Dog Harness vs Collar: 5 Pros and Cons of Each | Pupford

Wherever you interact with other pup parents, you’ve probably experienced the harness vs collar debate.

While it comes down to your preference and your dog’s needs, there are some pros and cons of both harnesses and collars you must be aware of!

In this article, I’ll break down 5 pros and cons of both harnesses and collars for your puppy or adult dog and by the end, you’ll be able to make an informed decision for your pup!

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Harnesses and collars aren’t a “complete training solution”
• Harnesses
• 5 Pros
• 5 Cons
• Collars
• 5 Pros
• 5 Cons
• My personal experience with collars & harnesses
• More FAQs
• Can a dog wear a collar and a harness?
• Do harnesses hurt dogs?
• Do collars hurt dogs?
• Can a dog wear a harness all the time, 24/7?

Let’s do it! 👇

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HARNESSES AND COLLARS ARE NOT A “COMPLETE TRAINING SOLUTION”

It’s vital to understand that both harnesses and collars are not a training solution, they are just a tool!

No dog or puppy will magically walk perfectly on a leash just because you put a no-pull harness on him/her.

When used properly, a good harness (or collar) should be seen as a supplemental tool to your leash training efforts.

So please ensure your expectations are accurate when it comes to what harnesses and collars can do for your dog’s behavior!

HARNESSES VS COLLARS FOR PUPPY OR ADULT DOG OVERVIEW

Before we dive into this lifelong debate of collars vs harnesses, please answer a quick 1-question survey below. ⬇️

Thanks for sharing!

Now, here is a simple overview of harnesses vs collars!

Pros of Harnesses

1. More secure on your dog’s body
2. Better control, especially with a 2-contact point harness
3. Can help reduce pulling
4. Less leash tangling
5. Safer distribution of pressure

Cons of Harnesses

1. Can be uncomfortable
2. More challenging to get the right fit
3. Can affect your dog’s gait (although research conflicts)
4. Often don’t have tags/ID holder
5. Can increase pulling

Pros of Collars

1. Easy to remove and put on
2. Less intrusive as it doesn’t go over your dog’s face
3. Many styles and options are available
4. Holder for tags/ID
5. Often easier to clean

Cons of Collars

1. Has been shown to cause pressure on the eyes
2. Can cause neck/back pain, no distribution of pressure
3. Dogs can easily slip out (martingale helps with this)
4. Can be dangerous if caught on things which can lead to choking
5. More leash tangling

Alright, that was just a basic overview. Let’s dive into each pro and con below! ⬇️

DOG HARNESS PROS AND CONS

Harnesses are a piece of equipment that goes around your dog’s back and torso area, typically buckling or cinching in the back or on your dog’s sides.

While harnesses have become increasingly popular in recent years, they do have some drawbacks.

But first, let’s look at the pros and advantages of harnesses for your puppy or dog.

5 PROS OF HARNESSES

I love my dogs’ harnesses, and here are 5 reasons why you should too!

1- MORE SECURE ON YOUR DOG’S BODY

One of the biggest advantages of a harness is that it is very secure on your dog’s body. It makes it very difficult for your dog to get loose or escape a harness.

This is especially important for dogs that are skittish or easily spooked.

I love knowing that if I need to grab my dog and secure them I can easily have a contact point (that isn’t around their neck) that they can’t wriggle out of!

2- BETTER CONTROL

Harnesses give you greater control while out on walks than a collar.

And for ultimate control and guidance when leash training, a harness with 2 contact points is phenomenal. For example, with a Freedom No-Pull Harness you can clip the special leash to the front clip and the back clip.

This can help you steer and guide your pup throughout your training sessions.

And while having “control” doesn’t mean yanking your dog around, it offers great peace of mind in high traffic or dangerous situations.

3- CAN HELP REDUCE PULLING

As mentioned above, harnesses are not a “silver bullet” solution to your dog’s leash pulling problems.

BUT, a proper front-clip harness can really help!

A front-clip harness helps reduce pulling by naturally turning your dog back toward you when they pull. This movement is undesirable for your dog and can help naturally reduce their desire to pull.

4- LESS LEASH TANGLING

Leash tangling is a royal pain.

I’ve found that by using a harness my dogs’ leashes get wrapped around their legs or under their belly much less frequently!

Having a point of contact that is fixed (unlike a collar that can “spin” around your dog’s neck) helps keep the leash from causing a mess on your walks!

