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Originally Posted by Britster  Jackson has done this occasionally. There was one time he was in a step-in harness and saw a rabbit or something and started pulling and he gagged a few times! I don't seem to have the issue with Puppia, like some people do. He doesn't really pull a ton so I couldn't really say one way or the other how often it would happen... but I find that his neck area is pretty sensitive, even for being a big boy like Max and Coop. So I don't really have any answers for you.
I really want to try out the Buddy Belt because I think it looks so nice but I tried the Choke Free (which seems *very* similar) and I returned it because I didn't really like the way it fit him... it seemed uncomfortable and when he laid down, it seemed even tighter, and I don't know, sometimes I leave his harness on. BUT, the Choke Free was basically a one size deal, where I know the BB you can adjust it. Puppia is the only one I've tried that seems comfortable to him, and I'm cautious to spend the big bucks on a BB since he has like an 18" girth, LOL! How do you like yours? |
Max had a harness exactly like the Puppia when he was a pup and he coughed/gagged exactly like he does in the Buddy Belt when he pulls hard. I think any harness is probably going to restrict the chest from fully expanding, so the dog can't draw a full breath.
The extreme straining, which will happen even in a thin, strappy harness, I believe is what causes the coughing. When this happens, I make Max sit until he calms down and the cause of his pulling is gone (usually a squirrel or cat
).
Max and Teddy are both comfortable wearing their Buddy Belts when I leave them on for awhile. They will lie down and sleep in them. I will say the larger the BB, the heavier the leather and the longer it takes to break in. The 3 is very soft from the start, but the 4 was stiffer and took a month to soften.
I think the BB would be a huge change from different kinds of harnesses. Jackson is comfortable in his Puppias and he looks great, so I would say, don't bother with the BB.