If you prefer to use a harness over a regular flat collar, there are a variety of harnesses out there you could use for your dog or cat. Finding the right fit is one of the most important things. The reason I like harnesses is because I don’t want the pressure on my dogs neck, especially if they pull on a walk. If you have a puppy that is going to grow a fair amount, you will most likely purchase a few during his or her first year. It is important that the harness fits well & is not loose or too tight for a number of reasons. If it’s too loose the pet could slip out of it & risk running off or running into traffic. Loose or too tight of harnesses can chaff & this can hurt the pet & maybe even lead to hot spots, cut or sores that take a long time to heal. Red raw skin can be caused by a harness rubbing behind a dog’s front leg pits. If too loose or too tight it can potentially cause issues with a dog’s gain (stride) which can lead to leg or hip issues, leaning to potential spine issues. Different harnesses fit some body structures of pets better than others. Read the size chart & measure your pet as shown. I say keep the receipt for any harness you purchase so you can return it if it’s not a good fit. If it’s too much of a hassle to return it, please consider donating it to a local pet rescue.
As I said there are a variety of harnesses out there to choose from, I will go over some here in this post. I personally use no pull harnesses for my dogs, Hunter is not a big puller, just at first when we start the walk he is a bit excited & I’m concerned he might hurt his neck.
I use one known as The Freedom Harness, which has front & back clips which can be helpful with strong pullers. I recommend never tying a dog out on this one or maybe no harnesses. I made that error once while camping. I was in the tent setting up the air mattress & suddenly I heard Echo bark & realized he was not next to the tent. He had managed to roll around I think, & slip from his harness & also slipped off his collar & he ran to bark at some new campers setting up. I was grateful he came when called, but I no longer tie him out using his harness. I also like this one because the under front leg strap is padded, so more comfortable behind their legs, they both are pretty short haired dogs. Here’s a link for the Freedom harness https://amzn.to/4lsmg3A
The EZ walk harness from PetSafe was the first no pull harness I ever used It is easy to find, but the downside is that it doesn’t fit all body types equally. It worked well for my previous dogs Sam & Ace. I loaned one to my neighbor to try for her medium sized Pit-bull & it rubbed her behind her from legs https://amzn.to/44iOoQs
The Walk Right harness made by Costal has a front chest piece & aids in no pulling. It also is a step in type harness which can be harder with a larger dog. It is not a comfortable fit for some breeds. https://amzn.to/3R9NONj
I used the Sensation harness for my Golden mix Ace, it fit him well. It has a flat ring on the chest, so less drooping when walking nicely. https://amzn.to/42pTKqp Ace was an easy walker, so can’t speak for the no-pull help with this one.
The Balance Harness has a front clip, but the strap doesn’t come around the front legs for dogs who have gotten chafing from certain harnesses. https://amzn.to/4jwVbuq
The Front Range harness by Ruff Wear has a couple places to hook the leash. https://amzn.to/3FYXpUD
The Thunder leash is not a harness, but it sorta works like one so I thought I would mention it. It has worked well with some of the foster dogs I have used it on, but not all. https://amzn.to/42x2z1V
The Sporn no pull harness is also one I have used, I found it worked nicely on some medium sized foster dogs & have used with Echo (it goes on trips as a backup, he chewed his Freedom harness on a trip). https://amzn.to/4271Jde
For smaller dogs this is a nice harness as it has two places to clip the leash. It has 4 places to adjust which can be a big help https://amzn.to/4iftxB5
A nice step in harness that is good for puppies or small dogs & is not easy to escape from is this one https://amzn.to/4j5uPj2
For cats there are some nice harnesses out there as well. I am a believer if your cat goes outside it should be on a leash to keep it safely in your yard. Very important also to monitor it while outside, cats like to jump & also another animal could wander into your yard & go after a cat. I will link to several harnesses for cats here: https://amzn.to/3RIpceD This is a nice brand & says escape proof which is very important https://amzn.to/3G4qaiZ I personally say try a new harness out inside with your cat to be sure it can’t escape from it. https://amzn.to/44mlIWF
Harnesses are great for walking & hiking with dogs. I don’t recommend you leave a harness on your dog while you’re not there to monitor it. My dogs travel in the SUV in crates & I take the harnesses off. I forgot & it wasn’t for long & Echo chewed his harness & I didn’t see it till we were out & about in a downtown area. I was glad I had something as a backup, he is a puller (I’m working with him).
Whenever you buy a new harness for your dog or cat, after using it check the areas that the harness touches after the first few times you use it at least, then after every 3 times or so to be sure it is not rubbing anywhere. The harness should fit snug enough not to rub or press in, should be able to put a finger or two under, but the harness is not sagging anywhere or rubbing around legs. You should also check the harness to be sure no stitches are coming undone & be sure your pet has not chewed on it.
Again there are a variety of harnesses to choose from. I like no pull harnesses due to the fact that they are usually made with comfort in mind for the pet & many have padding where needed. You may have to try a few with your dog before you find the right fit. I have tried a lot & had many different harnesses when I was fostering dogs.
You may have noticed in the above photo of my dogs, that Echo has a strap across his nose, that is a padded Gentle Leader. I walk Echo with a Gentle Leader https://amzn.to/4ihcwq as well as a Freedom Harness. A Gentle Leader works like a halter does to lead a horse. It is a comfortable (some dogs need time to get use to it) & helps me to direct him on walks. It is not a muzzle, he can eat, & drink with it on. Proper wearing of this piece of equipment is very important. It goes around the back of their muzzle & up behind their ears( looks like a V from a side view. It does not go on the neck like an L for loser). Echo can be reactive to strange dogs & strange men, so I need the extra help. I had a leash break on a fearful foster dog when he got scared & he rolled, he luckily ran to my house, so I’m cautious with Echo. We are working with him & he is making headway. I use what’s called a coupler or a split lead & one end is attached to his gentle leader & the other to his harness. https://amzn.to/4lrmWpK
I hope you found this post helpful & have some ideas of which harness you might want to try out. If you like my post please comment, like, share it with friends, subscribe (won’t get spam, just notifications when I post, so you don’t miss out). These things help my blog to get out for more people to find & then they will be able to help their pets as well. If you have questions you can contact me at echoinggreatpetcare@gmail.com Thank you for reading, please come back soon, Debbie
Echoing Great Pet Care 