Tara Lynn (00:00)
Hey, I’m Tara Lynn with Spots.com, where we are testing out the best pet products for you and your dogs. So let’s talk about harnesses.
Tara Lynn (00:12)
Harnesses are a great option for dogs who, especially if they have like, a sensitive neck, if they’re prone to neck or spine injuries, being able to attach to a harness and walk on a leash can sometimes be safer and more comfortable for them. So my favorite of the ones we tested from the brand Ruffwear, this one is a size medium, and we were able to actually get it on to two very different sized dogs because they have 12345 different places where you can adjust these. And one of my favorite things about them is that they’re simply just really high quality. This one in particular has a handle so you can use it if you need to help assist your dog, as you might be going hiking or something like that, or if you just need to hold on to them. It also has a place where you can hook right here on the back, or you can hook here closer in the back of the harness as well.
Tara Lynn (01:09)
And I also like that it has the protective sort of feature here where there is fabric under the clip so that you run less of a risk of accidentally maybe pinching your dog if they’re kind of moving around while you are trying to put this on. We also tested this version of the ruffwear harness. This one does not have a handle, but it does have a fully padded chest strap here. They also have a little loop so that you could attach something like a little flashlight if you guys are going to be walking early in the morning or later in the evening, and a little compartment here where you can attach your dog’s ID tag. Again, one of the things that I love so much about Ruffwear is the attention to detail.
Tara Lynn (01:57)
They have reflective cords right here outlining various parts of the harness. It has a nice padding to it for you and your dog so that your dog can be nice and comfortable. And again, it has all of these different places where you can make adjustments so that it is going to be the right fit for your dog. One other reason that this is my absolute favorite is because it does have a connector between where it attaches here around the neck and goes down from the chest to connect to where it attaches around the belly. Essentially, if you’re comparing kids car seats, it’s having the five point harness versus just attaching them in the car with the regular lap belt.
Tara Lynn (02:42)
So that is why Ruffwear and these two particular harnesses are my top choice. We did test two others, and the main difference between these is that they do not have a connector from the chest area to the belly, so it’s not going to be quite as secure if you have a wiggly dog or a dog that might need or try to get out from under your control. I do like the Julius K9. Again, it’s got this nice reflective safety part here and it was really easy to get on the dog. And it has this nice sturdy handle up here as well.
Tara Lynn (03:20)
So this is great for a very well mannered dog who already walks well on the leash. We also tried blueberry pet. Again, this is a great one that has a nice back handle here where you can attach the leash as well as again, just if you need if you’re sitting out at a restaurant and somebody walks by and you just need to have that extra little grip, being able to just hold on to your pup, then that is a wonderful option as well. But the winner and my dog agrees Ruffwear.
Every dog lover will tell the world how much they love their pet, but going on a walk can be stressful. With so many harnesses available in the market this means choosing the best one for your pup can be a daunting task. We’ve purchased and hand tested few of the best Dog Harnesses and our top pick is Ruffwear. Watch the above video and read below the full details of our testing of these popular Dog Harnesses. Let’s dig in!
Designed to safely and comfortably help your dog up and over obstacles
5 convenient points of adjustment for full range of motion
2 sturdy leash connection points
Anodized aluminum V-ring and webbing loop
Durable construction for a high-performance
With reflective trim and safety light loop
Padded for comfort
Available in 5 sizes
What we Dislike
Mid price point
Hard to adjust
Fairly heavy harness
Product Details
Material
Nylon
Design
Secure slip-on design
Leash Attachment
2 sturdy leash connection points
Points of Adjustment
5 convenient points of adjustment
Color Choices
3
Our Review
RUFFWEAR, Web Master, Multi-Use Support Dog Harness is our favorite because it was built to last. It has durable construction for a high-performance, lightweight feel; Resilient, rugged, and made for year-round use; With reflective trim and a safety light loop. This harness is super secure, it’s anatomically designed for canine companions with a nose for adventure. Ideal for challenging terrains, working dogs, service dog handlers, and amputee dogs. With this medium-sized one in particular, we were able to get it onto three different sized dogs! Because it has 5 convenient points of adjustment for full range of motion with 2 sturdy leash connection points. One of our favorite things about this, is that it’s simply just high-quality! This harness in particular has a handle so you can use it if you need to help assist your dog, as you may be going hiking or simply if you need to hold onto them. We also love that it has a hook on the back and it also has a protective feature on the side, it has a fabric under the clip so that there’s less of a risk of accidentally pinching your dog when trying to put it on. Overall this is a great product, it has thick material, super sturdy, and has a great hold on the dog. It’s worth every penny!
