Harness for large JRT

Question
Hi - our JRT is 5 years old and is a large size; long legs; too heavy right now (37 lbs!).  He eats people food and dry food and is neutered.  He is a rescue and is still very difficult to walk at times.  If he hears a noise that scares him, he will turn around to go home or just put his butt down and not move!  We have a "regular" harness that goes around the neck and behind his front legs but if I pull on the harness and he pulls back, he can actually get out of it (he has done this a couple of times and started running home).  I'm looking for a more secure harness.  I live in Canada so it would be a lot easier to buy one from here.  However, any advice you can offer would be great.  As it is right now, he's not getting enough exercise because half the time he won't go!  Tks, Linda

Answer
Hello...that is one huge JRT....are you sure hes not a fox terrier my two year old male is 12 inches at the shoulder...the maximum for JRT's and 15 pounds...can feel his ribs easily but Not see them he is of perfect weight...I don't feel your dog is a pure JRT or a JRT at all. I reccomend tightening the harrness you want to fit two or three fingers under it nothing more...because if he does get out of it and runs home what if he takes adetour and gets hit by a car....chases and kills someones cat or gets grabed by another dog....this is something to think about. My JRT pulls so much on his harrness he is sputtering all of our walk...he makes a horrible noise like a dog pulling extremly hard against a normal collar...he is a little crazy I say lol. I have tryed a head halter on him but he only rubbed his nose on the cement and made it bleed trying to get it off his face I tryed a Halti head halter. I reccomend trying a Gentle leader head collar I use this for my 75 pound labrador retreiver weithout this I wouldnt walk her... honestly because she pulls so much I have to scuff my feet to not be pulled down the sidewalk which in turn really hurts the day after! Try the Gentle leader head collar thou you can always take it back if it doenst work out after a few days...it took about three walks to get my lab used to it and shes been using it for 2 and a half years now without problem. Best of luck.