harness solution

Is it possible that some Cavaliers are deeper chested than others? I had the same issue with my boxer and harnesses as I have had with Rose (that really surprised me)- too short across the front from side to side (the "C" strap in the pic in the link) and for the ones that had a strap from under the neck, between the front legs and to the back/rib strap. I finally found a harness that was adjustable enough from front to back for my boxer, but I couldn't find one in the small harnesses (plus then we had the "Houdini" issue come up).

Good luck, I know it's frustrating!

Nicki said:

It's brilliant that you are so aware about SM - but don't forget to enjoy him too

It sounds like your harness is too big that's bad that they didn't fit it for you - and have sold you the wrong size.

My boy is in the small, he is 8.8kg but he is only just into the small, it also fit my boy who was 11.4kg in the past. However I walk him and Lauren in the ezydog harnesses - but they don't have a front fastening ring http://cavalier-gift-shop.org/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel-ezydog-harness/prod_216.html

My girls are around 7.3 to 7.5kg and they fit the extra small, it's perfect for them and does actually adjust just about enough to fit Tommy. [but they have girly colours LOL]

If you download the fitting instructions from that page they are really helpful. The top strap over the back does need to be quite short - Dog Training Ireland [whom Karlin is talking about] recommend it to be quite short on Cavaliers, so that it sits quite high up above the elbow, they find this works best.

Mine don't like the mesh harnesses as they don't like them being pulled over their heads, these are loose enough that it is not a problem

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Those look a lot like our car harness for Bentley. That is really helpful. Bentley is ok with the puppia going over his head, just sometimes he prefires to try to play with it on the way on, he will want to grab it and get excited.. I have to have him sit and look at me then he refocus's!

No worries, I enjoy Bentley so much, he gives me so much joy, I have tried so hard to look into other breeds as I know there are so many health concerns with cavs, but I just can't fall in love the way I love Cavs.. They make me warm and tingly, they make me smile. I just love them. I love my Bentley so much, I have grown so attached to him so I try to push the health concerns out of my mind and not worry unless there is something obvious to worry about. Not that I like thinking about it, but when Bentley is gone, I plan to go with a breeder who specializes in genetic testing very thoroughly, next time. when I got Bentley I thought I did every thing right, she answered all of my questions, showed me the health tests on the parents and grand parents, and pedagrees of course, and we met his parents and aunt and grandmother. she was the one that said no ack cert till he was neutered which is excellent.. she got our vet referral ect. She breeds to better the breed. Bentley was a lower cost cav, he was last of his litter (I wanted him sooner but my grammy passed away and I got so busy, I just let him go, then a month later I called just in case and sure enough he was there still waiting) and she was having surgery so she wanted to move him out to a good family, so she took 500 dollars off of his purchase cost. which was nice of her. But then my mind starts going like "was there more to his discount that she didn't tell us" the vet says he is perfect no murmurs ect.. and he is just a wonderful love bug cav. So either way, no regrets. He is part of our family. Like a furry kid who listens much better to me than my real kids.
He can be mischief but what puppy isn't? haha

Furrfoot said:

Is it possible that some Cavaliers are deeper chested than others? I had the same issue with my boxer and harnesses as I have had with Rose (that really surprised me)- too short across the front from side to side (the "C" strap in the pic in the link) and for the ones that had a strap from under the neck, between the front legs and to the back/rib strap. I finally found a harness that was adjustable enough from front to back for my boxer, but I couldn't find one in the small harnesses (plus then we had the "Houdini" issue come up).

Good luck, I know it's frustrating!

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Bentley is for sure deep chested! This was the first thing I noticed when I first went harness shopping for him when he was just a new little guy.

I just bought a halti front lead harness it attaches to the collar too (I like that for security reasons) I had tried it on him before and it was huge on him but the line of the strap around his body under his armpits made that nice straight line.. I had tried a small. Well I was looking at them again today at a different store, and pulled the small out of the box to look at again, it looked a lot smaller than the last time I played with a small. I think the last small had a medium in the wrong box. I betcha anything! I bought it figuring I would have to return it likely, sure enough it fits great, not even on the smallest setting but still with room to grow. and it makes that nice straight line instead of that wheel spoke look. I do have to be careful not to catch his fur in the buckle like the other harnesses but it is not rubbing him raw and it is pretty well padded in that area. I think I found a winner, walk #1 in it went beautifully!

Yay!

There's plenty of adjustment in any good brand front clip harness to adjust for deep chested dogs, but one brand might of course fit better than another. All cavaliers have a deep chest. But getting a proper fit is sometimes something a trainer needs to do the first time around. But honestly -- you don't necessarily want a fit exactly like the diagram. None of mine have a line going straight across as the harness needs to have some give. The right size will have plenty of adjustment room at the top, sides and bottom of the harness. All the front clip harnesses can also be clipped to the collar for extra safety. But I've never had a properly fitting front clip harness come off a dog -- unlike several other types of harness. It's one reason my trainer friends recommend them.

Karlin said:

There's plenty of adjustment in any good brand front clip harness to adjust for deep chested dogs, but one brand might of course fit better than another. All cavaliers have a deep chest. But getting a proper fit is sometimes something a trainer needs to do the first time around. But honestly -- you don't necessarily want a fit exactly like the diagram. None of mine have a line going straight across as the harness needs to have some give. The right size will have plenty of adjustment room at the top, sides and bottom of the harness. All the front clip harnesses can also be clipped to the collar for extra safety. But I've never had a properly fitting front clip harness come off a dog -- unlike several other types of harness. It's one reason my trainer friends recommend them.

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yea I was fine with the easy walk being a weird fit since it was secure, and he only wears it for walks and I take it off with the leash at home, but we were getting to the point where we got him from the walk and he would be rubbed under his arms till they were chaffed almost. I had to use something else for the past few days so he could just heal up. This halti one is a great fit, the only thing is that it has a place to attach on the back too, you have to use that weird leash with two hooks and it makes a loop, but I just went with the regular leash attached to the front. I will call the company and make sure that is ok, but it was very secure for our walk that way.