Lightweight, durable, and made for all-day outdoor adventures
Designed for easy on and off
2 leash attachment points
Ideal for training, too
Aluminum V-ring centered on back
Padded for comfort
4 convenient points of adjustment for full range of motion
Easy access ID pocket for safe storage of your dog's tags
Bright, easily visible fabric with reflective trim
10 color options
5 sizes available
What we Dislike
Mid price point
No back handle
Product Details
Material
Fabric
Design
Designed for easy on and off
Leash Attachment
2 leash attachment points
Points of Adjustment
4 convenient points of adjustment for full range of motion
Color Choices
10
Our Review
RUFFWEAR, Front Range Dog Harness is made for extended wear. It’s lightweight, durable, and made for all-day outdoor adventures; Designed for easy on and off. One of the things we love about this harness is the attention to detail. It’s easy to see, day and night since it’s bright and has easily visible fabric with reflective trim helps your dog stand out against any landscape day and night. It has a nice padding to it around the chest and belly area which provides equal load distribution and comfort when running, walking, or resting. The best thing about this harness is that, it has a loop in the front so that you can attach something like a little flashlight. Great for when you guys are going for a walk early in the morning or late in the evening. There’s also an ID pocket for safe storage of your dog’s tags. We noticed that this harness immediately reduced our dog’s pulling, but it also twists on his body when he’s really determined to go sniff or explore something. Our overall take on this, is that it does deserve it’s good reviews with a great price for the quality.
The 3M reflective threads are intertwined into the webbing for durability.
Sleek and practical, the single buckle over the belly design makes it easy to put on and adjust.
The neoprene padded construction provides the ideal pressure distribution and all-day comfort.
The easy-to-grab handle grants more control for active breeds
Has 8 color options
3 Sizes available S M L
Easy to clean
Cheaper than other brands
What we Dislike
Back-clip can slide around
Chest plate is not adjustable
No connector from chest to belly
Product Details
Material
Nylon Neoprene
Design
Chest panel designed to take pressure off of neck and evenly distribute it
Leash Attachment
1 (back-clip)
Points of Adjustment
1 (girth)
Color Choices
8
Our Review
Blueberry Easy On/Off | Soft 3M Reflective Striped Dog Harness with Handle is reflective in its nature, it picks up car headlights and other sources of lights, allowing people to see your dog and avoid accidents. We love that this harness ensures that your pet is seen even during night time and eases worry of losing your pet. The neoprene padded construction provides the ideal pressure distribution and all-day comfort that your dog needs. Another great option that we also love is that, it has an easy-to-grab handle where you can attach the leash as well as just needing to be able to hold on to your pet as you’re sitting in a restaurant and someone walks by and you just need to have that extra little grip. We can’t tell you enough, how easy it is to use and adjust. It’s also very easy to put on and take off. We highly recommend this for every dog.
