Musher » FAQ

How to shop?

  1. Select the size and the colour of the product using the color dots, then add it to the cart using the ADD TO CART button.
  2. When viewing the cart, click on the CASHIER button below to navigate to the page for submitting orders. Registration is not required to place an order, but is recommended for returning customers as it has several benefits. 
  3. In the left column, you need to enter the information essential for billing and shipping. The data provided will be processed in accordance with our privacy statement (link to be inserted below).
  4. In the right column, please check the contents of your order and then choose a shipping method.
  5. When choosing a payment method, please consider the following:
    • Personal pick-up at our site (Gyömrő).
      During the COVID19 epidemic, you are requested to observe the following rules at our headquarters in Győr:
      1. If possible, only one person should arrive with 1 dog
      1. Please wear a mask – we will do the same!
      1. If you feel sick, or have symptoms of the virus, or if your dog is suspected to be ill, please cancel the appointment and we will be flexible to give you an appointment later!
      1. We disinfect the yard after visitors arriving with a dog, leaving longer intervals than usual between two harness fittings.
      1. We cannot provide a harness fitting without an appointment.
  1. Bank card payment – Instant payment through Barion interface.
  2. Advance bank transfer – Upon confirmation of the order, we will issue a proforma invoice or an invoice; the order will be processed after the amount is credited to our bank account.
  3. Cash on delivery – Payment is made at the courier or parcel point upon receipt of the product.
  4. To place an order, please check the box that you have read and accept the GTC and the Privacy Notice.  Without these, we are unfortunately unable to accept your order.
  5. Our system will send you an automatic e-mail when the order is received, which does not mean confirming the order.
  6. Processing the order
    • We will contact you if any of the products cannot be delivered from stock. At this time it is possible to replace the missing product with another product (typically we can offer the same product in different color). 
    • If all products can be shipped or are expected to be available within 30 days, we will confirm your order.
  7. Payment
    • In case of personal pick-up, payment is possible in cash or by credit card.
    • In case of advance bank transfer, it is necessary to make the transfer based on the issued proforma invoice. It is not possible to pay the invoice amount with a bank card afterwards, in case of such request, please contact our Customer Service!
    • In case of payment by cash on delivery, payment can be made in cash or by bank card upon receipt, depending on the selected delivery method. GLS Hungária cannot provide the bank card payment option in all cases, so we cannot guarantee this. For Package Points, the restriction on payment methods is marked.

What to do if I decide not to request the product?

In this case, please contact us as soon as possible, as we can only modify your order until it has been handed over to the courier service. If the order has been delivered to you, return it to the address on the invoice or on the package label in any way you choose. Naturally, you also have the right of withdrawal!

What to do if I ordered not the product I wanted (colour, size, type)?

No worries, of course we will replace it. To do this, return the original product to us. Please contact us to find a cost effective solution!
IMPORTANT! If the harness size was not correct, please take a photo of the dog with the harness on and stretched, perpendicular to the dog and from above, before returning it. It is advisable to have someone to help you with this. 
It is not possible to return custom-made products!

Please note that in case the product is returned dirty, the cost of cleaning the product will be deducted from the refundable purchase price. If the cleaning is unsuccessful or the product is returned damaged or there are traces of use beyond trying on, the product will be deducted from the purchase price.

A little help with MUSHER products!

The selection of the correct size is ideally done by trying: the selected harness is tried on the dog with the help of an expert. If you would like to visit us in person for trying on the harness, please contact our customer service. If such trying-on is not possible, you may also select the appropriate size by measuring at home. Here’s a little help for you:

DOG COLLARS

Among the dog collars, the sizing of the Takotna semi-choke collar may be an issue. The sizing of the collars means the narrowest circle size in pulled tight condition. Important: In case of the harnesses, we measure closest to the shoulders, while in the case of collars, the normal circumference of the neck is measured below the skull, at the narrowest part). Make sure that the collar does not strangle the dog when it is pulled tight, and it still cannot pull its head out of it. When released, it is 6 cm larger so it can also slide over the widest part of the skull. If it is a small or large dog, we can make a custom-size collar.

LEASHES

A leash should be selected based on three criteria.

  1. Weight of the dog – Most leashes are sized for dogs over 10 kg. If you have a small dog, the version of the Balance flexible leash designed for dogs under 10kg will be a good choice.
     For larger dogs, any type can be selected.
  2. The dog’s tendency to pull – If your dog is running steadily in front of you, you can choose longer leashes. If, on the other hand, it doesn’t run all the way in front of you, the leash will get loose and if it is very long, it will hang uncomfortably in front of your feet. For such dogs, shorter leashes are recommended, such as S sizes of Balance, Freespirit, Koyuk, Anvik, and Takotna leashes.
  3. What you want to use it for – If you just want to run with your dog, the shorter leashes are perfect. However, if you wish try bikejöring or dogscooter sports, short leashes can be dangerous, since there is not enough safe space between the wheel and the dog. This will also bother the dog. So, if you are also interested in such sports, then sizes M or L of Koyuk or Anvik leashes, or the L size of Takotna leash may be a good choice.
     If you want to hold the leash in your hands several times while running, e.g. in an obstacle course, it is more convenient to use the Freespirit flexible leash with a padded handle.
  4. Would you run with several dogs ? – We can suggest 3 solutions for running with two dogs.
    1. Both dogs have 1 leash – We recommend this if you have dogs running in front of you that keep the leashes tight, or if you want to go running with 1 dog or 2 dogs, alternately.
    2. Leash for 1 dog complete with Pawtrail leash distributor – By hooking the leash distributor into the carabiner of the flexible leash, it will make a leash for 2 dogs immediately. Its advantage is that you don’t have to buy two leashes, and it fits in a small space. The downside is that an extra carabiner means extra weight that pulls the leash down, so we recommend it with dogs that pull well. It is also important to note that the rules of several race organizers do not allow carabiners to be at the distributor! Be sure to find out about this in time or choose another solution.
    3. Use of leash for 2 dogs – It is a Y-shaped leash which, depending on the type, is flexible either at the common part of the Y or at the dog-side ends. The latter helps to smooth the sudden jerks of dogs with different temperaments more evenly. 

