# what size harness for spoo puppy?



## rikkia (Nov 5, 2011)

There is a size guide on the site if you click to show more information. Without knowing your dog it would be hard for anyone here to make a recommendation. Your pup may be on the small size for a standard, or even on the large. The parents sizes may affect final growth of your pup too. It's a hard thing for anyone to really help you with.

One thing I would suggest however is avoiding any harness that clips on the back. They have a tendency to encourage pulling I've found. Pets at home front control harness would be much better IMO, just by virtue of it being front control.


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## Vanilla-Yazoo (Jun 2, 2013)

thank you for the reply rikkia 

I wont have my puppy until summer so I dont know what size he will be till then, I know his mother is rather large for a girl so I suspect he will be big.
I have got a few collars to start out with (martangle's and leather buckled collar's) I can pop in pets at home to 'try' the front lead harness on when he is here 
thank you for your advice!
x


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## Servicepoodlemomma (Jun 22, 2013)

BIG fan of the Julius K9 harnesses here. As for size - I would guess either a mini or a 0 depending on how big he is. My adult Spoo wears a 1 almost as tight as it goes - but she is on the smaller side. 

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## Vanilla-Yazoo (Jun 2, 2013)

thank you for replying servicepoodlemomma 
glad to hear you use the same harness!
I thought it looked strong, comfy and shouldnt rub too much ect 
that is awesome thank you!! 
do you find there is any pulling because of it being clipped at the back not front?
The only harness I have used before was on the family's springers, but when they outgrew them they never replaced them, they are quite bad pullers but walk best with 'cani collars'
I am going to make sure I get walking nicely on a lead next to me right from day one, practicing indoors and the garden to start with 
x


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## Servicepoodlemomma (Jun 22, 2013)

They really are very well made. I have had no issues with pulling, but Halona isn't a puller anyway, she is very good about staying right next to me. I use one with my IG as well, and again, no pulling. I have had then on does that where pullers, and just trained with them as I would with any puller - first pressure on the leash I stop until the dog stops pulling, or I turn and go the opposite direction as the dog wants to go. Makes walks take longer initially - but they usually catch on really fast!

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If you need a size 2 later on, let me know. I have a barely used light purple one that I bought for my Golden - but my Golden hated it. I will give you a bargain on it, my guess is that will be the size he needs full grown if he is going to be a bigger boy.


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Question: Why a harness? Never have been a fan of them personally, and especially on a Standard. My now 9 week old Spoo already does very well with a martingale collar, smallest one in the house atm, and we have taken a couple walks. He has only been here a week today.


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## Chells_Aura (Dec 7, 2012)

Servicepoodlemomma said:


> ...just trained with them as I would with any puller - first pressure on the leash I stop until the dog stops pulling, or I turn and go the opposite direction as the dog wants to go. Makes walks take longer initially - but they usually catch on really fast!


I was going to suggest that 

That's what my husband and I do on Chell... most of the time she doesn't pull, and the few occasions where she does it's only for a tiny bit before she comes running back because she knows she's not going to get anywhere by pulling!


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

My spoos matured in the 55-60 pound range. When they were tiny I just used a collar. By the time they got bold enough to need a harness they were big enough to go into a Kurgo size medium. I had them in Kurgo size medium harnesses for much of their first year. They are now in Kurgo large harnesses. 
I also use Easy Walk size medium-large on them. They almost fit into mediums. They are between sizes in that brand. They need a true medium in the front, but they need larger around the rib cage. The trouble is that poodles have deep but narrow chests. A lot of harnesses are designed for broader dogs, like Rotties and Labs.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

You have no control with a harness on a standard poodle. I could maybe see using one after they are trained, but I always think of harnesses as something to use on bitsy dogs because you don't want to injure their necks. With a standard they could literally pull you all over the place in one. Get a martingale or a semi-choke with a little chain. Just my opinion, of course.