All plastic connectors sit on top of padding for dog’s comfort
7 color options
Easy to clean
What we Dislike
Chest safety strap is not padded
Dog can back out of the harness if safety strap is not fastened
No connector from chest to belly
Pricey than other brands
Product Details
Material
Nylon Synthetic Fabric
Design
Designed for the needs of working dogs with optimum comfort and durability
Leash Attachment
1
Points of Adjustment
1
Color Choices
7
Our Review
Julius-K9® IDC® Powerharness is a high-quality dog harness that is manufactured in Europe from German materials. It’s suitable for home use as well as for working dogs. What we love about this harness is that it’s really easy to get on the dog. It has a handle atop the harness which allows you to control your dog with confidence – to stop her or guide her moves on the streets, up or down the steps, or when getting out of the car. However this harness is not as secure because it doesn’t have a connector from the chest area to the belly. So it’s not going to be as secure if you have a wiggly-dog or a dog that tries to get out from your control. This harness is perfect for dogs that are well-mannered and already walk well with a leash.
Best Products
Best No Pull Dog Harness
Product Name
Best for
Rate
Ruffwear Web Master Dog Harness
Best Overall
9.6
Ruffwear Front-Range Harness
Best for Versatile
9.3
Blueberry Easy On/Off Harness
Best Budget
7.2
Julius K-9 Power Harness
Best for Outdoors
7.6
How to Choose
Material
This is an extremely important factor in a harness. The material contributes to the quality of the harness and helps you understand its intended purpose. For example, if you and your dog go on hikes, it’s probably for the best that you know the material is tough, water resistant, and can handle whatever nature throws at it.
Design
Some harness are slip-ons, step-ins, or something in between when it comes to design. Pick one that “fits” your dog and what’s easier for you to put on them.
Leash Attachment
The type of leash attachments a harness sports could mean the difference between your dog going into sled mode or offering you a lot of control for your walks. Which is why you need to consider it when you pick a harness, because you should be walking your dog – not the other way around.
Points of Adjustment
Making sure a harness is going to fit is extremely important and knowing you can make adjustments so it fits your dog perfectly, priceless.
Color Options
Some of the harnesses out there are more practical with less color options, but some are extremely fashionable!
Body Type Matters
It’s no surprise that dogs come in all shapes and sizes. But as owners, we need to be extra sure to meet all the needs of our dogs when it comes to picking a harness that will properly fit them. Some dogs, like Dachshunds, need a little bit more support than a bigger dog. But with a bigger dog, you may need to opt-in for a harness that is tougher and helps with control.
With that said, just because a harness is excellent for 90% of all dog breeds doesn’t mean it’s good for yours.
Harness vs. Collar
Collars are an item that every dog should wear for identification purposes. However, there’s little debate within the veterinary and training community about the superiority of harnesses to collars for walking your dog.
Using just a collar for walks can lead to devastating damage to the trachea due to the constant pressure on the throat and neck. This is only magnified when owners resort to using choke or prong collars. Here’s a resource rating different types of harness compared to collars.
In order to keep safe control over your dog, harnesses are a safe and easy way to do it. But harness should be used alongside proper training. Training wins everytime. But with harness you have a lot of options to consider, especially with leash attachments.
Types of Leash Attachment
Leash attachments are where you attach your leash (shocker!) but the different types give you vastly different amounts of control.
Back-clip harnesses: This type of leash attachment is always found on the dog’s back. The beauty of this leash attachment is you don’t need to worry about them getting tangled but be warned, if you have a puller they can go full dog-sled on you.
Front-clip harnesses: Have a terrible puller and need some assistance training them to walk? Then the this type of leash attachment is perfect for your needs. It give you a lot more control because it’s located at the front of the harness. So when your dog pulls towards something, they naturally just turn themselves around, losing all their momentum! Isn’t physics great! Overall, this is perfect for the short-term until they’re trained to walk properly. Due to it being located on the front, it’s prone to getting tangled and under your dog’s legs.
The most important thing about leash attachments is you pick the one that fits your needs. You’ll find many harnesses actually have both, giving you the flexibility to decide which one to use.
Time to Suit Up
We hope that these reviews have helped you pick the perfect fit for you and your dog. There are a lot of options out there but we’re sure that you’ll be able to find one that your puppy loves. Let us know which one you decided to go with and enjoy the walks with your furry friend!
