123RF (Marek Uliasz)
Walking is an essential part of dog ownership. Depending on the breed, your dog may need to be walked many miles every day in order to get the right amount of exercise and stimulation to fend off boredom and destructive activities. It’s also important for their health, of course. Some people get dogs specifically to motivate themselves to walk more.
Let’s face it, though: some dogs are nearly impossible to walk. Some pups are so strong, they’ll pull to the point of dragging you through town. Others wander all over the place, while some refuse to walk altogether. When walking your dog is a struggle, you’ll be much less likely to do it.
In this case, what you need is a dog harness. Rather than attaching to your dog’s collar, which both offers poor control and could injure your dog, harnesses offer more body coverage. Having more points of supportive contact reduces the risk of injury and allows you to more easily control a difficult walker.
If your dog is stubborn about walking, consider our list of the best dog harnesses to make the experience better for both of you.
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $34.95 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $28.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $21.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $22.95 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $17.83 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $27.95 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $41.96 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $18.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $25.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $18.99 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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Amazon Customer Reviews
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Price: $18.95 Shop at Amazon | Shop now Read our review |
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1. Ruffwear Front Range Everyday Harness
Pros:- Padded
- Two attachment points
- No edges to dig into your dog
- Good for long treks
Cons:- Nylon that holds the aluminum ring can fray
- Padding stiffness may mean your dog can walk out of it
- Some reviews complain of breaking pieces
- Sizing chart may not be accurate
This Ruffwear harness offers a slightly more deluxe experience than the Easy Walk. The chest piece of this one is padded, which will help offset heavy pulling and further avoid any injury to your dog. It has two attachment points — one in the front and an aluminum ring on the back. There are four adjustment points so you can dial it in perfectly.
There are a range of sizes including XX-Small, X-Small, Small, Medium, and Large/X-Large, available in your choice of Alpenglow Pink, Blue Dusk, Meadow Green, Orange Poppy, Twilight Gray, or Wild Berry.
Find more Ruffwear Front Range Everyday Harness information and reviews here.
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2. Embark Active Dog Harness
Pros:- Easy to put on and remove
- Excellent control on leash and with durable lifting handle
- Well padded with solid stitching
- Responsive customer service
Cons:- Tricky initial adjustment
- Version one used a D ring with a gap that bent and broke free easily (Version 2.0, out January 2018, fixes this issue)
- Not as many color variations as close competitor Ruffwear
- Requires careful measurement of dog dimensions
More recently launched, the Embark offers a direct competitor to the Ruffwear above. The Embark is a bit more padded and comes in a few bucks cheaper at full retail price (and was on sale at the time of this writing). It also upgrades slightly from the Ruffwear with the inclusion of a tough nylon handle at the top. There are fewer color and size options (small, medium, large, and extra large, in black, orange, or teal), but the range is sufficient to cover almost any dog.
The company sent me a unit to review with my rough-and-tumble husky mix. Following a significant and tricky adjustment session (be sure to follow the company’s guide), I was impressed at how easy it was to put on and take off. Since my husky is an all-pro puller, I was grateful for the control the harness allowed. He’s been using it for coming up on a year now and it’s still going strong.
Find more Embark Active Dog Harness information and reviews here.
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3. Unho Dog Body Harness
Pros:- Entirely padded
- Full control harness design
- Easy to put on
- Includes top handle
Cons:- Chest strap not adjustable
- May be prone to tearing
- Easily chewed
- Fur sticks to mesh
While some of the other harnesses on this list has some padding attached to the straps, this one has some straps attached to the padding. This is a totally padded harness meant to comfortably control more of your dog’s movements. To offset the coverage, this one is made with elastic webbing to allow freedom of movement. Your only color option is black and you’ll need to pay close attetion to the sizing since the chest strap isn’t adjustable. Still, it looks good as far as harnesses go.
Find more Unho Dog Body Harness information and reviews here.
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4. PetSafe Easy Walk Harness
Pros:- Multiple adjustment points for a proper fit
- Attaches in the front
- Belly strap is a different color so you can tell top from bottom
- Chest strap is well away from the throat to prevent injury
Cons:- Sizing chart may not be accurate
- No padding
- Strap could rub off a small patch of fur under the shoulder
- Some reviews complain of failed plastic buckles
Along with the Flexi leash I recommended in this post, this is my favorite option for walking my older 60 pound dog. He’s pretty docile compared to a lot of difficult dogs (including his adopted brothers), but there have been a few occasions where this has kept him out of harm’s way.
This is a pretty standard harness with a back, chest, and belly strap, all of which are adjustable to insure a comfortable fit on your dog. To me, the key to this one is that the least attaches to the chest piece in the front, which gives the advantage of turning your dog around to face you, which will help them pay attention to your commands. It’s available in a number of sizes and colors, so there’s sure to be one for your dog.
Find more PetSafe Easy Walk Harness information and reviews here.
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5. Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Dog Walking Harness
Pros:- Made for walking and car restraint
- Five adjustment points
- Padded chest plate
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:- No color options
- Material may stretch
- Some users reported issues with fraying
- Caribiner attachment may pop open at times
Kurgo makes some really excellent products for dogs. With clip points on both the back and the chest, their Tru-Fit harness is a solid choice for daily walks. Though it only comes in one color, it ranges in size from extra small to extra large.
Unlike some of the others on this list, it’s also explicitly designed to be used as a car restraint, as well. For a couple extra dollars, you can get the seat belt loop meant to be used with the harness so you can keep your pupper as safe on the drive to the mountain as while hiking it.
Find more Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Dog Walking Harness information and reviews here.
