01/09/2026
Harnesses were historically developed to allow dogs to work against resistance & pull loads.
A back attachment positions the connection over the trunk & distributes force & pressure across a larger area, This allows the dog to lower its body, lean forwards & use its chest, body & hindquarters.
Distributing pressure across the body can then make it easier for the dog to tolerate, meaning the dog may pull with a greater force.
Research comparing a back clip harness with a collar found that dogs pulled harder & for longer when wearing the harness.
*This does not mean that harnesses automatically cause pulling - learning history remains the core, However, when we look at the origins & design of harnesses, they CAN make pulling easier & more efficient for the dog.
- If pulling allows a dog to reach a scent, approach another dog or get to an interesting environment, then pulling is being *functionally reinforced* The harness may simply enable the dog to perform these behaviours more efficiently & comfortably.
There is a place for harnesses & there are dogs & situations which a harness may be the most appropriatee choice, including -
•Long-line training
•Escape risk
•airway or cervical issues
Equally, there are situations in which a correctly fitted flat collar may be more suitable.
We must learn to assess the dog in front of us, a harness is not automatically comfortable, non restrictive, non aversive or humane 🤷🏻♀️
(Equally, a flat collar is not automatically cruel 🤷🏻♀️)
*Welfare cannot be assigned to equipment according to ideology*
It must be evaluated through anatomy, function, fit, handling & the behaviour of the individual dog….
If a dog avoids the harness as you attempt to fit it, that response deserves investigation…
What does “aversive” mean?
“Aversive” has a functional meaning in learning theory. An aversive is something the dog will attempt to avoid, escape, postpone or reduce. It is defined by its effect upon the individual - not by the handler’s intention.
Equipment does not become non aversive simply because it is described as “force free,” padded or attached around the body rather than the neck.
•If your dog moves away when the harness appears, avoids having it placed over its head, freezes while you are trying to fit it or attempts to escape, then it is likely that some part of the harnessing experience now has aversive value.
This could relate to the fitting procedure, the sensation of wearing it, pressure upon the body, previous discomfort or what the harness predicts.
Harness designs -
* Front clip harnesses rotate & redirect the dog through asymmetric pressure.
* Tightening “no-pull” harnesses increase pressure as the dog pulls.
* Straight front harnesses, often described as Norwegian style harnesses, have a strap running horizontally across the chest - Depending on its position & fit, this may cross or place pressure over the scapula, shoulder joint or upper forelimb & influence movement.
A harness should not be judged by its label or appearance, there is no one size fits all… It needs to be assessed by how it fits, how it functions & how the individual dog responds to it.
A number of my most recent clients dogs have developed aversions to their harnesses (before being with me), yet some owners have been led to believe that anything other than a harness is aversive…
*This is categorically incorrect*
In some of these cases, I am now having to condition dogs to accept & feel comfortable wearing correctly fitted flat collars because the harness itself has become “poisoned” meaning it has developed a negative association through previous discomfort, pressure, handling or experience.
If you need help or advice on harnesses, fitment or lead pulling reach out to a trainer or behaviourist.
