THE
WHEEL DOG HARNESS
We did it again! Howling Dog Alaska, the biggest innovator in dog mushing equipment design, has designed yet another new harness! The idea of designing this harness came to us last winter, when we saw a couple of large dogs running in wheel position in the front of a sled with very low gang line attachment. If you have a tall wheel dog wearing an X-back harness, the end of the harness and the tug line will naturally pull down on the dog’s rear end (see picture bellow). The harness will also twist to one side more than on any of the other team dogs, often resulting in under arm rub. This is due to the low point of attachment of the harness to the gangline. Pressure on the rear end will make the dog uncomfortable, and can result in injuries. Wheel dogs are more likely to get injured than other dogs on a team. Wheel position is in the eyes of many mushers the toughest position for a dog.
A tall dog running in wheel position wearing a regular x - back harness. Notice the pressure on his rear end.
That’s where our harness comes in to play! Our Wheel Dog Harness is basically a re-designed X-back harness. It is slightly longer than your regular harness. It rides lower on the dogs lower back, thus reducing the pressure on a dog’s hips. Relieving pressure on a dog’s back will also make the dog run straighter. Special attachment points on the sides of the harness (rings) make the back end of the harness flexible (it can move up and down depending on the dogs movement). This harness features full-length padding (soft foam material covered in a rip-stop shell) and a specially designed breast plate.
The Wheel Dog Harness can be used on any dog in the team, it is not restricted to the use on wheel dogs. For better over all health of dogs, we recommend to rotate x-back harnesses and Wheel Dog Harnesses on all dogs in team. This will give dogs a relive from the pressure on their lower back (from an x- back harness), therefore minimize injuries. The Wheel Dog Harness is also an excellent choice of a harness for tire training.
Fitting tips: Do not size the harness too long! The harness should be only slightly longer than the dog's body (when stretched). It needs to be long enough to "free" the dog's pelvis. The metal rings should sit about at the groin area.
The Wheel Dog Harness has been designed by Howling Dog Alaska, is manufactured by ManMat, and is used and highly recommended by Dr. Arleigh Reynolds, DVM (a top open class musher, Open North American Championship and Fur Rondy World Championship veteran).
Harness review from the Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog Internatioal: http://homepage.mac.com/puggiq/V7N4/V7%2CN4ProductReview.html
The following pictures show how our Wheel Dog Harnesses fit on dogs running in team comparing to dogs wearing regular x-back harnesses. Notice that the x-back harnesses (the red harnesses) will twist to a side, our Wheel Dog Harnesses will stay on straight (even if a dog lies down!) . Pictures courtesy of Magali Philip.
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