Having the fortunate experience of sharing my life with canines, I never had to worry too much about which type of collar to use. Most of my dogs had the standard clip collar.
When I adopted Henry and Toby, two large and powerful Golden Retrievers, that all changed for me.
There are two items I wanted to share with my readers. Please check out my review of the Kurgo Dog Harness/Seatbelt and Martingale Collar. (See Separate post for the Martingale collar).
Review of Kurgo Dog Harness-Seatbelt
Kurgo Dog Harness-Seatbelt was an item I purchased about eight years ago. I was moving from New York to Las Vegas, and my dog, Goldie, was coming with me.
Goldie was a blind dog who loved to travel. She behaved well in the car, but no one can predict what can happen on a road trip!
Although I prayed we wouldn't have any accidents along the way, thirty-six hours is a long time on the road. We didn't drive all the way through without stopping and spent each night at a hotel, but I wanted to err on the side of caution.
In my years of dog ownership, I hadn't used a seatbelt. I had tried one a long time ago, and it didn't seem to work well, so I gave up on it too soon. In hindsight, I probably should have tested them out sooner, but this was years ago, and as they say, "If I knew then what I know," I would have put my pups in seatbelts. Thankfully, no harm was ever done!
As I was planning my road trip, I gave the idea of seatbelts another shot. As most of us do, I searching online for what I thought would be the perfect seatbelt. I hadn't heard of the brand KURGO before, but it seemed to have all the necessary features. So, off to Amazon I went and made the purchase.
Now, years later, I have had plenty of time to put this harness to the test. First, let me explain that it is both a seatbelt and a no-pull harness. So, that means your pup can go straight from his car ride to a safe walk.
Since I hadn't needed a harness to walk any of my dogs for the past few years, I have to be honest and reveal that I didn't even know this beautiful seatbelt doubled as a harness!
To use it, you adjust the tightness level so that it will fit your dog. There is a buckle on the top. The seatbelt comes with a tether that attaches to the seatbelt in your car. There is a strap on the back as well. That is the part that attaches to a tether, which is attached to the seatbelt in your car.
Now, here's what I didn't know all these years! There is also a no-pull buckle on the chest area. That is the part that gets attached to your dog's leash. Having the buckle in the front redirects your dog any time they pull in the opposite direction.
Not only is the seatbelt great for protecting your pup should an accident arise, but it also keeps them in the car long enough when you stop. Have you ever had a dog try to jump down from the car seat the moment you open the door? That's not a great scenario, especially if you are in the middle of a shopping area or a busy street. Having your pup buckled in prevents them from jumping out long enough for you to attach the leash and gain control.
Secondly, when used on a walk, I suggest also having a collar on them. (More on that below). Of course, if your dog is obedient and walks calmly by your side, you probably don't need a collar for any reason other than having a place for their identification!
I used it with my dog, Lola, who didn't even need a leash. However, when we went walking on trails, I wanted to be extra careful.
But, if your dogs are anything like Henry and Toby, the more collars you have, the better, especially when still in the training stage, which we are.
In the beginning, the thought of walking them without a harness was unquestionable. I had made the mistake of walking them side by side, with regular collars and no harness. The result was me falling on the ground and getting dragged about ten feet before my dogs realized I wasn't having much fun!
When you use the harness on a walk, the moment your dog begins to lunge forward, pulling on the harness redirects them to look at you and walk in your chosen direction. It gives you more control, especially when your dog sees something interesting!
As for durability, what can I say? I have had the same harness for over eight years and bought another one when I adopted these two dogs, as they are different sizes, and I plan to take them both in the car. The first one I bought years ago still looks brand new without any rips or loosening of the hardware.
Let's not forget customer service. I had to call them to ask about the Extra-large size for Henry as I had some questions. Their customer service team is one of the best I had the opportunity to speak with!
As you might have guessed, I can't speak highly enough about the product. The price is reasonable for the durability, functionality, and customer service. I'm unsure about the quality of other brands, but I don't plan to test them. Kurgo has gained my loyalty. To view or purchase, click here!
Also, please see my blog for the Dazzber Martingale collar (blog coming soon) as I use these two items together!
Take a look at the video for instructions on how to use the harness. It is a little confusing when you take it out of the box, so hopefully, this video clarifies how to put this on your pup!
When you put the harness on your dog, the thicker part goes underneath their chest and the straps go under their chest too, behind their front legs so that you can pull the straps up and fasten it to the top.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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