Which are the best for walking, harnesses for dogs or dog collars? This is an eternal debate on doggie forums and a question we receive so many emails about every week. Our unequivocal answer is always, 'harnesses to be safe'.

Not enough people actually realize that dog collars can be quite dangerous when used for leash walking and can cause damage and pain to dogs, particularly to those who pull.

Pulling when walking on the leash is an annoying problem so many dog owners battle against. Even occasional pulling whilst wearing a dog collar with the leash attached can cause injury to the throat and if something is not done about it, damage can spread to the spine. There are signs to watch out for like coughing, wheezing or choking. Does your dog do any of these? If so, you should be very concerned about these initial signs, act quickly and stop walking your dog with a dog collar and leash. Harnesses for dogs are the answer.

Harnesses for dogs are much safer than dog collars for walkies, as if a dog pulls in a harness, the force is dispersed across the chest area, not around the dog's throat, so no damage can be done to the neck or spinal area. A dog's chest area is well able to cope with the pressure caused by pulling.

There are harnesses which are especially designed to help stop the pulling. Anti-pull harnesses for dogs are very useful and effective when used correctly. They are a training aid that works to help you to get your pooch to walk nicely and give up that pulling. You shouldn't be unrealistic and expect immediate miracles with an anti-pull harness, the time it takes to see improvement will depend on how much time you can give to training your dog and of course, your dog's temperament. You will also need considerable patience. If you have already gone down that particular route, given up and your dog is still pulling, then you should be walking your doggie on a harness anyway, for your dog's comfort and protection.

Nowadays, due to heightened awareness about the benefits of harnesses for dogs, many people are only using dog collars for attaching ID, licence and rabies tags, whilst using a harness for walking out. Also, now you can get harnesses with 'D' or 'O' rings on the front for tags, so then, no reason for dog collars at all.