golden-bond-rescue-logo-horizontal

Equipment - Collars, Harnesses & Leashes

Collars

Yes Flat collar with quick release buckle. The most common kind of collar.

Break-away safety collar. Secure when the dog is leashed, but have a break-away buckle that disconnects with pressure. Prevents strangulation accidents from dogs getting entangled during play or tags getting caught. E.g. PetSafe KeepSafe collar.

Martingale collar. Can tighten enough to prevent a collar from slipping over the dog’s head. Unlike a choke chain or slip lead they only tighten to a fixed point. Effective for breeds of dogs with small heads, e.g. greyhounds. While these collars can prevent a dog from backing out of them, a flat collar and properly fitting harness is a better option in most cases. 

GPS tracking and smart collars. Only those without shock/vibration.
Avoid Traditional buckle with punched holes. Typical buckle used on leather collars. Can’t be released quickly in an emergency, and is a strangulation risk.
Never Collars that cause, or threaten to cause, discomfort or pain. Never use anything that “stops” behavior immediately.

  • Electronic/stim/vibration/ultrasonic collars (e.g. Halo)
  • Bark deterrent collars - citronella, etc.
  • Prong collars
  • Choke chains

Breakaway Collars

Why use a breakaway collar?

  • Prevents strangulation. Dogs can be strangled when multiple dogs play and one dogs gets a jaw caught in a collar. There is little time to respond, and this can be a risk even if it happens while the dogs are supervised. A quick release buckle may end up in a dog's mouth and can be inaccessible.
  • Safe way to keep ID on a dog, so the dog will be identifiable in the event of an escape, e.g., door dash, open gate, etc.

Cautions about breakaway collars:

  • Cannot grab and hold the collar to restrain the dog, e.g., to hold the dog at the front door when someone arrives.
    • Plan ahead and have a leash handy near the door.
  • Must clip a leash through both rings to have a secure connection.

 

To connect a leash: Clip through both rings to bypass the breakaway connector. To reconnect: Orient the ends at a 90 degree angle and press firmly.

 

Harnesses

Harnesses and Loose Leash Walking

Equipment alone cannot fix pulling or other behavior issues. There is no substitute for careful, incremental, reward-based training. 

Why using a no-pull harness is NOT a magic solution?

What to look for?

  • Designed for freedom of movement through the shoulder
    • Y and H style harnesses are much better than T style, which cut across the shoulders
  • Provides room around the dog’s armpits to prevent chafing
  • Adjustability
  • “Over the head” vs “step in” styles
    • Some dogs may be sensitive to harnesses that have to be placed over their heads vs. designs with a neck buckle
  • Two attachment points for flexibility
    • Front clip is usually the “no pull” attachment point
    • Back clip better for restraining in the car or dragging a long line
    • Using a double-ended two-clip leash can be effective for helping teaching leash walking

Video: How to Choose a Well-Fitting Y-Harness for Your Dog

Emergency Harness/Belting

This is a technique of wrapping a leash around the dog’s belly, and should only be used in an emergency (e.g., catching a loose/lost dog without a collar). It should never be used as an everyday harness or to stop behaviors such as pulling, as it has a high risk of causing abdominal injury.

When to use a harness?

  • Walking
  • Harder for a dog to escape from most harnesses than regular collars.
  • Restraining a dog in the car
    • Clip to the back of the harness, not the front ring.
  • Dragging a long line
    • If you’re using a long line, be sure to clip to a harness rather than a collar (or head halter).
  • A reactive dog may be less sensitive to pressure from a harness than from pressure applied to a collar, as pressure on the neck signifies danger to the dog, and increases his stress and negative association with the trigger (other dog, jogger, etc.)

Different Harness Models

Harness Pros Cons
Blue-9 Balance
  • Highly adjustable, so fits many different dogs (“M/L” size fits most retrievers)
  • Neck loop has a buckle and does not have to go over the dog’s head - good for dogs who are head-shy
  • Great freedom of movement (ergonomic)
  • Lightweight
  • Harder for a dog to escape from than other harness
  • Front and back attachments
  • Highly adjustable also means more work in getting the fit right
  • More buckles makes it a little harder to put it on
  • Unstructured, so can move around more on the dog’s body
Ruffwear Front Range or Hi & Light
  • Y style allows freedom of movement in the shoulders
  • Two buckles, easier to put on
  • More structured (less movement)
  • Front clip is webbing rather than metal
  • Over the head style not good for dogs with this sensitivity
  • More fabric and padding – hotter in warm weather
2 Hounds Freedom Harness
  • Good for dogs who pull or are leash reactive
  • Two buckles, easier to put on
  • Less expensive than other choices
  • Easier for a dog to escape from than other harnesses (Blue-9 Balance)
  • Less adjustable, choose a size down if your dog is between sizes
  • Over the head style not good for dogs with this sensitivity
  • More restrictive across shoulders – not recommended for high energy activities (hiking/swimming, etc)
T Style Harnesses (Wonder Walker, PetSafe Easy Walk)
  • Cons outweigh pros – not recommended.
  • T style cuts across the shoulders, impinges on movement
  • Front strap droops

