How To Repair A Dog Harness

A canis familiaris harness gives you lot more control over your pet than a traditional collar, also reducing strain on the animal'south neck. In our skilful guide, we round up the all-time dog harnesses worth taking a look at, whatever your budget.

To help you pick the perfect dog harness for your pet, we've tried out some of the virtually popular options on our own dogs. We've also teamed up with the Blueish Cross beast centre to offer some advice on how to fit a dog harness, so cheque our video for some top tips.

Meet our canis familiaris harness testers

To help us try out canis familiaris harnesses from some of the biggest pet brands effectually, nosotros've enlisted a trio of tail-wagging testers.

With some help from Daisy, Milo and Toby, we've been able to put a range of dog harnesses through their paces. For each model below, nosotros've paid close attention to ease of fitting, immovability and comfort.

The all-time domestic dog harnesses

We've put xi harnesses through their paces from big-name brands, including Julius-K9, Perfect Fit, The Visitor of Animals and PetSafe.

Dogs owners scored our top-pick dog harnesses highly in the following categories: ease of fitting; accuracy of fit; condolement for the dog; ease of taking off the dog; and durability.

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Ancol – Nylon Padded Harness

Type:back clip harness
Price:£9.99 (modest) / £xiv.33 (medium) / £xv.62 (big)

Ancol'south dog harness supports the breast, shoulders and neck. The harness comes with cogitating stitching which gives you lot added visibility on an evening walk.

Bunty - Adjustable Nylon Dog Harness

Blazon:back clip harness
Price:£three.99 (small) / £4.99 (medium) / £five.99 (large)

If you're after a cheap dog harness that won't autumn apart after a couple of walks, the Bunty is worth a look.

Bunty - Adjustable Soft Fabric Harness Vest

Blazon:back clip harness
Price:£7.99 (small) / £eight.99 (medium) / £nine.99 (big) / £10.99 (extra large)

This harness is fabricated from a soft mesh material and fastens with a single buckle.

Julius K9

Type:back clip harness
Price:£xix.99 (29-36cm breast circumference) to £39.99 (82-115cm chest circumference)

A Velcro pad on each side of the harness says 'Julius K9' out of the box just you tin request personalised ones that have a custom message or even a Marriage Jack on them.

Mikki – WalkRite Anti-pull Harness

Blazon:back prune harness
Price:£9.48 (small) / £9.53 (medium) / £10.72 (big) / £9.08 (extra big)

The Mikki WalkRite features a cogitating collar. Your dog has to 'walk' into this harness for yous to first plumbing equipment information technology.

Perfect Fit

Type: back clip harness
Cost:£33 (24-40cm chest circumference) to £49 (64-122cm chest circumference)

A modular blueprint means the Perfect Fit harness tin be resized. A fleece lining aims to forbid rubbing on your dog'due south joints.

PetSafe – Easy Walk Harness

Blazon:front clip harness
Price:£8.99 (extra pocket-size) / £9.99 (small-scale) / £12.99 (pocket-size/medium) / £13.99 (medium) / £xiv.99 (big/actress large)

This PetSafe harness comes bundled with an extensive education booklet that tells you how to get the right fit.

Ruffwear

Blazon:back clip harness
Price:£44.95

This back prune harness aims to reduce the strain on your pet'southward neck if they tend to pull on a walk. It's available in a range of vibrant colours.

The Company of Animals – Halti Harness

Type: front and dorsum clip harness
Cost:£15

The Halti harness is designed equally a training tool. Information technology comes with ii harness attachment points – one by the dog's chest and another on its back.

The Visitor of Animals – Non-pull Harness

Type: back prune harness
Price:£xi.99 (small) / £xiii.95 (medium) / £fifteen.85 (large)

A security lock on this non-pull harness prevents over-tightening. It features a breast mesh design.

Trixie – Premium Touring Harness

Type:back clip harness
Toll: £8.99 (26-38cm chest circumference) to £17.99 (70-110cm chest circumference)

To fit this harness, you slide it over your dog's head and adhere the belly straps The Trixie has some fleece padding on the inside of the straps

Prices above correct as of March 2022. Taken from manufacturer website where bachelor.

Back prune vs front end prune dog harnesses

Every dog is different, which is why choosing the right style of harness is the cardinal to keeping your pooch happy.

