Dog Harnesses?

[gas1]

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations or experience with harnesses for dogs. I would love to take my dog through more canyons but I am limited to ones that I can lift or hand my dog up and down.

Any info would be great!

Thanks,
Sean Gautschy

[polvalt]

Ruff Wear makes a harness that is quite durable.

http://www.ruffwear.com/DoubleBack-Harness?sc=2&category=1131 (http://www.ruffwear.com/DoubleBack-Harness?sc=2&category=1131)

[gas1]

Have you tried this harness?

I'm curious to how well it would work.

[woadams123]

Reminds me of Dave Black's story about taking a dog thru heaps.

[yyakk7]

Reminds me of Dave Black's story about taking a dog thru heaps.

Taking a dog thru Heaps Canyon (http://www.math.utah.edu/%7Esfolias/canyontales/tale/?i=shtheaps)

Great story if you have not read it.

[gas1]

Interesting story and thanks for the feed back but I'm not planning on taking my dog through potholes and wet canyons. I'm mostly interested in finding a way to more easily manage situations in dry canyons that don't have a lot of technical sections.

Also a chihuahua? in heaps? wrapped in a dry bag?

She obviously sounded unprepared for what was to come. Dogs can be brought along in some canyons but not all by any means.

The key is to have done the canyon before and understand and have a plan for the obstacles including the time added to completing the canyon.

[JDClery]

I have this harness, Web Master Harness (http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-Harness), and I'm pretty happy with it. I've taken my dog through a few technical canyons and it's worked well. The handle keeps my dog pretty balanced and comfortable when lifted or lowered. I planned to rig up something with webbing for the rear legs on rappels but didn't find it necessary since the harness kept him so balanced and I rigged the rappel so I could keep him secure wit my free arm.

[Kirk]

Another option - make your own harness.

We went through Silver on the Side with Mark, Jane, Ken and Eshed a couple years ago, and D-O-G (rest in peace, young pup!) had chewed through his tether and followed us up the mountain. None of us wanted to return with the mutt, and we'd thought as it got steeper, it would become impassable, and the dog would turn around. We were half right. It became impassable, but the dog wouldn't turn around, so Eshed broke out some webbing and assembled a harness on the spot.

The photos are "Spot" on. Use three loops around the torso, and add two attach points: a little above the shoulders and about mid-back. Most of the weight is centered around the dog's chest area, the third loop helps keep the pooch level (may not be needed, depending on the size of the dog).

If you are planning to do a guided lower, be nice to the pooch and make sure it gets exposure prior to going in. We really had to push the dog off some of the drops that day, and while it recovered happier than ever, at the time it really wasn't excited about going over the edge. Not the best way to introduce a dog to the canyons, but we made do with the situation.

[gas1]

Thanks JD and Kirk.

I definitely plan on getting him used to it up here in Ferguson before I take him into any canyons. I do assisted repels with my daughter and was planning on taking the same approach. I think every dog has a healthy fear of going over edges but he is calm when he is next to me.

[bbjones]

Have you tried this harness?

I'm curious to how well it would work.

I saw a dog wearing the Ruffwear DoubleBack Harness in SLC at the OR show in SLC a few weeks ago.

You could pick up the dog without any problems and the harness worked great.

The harness looks as sturdy as a climbing harness.

Brandt