Animal training harness

Abstract

An animal leash is typically connected to a collar worn around the neck of an animal, where for untrained animals who instinctively wish to roam away from its handler, this leads to the animal pulling the leash taut. However, many animals have an opposition reflex that makes them instinctively move toward the part of their bodies on which they feel pressure. This leads to the animal pulling harder on the leash as the pressure of the leash is at its neck. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a harness that applies pressure to the opposite side of the animal with respect to the direction it is seeking to wander away from a user holding a leash. Such a leash would apply pressure triggering the opposition reflex bringing the animal back into line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of applying pressure to a predetermined portion of a side of an animal via a harness worn by the animal, wherein
 the side of the animal is determined by a direction of motion of the animal away from a user holding a leash attached to a harness.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the harness provides pressure to either a left side or a right side of the animal through the action of at least one of a first Martingale assembly and a second Martingale assembly based upon motion of the animal away from the user holding the leash;   the leash is attached to a harness assembly via at least one of a first leash attachment ring of the first Martingale assembly and a second leash attachment ring of the second Martingale assembly;   the harness assembly fits around the back of the animal and around the front of the animal;   when worn by the animal the portion of the harness assembly around the front of the animal such that a first portion of the harness assembly is intended to be position just behind the front legs of the animal and a second portion of the harness assembly is intended to be positioned around the front of the animal proximate its collar bone   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the harness comprises:
 a first harness assembly comprising a first adjustable strap around the back and waist of an animal; and 
 a second harness assembly comprising: 
 a first Martingale assembly attached at a first end to a first predetermined location on one side of the first harness and at a second distal end to a first end of a second adjustable strap and comprising a first leash attachment ring; 
 a second Martingale assembly attached at a first end to a second predetermined location on the other side of the harness first harness and at a second distal end to a second distal end of the second adjustable strap and comprising a second leash attachment ring; and 
 the second adjustable strap coupled to the first and second Martingale assemblies and configured to fit around the front of the animal, wherein 
   when worn by the animal the first harness assembly is intended to be positioned just behind the front legs of the animal and the second harness assembly is intended to be positioned around the front of the animal proximate its collar bone; and   the harness provides pressure to either the left or right side of the animal through the action of at least one of the first Martingale assembly and the second Martingale assembly based upon motion of the animal away from a user holding a leash attached to the second harness assembly via at least one of the first leash attachment ring of the first Martingale assembly and the second leash attachment ring of the second Martingale assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The animal harness according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the first harness assembly comprises:
 a first portion of the first adjustable strap for looping around the chest of the animal attached at a first end to a first ring and at a second distal end to a second; and 
 a second portion of the first adjustable strap for looping around the back of the animal attached at a first end to the first ring and at a second distal end to the second ring; 
   wherein the first predetermined location on one side of the first harness to which the first Martingale assembly is attached is the first ring; and   the second predetermined location on the other side of the first harness to which the second Martingale assembly is attached is the second ring.   
     
     
         5 . The animal harness according to  claim 3 , wherein
 when the animal moves to the left away from the user the pressure is applied to the right side of the animal; and   when the animal moves to the right away from the user the pressure is applied to the left side of the animal.   
     
     
         6 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein
 in use the user holding the leash attached to the second harness assembly via at least one of the first leash attachment ring of the first Martingale assembly and the second leash attachment ring of the second Martingale assembly is beside or behind the animal.   
     
     
         7 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the second adjustable strap fits across the front of the animal above its shoulders.   
     
     
         8 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the first portion of the first adjustable strap comprises a buckle.   
     
     
         9 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the first portion of the first adjustable strap comprises a first adjustment buckle;   the second portion of the first adjustable strap comprises a second adjustment buckle; and   the second adjustable strap comprises a third adjustment buckle.   
     
     
         10 . A method of applying pressure to a predetermined portion of a side of an animal via a harness worn by the animal, wherein
 the side of the animal is determined by a direction of motion of the animal away from a user holding a leash attached to an animal harness assembly;   a first portion of the animal harness assembly comprises:
 a first Martingale assembly attached at a first end to a first predetermined location on one side of a second portion of the animal harness assembly and attached at a second distal end to a first end of a first adjustable strap of the first portion of the animal harness assembly and comprising a first leash attachment ring; 
 a second Martingale assembly attached at a first end to a second predetermined location on the other side of the second portion of the animal harness assembly and attached at a second distal end to a second distal end of the first adjustable strap of the first portion of the animal harness assembly and comprising a second leash attachment ring; and 
 the first adjustable strap coupled to the first and second Martingale assemblies; and 
   the second portion of the animal harness assembly comprises:
 a second adjustable strap for looping around the chest of the animal attached at a first end to a first ring and at a second distal end to a second ring; and 
 a third adjustable strap for looping around the back of the animal attached at a first end to the first ring and at a second distal end to the second ring. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein
 when the another harness and the animal harness assembly are worn by the animal the animal harness assembly is situated proximate the animal's collar bone and motion of the animal either to the left or right away from a user holding a leash attached to the animal harness assembly via at least one of the first Martingale assembly and the second Martingale assembly results in pressure being applied to one side of the animal;   the first predetermined location on one side of the another harness to which the first Martingale assembly is attached is the first ring; and   the second predetermined location on the other side of the another harness to which the second Martingale assembly is attached is the second ring.   
     
     
         12 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 when the animal moves to the left away from the user the pressure is applied to the right side of the animal; and   when the animal moves to the right away from the user the pressure is applied to the left side of the animal.   
     
     
         13 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 in use the user holding the leash attached to the second harness assembly via at least one of the first leash attachment ring of the first Martingale assembly and the second leash attachment ring of the second Martingale assembly is beside or behind the animal.   
     
     
         14 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the second adjustable strap comprises a buckle.   
     
     
         15 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the second adjustable strap comprises a first adjustment buckle;   the third adjustable strap comprises a second adjustment buckle; and   the first adjustable strap comprises a third adjustment buckle.   
     
     
         16 . The animal harness assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the first adjustable strap fits across the front of the animal above its shoulders.