Author: Kelly Huitson, BSC, RVN, APVN (small mammal, herpetology). Kelly has a BSc (Hons) in animal behaviour and welfare and qualified as an RVN in 2017. She has since worked in first opinion, emergency and referral practices, and currently works as a veterinary nurse in Alderney in the Channel Islands. Kelly’s clinical interests include wildlife, exotics, analgesia and dental nursing. She has completed the BVNA oral care nursing course and the Advanced Programme in Veterinary Nursing in small mammal and herpetology. In her spare time, she volunteers for British Divers Marine Life Rescue, pampers her three cats and enjoys beach walks with her two dogs.

ABSTRACT: Dog control is a contentious issue among some dog owners, but appropriate control and restraint are necessary for dogs with poor recall, dogs in training and those working as assistance dogs, for example. Veterinary nurses (VNs) need to have an understanding of the restraint methods available to dog owners and the potential effects, both physiological and behavioural, of their use on dogs. This article considers some of the common methods of restraining dogs – through the use of collars, head collars, halters, chest harnesses and Y-shaped harnesses – and reviews the current literature available on the subject. It also includes recommendations for VNs to consider when discussing restraint options, particularly harnesses, with dog owners.
Keywords dog, control, collar, chest harness, Y-shaped harness, halter, head collar

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56496/UADC4829

To cite this article: Huitson, K. (2025) Harnessing a dog’s potential A review of common dog restraints. VNJ 40 (1) pp46-50

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