Product Review: Susan Lanci Designs
Susan Lanci Collars and Harnesses
Susan Lanci Designs is a company from San Diego California. All their products are actually made right under their own roof so they can focus on quality and control the process. They specialize in collars and harnesses, but also make super comfy beds and blankets. Carriers and clothes are also made in limited quantities. A common injury for many small dogs is a crushed trachea. This is caused by several things including pulling too hard on a collar. Having this in mind, Susan Lanci makes their harnesses to be especially soft on a dog’s neck so that they do not get choked when they’re pulled on the leash. They love dogs and a ‘Timeless Style,’ although they may not be the trendiest designer their pieces are certainly made to last.
Susan Lanci Materials
Susan Lanci uses premium ultrasuede fabric imported from Japan and authentic Swarovski crystals. These harnesses either come super plain with a ton of colors to pick from, to super blingy in every color imaginable. There is something for everyone’s taste and desires.
Choosing the Right Size
We always recommend from experience to pick the smaller size over the bigger size, if you are on the bubble. For example, Hope has a 14″ chest so she can wear the small or sm/med size. However, in the Step in harness, the sm/med is rather big. But in the Tinkie harness she can wear both, though the neck is a little tighter on the small size either would have worked.
Piper here has had her collar for 2 years. It has been washed several times but still looks great. The crystals are still there and as blingy as it were originally. There is a little fading in the color but still a nice pretty Pink.
**We never recommend using a regular collar for walking or pulling a dog. A harness or “walking collar” is always safer and healthier for dogs.
measurement of girth
A lot of times it seems like we are not quite sure how to fit a harness or collar. A basic rule of thumb is 2 fingers between the dog and the harness/collar. Before you purchase a collar, it is important to measure-measure, and measure again!
- Measure your dog’s girth or chest directly behind the front legs at the thickest or biggest part.
- Measure your dog’s neck slightly lower than mid-neck but where it is the thickest.
- Weigh your dog.
- Match up the weight and measurements with the size chart, which varies by designer.
- Make sure to get a snug measurement for a proper fit.
What makes an ideal fit?
An ideal fit is 2 fingers under the strap (in some cases 1 is fine but 3 is always too loose). The harness should fit snugly against the body. IF you are on the tightest setting you should go to the smaller size. It is better to wear a small harness on the last hole than have a loose fit.
What our dogs are wearing
HOPE
She is a Chihuahua and Dachshund mix. Hope just got her first Susan Lanci Crystal Paws Collar. She picked the Tiffi Blue color since it is her favorite and looks beautiful on her. This collar is a small size and fits her perfectly. There is room enough so as not to choke her or inhibit any movement. It just has the paw prints on it (see link below) and is not as blingy as some of the other collars. It’s super high quality with a gorgeous color! Hope’s style is not as flashy as her “sisters” but still looking really stylish!
https://pawswithfashion.com/shop/crystal-paw-print-collar/
Hope’s measurements are: neck 9″ | chest 14″ | weight 9.5 lbs
She wears small sizes of collar and harness.
Lexi
Lexi has worn Susan Lanci since she came home with my mom. She has a flashier style with a preference to Pink. Here she wears the Giltmore 4 row collar in Sapphire Pink. Her harness is also from Susan Lanci in XSmall size but we ordered it too big. My mom has a tendency to want everything big so that it is more comfortable, but she learned, thankfully not the hard way, that you can’t make that mistake with a harness. Lexi slipped out of it half-way before Cyrus saw it walking next to her and grabbed her. These harnesses are a bit on the “stretchy side” so measurements are very very important.
https://pawswithfashion.com/shop/4-row-giltmore-collar/
Lexi’s measurements are: neck 7″ | chest 10″ | weight 3.5 lbs
She wears a teacup harness and XXSmall collar.
Piper
Piper is the flashiest of the bunch, the blingy tutu who always wears Pink clothes! She has 2 different collars. The one in the picture is the Giltmore 3 row collar in Sapphire Pink, and she has another one of the same color in Giltmore 4. Her harness size is the XSmall one and it fits her well.
https://pawswithfashion.com/shop/3-row-giltmore-collar/
Piper’s measurements are: neck 7.5″ | chest 11″ | weight 4.5 lbs
She wears XXS sizes of collar and harness.
