I feel stupid asking this :P - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Sydney'sMom · 05-13-2005, 05:49 AM

Ok...so I've had a harness for Sydney since day 1 that we use in the car and on walks. The only time I attach her leash to her collar is when we go out to potty or if I am taking her somewhere where I will be carrying her.

The harness I have is the figure 8 design. I was just looking at PetSmart's website and I saw a picture of the harness I have, and I think I've been using it wrong all along.

I just assumed that the loops from the figure 8 go one around each front leg. That way there is no stress on her neck at all and the plastic piece that the leash hooks to is right between her sholder blades. But in the picture they show one loop going around the neck and one around the chest right behind the front legs. Which is right? I don't want her to put pressure on her trachea...and she does do a lot of pulling when we go for walks. But is it equally bad to put pressure on her sholders? What is the safest type of harness and how do I use it?

luzangela428 · 05-13-2005, 06:06 AM

I bought Maximus a harness 2 eeks ago when I got him..but since he hasn't gotten all his shots I haven't taken him out..so I haven't used it. Dummy that I am I was wondering how people's dogs stay in the carrier...I WAS REALLY BOGGLED...why and how does Maximus keep crawling out of the sides...is my bag made wrong?????...then alas...the vet's secretary said you see that clip that's to attach to his harness when he is in there....lol...mystery solved....but this brought on even greater mystery...how in the hell does it go on and I think it may be too big...where did you get yours....mine says small but 20" seems alot (didn't know before I picked up Maximus)??? am I the dumbest thing going or what...I am truly boggled...Help

BeccaGA16 · 05-13-2005, 06:11 AM

OMG! I had the exact same problem with my Maximus! He actually jumped out of his carrier and bruised his leg! I was sooo mad but then I found out there was a clip inside my bag too... so it was my fault, but he is perfectly fine and we both learned a lesson.

I am going to by him a harness this weekend, I think the collar puts to much pressure on his tiny neck

Sydney'sMom · 05-13-2005, 06:11 AM

Well...obviously I'm no harness expert...hopefully somebody on here can help us both. But I got my harness at PetSmart...and it's adjustable. It fit her since I got her and she was only 2 lbs when I brought her home. At least it fit her the way I am putting it on...who knows if that's correct or not.

diesel's mommy · 05-13-2005, 06:26 AM

I am not sure what harness you all are using but I will tell you how I put on Diesel's harness. His harness goes over his head and one leg in placed inside of the other loop. Next I take the strap around his belly and secure. The side with the d ring should be on his back. I hope this helps.

WAR EAGLE !!!!!

Reagan

luzangela428 · 05-13-2005, 06:27 AM

LOL...I got mine at Petsmart too and it's adjustable but I think it's still too big...I didn't know they had and extra small...but someone posted it somewhere on this site..so I'm off to buy 1 thing at Petsmart and end up spending another 100 again...lol..I get sucked in.

skimandfrank · 05-13-2005, 06:29 AM

I bought a harness 2 years ago right after I bought Pebbles & never was able to figure it out - so I have the dam thing & it's hanging on the coat rack right where it has hung since I bought it (LOL)

Gazou · 05-13-2005, 06:33 AM

You don't have to feel stupid about your question , I was about to ask the same . I went to Animal Expert to buy a harness for Gazou , the seller told me to buy a kitten harness , you should have seen my face . We tried one and it was ok . I laugh when I think of this one .

Hickey007 · 05-13-2005, 06:33 AM

If its anything like mine I believe that one loop goes around the head/neck and the other goes around their waist/chest. Mine is a figure 8 with a plastic rubber thing in the middle where the two parts cross and and metal ring sticking up from there. I think that that is actually how the directions said to use it that came with it. Or I could be crrazy and it didn't come with directions, I could be making it up. Which is possible these days.

luzangela428 · 05-13-2005, 06:36 AM

I'm there with you...if anyone has a full grown yorkie (maybe 4 lbs or heavier)..and no harness..I will send youmine..it is brand new..I only tried to get it on him once..lol..failed but it's is just way to big..I will send it to you if you pm your address as a gift from Maixmus

Yorkieluv · 05-13-2005, 06:44 AM

My yorkie's is just like diesel's mommy's. It's an x-small, and it works really great. But when he got his surgery, he had to wear one of those big cone things connected to his harness so that he didn't take out his stitches and they put the collar on him wrong. It looked so backwards and uncomfortable...I took it off and fixed it!

Sydney'sMom · 05-13-2005, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hickey007

If its anything like mine I believe that one loop goes around the head/neck and the other goes around their waist/chest. Mine is a figure 8 with a plastic rubber thing in the middle where the two parts cross and and metal ring sticking up from there. I think that that is actually how the directions said to use it that came with it. Or I could be crrazy and it didn't come with directions, I could be making it up. Which is possible these days.

No...I'm sure you're right...there were probably directions and I just threw them away without knowing they were there. I think we have the same type of harness. So does it put pressure on their neck or not?

Do you think it is ok to keep using it the way I have been?

mmyorkies · 05-13-2005, 07:40 AM

Do you have the step in harness or actually the figure 8 harness?

YorkieRose · 05-13-2005, 07:48 AM

I am President of the "harness impaired club" ..I hate them. I did see some on ebay that are made of cloth and fit like a shirt..looks simple.

Diego · 05-13-2005, 08:23 AM

For my girls , I use a H figure kitten harness . This harness is adjustable .