If your dog doesn't have thick fur, for instance, a well-padded harness will assist keep them comfy. If they dear burrowing in the undergrowth, then a harness with a mesh design is probable to get caught up in thorns and twigs.

Back clip canis familiaris harness

This is the most common type of dog harness. As the name suggests, yous attach your lead to a hook that'southward positioned above your dog's dorsum.

Unlike a traditional canis familiaris collar, a dorsum clip harness won't place whatsoever pressure level on your pet's neck if you need to pull back on the pb. If you own a dog with a sensitive trachea, using a back clip harness won't cause any discomfort, provided the front straps sit at the dog's breast rather than at the neck.

A back clip harness tin also exist an constructive pick if your canis familiaris has a habit of wiggling out of her or his collar.

Be warned, though – if your dog of a sudden pulls on a back prune harness, you'll be pulled along thanks to the 'sled canis familiaris effect'.

This type of harness isn't designed to improve the behaviour of a rebellious dog that pulls on walks – front end clip harnesses, combined with the right preparation, are ameliorate-suited for that (come across below).

Front end prune canis familiaris harness

The lead zipper on a front prune harness is establish at the dog's breast. This type of harness is popular with trainers because, paired with the right didactics methods, it tin assistance to lessen a domestic dog's want to pull.

If you pull back on the lead on a walk, the position of the front end clip will cause the dog to turn their head towards you. This is useful if yous desire to distract your iv-legged friend from something scary or steer them in a certain direction to avoid a hazard.

Depending on your canis familiaris'southward personality and walking style, you may discover their legs get tangled with your lead because of the clip position on the dog'due south chest. If that'southward the example, you may need to use a shorter lead.

Dog harnesses to cease pulling

These no-pull harnesses are a somewhat controversial choice, equally they're designed to cause discomfort to force dogs to calm down.

We caught up with Wood Light-green The Animals Clemency, who told us: 'Not-pull harnesses put pressure nether the canis familiaris's armpits and they stop pulling because it's uncomfortable. Nosotros would propose owners to be conscientious and to ensure the fit is appropriate.

'On some [not-pull harnesses], the abdomen strap sits across the rib cage and this would be uncomfortable on the dog's soft tum.'

Canis familiaris harnesses for puppies

Shopping for a harness suitable for a puppy tin can be quite a process, as y'all'll desire something that's both light and secure. The best options nosotros've seen are made of material that can hands accommodate to the shape of your dog, but won't weigh downwards the puppy with chunky plastic clasps and straps.

It'southward important that the harness you pick doesn't restrict the canis familiaris'south motion, simply information technology needs to be secure enough to stop your puppy wiggling out of it.

If yous want to cut out pulling from a immature age, picking the right harness to partner with effective grooming methods tin have a noticeable effect. Remember to make sure the design of the harness doesn't tighten too much if the canis familiaris resists on a walk.

Online research tin can go a long mode. Wood Green The Animals Charity says that Facebook groups tin can be a handy source of information – discover a group made upward of owners of your domestic dog'due south breed and you'll be able to share advice.

Where to purchase a dog harness

Canis familiaris harnesses come in all shapes and sizes and y'all'll accept no trouble finding a harness online, whatever breed yous own. About of the websites we've seen provide size charts that help y'all mensurate your pooch before you lot purchase.

Simply before you part with your money, make sure y'all check the retailer'due south returns policy. In the event you lot effort the harness on your canis familiaris and it doesn't fit perfectly, you'll probably desire to become a refund for the product or swap information technology out for a unlike size.

Popular online retailers that stock dog harnesses include:

AllPetSolutions stocks a range of vest-way harnesses, padded harnesses and reflective harnesses. Big-name brands featured on the site include Ancol, Company of Animals, Halti, PetSafe, Ruffwear and Trixie. Expect to spend between £5 to £40.
Amazon sells hundreds of domestic dog harnesses bachelor in a range of sizes. One of the improve-known brands on the site is Julius-K9, which is offering its Powerharness in several sizes and colours.
Argos has a small option of dog harnesses, the majority of which are from Julius-K9. Prices start at around £5 and bound up to £twoscore.
eBay offers canis familiaris harnesses running from XXS all the fashion to XXL. Popular brands includer Ancol, Bunty, Julius-K9 and Ruffwear. Annotation that yous can filter by dog brood, which might save you some time.
Pets at Home stocks over 150 domestic dog harnesses at the time of writing. Featured brands include Julius-K9, Trixie, Ruffwear and Halti. The retailer'south own range of dog harnesses start at £x and rising to effectually £20.