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Lou slid out of her harness twice when she was a puppy, and not more often just cause she didn't try so I decided to try a martingale and loved it!! It works perfect. 
With the harness If they stretch their legs forward lower their head and walk backwards pulling their bodies the opposite direction of the leash they get out!! At least that's my personal experience!


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

That is where a martingale collar is wonderful. Properly adjusted, they can't slip out of it, and it doesn't tighten as much as a choke chain which should be used for training.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Here's a bunch of pictures of martingales and also the semichokes with the chain. The semichoke might be enough for a well mannered standard. Some really do require a little more, like a regular choke chain (bad name - if used properly they do not choke!). For a little puppy, until they start pulling you around at about 6 months the soft martingale is enough. 
https://www.google.com/search?q=sem...-IGYDA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=773&dpr=1


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## Vanilla-Yazoo (Jun 2, 2013)

servicepoodlemomma: that is awesome to hear it didnt promote pulling, it looks quite comfy for a harness too!
i am deffo going to be firm on getting the walking right, im not having a pulling dog after the spaniels lol!
thank you  I shall let you know!! x

loves: i will me mostly using a collar, but want a harness to get him used to it as a pup so when in cars he wont wonder why he is in a harness, and will be comfortable in it, plus i do get dizzy spells and have ankle issues so if i fall over the harness will give me something i can hold on to till i feel ok to get up (not often but i dont know "when")
i have 2 martangles to start him out with  


the mikor: fantastic! i am glad to hear it works out for you too! I dont mind taking 3x as long for a walk to get no pulling by stop- turning ect  

cowpony: glad to hear it worked for you, i was thinking of using the collar with the harness on too (but lead on collar) so having it on also means walking nice, but till i have the controll use the collar. Its a pain that they dont make them all fully adjustable, its normally toy harnesses or for the heavy breeds which is the wrong shape completely! the one i am
looking at is very adjustable so should work! 

outwest: i have martangles here ready to start training, but training with lead on collar whilst wearing harness so i have the controll, because of the health issues i mentioned above i would like a harness too so I can hold him close to me till i feel ok to keep going.
I think that as long as trained properly it will be ok, i will make sure lead manners are good before clipping to the harness. i really like martangles and havw a slip lead too to try 

lou: hehe what a cheeky puppy! i love martangle's too, its a perfect mix of a choak/check chain and a comfy collar! 

loves: i love martangle's too! they are my favourate "walking" collars for good dogs (cani collar for pullers) i want to use a normal
collar 24-7 and a martangle when walking (and harness when walking good)

outwest: thank you for the link! i think the full "choak" chain is banned in the uk, my mother used them on her 2 golden retrievers in the past with wonderful results.
i am deffo using a martnagle for training, they are lovely collars


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## Servicepoodlemomma (Jun 22, 2013)

Vanilla-Yazoo said:


> servicepoodlemomma: that is awesome to hear it didnt promote pulling, it looks quite comfy for a harness too!
> i am deffo going to be firm on getting the walking right, im not having a pulling dog after the spaniels lol!
> thank you  I shall let you know!! x


Sounds good - I am in no hurry to get rid of it, I will just keep it around until I find someone that can use it. Another thing about the Julius harnesses - ALWAYS get the IDC model instead of the original. The original has Velcro on the bottom of the handle that can be quite uncomfortable for you if you need to grab it for support. 


> loves: i will me mostly using a collar, but want a harness to get him used to it as a pup so when in cars he wont wonder why he is in a harness, and will be comfortable in it, plus i do get dizzy spells and have ankle issues so if i fall over the harness will give me something i can hold on to till i feel ok to get up (not often but i dont know "when")
> i have 2 martangles to start him out with


Here is Halona in hers as a service harness (she has a full mobility harness she wears if we will be out long, but for shorter trips out we use the Julius harness. A lot of people I know use them for service dogs because they do stay put so well and that handle can help you catch your balance - if you end up needing more support then that I can recommend a couple companies that make mobility harnesses. 















This is a full mobility harness - I would never use this on a dog under 2, or that hasn't had OFA hips done. You can get them use to wearing it before that but never bare any weight on it until that point.


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