dog harness

Question
i have a  male miniature schnauzer he will be 3 in april. he had access to a
fenced yard until he was 9 mos old. i then moved and he shared a fenced area
with other dogs in my appt complex. we began to go for walks. i moved
again may 07. he does not have access to a fenced yard. i live across from a
lake. i started taking him on daily walks around the lake (about 1 hrs walk) he
is exposed to people on bikes people walking alone or wilth dogs. there is a
beach also. its a high stimulus area. it is the only place i can walk him.  a few
months ago he started limping holding up his left front foot after he had been  
sleeping. after he walked on it some it would be okay. i took him to the vet
and spent over 600.00 on xrays tests. he was given rimydahl and finally a
steriod which ended the limping. it was never determined for sure what was
wrong but the vet suspected a pinched nerve in his neck or shoulder or back.
he does pull on his leash. the vet recommended a harness. its not possible
for me to take him to training classes. he did go to puppy class. i am trying to
find the best harness for him. i need a harness that he cannot get out of
since i walk him next to a very busy street. i would like to leave the harness
on him all the time if possible. harness should be comfortable for him. i don't
know if its better to have the hook in front of harness or on dogs back. he
will be doing alot of walking and i am trying to prevent collar injuries (no
more use of collar). i would love to have a fenced yard so he would not need
to go for walks so often but this is not possible. what can you recommend in
place of a collar? i want to avoid any further injuries to my dog. i love him so
much he is my family , please help.

judy

Answer
I hate harnesses as I think they encourage a dog's pulling and build up the front end of the dog. The new harnesses with the ring in front are suppose to prevent pulling, but I have never seen them in action. I guess if I was going to try a harness, I would opt for that one.

One can spend a lot of money at a veterinarian for something physical/structural such as a limp and never have the issue resolved. What you need is a veterinary chiropractor who specializes in those areas and can FEEL where there are muscular or vertebral problems. We swear by these because of our agility dogs! http://www.avcadoctors.com/search_for_avca_certified_doctor.htm  

Check to be sure that your dog is giving you full yawns, is stretching fully fore and aft, and when he shakes that he follows through all the way from head to tail without aborting. He should be able to turn his head both to the right and to the left and touch his flank easily. If he does anything less, something is wrong, and he most likely needs an adjustment.

Feel him gently all over, and if you feel any area that feels warmer than the surrounding tissue, ice it down for 20 minutes with a bit of cloth between his skin and the ice. You can make an ice pack using 1/3 rubbing alcohol and 2/3 water frozen in a ZipLoc baggie. This should be done a couple times a day. Keep him rested with no jumping, and carry him up and down the stairs.