27/05/2026
🐾 Let’s talk training equipment 👀
One of the biggest things we wish more dog owners understood is that there is no single “perfect” harness, collar or walking setup for every dog.
What works beautifully for one dog might feel uncomfortable, overwhelming or completely impractical for another.
Even within Flying Paws, all three of our dogs use different equipment depending on:
🐾 their individual needs
🐾 their behaviour
🐾 their comfort
🐾 their training history
🐾 and the environments we are moving through
Murphy started life in a front attaching harness because having extra support and safety with a young, strong and sometimes unpredictable 50kg dog mattered ❤️
As he got older and his training progressed, we slowly changed what we used depending on what we were doing. At times we still used a double ended lead attached to both the front and back clips for additional support and safety when needed.
Murph honestly spends more time in a collar these days than anything else because it is easier, more practical and most of his walks are off lead at home or around school (when he shows up 🤣)
Zani has spent most of his life in a front attaching harness because honestly he walks better in it.
Even now, after all the progress he has made, there are still moments where movement triggers or sudden environmental changes can still cause quick or unexpected reactions and having equipment that helps both him and Pat move through those moments safely matters.
Fox has probably been the most interesting of the three because as he got into his teenage years, a few signs, both at the time and definitely in reflection, showed us that his body was not comfortable in a certain style of harness.
So we changed and that is the important part.
❌Not what harness is trending online.
❌Not what someone says every dog “should” wear.
❌Not proving a philosophical point.
But understanding the individual dog in front of you and finding equipment that helps them move comfortably, safely and confidently through the world ❤️
Fox now comfortably wears a harness with both front and back attachment options depending on what we are doing but it’s mostly on the back . If something changes for him physically or emotionally later on, we will reassess again.
Because good dog training should always leave space to adapt as dogs grow and change. Sometimes equipment is also part of the learning process itself.
For some dogs, certain tools help create enough safety, support and confidence for owners and dogs to continue practising skills calmly while training progresses ✨
🐾Some dogs walk beautifully in collars.
🐾Some dogs benefit from harnesses.
🐾Some owners feel safer using double ended leads.
🐾Some dogs and owners benefit from head halters introduced thoughtfully and positively for additional support and safety.
And while there are absolutely some tools we personally would not choose for us or our clients due to welfare and training concerns, we also believe there is a huge difference between judging people and helping them find practical, realistic solutions that work for both them and their dog 🐶
The biggest thing we care about is not what equipment someone chooses.
It is whether both the dog and human feel:
✨ safe
✨ supported
✨ comfortable
✨ and confident together in real life
