In the animal world, there's an obvious area that stands out as being stuck in the past: using collars to restrain dogs.
Of course there's a place for dog collars: they are a handy way to permanently attach an ID tag around a dog's neck. Once put in place, a light dog collar can be impossible for a dog to remove, similar to a festival-style wristband on a human.
A well-fitting dog collar can also function as a way of reminding dogs that they are with you and that you want them to stay close to you. There should be no tugging or tightening of the collar: if the collar was not there, the dog should still want to be in the same place. The collar should act in the same way as gently holding a child's hand.
But as a way of controlling a dog? There are now alternatives that are far better than dog collars.
As a well-known behaviourist said at a veterinary conference: "We call dogs 'man's best friends', then we put a noose around their necks and drag them around after us".
One of the developments in contemporary veterinary science is the recognition that animal sentience is far more like our own than we used to believe. It's now understood that if an animal displays behaviour that would mean distress, fear or pain in a human, then almost certainly, the animal is feeling distress, fear or pain too.
So when it comes to collar use, the same parallel can be made. If you'd feel uncomfortable being hauled around by a collar, a dog is likely to have just the same level of discomfort. When tightened and pulled, collars twist the neck in an uncomfortable way, and they apply pressure to the windpipe and blood vessels, causing severe discomfort. Choke collars do exactly what their name implies: they choke dogs. So-called "prong-collars" take this a level further, with metal spikes digging into the neck as the collar tightens. How did we ever think this was humane and fair? And as for electric shock collars: it's astonishing that it took until 2018 for them to be made illegal in England.
There are a number of effective, humane alternatives to dog collars. They have been around for many years, used for working animals like sledge dogs and horses, but it's only relatively recently that they have been adapted for daily use in pets.
Head collars
Head collars, similar to those used widely in horses, are now commonly used in dogs. The fabric straps fit neatly around the dog's head and muzzle, and the dog's leash clips on to a metal ring on the head collar under the dog's chin.
If you need to exert control on the dog, when you pull on the leash, the dog's head and muzzle are pulled around so that the dog is forced to look at you. This immediately removes any visual distraction which may have grabbed the dog's attention, making it easier to regain their focus. In contrast, if you pull on a traditional collar, the dog continues to look at (and strain towards) the object that's distracting them.
Dogs need to learn to tolerate head collars: the better brands come with detailed instructions on how to do this. If this process is rushed, or done wrongly, or if the head collar is poorly fitting, it can be easy for a dog to wriggle out, and even to damage the head collar by chewing it. But when care is taken to use the products properly, they can be highly effective.
Body harnesses for dogs
Body harnesses are the latest method of dog control to become popular. In essence, they are similar to the safety harnesses that parents use to keep control of wayward toddlers when out in public. We recognise that they are the kindest way to restrain boisterous little humans, so it seems logical that they should also be appropriate for our canine companions.
There are different styles of dog harnesses, but broadly, there are two types:
Nylon strap harnesses
The simplest dog harnesses are almost identical to the human toddler harnesses: it can be fiddly to work out how they need to be fitted, but once you've got that sorted out, they are easy and quick to put on, and they're tolerated well by dogs. Some are designed to follow body contours and movements so that if a dog strains on the harness, the straps tighten at certain pressure points, sending the dog a message to ease back. A simple, well-fitted harness of this type is far more humane than a dog collar, and often more effective at controlling a dog, especially for smaller animals.
Webbing and buckle harnesses
A sturdier, more substantial type of harness for dogs has also become widely available in recent years. These are derived from the types of chest harnesses that have been used in horses for hundreds of years, since the time of Boudicca and the Roman Empire.
These harnesses have thicker nylon webbing, and tough plastic buckles that snap securely into place. There's often a thickened loop of webbing at the centre of the harness that functions as a handle to lift the dog comfortably (e.g. into the car), and there are other slots that can be used to allow the harness to double up when used with seat belts to restrain a dog safely for travelling in a car. They can also sometimes be used to attach directly to the car seat anchor, the metal attachment point that's used for child car safety seats.
Some types of dog harnesses have reflective strips along the side, allowing dogs to be seen in low light conditions, and velcro-detachable strips can also be attached in these areas, allowing messages (e.g. "Sniffer dog") to be carried by the animal. Bags and panniers can sometimes be attached too; owners can use their (larger) pets to help them, by carrying shopping or other objects.
The best of these dog harnesses have been designed with the help of mobility scientists in the laboratory who have analysed the way that dogs' bodies move. They have been fitted with padding to protect the dog at pressure points, and in contrast to dog collars, they avoid placing pressure on airways, nerves and blood vessels. As with all other types of restraint, it's crucially important that these harnesses are carefully measured and fitted before being used for daily activities.
Studies have shown that far from hindering movement, they help animals move ergonomically and comfortably, whilst still being able to be controlled by the humans working beside them.
As well as being highly effective for pet dogs in normal daily activities like walks in the park, harnesses of this type also have specific professional uses. Dog sledge teams, and people who run with dogs – the new sport called CaniCross – use special padded harnesses that are similar to the types of harnesses that are now used for pets.
Dog collars should be consigned to the past; science and new knowledge should be put into practice. Try fitting a dog harness to your dog, and you - and your pet - will appreciate the difference.
