# Pupia Harness and Skin Irriation?



## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

Ellie has developed some red dots on her neck/chest right where the Puppia harness pulls down. She also has an unbelievable number of mats in that same area along with thin hair.

There are no other red spots on her body, nor are there other areas where her hair is particularly thin. Matting on the rest of her coat seems about average.

The groomer suggested it might be the Pupia Harness and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems with Pupias.

I'm asking because it seems like a very comfortable harness and I see so many dogs, Havanese, Hava/Poodles etc. wearing the harnesses, apparently without problems.

And if not the Pupia, is there another recommendation?

Thanks


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Kubrick mats terribly with the Puppia. I only use it for LONG walks as it is comfortable and I feel safer using a harness with a retractable leash rather than a collar (which I use for all other walks). Hitchcock on the other hand doesn't mat AT ALL from the Puppia. I know it's not his age either because Kubrick used to mat from the Puppia even at a very young age. I think it has a LOT to do with what kind of hair they have. I haven't heard anything about red spots, though, sorry!

I'd say get her used to a collar for shorter walks so you're not using the harness every day.


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## mugsy & me (Feb 3, 2008)

how long do you leave the harness on for?


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## cjsud (Oct 26, 2008)

Hobbes doesn't matt but I have one that is a bit big for him the black and white one got a tad small for mr chubby neck. The new one mesh material and cooler.


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

I leave the harness on only when she's out for a walk - maybe an hour at a time twice a day

Louise


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Louis, It also happened to my Beamer to!
http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=5283&highlight=beamer+spot

Ryan


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

I stopped using Tori's Puppia harness because it caused such horrible mats. I use a rolled leather collar for her now. She'll still mat with it, if I leave it on too long, though.


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

I just read the link - it must have been awful.

Are you still just using a collar? I thought collars weren't recommended - but it would sure be easier. I even have a fabric collar which is very soft.

Louise


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

I'm seriously considering trying a collar. Why do you use a rolled leather one rather than just a cloth webbing one?

Louise


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Louis,
I have never put his harness back on since that issue. He only wears rolled leather collars now. Apparently they are supposed to not mat the fur..

Ryan


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

louise said:


> I'm seriously considering trying a collar. *Why do you use a rolled leather one* rather than just a cloth webbing one?
> 
> Louise


As Ryan said, they cause the least amount of matting...


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*martingales...*

For potty and short walk, I have some soft thick martingale collars attached to the leash. For longer walks, I have harnesses. There is one that attaches on top, which is easy to get on. As soon as we are home, off they come or it is mat city.

Never have them wear a costume...yikes what a mess! No sweaters either unless they need it for the elements. Especially under the age of two.


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks to everyone for suggestions and help. 

I have just spent the last two hours trying to get some of the mats out of Ellie's hair. Even brushing her was quite a project. I have a good comb and brush (a slicker and a larger one) and I have a detangler I got at Petco. I use a diluted conditioner to facilitate the process.

With all of this she is only slightly improved, I am exhausted and also amazed that she is still "talking" to me.

I have made a few decisions:

She will never go out in wet or muddly weather without a thorough brushing afterwards. And my dog walker must do the same.

For the moment I am changing to a harness that I have - the kind the dog steps into.

I will look for a rolled leather collar. Is there a difference in quality such as the softness of the leather? Although she still pulls somewhat, I'm going to try the collar anyway. She's getting older and i'll bet we could handle it.

Louise

In other words, I don't want Ellie to ever be this matted and this uncomfortable again. Nor do I want to have to spend hours or lots of dollars, trying to undo the damage.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

You use a slicker on her? Does she have really short hair or is her hair grown out? A slicker can only make mats worse in a long haired dog because it creates uneven hairs that "cling" to each other more than hairs that are left at the same length. You should be using a pin brush for her hair. Some members use a wood pin brush and really like those as well. In either case, I'd recommend stopping use of the slicker unless Ellie is in a 1/2" cut or something short like that.


