Sizing & Fitting
Why is Proper Fitting Important?
When proper fitting isn’t achieved, four main issues can occur.
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Shifting and irritation can occur.
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Fully functionality is not achieved.
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Risk of escape or slipping out of the harness.
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Dog may chew the product while he/ she is wearing it.
The following are the common reasons for these difficulties:
1. Poor gear placement. ❎ I’ve attached a fitting guide and a fitting video. Also feel free to send us a picture of your dog in the harness so we can make recommendations. You will notice that the function of the product specifically requires the chest strap to sit snuggly under the collar line (trachea) but able shoulder points. This is designed to not only be more effective and comfortable, but also to avoid the possibility that your dog can slip out of the harness.
2. Loose fitting gear. Many people choose to loosen their dog’s harness thinking that it will make it more comfortable. 💭 Loosening a harness will provide opportunities for chaffing to occur as well as minimizing the intended function and effectiveness. The product has moving parts and is intended to be worn snug like a pair of shoes 👟 or a bra 👙 .
Think of what happens if you wear even the best shoes too loose... typically they rub against your heal and will cause a blister.
3. Sensitive skin. 🌸 Some dogs, just like some humans, have sensitive
skin are are prone to irritation and chaffing. JWalker uses a very soft tubular webbing to help avoid these issues, but highly sensitive dogs, especially those who are ‘naked’ underneath their belly’s, may still become irritated. For these dogs, we recommend using the JWalker over a jacket or T-shirt. You may also want to consider cutting the toe end off of a soft sock to created a soft barrier between the skin and the product. 🧦
4. Awkward or uncommon shape. 🦘 🐖 🦙 We have done our best to offer a variety of sizes with adjustability and offer extenders to help modify fit and improve adjustability. However, there are certain dogs whom are just an uncommon shape. These dogs may require an Extender to create an ideal fit for a ‘awkward’ dog🙃, please contact us with pictures and ideally a video of your dog in motion wearing the harness. You can purchase an extender through our online store. You must first choose a harness that best fits the dog’s chest (front) as the extender will only increase the product’s girth.
Further, if you have an ‘escape artist’ dog and wish to have some extra security and safety, we suggest connecting your dog's collar to the D'Ring or O'Ring on the opposite side of the leash.
Is your Harness Tangled?
From time to time, if left unclipped, your harness could get a bit tangled. Here are a couple of common and EASILY solvable issues.
Is your clip strap (with the yellow tag) on the wrong side?
Is your D-Ring facing the wrong direction?
Simply feed the D-Ring through the O-Ring. It may take a little wiggling, but it will go through and all will be right again!
Making Minor Adjustments
Sometimes even a minor adjustment can make a big change. In most cases the common error is to loosen the top strap (in grey) too much causing the harness to sit lower. Look at the angles and how differently these two fittings would case pressure on the body. If you need some help fine-tuning your adjustments, feel free to reach out to us at info@jwalkerdog.com and include photos of your harness on and off of the dog.
No Clue Where to Start?
Get an idea of what size you need based on your dog’s breed and weight. Measuring your dog is the best way to ensure the you are purchasing the right size, but this can give you a good guess.