When we tether another sentient being to ourselves,
we have to expect some pulling.
A harness’ job is to protect a dog’s body when there is inevitably tension on their leash. The goal is for your harness to allow the most freedom of movement possible while also maintaining safety.
Construction Matters! Look for a “Y” shape
I recommend dogs wear a well fit, non-restrictive harness when they’re on leash. These ‘Y shaped’ harnesses enable higher quality movement. Quality of movement is more important than quantity.
An anatomically sound harness will protect your dog’s neck and body from the risks of sudden impacts on leash. Tension isn’t only caused by your dog pulling; our world is chaotic and so much is out of our control!
Note the “Y” shape the front straps of a well-fit harness make on a dog’s chest.
Collars (flat, martingale, slip, chain, shock, electronic, beep, spray, prong), gentle leaders (head collars/halters), leashes wrapped around dog’s nose/stomach, and many ‘anti-pulling’ harnesses can cause problems when used on leash.
Most ‘leash walking tools’ are designed to inflict pain when there is tension on the leash, theoretically to punish that behavior. If the tool did not hurt, it would not decrease pulling.
These tools can also cause quality-of-life-changing health problems like arthritis, bursitis, shoulder problems, even anxiety and aggression, especially with long term use.
Linked is a short clip showing different harnesses on a dog and how they can impact their bodies.
The following are some harnesses I recommend, ordered from least to most expensive.
Original Designs Roman Dog Harness from Lupine Pet -Features adjustable neck, sternum & girth straps, a back leash attachment, 1/2", 3/4" or 1" strap width choice, and 20+ patterns. Fits girths from 9-44"
H Harness from zee.dog - Features adjustable neck & girth straps, two leash attachment points on the back, and 60+ patterns. Fits girths from 9-42"
Casual Padded Y-Harness from Hurtta - Features padded straps, adjustable girth strap, front & back leash attachment points, reflective stitching and four color options. Fits girths from 12-39"
Hi & Light from Ruffwear - Features a lightweight design, adjustable neck and girth straps, front & back leash attachment points, reflective trim and six color options. Fits girths 9-42"
Venture No-Pull Harness from Hurtta - Features adjustable neck & girth straps, front & back leash attachments, a handle, reflective trim, and a padded front for comfort. Fits girths 14-40"
Front Range from Ruffwear - Features adjustable neck & girth straps, foam padded construction for comfort, front & back leash attachment points, reflective trim and eight patterns. Fits girths 13-42"
Motion Harness from Tags for Hope - Features adjustable neck, girth & sternum straps, a front & 2 back leash attachment points, a padded handle, 1" or 1.5" strap width choice, hardware color choice, and 70+ patterns. Fits girths 24-44"
Perfect Fit Harness - Features a fully adjustable design with three individually sized pieces to the harness & five points of adjustment, front & back leash attachment points, neck buckles (harness does not need to go on over the dogs head), fleece padding on all straps, 15mm, 20mm or 40mm strap width choices, and 14 color choices (three of which have reflective stitching). Fits girths 9-48" & ships from UK. My first choice for the gear shy dogs.
Comfort Walk Air Harness from Dog Copenhagen - Features adjustable neck & girth straps, one neck buckle (harness does not need to go on over the dog's head), front & back leash attachment points, reflective stitching, a padded front for comfort, and ten color options. Fits girths 13-45" and ships from Denmark.
Multi-Way Harness from Wooftown - Features a custom, made to order fit with a few inches adjustability in the girth strap after construction, a front and back leash attachment point, 16mm. 20mm or 25mm strap width choice, hardware choice, and 25 color choices. Constructed from biothane, which is durable and waterproof. Ships from the UK
TRI-Harness from BullyBillows - Features adjustable neck, girth & sternum straps, a front & two back leash attachment points, one girth buckle, and 15 colors to choose from. Fits girths 19-35" and ships from the UK
Non-stop Dogwear Ramble Harness - Features adjustable neck & girth straps, front & back leash attachments, a handle, reflective trim, and four colors to choose from. Fits girths 15.7-49.6" and is an excellent choice for giant breed dogs!
Line Harness from Non-stop dogwear - Features padded straps, an adjustable girth strap, a front (in larger sizes) & back leash attachment points, reflective trim and four color options. Fits girths from 11-44"
Hurricane Harness from BullyBillows - Features adjustable neck & girth straps, front & back leash attachments, a handle, reflective trim, and a padded front for comfort. Fits girths 11-50" and is an excellent choice for giant breed dogs!
Flagline from Ruffwear - Features an additional adjustable girth strap, an adjustable neck strap, a front & two back leash attachment points, reflective trim, a handle, a lighterweight construction than the Web Master, and six color options. Fits girths 13-42" and makes an excellent choice for dogs who are escape artists!
Web Master from Ruffwear - Features an additional adjustable girth strap, an adjustable neck strap, a neck buckle (harness does not need to go on over the dog's head), front & two back leash attachment points, reflective trim, a handle, and four color options. Fits girths 13-42" and makes an excellent choice for dogs who are escape artists!