Dog harness for extra sensitive skin?

niavd

I adopted a lurcher cross a few weeks ago and her skin is super sensitive. I cant leave a collar on her as it rubs her skin bald and goes really pink so I only put it on when we are out on walks.
I am currently walking her in a harness with a front attachment because although she is learning she still pulls a lot so this helps - however this too is now rubbing her skin quite badly and she was very red under her chest last night and I can see where the hair is starting to rub off.

Any ideas what else I could use on her that wont rub or irritate her sensitive skin?
I don't want to use a head collar but am open to any harness suggestions - I can attach a front D-ring myself if needs be but at the moment its such a pain that I feel bad walking her when I know its uncomfortable.

tk123

Something fleecey maybe? Xtra-dog and Perfect Fit do front attach fleece harnesses and maxizoo also stock fleece ones without the front ring...although any dog I've seen in the maxizoo ones seem to have the harness hanging off them so not sure how adjustable they are?

http://www.xtra.dog/
http://www.dog-games-shop.co.uk/

niavd

Thank you so much for these links. I will have a look and see what they have. Do you have experience with these brands yourself?

Springwell

If the harness you have now works go to a saddlery and buy sheepskin noseband covers - they're sheepskin or fleece tubes which velcro on and off and are designed to prevent rubs. they can easily be cut to the correct size to fit over your harness

niavd

Thanks Springwell, that's a good idea. I was trying to think of something I could use to cover harness straps but could only think of horse girth covers, totally forgot they made them for nosebands too. Great idea. I might try that first before I fork out another €40 for a harness.

aonb

If the harness you have suits her, you could either put a fleece on the dog underneat her harness (if she would let you or wear one) - you could get a childs one in a charity shop or Penneys, and chop it up a bit to fit her? Alternatively the sheepskin band from springwell is a great ideal. If you live near a decent cobbler they might be able to sew something up for you too.

(Just as a by the by, if her skin is super sensitive, and I know lurchers/greys are very prone, is her diet good/helping with the sensitivity?) Hairy lurchers are the biz! Any photos? Hope she is settling well with you?

niavd

Thanks aonb, I had thought about her food, she is on James Wellbeloved Junior as it was on sale so I bought 2 big bags of it when we got her but was going to change her over to Arden Grange as soon as she hits 12 months (shes almost 10months now). I will try her on the arden grange sensitive and see if that does anything for her coat.

PS. She probably would wear a fleece but she also loves the water and it wouldn't be very comfortable running around in water and then having a wet fleece against her skin. And I don't want her to look silly either haha.

tk123

niavd wrote: »

PS. She probably would wear a fleece but she also loves the water and it wouldn't be very comfortable running around in water and then having a wet fleece against her skin. And I don't want her to look silly either haha.

That's what I was going to say! I have Perfect Fit ones for my two but stopped using them because they were getting so heavy when they went for a splash. I did get the 40mm ones though (they're retrievers) and that added to the heaviness of them too. Neoprene is soft enough and doesn't get waterlogged like fleece so that might be an option to pad your own harness out. I have a puppia harness for my girl which is really light but and wouldn't cut in because it covers so much of their body. They're often in the lightening deals on amazon - I think I paid around €20 for her XXL one.

niavd

tk123 wrote: »

I have a puppia harness for my girl which is really light but and wouldn't cut in because it covers so much of their body. They're often in the lightening deals on amazon - I think I paid around €20 for her XXL one.

I saw the puppia harness online and it looks good. Does it rub in any way? This might be what i need.
I just looked at her chest again and its quite raw looking now - from yesterday. Il have to walk her on the collar this eve because no way could i use the harness again until shes healed.

I might look into changing her food sooner than later and see if that makes a difference

tk123

niavd wrote: »

I saw the puppia harness online and it looks good. Does it rub in any way? This might be what i need.
I just looked at her chest again and its quite raw looking now - from yesterday. Il have to walk her on the collar this eve because no way could i use the harness again until shes healed.

I might look into changing her food sooner than later and see if that makes a difference

It doesn't rub her at all but she also doesn't pull at all to cause friction

peasant

We've used Limex Norwegian style harnesses with neoprene padding for years without any rubbing or chafing issues