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## Mraymo (Oct 30, 2007)

How old is she? Is she blowing coat? Sounds like she might be.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

I have 3 different harness if anyone wants them, rubs and matts come with all of them. I use the rolled leather collar but if you want the dog to behave and stop pulling give the Easy Leader a try. It works.


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

Mimi will matt very bad in the neck area with the collars or harness, so I decided to get both collars and harnesses of different shapes for different purposes. The collar has all her tags and I put it on when we go to the store or out in public. I put a thinner harness on that is a step into for short walks/distances or slower pace, or area where I will release her from the leash such as the dog park. If I am taking her for a family visit and we are inside, that same harness also goes on. Sometimes I do just take the tags off the collar and put it on this harness and am thinking about leaving them on that one permenantly. *Have you tried one of those that is thinner? similar to this>*

For walks I have a thicker harness similar to a puppia and its only for daily walks because we are moving at a much faster pace and I feel it is in a sense better for any pulling and tugging she may want to do. It comes off as soon as we walk through the door.

I also had the groomer shave or shorten the area around her neck to avoid matting. It might be an option you want to consider. Its actually helped alot and I don't notice the neck hair being too noticable of a different length from the rest of her body..


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

She is more like two inches at the moment. The hair on her chest and under legs is shorter because of a bad grooming, but it is still more than 1/2 ".

I have a pin brush with a wooden handle and will start using that.

Taking her to the groomer on Monday. I'm bringing both brushes and the comb I use and asking advice.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Louise


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

She is 8 1/2 months old. What exactly is blowing coat? I've read about it here. Does it mean they lose hair or is it a more complicated process?

Louise


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## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

That picture is pretty much the same harness I decided to start using today so as to avoid the pupia.

I keep her tags on a cloth color which is quite loose. So, whatever harness she's been wearing, the little light collar goes on as well. This collar doesn't seem to be causing problems but it's really not being used as a collar - just a place to attach her tags.

Louise


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## nanfis (Apr 11, 2009)

*Harness*

Mikie knots quite badly under the arm, but I do use it for long walks because I am always afraid he will back out of the collar. At 5mos he still likes to run everywhere while being walked (working on it)


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## Sam375 (Feb 2, 2009)

I got a mesh soft Harness and it produced mats which needed to be cut out. I am thinking either a step in harness or gentle leader for walks.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Louise, a few months ago someone posted about a soft rolled leather collar and now I can't find it. Our breeder told us to use a harness so I got a small one for Abby when we first got her and within two weeks she was rubbed raw and it had rubbed a big bald spot on her chest ~ needless to say, I switched to a collar!

I have a feeling that Ellie is blowing coat! Abby was nearly eight months old when we got her and she was blowing coat then so we started out with gigantic grooming sessions and it is exhausting but there is an end in sight! I got this great conditioning detangler by Hartz at Wal-Mart. It is cheap so you can spray it liberally on the mats and you will be amazed by how good it works while not breaking the bank!

Kathie


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## Sam375 (Feb 2, 2009)

Kathie said:


> Louise, a few months ago someone posted about a soft rolled leather collar and now I can't find it. Our breeder told us to use a harness so I got a small one for Abby when we first got her and within two weeks she was rubbed raw and it had rubbed a big bald spot on her chest ~ needless to say, I switched to a collar!
> 
> I have a feeling that Ellie is blowing coat! Abby was nearly eight months old when we got her and she was blowing coat then so we started out with gigantic grooming sessions and it is exhausting but there is an end in sight! I got this great conditioning detangler by Hartz at Wal-Mart. It is cheap so you can spray it liberally on the mats and you will be amazed by how good it works while not breaking the bank!
> 
> Kathie


I have the same spray, don't like it, and it doesn't smell great for very long IMO


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

louise said:


> She is 8 1/2 months old. What exactly is blowing coat? I've read about it here. Does it mean they lose hair or is it a more complicated process?
> 
> That is when you find that the perfect puppy coat is starting to fall out and is getting tangled in places you never saw before. Your puppy will go from never having had two hairs stuck together to having quarter sized balls in the coat. You will know when it happens, all of our good intentions of not letting it happen to our babies are for naught.
> The very best of use gets these matts.


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