Some few postings ago, a young(?) lady specified her preference of the
H-style harness over the Figure-8 harness for the ferret, and, as I
remember, she'd not made any specific factual claim for her preference.
Just the words to the effect that she liked it better.  Well, that's just
fine.  I suppose people can like things for reasons not made clear or
evident; however, if she reads my posting, could she possibly give her
reasons for preferring the H-style harness over the Figure-8 harness.  Also
any other factual preferances are welcome.
 
In the meantime I should request indulgence for my preference of the latter
over the former, namely the Figure-8.  The Figure-8 harness is simpler than
the H-style harness in that it is made up of one longer strap of leather,
one end of which is attached the buckle.  The leather strap goes around the
ferret's body twice, once around the neck and once around the chest and
crosses over atop the spine of the ferret just below its shoulder.  The
harness is collected by a small folded over loop of leather strap through
which the body enclosing straps are passed and buckled with the one buckle.
To the other end of the loop is riveted a small "D" ring for leash
attachment hardware.
 
The Figure-8 harness gets its name from the fact that if it's visualized
when on the ferret (But without the ferret's body in your mind's eye) it
looks roughly like the numeral or figure 8.
 
The chief advantage of the Figure-8 over the H-style harness is the fact
that the two loops are mutually antagonstic, depending upon which way the
ferret is pulling. The ferret can pull forward, as against a leash line that
is looped over a vertical stake in the ground, or the ferret can back up,
such that the leash is taught alongside the ferret's head and jaw.  So no
matter which way the ferret attempts to slither our of the harness, that
loop impeding his direction of pull is the tighter of the two loops.  Hence,
as the ferret surges forward, the neck loop is tightened; conversely, going
backward, the chest loop is tightned, essentially automatically.
 
The ferret can be harnessed into the Figure-8 harness while afoot and only
one buckle needs closure.  Harnessing a ferret in the H-style harness
usually requires that the ferret be rolled over to one side or the other or
even over on his back since the two buckles (and their straps are riveted
into the spreader strap that normally lies along the ferret's spine) are
restricted to a lower portion of the ferret's anatomy.  The two straps, a
neck strap and a chest strap are separated by a spreader strap.  All three
straps are fixed in relation to each other by rivets, so that the tightness
(or looseness) of one strap has no effect whatsoever on the other body
strap; i. e., they are not antagonistic to the ferret's escape efforts.
 
Most ferret owners probably find the H-style harness adequate to their
needs, as when taking their ferret(s) for a walk.  However, these harness
are not so good for the ferret who is staked out, say in the park on a sunny
afternoon, while his owner is absorbed in a good book or is dozing.  Also,
completely inadequate for the Ferrets NorthWest FNW ferrets that are staked
out all day and not under constant surveillance, except by our pet crows,
our very vocal sentries.  Our experience has proven that the H-style harness
allows the ferret to escape its harness so much easier than the Figure-8
harness.
 
The body massage that the ferret receives after the Figure-8 harness is
removed at the end of the day is of exraordinary delight to each and every
ferret, and such harnessing and body massage is one of the 3-step bonding
steps featured at FNW.
 
        Nil nisi Corvidae. [L.]  Nothing save by the crow.
 
Edward Frettchenvergnuegen Lipinski,  Der Frettchenlustbarkeitsfuehrer !
Frettchenvergnuegen [G.] Joy of Ferrets.  F...fuehrer [G.] Ferret frolics
leader.
[Posted in FML issue 2145]