Hartpury College & University Centre recently conducted an important study about canine gait analysis and the force exerted on the lead when the canine is either wearing a collar or a harness. The force of the different forms of harnesses dogs wear has the potential to cause new medical conditions or aggravate pre-existing conditions. To find the answer to help relieve unnecessary pressure or force felt by canines during walking, HBK supplied the study with electric strain gauges and software.
The study observed the effects, such as the pressure and force felt by dogs when wearing either a collar or a harness on a lead. Dogs are popular pets in the UK; up to 24% of households own them as pets. Furthermore, domestic dogs play a wide range of roles such as companion dogs, working dogs that perform jobs such as livestock herders, guide or assistance dogs, as well as detection and security dogs. Hence, it is important for dog owners to utilize the array of equipment available, such as collars and harnesses, to help them in fulfilling these roles. Not only is it necessary to do so but also a legal requirement to restrain dogs when out in public, most popularly with a collar and lead or a harness and lead. The restraints, as required by law, provide the dog with the ability to move freely without pain while giving their handlers control over it. However, it does not account for any unseen or unaccounted force that the animal might be facing. Because of the additional legal requirement for identity tags when canines are out in public, most dogs in the UK wear a neck collar. With this popular type of restraint, a lead is typically connected to the collar using a D ring. The biggest concern raised about this method is regarding possible damage to the trachea and the neck of the dog. Another popular type of restraint used is a harness, which is available in a range of styles, and head collars, which are similar to the halters used for horses. The head collar is designed to loop under the muzzle and a lead is connected from there—this works by impacting the position of the other straps, thus allowing the handler to have complete control.