Agitation collar or harness? - Page 1

What do you prefer, an agitation collar or a harness for protection work, and why?

In prey harness, in defense Collar because my dogs on security patrol have collars.

Prager Hans

Personal preference is agitation harness, I prefer it because I have had a dog that busts the blood vessels in the eyes straining against a 2 inch agitation collar.  When the helper is agitating my dogs he usually moves them back and forth between prey and defense, but this is for schutzhund, I don't know about anything else.

Thank you for the responses.....I am a new handler (schutzhund), and I do use an agitation collar. I've seen several dogs doing bite work in harnesses, and I wondered if this might be a better choice for my girl...just looking for thoughts on this topic!

Some dogs work better with one or the other, some like their head free, but some do better with the additional control of a collar, it just depends.  Beyond that, I think it's more  a matter of personal preference, what you & your dog  are comfortable with.  If I were you, if you are considering changing,  I would first talk to the  training director, and then if he thinks it's something to consider,  ask to borrow someone else's a couple  few times at club,  to see how it is for you and your dog, get a feel for it,  before you buy one.

Double post

Jim

For young dogs and for post work an agitation harness.  For older dogs it depends on the scenario or type of training. For inexperienced dogs in SchH or even PPD or PSD I prefer a harness.

 

JMO,

Jim

For backtying or working in very close to the dog I use a harness (so I can hold the handle in the latter scenario).  Everything else I use a collar, often just a prong or Fursaver.  I don't currently have an aggitation collar.

Just to be clear that we are all talking about the same thing:  To me, the agitation harness or collar has a very specific purpose.  It is used so that the dog can brace against it or lunge against it,  when he is either tied out or the handler is being the pole, so the helper can agitate the dog.  So to me, we are talking about working the older puppy and juvenile dog, but beyond that I don't use a harness.

jmho, but it seems to me that a lot of folks do a whole lot more agitation than is really necessary or even beneficial.  the dog should be in drive already when he comes on to the field.  its my personal opinion that excessive agitation can lead to a lot of undesireable behaviors and bad habits.  i want my dog to be clear in the head, thinking about what he is doing.  i don't want a lot of conflict going on.  i want to see him focus on the helper, engage and grip full and firm.  i don't want to see any chewing or hear any whining or screaming. i don't want to see the dog start spinning or leaking drive.  i am in favor of allowing the bite/grip as soon as the dog is correct.  get out there, do your business, reward/praise and head back to the car.  i feel the same way about conflict on the sleeve.  when the dog is correct, the grip is good; slip the sleeve and let the dog carry the reward.  unless you are building fight in an older dog, i see no reason to be dragging the dog around with the sleeve.

i have a lovely padded harness that i never use.  the dog gets tangled in the long line.  i get tangled.  its just a major distraction to stop and get untangled.  i don't need that.  i like a nice, wide, flat collar.  collars will rotate 360* around the dogs neck - reducing the chances for getting tangled.  i'm not going to allow my dog to be "agitated" long enough to cut off wind or circulation.  a collar also provides more control over the dog's head; sometimes very important.  flat collars and long lines are my mainstays for everything.

pjp