Buying a dog harness online

If you're buying online, yous need to know your dog's measurements. Specialist online stores unremarkably take a guide on where to measure your dog and how to apply those measurements to the harnesses they stock. If in doubt, become in touch with them and ask.

When you lot purchase goods online, y'all take the right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations to cancel these at any time from the point you lot buy the appurtenances and upward to 14 days after. To cancel, notify the retailer within this period. Afterward that's taken intendance of, you have a farther 14 days to render your goods for a full refund.

Yous must cover the cost of returning an unwanted harness, unless the retailer says it will comprehend these costs. Just in case the retailer disputes y'all've returned your appurtenances, we recommend you get proof of postage or send via recorded delivery. The retailer is allowed to brand a deduction from your refund if the value of the appurtenances has been reduced every bit a event of you treatment the goods more than was necessary.

It's all-time not to take your domestic dog on a proper walk to see if it fits. Fifty-fifty if it'south a dry day and your dog's usually well behaved, you can guarantee that's the 24-hour interval it decides to curlicue in something it shouldn't. Instead, try it out indoors or in a dry garden.

Buying a canis familiaris harness instore

Anecdotally, nosotros've found pet shops that will let you take your dog inside for a quick fitting, but think to ask before you go in. Check if you can try the harnesses on your canis familiaris in-store, to assist yous get the best fit for your dog'south size and brood.

However, if your canis familiaris'south never worn a harness and is a bit nervous, trying one on for the outset fourth dimension in a busy, unfamiliar environment isn't likely to end well.

Y'all can purchase a harness to endeavor on at home, but the store doesn't have to let y'all render it simply because it doesn't fit. Check its returns policy before you buy.

If the harness is faulty, y'all're entitled to a refund. The harness should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and every bit described. If information technology'due south not, you accept the right to get a total refund from the retailer within 30 days.

The Consumer Rights Act besides entitles yous to a repair or replacement if the harness develops a fault afterward the first 30 days and within the start six months.

If your harness is faulty, we can help yous start a merits with the retailer for gratis. Create a faulty appurtenances complaint alphabetic character using our gratis online tool.

A well-fed dog is a happy dog. Find out how to choose the best dry or wet food for your pet with our guide on the best and worst dog food brands

How to fit a dog harness

We teamed up with the Blueish Cross to put together a video to help you fit a domestic dog harness. From how to railroad train your domestic dog to get used to a harness, from what a good fit looks similar, our video's got you covered.

Many thanks to the Blue Cross dog behaviourist, Ryan Neile, and his lovely edge collie, Tok.

1. Loosen the straps

Loosen all the straps then you can hands place the harness on your domestic dog for the outset fitting.

2. Prepare your canis familiaris for loud noises

It'due south important to make sure your dog is comfy with wearing a harness. If you're dealing with a harness that makes a loud clicking noise, teach your dog to associate that sound with a treat.

Attempt fastening the clasps close to the dog'due south ears (while the harness is off of the canis familiaris) then reward your pet.

3. Fix your dog for the loop holes

Depending on the harness yous're using, your dog may demand to pass its head through a loop.

If that's the case, a tasty care for can assistance you both through the process.

Put a care for in your paw and pass your hand through the pigsty where your domestic dog'due south head will become.

Repeat this process a couple of times, each time moving the loop hole closer to your dog'due south caput.

One time you lot've built upwards that positive association, you tin have the dog pass its head entirely through the hole.

iv. Bring everything together

At present that your dog is familiar with the harness, you're in a better position to attach it fully.

When plumbing fixtures the harness, make sure there's enough room under each of the straps for yous to fit two fingers.

If you make the harness as well tight, the straps will rub against the dog'due south joints and crusade problems.

Pine Ridge Canis familiaris Sanctuary recommends taking your dog to a pet shop if you're unsure your harness is correctly attached.

Later all, you don't want your dog escaping from a loose harness.

Thanks

Nosotros'd like to thank Blue Cantankerous brute clemency, Wood Green The Animals Charity and Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary for helping u.s.a. create this guide.