5- SAFER DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE (VERY IMPORTANT)

Probably the most important advantage of using a harness for your dog is that it distributes pressure more evenly across the body.

When your dog pulls or lunges while wearing a harness, the force is distributed more evenly across the back and chest area.

When your dog pulls or lunges while wearing a collar, where do you think that pressure is applied? Right on your dog’s neck! YIKES 😨

So above all, harnesses are generally a much safer option when walking your dog!

BUT, there are some drawbacks to harnesses, let’s cover those below!

5 CONS OF HARNESSES

Harnesses are often touted as the ultimate choice in the harness vs collar debate, but there are certainly some cons. Here are 5!

1- CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE

While a correctly fitting harness should be comfortable, that’s not the case for every dog.

I’m thinking especially for dogs with LOTS of hair like Samoyeds and Huskys. It can pull their hair or even cause chafing.

When you first help a dog get used to a harness they may move rigidly or seem visibly uncomfortable. While that often goes away with time, some dogs just truly don’t ever become comfortable in a harness.

2- MORE CHALLENGING TO GET THE RIGHT FIT

Go read through the reviews of any harness and you’ll find negative reviews complaining about the sizing guide or fit not being correct.

While you typically can measure and get the right size, some dogs have different shapes of bodies and sizes that can make harness fit challenging.

My personal recommendation is to go in person to try on a harness with your pup.

It’s also important to get a harness with multiple adjustment points to make sure you can get that perfect fit for your pup!

3- CAN AFFECT YOUR DOG’S GAIT (ALTHOUGH RESEARCH CONFLICTS)

Alright, this one is technically still up for debate.

I found research that shows a harness can reduce your dog’s mobility and affect their gait.

I also found research that shows a harness won’t cause any problems with your dog’s gait.

Like most newly introduced products, more research is needed to understand the effects of harnesses on our dog’s gait and mobility.

The evidence is inconclusive, but know that it might be a potential drawback of using a harness for frequent or daily use.

4- OFTEN DON’T HAVE ID/TAG HOLDER

The main reason a harness often isn’t used as the main equipment for your dog is that it typically doesn’t have a place for ID/tags.

In my opinion, your dog should never go outside without some form of identification tag or ID on.

You can find creative solutions to putting an ID/tag on your dog’s harness, but it’s not as straightforward as on a collar. For that reason, it’s a disadvantage of harnesses!

5- CAN INCREASE PULLING

Okay, I know that I said harnesses can help reduce pulling… And they can. But, harnesses can also increase pulling.

Confused? Me too 😉

But seriously, it can do both!

One study found that dogs using a back-clip harness pulled more strongly toward treats than dogs using a collar only. Although, it should be mentioned that even the researchers commented that the increased pulling could be a result of the harness not causing pain and the collar causing pain on the dog’s neck.

So put simply, a collar may decrease pulling but that may be due to the pain it causes (aka positive punishment).

With all that being said, that desire to pull can be decreased by using a front-clip harness instead of a back-clip harness. And of course, with proper leash training techniques.

Now, let’s dive into collars! ⬇️

DOG COLLARS PROS AND CONS

Dog collars have been around for thousands of years, literally.

But just because something has been around for ages, doesn’t mean it’s the best option.

And to clarify, when I say collar I’m referring to flat or rolled collars (what you see the majority of the time), NOT prong or choke collars. Prong and choke collars aren’t the way to go. And that’s not just my opinion, it’s the stance of AVSAB and many other groups, researchers, and advocates for improved dog safety and well-being.

So, let’s explore the pros and cons of dog collars for our collars vs harnesses debate.

5 PROS OF COLLARS

Alright, let’s talk about the advantages of collars first. Here we go!

1- EASY TO REMOVE AND PUT ON, HELPFUL WITH PUPPIES

While it may sound like a small thing, the ease of a collar truly can’t be underestimated.

The ability to slip a collar on and off, unclip it, etc. is much easier than compared to a harness. And because of that, it’s much easier to get a dog used to a collar than a harness!

Part of that is because of advantage #2 👇

2- LESS INTRUSIVE

Many dogs hate things going over their face/head. It can be stressful, confusing, and intrusive for them!

Luckily, with many collars, you don’t have to put it over their actual face/head. You can just put it around the side or underneath their chin and then clip it on.

The same can’t be said for many harnesses that require you to place it over their face/head completely!

