So I just took Siku for a run and we were just getting ready to leave so I bent down to tie my shoe and next thing I know Siku is gone. He hit the belt just right and it came completely off me and he is runnng around in circles so there were still two people sill their from the soccer practice so I asked if they had food, luckily they had a butterfinger (he didn't actually get it) but so I thought I had him with that and he runs past me out of the gate into the road and takes of toward home! Ughhh! Thank god the belt made a noise following behind him so he stopped and I was able to get his attention before he continied down towards the Maine road. I am so sick of nothing being husky proof its starting to reallt scare me. Anyone with mushers belt that this happens too? I just dont know how to modify it to make it work. That was way to scary tonight!

http://www.alpineoutfitters.net/secure/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=111
this belt?

http://stores.adanacsleds.com/-strse-30/Skijor-Belt-%28lightweight%2C-contoured%2C/Detail.bok
i have this belt and LOVE it once my friend added more padding to it. the panic snap is a POS and i almost lost our 2 with it just opening on me somehow. i now just look the end of the line through the strap and the only way they are coming off is if that unhooks and the end snap falls off. i like the belt cause it has the main body snap and then the smaller top snap for the lines. it lets them go from side to side on the movement.

http://www.alpineoutfitters.net/secure/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=99
claudia has this belt and he likes that it keeps the movement in center all the time.

in the end sometimes it comes down to you get what you pay for and i have learned its best to pay more upfront then go cheap have it break and then pay for the more $$ thing.

glad you got siku

Thank you, I will look into the belt that you have! I have the belt that Claudia has except with the leg loops which i obvioisly dont want to use while running and im scared now that isnt sturdy enough without the leg loops. The lady at alpine swore that the mushers belts were super safe and she has never had one break or come off, I don't think she has huskies... haha. I swear this dog has gotten lose more than most huskies do in a lifetime. Its taken probay twenty years off my life already and he is only two. Luckily I was lucky enough to get him back again, I'm just not sure how much more luck I will get an I don't want to take anymore chances.

I use the SASS walking belt and love it!
http://www.sassdogequipment.co.uk/dog-walking-belt/

Never tried the alpine but I personally love my comfy cushion belt xD

Wow, that must have been scary, glad you managed to catch Siku before something bad happened.

This is the belt I've been using for the past 3+ yrs and love it: http://www.canadog.ca/canicross-hands-free-walking-belt/

The clip for the belt goes between the straps that the dog is attached to, so even if the clip does come undone there's still a full loop around your waist to keep the dog on you. I also love the fact that it has a pocket (great for cellphone or poop bags), a bottle holder, and extra D-rings on the sides for hands free, loose leash walking.

Oh man that is scary! I have the musher's belt and have never had any issues with it. The little tooth clamp is so tight I have a hard time opening it to loop the buckle through just to get it on. :/

I use a Nordkyn Skijor belt and have never had any problem with it.
It's lasted through two dogs.
I did replace the panic snap with a locking carabiner.
My panic is not "I'm in so much trouble that I'll let the dog go", but I'd panic IF the dog got loose.

Glad you got Siku back. I know that sheer terror when they are zooming free.

I agree, if an emergency release from your dog is not needed, change it out for a more solid connection. However, the "old safety guy" in me has to also mention that we all know even the best trained dog can bolt for any kind of unknown reason and if you are not strong enough to overpower your dog a safety release could save you from serious injury.
Incidentally, I use a belt from Ultra paws. The release for this belt is (of all things) Velcro. This might sound worse than the metal panic snaps (this is what I thought when I first read it) but it's really much stronger than you would think. Should the release need to be opened a rope "rip cord" is pulled and the connection is broke. The other bonus is no leg straps, the belt has a tacky kind of backing that helps keep it in place, no ride up.

simplify wrote:

Oh man that is scary! I have the musher's belt and have never had any issues with it. The little tooth clamp is so tight I have a hard time opening it to loop the buckle through just to get it on. :/

Seriously? Mine has never been hard to open and I guess thats why when they hit it right the belt losens. If thats the case I might email them today, cause that sucks that I got the latch that isn't tight.

It only ever happens when he runs out sideways. Which is what happened when he ran to see my boyfriend.

Edit: I just emailed Claire at Alpine (who is the best!), and she is sending me something that goes through the O rings and then attaches in the front or something to take the pull from the sides, to pull in the middle or something like that. I don't really get it but I'm sure when I see whatever it is, I will be able to figure out how to use it. I really do love their products and it bummed me out big time, but she is so great with fixing everything, that I hope this works.

So after I mentioned it to Claire, they were beyond great and helpful. I don't know why I ever doubted them. I know a lot of people on this site have had problems with them, but I just think they have such amazing customer service and really care. Here is the email that I received back after telling her about my mushers belt coming off. I really didn't expect anything of it. I just emailed her to see if she had an idea about tweaking it to make sure it never comes off. Never did I think they would go this far, and I am so thankful!

Hi -

Regarding your musher's belt, we had a meeting and our design team spent a great deal of time going over it.  You are absolutely correct in that the clasp somehow failed causing it to be much looser than any clasp we have ever come across and we were able to replicate the same slipping action of the strap that you did.  We have literally sold thousands of these musher's belts over the years and have not experienced a case like yours - ever.  Just so you know, all of us here at Alpine are so upset that this happened to you and even one time is simply too many times in our eyes.  Because this happened, our design team came up with an added safety feature we will incorporate into every musher's belt made from now on. We will stitch the end of the strap over, like we do on our urban trail harnesses, so in the unlikely event the clasp weakens and the strap slips, the end of the strap will catch in the clasp's 'teeth' and prevent the strap from coming completely undone.  

We have shipped a new musher's belt to you, with the new safety feature, and you should receive it in the next few days.  Please let us know what you think when you receive it, ok?

We truly apologize about this.  Please know we have taken your concern to heart and greatly appreciate the fact you brought it to our attention.

I mean, thats a pretty great email and luckily nothing happened to Siku and I will continue to be a customer to them. I guess I some how just got the unlucky latch, but It was never that tight, so I'm sure that everyone who has one now, is fine.

That's pretty fantastic customer service if you ask me!

I have the musher's belt and have never had a problem. I replaced both ends with carabiners and am very pleased with it.

When did you order your original belt?

That is fantastic as well! If I needed to order a belt, now I'd be intrigued to buy one! Although who really needs /two/ walking belts..

I ordered my belt probably like 6 months ago or so. I'm excited/a little nervous to get my new one! I will be sure to let you guys know how it works!

That was very nice of them! I have the same belt and have never had a problem with it.

So pretty much this exact thing has happened to me... Okami will bolt so hard that the belt will come undone. How do I go about telling them about my problem belt as well to perhaps obtain one of their better ones... cause I am scared to lose my precious furry friend.

Mine does the same thing. And it doesn't help that I have 3 attached to it I'm sure. I'm gonna have to email them and see what they say because I don't use it since it worries me.