When conditions are dusty, wet or muddy AND ABOVE freezing this is the optimal Chukchi harness for your dog. And I dare say your best choice of any harness styles out there since you will NOT see rubs in the arm pit with this harness.
The padding on the MUD harness is a very soft foam that of many foams I have tested best strikes the balance of being flexible, least likely to rub, and has a high threshold for not soaking up water when going through streams and deep puddles.
The foam will freeze in freezing temperatures and will then be hard creating friction and rub on your dog -- do not run with foam when below freezing. Instead you can remove the foam and replace with strip of caribou fur.
MUD Chukchi Harness
PRODUCT INFO
The Chukchi harness eliminates arm pit rubs and ensures there is NO pressure applied from the harness onto the lower back and hips of your dog when pulling a sled—or you on skis. The unique design allows full extension of your dog’s forearm and free range of motion for the shoulder because the harness rests above the shoulder blade and onto the upper part of your dog’s back.
A Chukchi harness has soft structure in comparison to the much stiffer X-back or H-back harness. This allows the dog to reposition itself while running, moving the pressure of its pull as it pleases: as a result the harness is very successfully used to address dogs crapping, tendencies to run sideways or dogs ‘only wanting to run on one side of the main line’. Optimal for ultra long-distance races such as the Iditarod and Finnmark løpet this design also results in dogs learning to ‘relax’ in the harness, instead of charging hard to drive speed.
The entire harness is constructed with the one aim that it is gentle on and comfortable for the dog - that there is absolutely no chaffing from this harness. The material is soft, there are no hard edges, and all sewing is done so that the stitch and seams are on the side facing away from the dog. This makes for a less “pretty” final product to your eye - but an optimal harness for your dog.
It is for this same reason that the harness is secured with a button. I have tested so many other solutions, but we found that nothing held up as well or offered the same comfort for the dog — buckles do chafe the dog, do not lie flat against their body and create an uncomfortable bump for the dog when it lays on its side
The total length of the harness is the same, regardless of size and matches that of for example Non-stop X-back harnesses so that you can easily mix the type of harness you use in your dog team.
To hook into the tug line on your setup the harness is outfitted with a plastic ball that will not create any friction or wear on the coat of your dog, and that is easily released from and hooked into a loop regardless of the conditions: mud, water, icy slush or extreme cold temperature. Reflective material at the end of the ball as well as on the flourescent back-strap makes it easy for you to see in the dark at night (both with and without a headlamp) as well as in low-light conditions, if the tugline is under your dog’s leg. Reflective strap also ensures your dog’s security to be seen by others when running down the trail.
SIZING
The following guide line is based on the neck + chest. Check out the Size & Fit page for comparison sizing to X-back harness as well as for pictures of how to measure!
SMALL (blue ball + thread on button)
Neck: 14 - 19 inch/ 35 - 50 cm
Chest: up to 29 inch / up to 75 cmMEDIUM (green ball + thread on button)
Neck: 19.5 - 22 inch/ 50 - 55 cm
Chest: +29 inch / + 75 cmLARGE (red ball + thread on button)
Neck: 22 - 23.5 inch / 55 - 60 cm
Chest: + 29 inch / + 75 cmX-LARGE (black ball + thread on button)
Neck: +23 inch/ +60 cm
Chest: +32 inch / +80 cm