New Year, New Harness, New Pals!

Bought Bella (yet another) soft harness yesterday (from the ANCOL Simply Comfortable range) and it actually fits her!! And she seems to like it!

She wore it for the first time today - it just slips over her head and one adjustment for the body - nice smooth plastic buckle.

It did attract some attention from little newbies on the block!


Two of 'em


She allowed them to inspect it! (But had jumped up onto my knee at this point)



Concluded that, although she had a little mooch about with them, she now might only want to mix with dogs who have posh new harnesses!

**apologies to those of you in the UK for this display of obvious warm glorious bright sunshine. But truth is - it's actually warm enough to sunbathe in here right now and still quite a lot of people going down to the local beach!

Lovely photos of the dogs - and your dog's new harness has gone down a treat with the other dogs as well

Hi Brandykins. Yes, thing is - she doesn't really need a harness now but I had such a job to find one for her when she was smaller and did need one (when I was teaching her not to pull etc) that I just couldn't resist buying this one when I saw it in a big pet shop yesterday and they agreed I could return it if it didn't fit (only cost €14)

All previous ones have ended up in the Charity Shops - even if they fitted she hated metal buckles or buckles that ended up under her armpit. This is that nice padded breathable mesh stuff and only one adjuster buckle.

I've had a couple that did fit but she either froze to the spot when I put it on or she 'walked funny' lol! I think this one is rather smart!

Judging by her ears (pulled back in all photos) and her stance... looks like those puppies were annoying her. I'm sure she was tolerant of them, though. Adorable harness, as well.

Bella is very tolerant of other dogs' attentions but can outrun most of 'em! If she wants to 'play' with them she will - if she doesn't she either tucks in behind me or jumps up on my lap if I'm sitting on the wall (as here) or just walks off.

One is a puppy the other is full grown just small. I actually had to return to their owner (who was fixing his car in the street with a couple of pals) as the pup decided to come with us! (And, as you can see, par for the course here, neither of them collared).

She is 'wary' of strange dogs' attentions (especially if they come in twos, threes or more!) but never runs away or gets too worried. She lets them have a sniff and then moves off when she's had enough.

There are a couple of dogs she cannot abide around here - she knows who they are (so do I!) and can spot them a mile off and she does let you know when she's spotted one of them! (She goes into leaping barking 'look mum there's that dog that tried to eat me' mode!)

Yes, I know that MiniPins are fast as lightning. One chased Nigredo at the park when he was little and he was WAY too slow to avoid it and ended up having to take a dive into the water to get away!

They all look like puppies. I didn't know there were any fully grown dogs there (besides Bella, of course). I could easily see that she didn't wish to be bombarded with puppies and tons of random doggies.

BTW.. do you know if they sell those harnesses in (blonky) dog sizes? Or are they only for cat sized dogs?

Looking very smart Pat
Chloe wears a harness and whenever we meet my neighbours RRidgeback Daisy in the field she tries to pick Chloe up by her harness. Chloe is not amused

So jealous of your sunshine
Love the harness,great to see Little Miss Bella!!
Bought Lacey a new one too,will post a pic later....runners on,I'm off to burn some rubber!!

Envisaging that has me with tears of laughter in my eyes! Lordy I remember this floaty harness jacket thingie I had for my Cavvie - with a handle just like you'd find on a soft suitcase on the top! Think it was so you could lean out the boat and just hoik her up with it!

Yes Minpins rank among the fastest dogs (tho I'm sure those with longer legs than shorty Bella's can run even faster!) she's outrun spaniels, staffies, dalmations, rotties and all sorts to the amusement of other owners.

In the UK last year when one bloke with a huge RottiexStaffy said 'he might chase her but he won't EAT her' another dog owner I'd met a few times replied - he can chase her but he won't CATCH her! She is just a total BLUR when she puts on a spurt. It makes me laugh because she doesn't run AWAY from them and keep going (thank gawd) she runs in ever increasing CIRCLES!

My neighbour with the Cyp Poodle (who Bella frequently outruns) says it's as if she is saying 'look how fast I can run - you can't keep up!'

Must be the Italian Greyhound mix in the breed I reckon. Fortunately she spends more time dossing and burying herself under cushions and blankets than she does showing off her speed! When she was a puppy, she'd do it in the apartment - made us crease up laughing as she hurtled back and forth and round and round.

You can 'make her do it' too - just stand up and stamp your foot at her and SHE'S OFF! lol!

She's looking very smart in her new harness!
I'm jealous of the sun you get but oh well, I chose where I live so it's my fault really