wow! i knew you'd have a COUPLE of thoughts

i really like that first harness though luc wouldn't fit any of them. and i want to carry as little as possible on the run, and i'm just dropping him down quickly anyways.

cameron, if you're just lowering quickly - the ruffwear harness is pretty supportive and has a handle - it works well. luc's current harness was made by a guy who does all working dog gear and it's solid and being 2" wide i like the support. i actually have to test lower him a couple of times, but i think it will do the job well, it also fits him better than any harness we've ever had before (5 points of adjustment) - he's a weird size b/c he has the typical GSD chest bone-structure wise, but i've exercised him out of standard so stuff often fits a little oddly.

These help.
I do a lot of high angle rescue, and when I go back up north there is always the possibility of joining an avalanche search if I am up there. I need several of those actually ;-)
I need something for rappelling down into a caving or trench type situation, as well as a way to rope in/wear comfortably in avalanche type stuff. I have contacted Yates about this, and the rep was excited about creating one, but that is not going to happen until sometime next year (if ever) I've had them make harnesses for me int the past, but not for my dogs. I would have to go custom as well, that is my problem. My dog is right at 50 lbs, so there really is nothing that I have found to work for this. thanks for the novel! I will look into some more stuff and keep me updated if you get any other ideas!

 Quote: jennifer mullen

cameron, if you're just lowering quickly - the ruffwear harness is pretty supportive and has a handle - it works well. luc's current harness was made by a guy who does all working dog gear and it's solid and being 2" wide i like the support. i actually have to test lower him a couple of times, but i think it will do the job well, it also fits him better than any harness we've ever had before (5 points of adjustment) - he's a weird size b/c he has the typical GSD chest bone-structure wise, but i've exercised him out of standard so stuff often fits a little oddly.

Jen, just a disclamer...

I can't tell if you are talking about the ruffwear harness or another one. The ruffwear harness is not ment for lowering or raising. The handle is meant for lifting the dog short distances like onto a chairlift or into a truck or such things. The plastic buckles in several places are the weak points. The D ring is plasitc too. DANGER if not modified for raising and lowering.

Will it hold..probably if there was no shock from a fall..but I would not count on it, nore would the manufacturer suggest you do so...no matter who they say they make harnesses for. If you change all the buckles and reinforce the stitching..it MAY be appropriate for some quick raising and lowering. Without any back end support you would not want to count on it for long periods as it may be very uncomfortable for the dog and the dog could wiggle out of it.

If you were talking about another harness I appologize. I just want to be clear for safety reasons that the ruffwear harness was not designed and is not rated for raising and lowering. Only lifting short distances.

i was talking about more for very quick raising and lowering.

i hadn't thought about it from that perspective, though it's a very good point, but the straps aren't very wide and i don't think it would be the most comfortable for raising and lowering longer distances, aside from the very valid points you raise. the harness i will be using for lowering luc is very reinforced in addition to being very wide and just more supportive in general.

based on what cameron has said he'll be using it for, i think the kind of harnesses you're using would be better! i just want to lower luc over a couple of 7-9ft (roughly) drops, not the kind of stuff you're doing. i'm hoping the harness i have will be safe for that - it's not made for lowering, so not rated, but it is extremely well made, handmade and has military spec sliplocks (which may or may not mean anything ).

Okay, so you are not talking about the Ruffwear harness. I just want to be careful we are not giving out dangerous info on the internet.

Sorry for the confusion.

I could never see my Two Pups who live outside 24/7 wearing any form of clothes they would rip them up i guees if i tried that, Last night it was 23% Fahrenheit and it did not bother them one bit,
I think we under estimate of how they react to the weather
We were training last night and it was cold then for humans i mean you could feel it starting to eat into you about 10.oclock in the evening.
We got home at 11.45 and fed the Dogs, then i could here them playing with each other between the Separate Pens and that was at 1.15 in the Morning, just as i was going to bed

Maybe, but what kind of dog do you have? I live in the south and have a boxer;-)
She does get a bit cold

doggy thongs?

Close only keep the flees warm

Cameron
Two German Shepherds, One Long Coat the other Short Coat
Plus My terrier used to live outside and my Border Collie + both lived until 16.5 years and 14.5 years old,They lived outside from no more than 10 weeks Old until they died.
Vets Bills hardly ever, I lived in England, now Belgium with the Collie + for 3 years, the G.S born over here

I have always wanted to live in England. As a kid I always thought it would be so cool... I guess living in any country other than yours seems cool when you are young.
Where I live I could certainly keep my dog out part of the year, but one of the drawbacks of a short coated breed is lack of cold tolerance. Just can't make the fur longer and more dense on a breed that doesn't have it.