Dear Think Tank,
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to purchase a Tellington TTouch-style harness which does not fasten with clips?
My stray rescue dog, Pip, a medium sized black crossbreed of varied ancestry, is very strong. When I adopted her she was thought to be old, but spaying and TLC have rejuvenated her and now she is bounding with health and energy! I am lucky that Pip is loving and very well behaved. The only problem is that when setting out for our walk she is so excited and impatient to get to the lane where I let her off the leash that she almost pulls me off my feet and I worry in case I fall. She wears a "non pull" harness to avoid choking but it has no effect. On the way home she walks nicely beside me.
I bought a harness with a double lead which gives more control, but I am 78, living alone, and my slightly arthritic fingers are unable to unfasten the clips. I've tried unsuccessfully to find one with buckles or alternative fastening, and a friend looked at Crufts for me but says they all had clips. I'm sure there must be others who find these clips difficult - most collars seem to have them too - and would appreciate any advice. I watched the Tellington TTouch video on YouTube and was impressed.
Best wishes,
Mary Robinson, by email
Have you tried a 'head-collar' on her?
ReplyDeleteI know that Halti can do theirs with velcro rather than clips to help if you have dexterity issues, and we found a halti worked better than a harness on our staffi-cross who is prone to pulling.
Good luck!
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteI am a director of Xtra Dog a specialist suppliers and designers of harnesses and we focus on equipment suitable for Telington TTouch.
Our range of fleece harnesses are designed by TTouch practitioner Marie Miller and incorporate a ring at the front as well as the standard back ring, plus they are designed to have a high point of influence to help balance the dog and stop him from pulling when you use a double-ended lead to walk him - do check out Marie's training video demonstrating the technique with her German Shepherd, Oz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcAymRtSnKQ. Our harnesses are made with plastic clips as you may have seen at Crufts, but because they are hand-sewn in the UK we should be able get our sewer to make one for you with buckles rather than clips.
If you would like to contact us to discuss the measurements of your dog, (if you visit http://www.xtradog.com/images/sizechart.pdf you will find instructions how to measure your dog), we should be able to get a suitable harness sewn for your dog. Our office telephone number is 0330 088 3647.
Cheers
alex
XtraDog.com