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6. Chai’s Choice Best Front Range Dog Harness
Pros:- Two leash attachment points
- Fully adjustable
- Reflective stitching
- Includes top handle
Cons:- Thin straps may chafe underarms
- Some dogs may wriggle out
- Chest plate may actually encourage more pulling in some dogs
- Customer support may be lacking
Combining the different design philosophies of the other harnesses on this list, this model features a padded chest and back plate connected with heavy duty straps. Leashes can be attached in the back or in the front. The “Truelove” buckles allow for four spots of adjustment. Available in sizes from extra small to extra large in black, green or orange. The latter two colors are especially good for visibility.
Find more Chai’s Choice Best Front Range Dog Harness information and reviews here.
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7. Freedom No-Pull Dog Harness Training Package with Leash
Pros:- Two-leash system allows for greater control
- Comes with leashes and harness
- When training is complete, you can use whichever connection point works best for your dog
- Variety of sizes and colors
Cons:- Having to contend with two leashes complicates work for the owner
- Strap could rub off a small patch of fur under the shoulder
- Some fraying issues
- Questionable customer service
The novel approach here is the inclusion of two attachment points in the same harness. Typically, you get either a connection in the front or on the back. Additionally, this kit includes the two leashes you’ll need to steer your dog, similar to reins on a horse. If your dog is an especially bad puller, you’ll have complete control to redirect their lunging.
It’s certainly more work for you, but being that this is a training harness, work is exactly what you’re doing during this period. There are four adjustment points to make sure the harness fits snugly. Colors include Black, Royal Blue, Rose Pink, Red, Orange, Teal, Chocolate, Purple, Burgundy, Raspberry, Green, and Tan.
The sizing options on Amazon are a bit confusing, but the following guidelines are outlined:
- X-Small: Chest – 14 inches to 20 inches; Neck – 10 inches to 14 inches (Approx. weight 12 to 17 pounds)
- Small: Chest – 18 inches to 24 inches; Neck – 10 inches to 14 inches (Approx weight 18 to 25 pounds
- Medium (5/8 inches width): Chest – 23 inches to 28 inches; Neck – 14 inches to 18 inches (Approx. weight 25 to 40 pounds)
- Medium (1 inch width): Chest – 23 inches to 28 inches; Neck – 14 inches to 18 inches (Approx. weight 40 to 65 pounds)
- Large: Chest – 27 inches to 32 inches; Neck – 16 inches to 20 inches (Approx. weight 60 to 85 pounds)
- X-Large: Chest – 31 inches to 37 inches; Neck – 20 inches to 26 inches (Approx. weight 85 to 140 pounds)
- 2X-Large: Chest – 36 inches to 44 inches; Neck – 26 inches to 34 inches (Approx. weight 140 to 250 pounds)
Find more Freedom No-Pull Dog Harness Training Package with Leash information and reviews here.
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8. Blueberry Pet Step-in Harnesses
Pros:- Step-in design for ease of use
- Includes reflective stitching
- Accessory loop for tags and charms
- Fashionable
Cons:- Not meant for smaller dogs
- Material is stiff
- Adjustments can be difficult
- Heavy
If your dog still needs to look fetching (get it?) at the dog park, consider this design. It comes in baby pink, green, blue, and orange and has a nice pattern that breaks up the utility of it a bit. As a bonus, this is a step-in harness, which will make it even easier to put on. There’s only one buckle across the back so putting it on is a breeze. It comes in small, medium, and large, which is a bit more restrictive than the sizing options of the other harnesses on this list.
Find more Blueberry Pet Step-in Harnesses information and reviews here.
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9. Dexdog Easy Walk Harness
Pros:- Easy to put on
- Reflective stitching
- Light and comfortable
- One year satisfaction guarantee
Cons:- No padding
- Only two adjustment points
- Leash connection point isn’t stitched into place
- Easily chewed
Like the Blueberry Pet one above, this one focuses a bit more on color coordination than strictly function. Available in black, blue, green, pink, and turquoise in sizes from extra-extra-small to large, there are plenty of combinations to satisfy most dog owners. With its over the head design, it’s meant to be put on quickly. The straps on this one are much more flexible, so this should be a more comfortable option.
Find more Dexdog Easy Walk Harness information and reviews here.
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10. Majestic Pet Dog Harness
Pros:- Simple, straight forward design
- Relatively inexpensive
- Comes with 6 foot leash
- Easy to adjust
Cons:- Easily chewed
- Some units arrive twisted
- No padding
- No added features
If all you want is a simple harness that gets the job done, this Majestic Pet unit is the one for you. It’s essentially just a simple adjustable strap. No bells and whistles here, but also nothing too complicated to use. Dial it in and you’re ready to go. Comes in small, medium, and large in your choice of color: black, blue, burgundy, green, pink, purple, or red. This one comes with a matching leash, so you’ll have a set from day one.
Find more Majestic Pet Dog Harness information and reviews here.
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11. PetSafe Gentle Leader Head Collar
Pros:- Very effective for limiting pulling
- Padded nose loop
- Precise head control
- Good training model
Cons:- Not a traditional harness
- Other people may mistake this for a muzzle and think your dog is hostile
- Requires a training period
- Snout clip may break
While not exactly a harness, we’d be remiss if we didn’t suggest the Gentle Leader for your pull-happy puppy. Long the standard for correcting improper leash behavior, this harness works by controlling just your dog’s head. Dog trainers recommend that in order to really control your dog’s behavior, you need to control where they’re looking and being led.
This is available in five sizes and eight colors, and PetSafe sells nylon leashes to match. If none of the body harnesses work for your dog, consider this tried-and-true option.
Find more PetSafe Gentle Leader Head Collar information and reviews here.
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