3- MANY STYLES & OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE

It’s 2022 (as of writing). Most dogs have an Instagram, multiple outfits, and their own credit card. While that last one isn’t true (typically), you get the point…

We, humans, LOVE to accessorize our dogs and make them look good!

And that’s why collars are amazing. You can go to any store, whether online or in person, and find hundreds of designs of collars.

Different colors, different materials, wild patterns, customizable collars, you name it and you can probably find it!

4- HOLDER FOR ID/TAGS

Probably the biggest perk of collars vs a harness is the dedicated spot for your dog’s ID tags!

Honestly, that’s the main reason I always keep my dogs’ collars on. And it’s an important part of your dog’s safety!

My opinion is that you should always have identification tags on your dog, and using a collar makes that super simple.

5- OFTEN EASIER TO CLEAN

You’ve maybe noticed a theme for the pros of dog collars, simplicity!

I personally love getting collars that are made from easy-to-clean material. Collars end up getting dirt, food, and slobber all over them!

Choosing a collar that is made from non-fabric material can make cleaning as easy as scrubbing it with dish soap and letting it dry. Unfortunately, most harnesses are made from fabric, and cleaning them is much more difficult.

So, one more point for collars!

But, of course, we’ve got to cover the cons and disadvantages of collars. Unfortunately, they are pretty big disadvantages ⬇️

5 CONS OF COLLARS

While collars offer simplicity, their cons often revolve around the safety of our pups. Let’s dive into it!

1- HAS BEEN SHOWN TO CAUSE PRESSURE ON THE EYES

One study found that the intraocular pressure (the fluid pressure inside the eye) from pulling on a leash increases significantly when using a collar vs a harness. This can be especially dangerous for dogs prone to issues like glaucoma, thin corneas, or other potential eye issues.

While your dog may not fall into one of those categories, the findings are still alarming!

Again, a lack of distribution of pressure can cause problems with sustained collar use.

2- CAN CAUSE NECK/BACK PAIN - NO DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE

Similar to the point above, many dogs have experienced neck, throat, and back traumas as a result of pulling on leash while connected via a collar.

When pressure is applied from pulling it goes directly onto the sensitive areas around your dog’s neck and throat. If you step back for a moment and think about that, it’s a bit scary (and in my opinion only, not worth the risk).

This issue is especially important if you have a breed in the Brachycephalic group. That would include (but not limited to) the following:

• Boxer
• Bulldog
• Brussels Griffon
• French Bulldog
• Pekingese
• Pug
• Shih Tzu

Because of this group’s short faces and narrow airways, anything related to their neck and head area (including a collar) must be done cautiously.

For this reason, it’s generally recommended to use harnesses for a Brachycephalic breed instead of a collar.

3- DOGS CAN EASILY SLIP OUT (MARTINGALE HELPS WITH THIS)

While the ease of getting a collar on and off is a positive, it also means dogs can inadvertently escape from their collar!

I can remember a handful of times when I first had my puppies that they slipped out of their collar during a walk. Luckily nothing happened, but that isn’t always the case.

There are types of collars that can reduce the chances of your dog escaping, specifically Martingale collars. These collars are built to tighten (only a certain amount) when pressure is applied to keep dogs from escaping.

Again, these types of collars are almost a must-have for certain breeds like Greyhounds, Whippets, Salukis, and other breeds with necks as wide (or wider) than their head.

NOTE: While I don’t believe a Martingale should be used as a training tool in most cases, it can be vital for some dog’s safety (like the breeds mentieond above).

4- CAN BE DANGEROUS IF CAUGHT ON THINGS WHICH CAN LEAD TO CHOKING

Dogs love to explore. Sometimes that exploration can put them into precarious situations.

In some instances, dogs have gotten their collars caught on objects (think tree branches, fences, other dog’s collars, etc.) and are unable to free themselves.

Again, if they are caught on their collar which is around their neck… bad things can happen.

While this isn’t an everyday occurrence, it can be a disadvantage of collars!

5- MORE LEASH TANGLING, ESPECIALLY WITH PUPPIES

I don’t know what it is about collars but they seem to lead to leashes ending up in all of the most tangled places on the planet.

With the collar being able to spin around, it often means you end up with more leash tangling. I’ve found that the fixed contact point of a harness ends up with less tangling of the leash.

I could be wrong here, I’d love to hear your experience with leash tangling in regards to collars vs harnesses in the comments!

