Jim Arreola makes it possible for customers to run with the big dogs, literally.

The Norco resident founded iWalkMyDog.com in March featuring a line of patented dog harnesses that enable owners to walk their dogs regardless of size.

"I noticed larger dogs weren't being walked, including mine, they were being relegated to a back yard," he said of his Akita. "My kids wouldn't walk my dog, my wife wouldn't walk the dog, so I invented a harness that would allow them to walk the dogs without the dogs pulling."

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Photo By Larry Rose

Jim Arreola of Norco founded iWalkMyDog.com in March.

A former car salesman of 25 years, Arreola chose to follow his dream of selling his inventions to the public.

Arreola hopes the harness, constructed by the four employees at Colorados Bag Manufacturer in Ontario, will not only eliminate the need for choke collars but aid in training and pet restraint.

"I'm trying to make choke collars obsolete," Arreola said. "The most important thing is you have a chest piece that eliminates any issue with the neck of the dog and the trachea of the dog."

According to the Veterinary Record, the official journal of the British Veterinary Association, choke collars result in various neck injuries including sprains, tracheal damage, fainting, and foreleg paralysis.

The startup has been "difficult, very difficult," Arreola said. "It's taken up all my resources." He did not disclose costs.

Arreola's harness incorporates a rope that wraps around the body of the dog, interlocking with the harness and the leash.

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Christine Cordova of Corona and her Maltese Crumb wearing the harness.

The interlocking rope serves as a training mechanism for dogs, Arreola said.

When the owner pulls on the leash with the rope attached, it causes the dog to sit. The rope buckles the rear legs, making training easier for the owner.

"This is just a conventional harness with many applications," Arreola said. "Once the dog is trained with the owner's one-word commands, you eliminate the rope tension system all together and it becomes a conventional, humane harness."

Arreola designed the harness in three sizes that allow dogs to not only be humanely restrained while walking but tethered in a moving vehicle as well.

"A lot of injuries have occurred when the owner slammed on the brakes and the dog just kept going.

The harness and accessories are sold on Arreola's site iWalkMyDog.com, but Arreola is looking to sell the harness at national chain stores, including Phoenix-based pet retail store Pet Smart,

"Pet Smart has protocol, you have to send a sample and they said that takes four to eight weeks," Arreola said.

To sell at Pet Smart, Arreola said he had to be able to supply the store with 950 harnesses. Arreola chose Pet Smart over its rival, San Diego-based Petco because of merchandising practices, but said he sent samples to both companies.

“Petco relies more on consignment and their prices are higher,” he said.

In the interim, Arreola has generated interest for his product through various venues including the Orange County Dog Expo. Arreola donates harnesses to military families as well as the handicapped.

“Everytime I see someone with a wheel chair or disability I give them my business card and offer a custom harness to them free of charge,” he said. “That is a passion of mine, to help as many people as I can.”

Arreola hopes that his harness will ultimately eliminate the need for a choke collar and do away with many of its related injuries. “If we can get our product out and inform people about the dangers of using conventional choke collars then we’ve accomplished something,” he said.