yes. They're generally recommended by animal welfare organizations like the SPCA and by many sighthound specific rescues and organizations. Scenthounds are not a meaningful concern with martingales.

Collapsed trachea has a significant genetic component behind it and generally impacts delicate toy breeds.

 

[kawaiichristi]

@jasinswift I would use a backup collar (connect the harness to a martingale collar with a carabiner) or get a harness with an extra strap under the belly back behind the ribcage. Ruffwear webmaster and flagline both work.

 

[lebron623]

@jasinswift I second the Ruffwear Web Master. It’s a bit pricy, but it’s 100% worth it. I have a Houdini dog that backed out of her harness on more than one occasion. I’ve always been worried about her getting off leash because of it (she does NOT come back if she gets off). Since buying the web master harness, I’ve never worried about her on walks. Even if she pulls, I am confident she is secure.

 

[sandywinsdor]

@jasinswift I'm going to recommend Freedom harnesses. it is a front hook harness that has a strap that goes between the dogs front legs so they can't turn sideways to escape - its what we used with my escape artist.

 

[bfg33]

@jasinswift Try a Puppia harness. They are soft and more like a vest.

 

[innerinnocence]

@bfg33 And super weak for bigger or pulling dogs.

 

[bfg33]

@innerinnocence I have seen these type of harness used on large breed dogs without a problem. They are almost impossible to get out of due to them being a vest

 

[lilliana]

@jasinswift Is she getting out of it while on leash, or no? The playing with another dog comment makes it seem like she's not on leash.

If she is on leash, I'd also look at how you're maintain pressure on the leash when she hits the end of it. If they're trying to squeeze out, I put slack in the leash, so they don't have anything to pull against. The more they get experience pulling out of the leash, the harder they'll keep trying to do it. If it never works, they won't try as much.

If she isn't on leash, definitely look at the fit, and how she's pulling out of it, and look for a design that could help prevent that.

 

[vanda]

@jasinswift Check the fit, but probably also need to change the harness.

 

[innerinnocence]

@jasinswift There are harnesses that have extra security strap under belly, originally made for sighthounds. I know about Ruffwear Flagline but there surely are other models.

 

[houston84]

@jasinswift A martingale collar

 

[rn524]

@jasinswift My girl did the something, it got to the point that I said screw it and just not use a leash, since I don't usually walk her in the streets but even when I do she listens to me and never runs off, when I tell her to stop or to come she stops and comes right to me...

Now I know this isn't for everyone but u should at least try it, some dogs just hate being leashed....