Collar vs Harness?

[rachzilla]

I took off Bertie's collar earlier to adjust it bigger and to brush his coat earlier and noticed how his normal collar line had become really deep, even though you could easily get 3 or 4 fingers underneath.
The only time he ever has his lead attached to his collar is when we go out the back garden as we have a pond and it is a bit of a wrestle to get his harness on, especially when you need to go out quickly!

I was going to get a new harness for him in a few days when the OH can drive me to the pet shop as his current one is a fleecey head goes through and a strap attaches him in jobby and its starting to become a snug fit and his collar after being adjusted today now can't go any bigger.
His collar with his ID tag is always kept on in case he makes a mad dash for freedom (not everyone else in the house is sensible enough to keep the damn doors closed) but he is microchipped, but now I am really starting to doubt whether we should get another collar for him as well as his harness.
The MIL has a wrist in plaster still so she can't get the harness on him herself and seeing as shes at home with him by herself sometimes I do wonder, even though I have a sneaking suspicion that she pulls on his lead. I hate leaving him with her as you cannot tell the woman anything, will not listen to anything I tell her as she is convinced she knows better as she had a dog when she was like 5. *sigh* At least she is never at home with him for long...

But anyway, is it worth getting him both? Or another nylon step in harness for Bertie which may be a bit less stressful for him to have put on (thinking its the whole head going through a hole which he hates) and then if the MIL is still incapable of getting it on him, just to put it on him in the morning before we leave so she can still take him out in the garden? He has been microchipped, but I still feel better having his ID tag on him at all times. I Wouldn't mind checking his chip is still there though next time I get a chance as I can't feel it. Uber paranoid pug mummy here!

Also he is a bit of a puller sometimes, which is making me even more inclined to lose the collar, he has had one or two occasions where I swear he has almost passed out from pulling :/

[sugarskullz]

Could you possibly just leave his harness on him when you have to leave him with MIL or others? That way they wont have to struggle with putting it on and/or not using it. You could also put a buttonhole in his sweaters or coats at the spot where you attach leash to harness and make it easier to keep him warm and safe while outside.

[rachzilla]

That is the plan I think, going to have to drag Bertie to the pet shop to try everything on as hes an awkward size (trust him!) If I got a nylon harness I suppose its cooler than having a fleecey lined one so wouldn't be too bad to leave it on him! Just will be strange not seeing him with a collar!

[Tinker's mom]

I'd definitely buy the harness over the collar, put it on him when you leave in the am.The nylon would be cooler than fleece lined one.

[frankoliverlucy]

I have Harnesses for Pugs specifically that are kind of a mesh tht we walk them with, But I leave collars aon all the time, it has their ID Tags and Rabies as well as County Liscense, I guess I walways thought that even though they are chipped not everyone is smart enough to have them checked.
But I dont want to hurt my babies either...
Is it bad to leave a loose collar on all the time?

[sugarskullz]

I'm not sure if it's bad, but I leave my collars on my pugs all the time. Just for their rabies and ID tags, not for leashing.

[Kodi]

I have never put a collar on my pug,i was told when i got her that the collar actually causes pressure on their necks when they pull that can put pressure on the eyes. I saw this to be true for myself when i took her to a dog grooming parlour where the woman put a leash around her neck and when my pug pulled back her eyes started bulging and she couldnt breathe!! I have 2 body harneses for her and when she pulls it causes her no discomfort. Because of the protruding eyes i really wouldnt put a collar on a pug and i've had my little one for 3 years now :)

[Melody]

We tried a collar and Penelope would choke herself when we are walking her. She uses a mesh harness now.

[rachzilla]

I think if I get him another collar people in the house will always just end up putting his lead on it to take him out quicker than messing around with the harness. I like the idea of having the collar for the id, and I agree about people not checking microchips. Theres only a couple of pugs around here and the amount of people who will cross the street to come play with him and give hum hugs... could potentially be a lot of attention for him. He does look very strange without a collar, so used to seeing it on!

[Melody]

Penelope wears her harness almost all of the time. It has all of her tags on it. The only time she doesn't wear it is during naked play time and when she sleeps at night in her crate.