Head Halters

Gentle Leader and Halti are  common brands. Many dogs dislike head halters and will paw at them to remove them. Caution must be taken if using on a dog who pulls or is reactive, as serious facial and neck damage can occur. Recommended only after other options have been exhausted, and only after completely desensitizing the dog to wearing one. Video: Desensitizing a Dog to Wear a Gentle Leader Headhalter

Leashes

Leash Material

Material Advantages Disadvantages
Webbing
  • Common, widely available
  • Can be easily chewed through especially those with thinner material
  • Slippery to grab when you need to shorten the length
  • Can be painful on the hand if the dog pulls
  • Hard to keep clean
Biothane
  • Grippy material feels like a synthetic leather, easy to grab to shorten the length
  • Repels water, sand, dirt and other yucky things
  • Easy to clean
  • Great for long lines which will be in contact with the ground
  • Easily chewed through
  • Can be slippery when wet
Leather
  • Feels good in the hand
  • More expensive
  • Requires maintenance
  • Heavy if more than 6’
Rope
  • Leashes made from climbing rope are more resistant to damage from chewing than other materials
  • Can be knotted for easy grip adjustment
  • Absorbs moisture
  • Can be painful on the hand if the dog pulls
Cable

Chain
  • Holds up to chewing
  • Cannot grab the leash if you need to shorten the length
  • Chain is heavy
  • For serious leash-biters only – phase out when behavior solved

Leash Styles

Long lines. These are simply long leashes from 10’ to 50’ in length that allow freedom to explore and play. Biothane material is highly recommended. Be careful about getting the widest material in the longer leashes as the weight can get heavy. Here are some choices:

Why EVERY Owner Should Have a Long Dog Leash (aka a Long Line)

Double ended. These leashes have clips at both ends for attaching to both the front and back of a harness. H-Style harnesses work best with a double-ended leash, and this provides maximum control. 

Chew resistant leashes. Can get leashes made of metal cable, cable leash extenders to use with regular leashes, or hybrid leashes.

Slip Leads are noose-style leashes; the loop tightens around the dog’s neck with any tension on the leash. These should be used for emergency purposes only (e.g., catching a loose dog) or by a skilled handler, such as staff at a veterinary office. They should never be used as a regular leash, as the risk of injury to the dog is great. 

Avoid retractable leashes, as they are dangerous to both dogs and humans. Are Retractable Leashes Bad? 7 Risks and Which Leashes To Use Instead (PetMD)

Leash Length

Local leash laws may have length requirements:

  • Washington County - Max 7’
  • Multnomah County - Max 8’
  • Washington State - Max 8’

Longer lengths are recommended for teaching loose-leash walking, working on recall, and for enrichment sniffing. You may also want a longer length when choosing a double attachment leash so that the effective leash length is 5-6’.

Copyright 2025, Jeanne Spreen and Angela Amundson. All rights reserved. Please ask us before reproducing in any way. Please link to the articles rather than copying content to your site. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER: These materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or legal advice. Users should consult with qualified professionals before implementing any training technique that may affect the health, safety, or wellbeing of any animal or person.

By using these materials, you acknowledge and agree that:

  1. Dog training involves inherent risks, including but not limited to, physical injury to humans and animals, property damage, and emotional distress.
  2. Each dog is unique and may respond differently to training techniques.
  3. Golden Bond Rescue cannot guarantee the safety, effectiveness, or results of any training method described in these materials.
  4. You assume full responsibility for assessing the appropriateness of any training technique for your specific situation.

Golden Bond Rescue hereby expressly disclaims all liability for any injuries, damages, or losses of any kind that may occur to any person, animal, or property as a result of using, implementing, or following any techniques, methods, guidance, instructions, or recommendations contained herein.