At the end of the day, leash tangling will always happen. I just make it my life goal to minimize it! 😜

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE & SETUP FOR MY DOGS

While I tried to paint the pros and cons of collars and harnesses equally, you probably saw my biases bleed through.

I always keep a collar on my dogs. For me, it’s about the ID tags.

If they were to run off or get lost, I’d feel much more at ease knowing they have their tags on!

Whenever we go out for walks, my dogs use the Freedom No-Pull Harness (with their collar also on). I have tried half a dozen harnesses and NONE of them compare to the Freedom harnesses.

The part that goes under the arms (armpits? 😂) is made from a softer velvet-type material to decrease chafing. There are 4 total adjustment points. It has a front AND back clip point. Just so many good things about it!

ADDITIONAL HARNESS & COLLAR FAQS

While I hope I gave you some solid advice and things to think about as you choose between a collar or harness, I want to cover more frequently asked questions too! And although we may not be able to definitively answer whether a harness is better than a collar, I hope you have some good thinking points.

CAN A DOG WEAR A COLLAR AND A HARNESS?

The simplest answer is that yes, dogs can wear a collar and a harness at the same time.

Is it necessary? No, it’s not.

Most people, myself included, use a collar at all times for their dog’s ID tags and will use a harness when out on walks. In most cases, it just makes sense to leave the collar on!

DO HARNESSES HURT DOGS?

Generally speaking, a well-fitted harness will not hurt your dog.

There is some conflicting research as to whether it can alter your dog’s gait though.

I found research that shows a harness can reduce your dog’s mobility and affect their gait.

I also found research that shows a harness won’t cause any problems with your dog’s gait.

It truthfully is something that needs more research, but harnesses are safe for dogs!

DO COLLARS HURT DOGS?

In most cases, collars will not hurt your dog.

BUT, if your dog is a big puller, it can put painful (and sometimes dangerous) strain on their neck/throat area.

Collars can sometimes get caught on fences, branches, other dog’s collars, etc. which can end up hurting your pup.

Like most things in life, bad things can happen to your dog when wearing a collar. But that doesn’t mean it is the norm!

My advice is to not use a collar if you have a dog that pulls strongly on the leash, but instead to use a harness!

CAN A DOG WEAR A HARNESS ALL THE TIME, 24/7?

This is a tricky one to answer, but technically, yes, a dog can wear a harness 24/7.

Would it be comfortable for the dog? It depends on the harness and the dog.

Leaving a harness on a dog all the time might lead to uncomfortable chafing, rubbing, or other restrictions. Again, I’d ask yourself if it’s necessary!

Generally speaking, harnesses are put on for walks/outside time and taken off when inside the home. But, you know your dog and their home situation best!

FINAL THOUGHTS ON A DOG HARNESS VS COLLAR (EVEN FOR A PUPPY)

While it comes down to your preference and what is best for your specific dog, collars and harnesses can both be used for dogs and puppies.

A study found that neither option caused greater stress in dogs, but there are studies and anecdotal evidence that show collars can be dangerous for your dog’s neck and throat area.

My final piece of advice is to try out both and see what works best for your pup. If you’re concerned about your dog pulling on the leash and hurting their neck, then I would certainly use a harness!

Here’s a quick recap of all the pros and cons of collars and harnesses for puppies and adult dogs! ⬇️

Pros of Harnesses

1. More secure on your dog’s body
2. Better control, especially with a 2-contact point harness
3. Can help reduce pulling
4. Less leash tangling
5. Safer distribution of pressure

Cons of Harnesses

1. Can be uncomfortable
2. More challenging to get the right fit
3. Can affect your dog’s gait (although research conflicts)
4. Often don’t have tags/ID holder
5. Can increase pulling

Pros of Collars

1. Easy to remove and put on
2. Less intrusive as it doesn’t go over your dog’s face
3. Many styles and options are available
4. Holder for tags/ID
5. Often easier to clean

Cons of Collars

1. Has been shown to cause pressure on the eyes
2. Can cause neck/back pain, no distribution of pressure
3. Dogs can easily slip out (martingale helps with this)
4. Can be dangerous if caught on things which can lead to choking
5. More leash tangling

So, while I can’t tell you what’s best for your specific dog, I always have a collar on my dogs for their ID tags. And whenever we go out for a walk, I also put on their harnesses (while leaving their collar on).

What has been your experience when using a harness or collar for walks? Let me know in the comments!
And be sure to check out the Freedom No-Pull Harness if you’re looking for a tried and tested, high-quality harness for your dog!