Dog Harness or Dog Collar - Which Is Better?

October 15, 2021

Walkies is the best part of your dog's day, so make it as comfortable and stress-free as possible for both your dog and for you.

The biggest question some dog owners have is whether you should use a dog harness or a collar. Below are some helpful pros and cons for each to help make the decision easier.

Dog Harness

Dog Harness Pros:

Great for safety, harnesses are really secure as your dog can't slip a harness as easily as they can slip out of a collar.
Helps disperse the pressure evenly across your dog's shoulders and back.
Decreases pressure on their neck especially if they tend to pull lots.
Helps stop your dog's legs getting tangled up in the lead while walking.
Some harnesses can double up as a seatbelt restraint for traveling in the car.

Dog Harness Cons:

Dog Harnesses can be tricky to put on and off easily compared to collars.
They can cause sores if you don't get a correctly fitting harness.
Your dog can't always wear a dog coat with a harness (although we do stock dog coats for harness wearers).

Dog Collars

Dog Collars Pros:

Collars can be less restrictive and provide better freedom of movement when a dog is out and about all day.
Gives you more control as you can gently move the direction of their head to distract them from stressful situations.
Collar IDs can be worn easily on collars for safety.
Easy to put on and take off, you don't even need to remove them once in the house.
Great for pups in training, especially for puppies as you can easily correct unwanted behaviour.

Dog Collars Cons:

Some breeds like whippets have thicker necks meaning collars can easily slip off. Consider a slip dog lead for these breeds.
If your dog is a chronic puller, then a collar could run the risk of injuring them or cause choking, especially in toy breeds.
Leads can make breathing harder for flat faced breeds such as bulldogs and pugs.
Dog's can get caught on things, especially if they're left unattended in the house or garden for long period of times.