WILCZEK WOODWORKS

WAGONS – CARTS – HARNESSES, AND OTHER DOG DRAFTING EQUIPMENT
William R. Wilczek Barbara J. Beck-Wilczek
bill@wilczekwoodworks.com, barbie@wilczekwoodworks.com
1786 Broomstick Hill Road, Littleton, NH 03561 603-444-0824
www.wilczekwoodworks.com
The Wilczek Siwash Harness has been developed after extensive experimentation and expert consultations to give our customers a harness that can be adjusted to ensure a safe and correct fit on their dogs. The changes include a fixed, non-sliding forward girth belt and adjustable length rear triangle straps to ensure that the D rings can be positioned to ensure equal pressure on both straps while pulling.

HOW TO PUT ON A WILCZEK SIWASH HARNESS

OK!! You open the plastic bag, take out the harness, and admire the nice color and good padding. Then it hits you. How the heck do
you put this bunch of spaghetti on the dog? I will tell you that it does take practice. The easiest way to do this is to break down the
harness into small parts.
THE PARTS

TRACES – Two adjustable straps with brass clips at each end. They are what the dog uses to do the pulling. It is very important that
they are the same length. Hold them up to each other to make sure that they are the same length and be sure to do this every time you
adjust them.
REAR GIRTH BELT – One adjustable strap with a quick disconnect belt clip that goes around the lower belly of the dog. It has two
purposes. It will keep the harness nice and neat, holding it against the sides of the dog, especially when the dog is not in shafts and
traces. More importantly, when the dog is going down hill with heavy loads, it helps keep the harness from being pushed up and over
the dog’s head. The rear girth belt is not needed when you are first learning, having your dog pull light weights, or an empty cart.
FORWARD GIRTH BELT – One Adjustable strap, with 2 shaft loops and two quick disconnect belt clips, which goes around the
upper belly of the dog behind his front legs. The shaft loops hold the cart or wagon shafts in the proper position on each side of the
dog and will catch on the brakes of the shafts, preventing them from sliding too far forward and allowing the cart or wagon to hit the
back of the dog.
YOKE – One padded collar that goes over the dog’s head with straps that attach to D rings at the back of the rear triangles formed by
the webbing. The dog’s front legs go between the straps on each side of the yoke so that when one pulls backwards on the rear
triangle D rings, even pressure is distributed on the padded part of the yoke.