Whichever version you choose, it is highly recommended that you use a collar leash, which helps to keep the dogs from moving away from each other significantly and helps to prevent accidental injuries such as when two dogs try to get around a tree from two directions.

BELTS

Belts are perhaps the simplest, here size is not necessarily the most important consideration.

  • Koyuk and Freespirit belts:  They are designed in a “one size fits all” system and have very high adjustability.
  • The Balance, Anvik and Takotna belts are sized belts; you will find the sizing on the product data sheet, you only need the circumference of the hips.

HARNESSES

The hardest part of buying equipment is choosing the harness size. How and what to measure on the dog?

We made a video about choosing the right size, which we are happy to recommend to you for watching.

Here is a diagram that can also help you measure correctly:

In general, a harness is good if:

  • The neck part is not tight – the lower suture of the neck does not fall higher than the upper point of the sternum, so it does not press on the trachea.
  • The neck part is not too large – If it is large, it does not lie correctly, and it will turn out over the shoulders and impede free movement.
  • It is not too wide between the legs – If it is wide, it will cut into the armpits, which, apart from being uncomfortable for the dog, will eventually cause irritation!
  • It is not too deep along the chest/not too long – If it is too long or the depth along the chest is too much, the harness will fall behind the ribcage and press on the soft tissue when pulled, or run over the hind thighs if too large. This does not occur with short harnesses, because the harness does not reach the dog’s tail in any case. In general, the length of the harness is correct if the end of the harness is near the tailbone, but always make sure that it does not cut into the dog’s soft tissue. Usually this is the starting point of the lanyard ring used for the harness, which extends the harness so that the metal carabiner does not touch the dog.

Of the 5 types of harnesses available from Musher, the adjustable types have significantly less chance of error is selection. Let’s start with these:

  • Balance – The length of the harness, as well as along the depth of the chest can be adjusted in quite large intervals, but the neck size is fixed. The neck design is about 1 size smaller than the most popular and widespread Koyuk (formerly known as Inuit) harness. These harnesses are designed primarily for dogs that are long in proportion (German pointer, greyhound). For this harness, two measurements should be taken, the circumference of the neck (A) and the length of the back (C). Based on these, we can help you choose the right one. If a larger neck size is required, we can custom make one.
     This harness is less stiff at the back, so for dogs that are not stable pullers, the harness will have the most movement with this type. If your dog does not pull steadily in the front, we recommend selecting a different type.
  • Freespirit – This harness is adjustable at the neck and chest, a so-called short harness. For this reason, the circumference of the neck and the circumference of the chest must be measured to make your selection. The short harness is multifunctional, it does not move on a dog that is not pulling steadily or is occasionally released, so it can be used in a wide range of situations. With short harnesses, the carabiner attachment point is forward on the back, so that the neck of the harness may move slightly upwards when under load in case of strongly pulling dogs. Always make sure that the harness does not slip on the trachea of a dog when pulling heavily during work! For dogs that pull very heavily, we recommend the classic long harness. 

Let’s take a look at the two fix-size harnesses, which need to be measured quite accurately since there is no adjustment possibility. As each dog’s build, chest size and shape are different, it is not possible to choose a harness with 100% accuracy based on the measurements. The smaller the dog, the smaller the range of motion – every inch counts. The good news is that if none of the standard sizes fit, we can make a custom-sized harness. 

  • Koyuk, Anvik, Takotna – To choose, measure neck circumference, chest circumference and back length. In dogs with a larger coat, the coat should be pressed down for the measurement if possible, and it is also worth considering how the winter/summer coat differs, as the harness should fit properly even when in full coat.
     The circumference of the neck is measured at the thickest part of the neck closest to the shoulders. Chest circumference should be measured immediately behind the elbows.
     The length of the back is measured from the withers (the point where the vertical extension of the front legs and the back meet) to the tail set.

     As a general rule, if the chest circumference is at the upper limit of the range shown on the measurement chart, the harness will more likely correspond to the lower range at the corresponding back length. However, our experience has shown that 2 dogs of the same size, as measured by the owner, may require different harnesses due to differences in build.
     The Anvik and Takotna harnesses are 1 size smaller than the same size harness in the Koyuk harness due to the different neck design.
     The most popular harness is Koyuk, so if you are trying a Koyuk on the dog and the neck is slightly large, the neck of Anvik and Takotna types will be perfect.

     The biggest difference between the three harnesses is the chest design. For most dogs, the Koyuk harness will fit properly. The Anvik harness is recommended for dogs with a broader chest (wider between the front two legs) and a more slender build. For dogs with narrow area between the legs, this harness may cut in the armpits.
     The neck of the Takotna harness is the same as the Amundsen, but is narrower between the two front legs, and therefore, it is comfortable for dogs with narrow fronts.

If you are still unsure (which we fully understand: D) feel free to contact us by email, phone, in a Facebook message or in person – and we are happy to help.