Dogs Shouldn’t Sleep With Harnesses On. Do This Instead.
A dog should not sleep with a harness on because it can cause skin irritations, get caught and become a choking hazard. They can also cause fur matting, are quite uncomfortable due to the buckles and straps, are likely to be chewed, are very hot to wear and are expensive so should only be worn when going outside. Instead of wearing a harness to bed, your dog should wear a dog collar or nothing at all.
Table of Contents
Why A Dog Should Not Sleep With A Harness On
1. Dog Harnesses Can Cause Skin Irritations From Prolonged Wear
Common areas for skin irritations from dog harnesses includes under the armpits and under the chest. Even a harness that is fitted perfectly can cause skin irritations.
Furthermore, you do not know what is on the harness. A dog harness will collect a buildup of dead skin and hair cells and other debris. You don’t want your dog’s skin to be damaged and then have the risk of an infection in the wound. In short, at night time you should be letting your dog’s skin breathe.
2. They Can Get Caught & Become A Choking Hazard
A dog harness could get caught on something while asleep and become a choking hazard at night. This is especially the case if your dog sleeps in a crate bed. A harness could get caught on one of the crates hooks, connectors, metal bars or catches. Even if your dog sleeps in a cushion style or elevated bed you should still be aware of choking hazards in the surrounding environment.
3. Dog Harnesses Can Cause Matted Fur
A dog harness can cause fur matting, especially for long hair breeds. This will cause your dog to start scratching the matted area, causing another irritation. This will also result in many trips to the dog groomer to remove the matted fur. You want to avoid these costly excursions.
4. They Are Uncomfortable To Be Worn 24/7
Dog harnesses have a range of buckles, straps and hooks. They are located all around the harness and when a dog lies on them, it is very uncomfortable. While you might be sleeping upstairs in your room, down stairs your dog might be tossing and turning all night and you are unaware of it. Even the best designed dog harnesses with extra padding will be uncomfortable for your dog. It is better to just take it off.
5. Your Dog Is Likely To Start Chewing It
As a dog harness is so uncomfortable to sleep in, your dog is very likely to start chewing it as a way to escape from it. This can lead to your dog digesting inedible materials which can lead to bowel blockages or constipation.
Once a dog harness has been chewed, in particular no pull dog harnesses, they will not work anymore. Save yourself some money by taking your dog’s harness off before bed.
6. Dog Harnesses Are Expensive. They Aren’t Pyjamas!
As dog harnesses are quite pricey, you really should only be putting it on your dog when you are going out to keep it in the best condition. You wouldn’t wear your best going out dress to bed would you? So why would you put your dog’s harness on while he/she is sleeping!
Don’t forget that your dog does not have the same level of hygiene as yourself. They roll around in dirt, lick themselves and play with other dogs. This means that there would be a lot of dirt, dust and shedded fur in their bed. You really don’t want a new dog harness exposed to these elements.
7. It Can Be Very Hot To Wear A Dog Harness At Night
Dog harnesses, especially the vest types that cover most of your dog’s chest region will be extremely hot to wear at night. You need to remember that dog’s can not sweat to keep cool like humans can and therefore overheat and dehydrated much quicker.
Alternatives To Dogs Sleeping With Harness On
You have two options when it comes to what your dog should wear when going to bed. Your dog can either wear a dog collar or nothing at all!
1. Dog Collar
While a dog collar does have buckles and straps just like a harness it is not the the same great extent. Most dogs feel very comfortable wearing their dog collars 24/7. It’s like a security blanket. They can feel quite naked without one on.
Additionally, a dog collar has all of your dog’s information on it. In the instance that your dog escapes or runs away in the middle of the night (this is highly unlikely), your dog will have your phone number and his/her name engraved into a dog ID tag. Someone will be able to safely deliver your dog home if they have your contact information. If you don’t have an ID tag yet, I suggest this really cute ID tag from Amazon here!
An ID tag could potentially be uncomfortable or make an annoying sound at nighttime, so the alternative to this is to get an embroidered dog collar. These collars have your dog’s name and your phone number embroidered in large, bold letters around the collar.
2. Nothing
The other option is for your dog to wear nothing while sleeping. This is just as good as your dog sleeping with a collar on however there is the disadvantage that you have to take your dog’s collar off every night and put it back on in every morning!
Usually people take their dog’s collars off to sleep when they have a skin irritation or if your dog’s collar is wet due to swimming or walking in the rain. Overall, it is just personal preference whether you let your dog sleep with a collar or without one each night.
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