05-13-2005, 05:49 AM	#1
Sydney'sMom YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 517	I feel stupid asking this :P Ok...so I've had a harness for Sydney since day 1 that we use in the car and on walks. The only time I attach her leash to her collar is when we go out to potty or if I am taking her somewhere where I will be carrying her. The harness I have is the figure 8 design. I was just looking at PetSmart's website and I saw a picture of the harness I have, and I think I've been using it wrong all along. I just assumed that the loops from the figure 8 go one around each front leg. That way there is no stress on her neck at all and the plastic piece that the leash hooks to is right between her sholder blades. But in the picture they show one loop going around the neck and one around the chest right behind the front legs. Which is right? I don't want her to put pressure on her trachea...and she does do a lot of pulling when we go for walks. But is it equally bad to put pressure on her sholders? What is the safest type of harness and how do I use it? Last edited by Sydney'sMom; 05-13-2005 at 06:13 AM.

05-13-2005, 06:06 AM	#2
luzangela428 Maximus "Lily's Love Slave" Join Date: May 2005 Location: san ramon, ca Posts: 2,368	Wish I could help I bought Maximus a harness 2 eeks ago when I got him..but since he hasn't gotten all his shots I haven't taken him out..so I haven't used it. Dummy that I am I was wondering how people's dogs stay in the carrier...I WAS REALLY BOGGLED...why and how does Maximus keep crawling out of the sides...is my bag made wrong?????...then alas...the vet's secretary said you see that clip that's to attach to his harness when he is in there....lol...mystery solved....but this brought on even greater mystery...how in the hell does it go on and I think it may be too big...where did you get yours....mine says small but 20" seems alot (didn't know before I picked up Maximus)??? am I the dumbest thing going or what...I am truly boggled...Help

05-13-2005, 06:11 AM	#3
BeccaGA16 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 120	OMG! I had the exact same problem with my Maximus! He actually jumped out of his carrier and bruised his leg! I was sooo mad but then I found out there was a clip inside my bag too... so it was my fault, but he is perfectly fine and we both learned a lesson. I am going to by him a harness this weekend, I think the collar puts to much pressure on his tiny neck __________________ Becca and Maximus

05-13-2005, 06:11 AM	#4
Sydney'sMom YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Erie, PA Posts: 517	Lol! Well...obviously I'm no harness expert...hopefully somebody on here can help us both. But I got my harness at PetSmart...and it's adjustable. It fit her since I got her and she was only 2 lbs when I brought her home. At least it fit her the way I am putting it on...who knows if that's correct or not.

05-13-2005, 06:27 AM	#6
luzangela428 Maximus "Lily's Love Slave" Join Date: May 2005 Location: san ramon, ca Posts: 2,368	LOL...I got mine at Petsmart too and it's adjustable but I think it's still too big...I didn't know they had and extra small...but someone posted it somewhere on this site..so I'm off to buy 1 thing at Petsmart and end up spending another 100 again...lol..I get sucked in. Last edited by luzangela428; 05-13-2005 at 06:31 AM.

05-13-2005, 06:26 AM	#5
diesel's mommy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 68	I am not sure what harness you all are using but I will tell you how I put on Diesel's harness. His harness goes over his head and one leg in placed inside of the other loop. Next I take the strap around his belly and secure. The side with the d ring should be on his back. I hope this helps. WAR EAGLE !!!!! Reagan

05-13-2005, 06:29 AM	#7
skimandfrank Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 106	I bought a harness 2 years ago right after I bought Pebbles & never was able to figure it out - so I have the dam thing & it's hanging on the coat rack right where it has hung since I bought it (LOL)

05-13-2005, 06:33 AM	#8
Gazou YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 2,180	You don't have to feel stupid about your question , I was about to ask the same . I went to Animal Expert to buy a harness for Gazou , the seller told me to buy a kitten harness , you should have seen my face . We tried one and it was ok . I laugh when I think of this one .

05-13-2005, 06:33 AM	#9
Hickey007 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 789	If its anything like mine I believe that one loop goes around the head/neck and the other goes around their waist/chest. Mine is a figure 8 with a plastic rubber thing in the middle where the two parts cross and and metal ring sticking up from there. I think that that is actually how the directions said to use it that came with it. Or I could be crrazy and it didn't come with directions, I could be making it up. Which is possible these days. __________________ Courtney

05-13-2005, 06:36 AM	#10
luzangela428 Maximus "Lily's Love Slave" Join Date: May 2005 Location: san ramon, ca Posts: 2,368	I'm there with you...if anyone has a full grown yorkie (maybe 4 lbs or heavier)..and no harness..I will send youmine..it is brand new..I only tried to get it on him once..lol..failed but it's is just way to big..I will send it to you if you pm your address as a gift from Maixmus

05-13-2005, 06:44 AM	#11
Yorkieluv Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 7,178	My yorkie's is just like diesel's mommy's. It's an x-small, and it works really great. But when he got his surgery, he had to wear one of those big cone things connected to his harness so that he didn't take out his stitches and they put the collar on him wrong. It looked so backwards and uncomfortable...I took it off and fixed it!

05-13-2005, 07:40 AM	#13
mmyorkies No Longer a Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 357	Do you have the step in harness or actually the figure 8 harness? Attached Thumbnails Last edited by mmyorkies; 05-13-2005 at 07:43 AM. Reason: picture

05-13-2005, 07:48 AM	#14
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	harness I am President of the "harness impaired club" ..I hate them. I did see some on ebay that are made of cloth and fit like a shirt..looks simple.

05-13-2005, 08:23 AM	#15
Diego Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 3,617	For my girls , I use a H figure kitten harness . This harness is adjustable . Attached Thumbnails