# New puppy collar/harness recommendations



## CaptMarvel (Dec 1, 2020)

Hello Everyone! 
It's so nice to finally be able to join this forum!! We just collected our new 8 week old pup on Saturday and he's utterly adorable. We're absolutely covered in bite and scratch marks (wow! those razor sharp little teeth) but he's gorgeous with it and settling in really well.
He only needed to get up twice last night - once at 12.30am and again at 4.15am so the night times are improving already. We've set him up a crate, but he likes to sleep on the sofa in a little room next to our TV room, so we're going with that for now.
We're starting to look at collars and harnesses in preparation for doing a little bit of walking with a leash indoors before we even begin to think about taking him outdoors (after his vaccinations). Lots of the collars look so big and bulky and there are so many different types of harness. Can anyone recommend a nice soft puppy collar and harness we could get for him? Something nice and soft that won't chafe on his supersoft puppy fur?
We're in the UK, so any advice and recommendations gratefully received!
Thanks!


----------



## MaxB (Mar 11, 2019)

Welcome to the forum. There are others that are better qualified than I on all things V, but here is a site where the harnesses are a little better than what you get in your local pet shop. https://www.dog-games-shop.co.uk/perfect-fit-fleece-dog-harness.html

I have found that a lot of the harnesses don't fit the chests of V's, or they rub under their armpits. We don't have the perfect fit one, we are getting a custom made one in a week or so from a trainer that we trust. In the meantime, we use this one. Doodlebone Boomerang Dog Harness | Doodlebone Dog Collars, Leads & Harnesses

The teeth and nails of these pups are a challenge...but they eventually grow out of it, and there is lots of advice on this forum as to how to deal with it. While I didn't have much success with the crate in the early weeks, (I spent a lot of time on this forum begging for help! 😂), we stuck with it and brought the crate into the bedroom with us. Maggie now sleeps in the crate all night, we leave the door open, she happily gallops in there at night, sometimes taking herself off there before we're ready for bed. She occasionally hops out during the night to sleep with us. (Something I swore blind I would never allow!). Depending on the night, if it's between 12 and 6am, I put her back in the crate. The issue is that she lies on/over/alongside me, pushes me to the edge of the bed, and while she has a great sleep, I'm trapped under 21kg of V, snoring in my ear, occasionally grinding her teeth, and making my chest itch with her whiskers. if it's close enough to getting up time, I let her snuggle. 

the reason I advocate a crate is because you have not yet encountered the 'Shredder V'. Maggie will be 2 in a couple of weeks, we still put anything shreddable out of the way if we need to leave the house. Cushions, dish cloths, tea towels, oven gloves, sofa throws...the contents of the laundry basket, washing machine, tumble drier, bedding and beds. The crate at least contained that during the night. 

it can be difficult to leave them alone. (Again, I had many posts pleading for assistance on this very forum.). It is only now that we are able to leave Maggie alone in the house. Up to about 4 months ago, even a long walk/good run, and a frozen kong with special treat food, did not distract her enough from the barking at the window, howling and wailing as we drove off. Now however, and I'm not sure if it's maturity, or if she's glad to see the back of us once in a while since two lockdowns, we can give her a kong, she'll momentarily look up from her special, 'going out' bed, ignore us, knuckle down to the kong, and be calmly waiting on the sofa watching out the window when we return a couple of hours later. The crate, if you can train your V to accept it will save soft furnishings and other things that you thought were out of reach. The crate is as much for them as it is for your home. 

Something that some kind soul advised me in the early months here was to tether Maggie to me when I was at home. it did mean that she went where I went, but she did that anyway...tethered though, it helped with the leash walking when she was ready for the training and the work. To this date, she walks beautifully on the leash, except when it's the first outing of the day, we're in the park, and she can't wait to get to the part where I release her to run in those big, ranging, zoom circles that V's love. 

Wishing you much joy...they are amazing canine companions, and I spend most days laughing, even on the worst days, Maggie The Magyar brings a smile to my face. Sometimes that smile is after I've found yet another pair of knickers shredded that I didn't notice her stealing from the washing machine while she was 'helping' me...and after my initial yelling, to leave it, I have to laugh. My wallet isn't too happy though! 😁


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

You know we really do love puppy pictures. Hint hint.
I've always just put a collar on the puppy indoors. Take a short lightweight piece of rope, and add a clip to it. Or even a thin dollar store leash, and cut it shorter. Let them drag it around, when supervised.
Also lghtly give a little pull, when calling them to me, with a treat in hand. As they get the idea, I have them walk indoors with the leash in my hand, and carrying a treat low, and at my side. I treat pouch works well for this, as you will be handing out a lot of them, and keeping treats available in your hand works best.


----------



## CaptMarvel (Dec 1, 2020)

Thank you both so much for your fantastic advice. It’s all very new but we’re starting to make progress and we really need to make a decision on whether to crate him or not. I’m now thinking it may be better to crate for the sake of my house!!
we can’t wait for him to be vaccinated so we can start to take him out and use up some of that puppy energy.
Texasred - I’ve taken the hint  so here’s a photo of our beautiful boy Stanley!


----------



## jitnatima (Nov 3, 2021)

MaxB said:


> Welcome to the forum. There are others that are better qualified than I on all things V, but here is a site where the harnesses are a little better than what you get in your local pet shop. https://www.dog-games-shop.co.uk/perfect-fit-fleece-dog-harness.html
> 
> I have found that a lot of the harnesses don't fit the chests of V's, or they rub under their armpits. We don't have the perfect fit one, we are getting a custom made one in a week or so from a trainer that we trust. In the meantime, we use this one. Doodlebone Boomerang Dog Harness | Doodlebone Dog Collars, Leads & Harnesses
> 
> ...


Hmm haha


----------

