A new harness

For Christmas, Reiker and I got some new gear.

This fall, I got a dog scooter and Reiker and I were having fun with it, but my x-back harness doesn't fit him and the regular nylon harness we were using just wasn't a good idea long term. So, we needed something else.

After looking around at several sites, I really liked the Urban Trail harness by Alpine Outfitters. They offer a starter kit for scootering that includes a tow line, a collar and a belt for humans!

I really, really like the belt. It has no plastic parts at all, and the clasp is such that when I (or a dog) pull on the belt, it tightens into the webbing so it can't come loose by mistake. My least favourite thing about most pet waist-leash belts is that they have plastic clips, slides, clasps, etc.

This one is also padded and super comfy. I bet I could wear it with just a thin tshirt underneath without chafing/hurting me.

Reiker LOVES this harness. We can't scooter (it's icy outside) but I have gone running with him a tiny bit with it. We also have been using it for tug games, and it is fabulous for taking pressure off his neck.

Using the flyball handle Alpine put on the harness for me.

With the Premier harness and the EZdog harness, he would sometimes choke or cough when the harness would come up under his chin and put pressure on his throat. This harness doesn't do that at all, even when I'm letting him lean into it with his front feet off the ground. And it's super secure.
The harness does do up with two plastic clips, because I specifically wanted the adjustable version. It fits a bit loose how it's adjusted now, and I might tighten it a bit to see how Reiker feels about it. We love it, seriously.

We also got this fancy limited slip collar with a huge O ring and my phone number embroidered on it. It's somehow become his everyday wear collar, and I use it for tying him out as well (He's inside a fenced yard, the tie out is for additional security). I LOVE the Oring. Why don't all collars have O instead of D rings? This is an awesome idea.

He's wearing it here.. I made the photo big so you can really see it.

You can just see the phone number embroidery on the collar under his fur!

We haven't used the towline much yet. I have used it hooked to the belt and harness, and the bungee is great. It's supposed to be reflective so I want to play with it in the dark. Mostly, it's for the scooter, so that will have to wait until spring.
It is NOT intended to be held by hand, and it's very rough. The couple of times I have grabbed it with my hand, I've regretted it, so no more of that!!

Disclaimer: I received this product as a gift from a friend, with no connection to Alpine.