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A helpful guide when it comes to buying the right kit for Canicross!

Harness , full length, mid way, free back, x back , diamond neck, collar neck, round neck .. You thought it was just going a run with a dog and we have made this process all complicated 😉

Fear not, we are here to help make life as easy as possible when it comes to selecting the right kit for you and your dog.

There are many brands on the market, here at Cani-Fit we have chosen a select few that we

1. Train with
2. Teach with
3. Race with
4. Have tested out in all conditions
5. Are happy and satisfied with the quality

We could add many more brands that provide a better mark up for us, but for now we are happy selling items that we use.

There are lots of variations in the Equipment section of the shop, we have listed a select few that are the most popular and our favourite items at the moment. You can click on the links to take you directly to the products.

Belt for the human

KiSi Lightweight Canicross Belt

This item is made in the UK , it’s a high quality material, well made and offers ultimate support for the hardest pulling dog to lightweight dogs.

It has waist and leg straps that can be adjusted to keep the main band which sits across your hips in place, it does take some time to play about to get the perfect fit, once you have that fit it is very easy to get on and off .

It comes in 3 main sizes small, medium and large. There is a size guide on the product link.

The trick with this harness is to make sure the waist and leg straps are neat so the main band stays in place whilst running.

It lives up to its name and is lightweight – not adding more sweat than needed when canicrossing 😉

At Cani-Fit we love the KiSi belt not only because it is lightweight and tough wearing but sits in the right place, spreading the pull of the dog across your hips and assisting your running form without putting pressure on your back.

Harness for the dog

Ok this is where it gets a little more confusing, finding the perfect harness for your 4 legged team mate.

Again there are huge amounts to choose from, we have selected 3 to give you an idea.

Dragrattan Multi Sport. This new harness offers fantastic neck and chest support like all Dragrattan do, however it now comes in a shorter body to suit a varied length of back. If your dog is not keen on a full length harness this is a great option with great neck support.
If your dog is a good, strong and forward moving puller but shorter in back than likes of a collie / pointer I would recommend this harness.
Dragrattan X Back. A traditional X back , full length harness. The difference with dragrattan to other brands is the lightweight, flexible, highly durable material and the amazing neck support. This truly makes a difference , we often hear feedback that clients move away from a mid way harness to this harness and notice more power , support and a happier pulling dog! That speaks for itself ! This does come in size small enough to fit small cocker spaniels, all the way up to a malamute. If your dog does not pull, is unsure about extra material, this is not the harness for them . If they do and you want to give them best comfort and support then in the right size this is your answer.

Dragrattan do other shapes of harness – see our shop for more info.

The Dragrattan size guide isn’t the most helpful out there, it goes on weight of dog, if in doubt send us an image, the weight in KG and length of dogs back , from withers (shoulder blades) to base of tail and we will size it out for you. Or come for a free fitting service with Lindsay!

KiSi canicross harness. This harness is a fantastic all round, great starter harness. It suits the majority of dog shapes. It has a diamond neck, so for breeds like labs, collies, spaniels and huskies it is perfect . It does not suit hound shape necks such as lurchers, grey hounds, sled dog hounds (these types should look at Dragrattan R back ) .
It is a mid way harness, so no extra material, gives nice support and freedom of movement , no restriction on the rib cage or leg movement . It is padded with no nasty metal attachments on the dog. Like all its machine washable . Best of all its cheap as chips without losing quality of the product and made in the UK. The best thing about KiSi is it has a fantastic easy measuring guide, a wee pic of a husky showing you exactly where to measure so you can check what size your dog will fit – spoon fed 😉 KiSi have a huge range of off the shelf sizes, if that isn’t good enough for you, they do custom fit. All you need to do is check that wee pic of the Husky out again measure your dog, send us the sizes and Bob is your uncle in a good fitting canicross harness . Now if this is still alien for you, email us, or come to a class and we will size your buddy up !

Lines

Ok everything is complicated as it is , so we are going to make this one extra easy and just tell you our favourite line – there are other options for other needs on the site – but if you just want to get started and get good quality kit, then look no further than the …

Arctic Wolf lite CC line. It comes in 3 colours, our personal fav is the black and flo yellow .
It is a soft webbing with a fantastic bungee that does not allow jolt on you or your dog’s back. The soft webbing makes holding your dog in comfortable on your hands compared to a rope line. It has a small handle near the clip close to your dog to hold in for support. Perfect length, adheres to all official race rules, not too long and not too short. There – told you it was that simple! You clip the clip on to the dog and feed the handle end through the O ring of your lightweight belt – line and belt securely attached in place!

We offer a free fitting service. You just need to make an arrangement to come to one of Lindsay’s classes or her home with your dog. If you are further afield then drop us an email via the site or FB page, send us an image of the dog and some info, we can help you out best we can.

What are you waiting for? Get your kit ordered and Get Fit With Your Dog !