How To Measure Your Dog For A Harness

Measuring a dog for a harness is not difficult, but you must know where to measure. Here is a basic summary of measuring your dog for a harness.

Chest measurement

The most important measurement for your dog’s harness is the chest. Fortunately, you can easily measure your dog’s chest. All you have to do is measure the width of the widest part of their chest. This is usually an inch or two behind their shoulder blade.

Neck circumference

Neck circumference is not a particularly important measurement — the harness doesn’t go over the neck. However, you should still measure the neck just to be safe.

Weigh your dog

Many harnesses use a weight recommendation for sizing. It’s not necessary to weigh your dog, though it greatly helps in the selection process.

Add an inch

Add an inch to the chest measurement to account for weight gain and ensure a proper fit. Remember, dog harnesses have tightening straps for a perfect fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a dog harness really better than a collar?- This depends on your use of the harness. Generally, a harness is much better than a collar. As stated earlier, a harness is much less likely to slip off your dog. A harness doesn’t choke your dog either. The one problem with a harness is that they aren’t comfortable enough for everyday use. Your dog will still wear it. However, it can chafe more than a collar.

How do I wash the harness?- This depends on the material. Generally, harnesses can be machine washed. Though they may get stuck in the washer. We recommend hand washing a harness to prevent damage to your washer.

Use normal leather care if you have a leather harness.

Does a harness hurt my dog?- No. Unlike a collar, a harness will not cause any damage to your dog’s neck nor will it restrict their breathing.

Are harnesses really more secure?- Yes. It is practically impossible for a dog to escape from a properly fitted harness.

Should I get step-in or pull-over harness?- This depends on your strength, your dog’s size, and your dog’s training. A big and untrained dog will almost certainly require a pull-over harness. A small, even untrained dog, will be fine with either type. We recommend a pull-over harness since they’re just easier, but everyone is different. Some people and dogs prefer a step-in harness.

Can I attach a dog tag to a harness?- Yes.

How do I put a harness on my dog?- This depends on the type of harness. You generally place your dog’s legs in the leg holes and then buckle the strap on top of them. Other harnesses require you to pull it over your dog’s head. This type of harness is generally easier to place on your dog. Make sure that the harness isn’t on backward.

How snug should the harness be?- Snug enough that you can fit two of your fingers between the harness and your dog’s skin.

Conclusion

All in all, picking out a dog harness is more difficult than you probably thought. Who knew about the difference between a step-in harness and pull-over harness?

Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know. Most people don’t.

Hopefully, this guide covered everything you need to know about purchasing a harness for your dog. Just remember, we recommend a no-pull harness that you put on by pulling it over your dog.

Our favorite choice for that is the RUFFWEAR Web Master. If you have a smaller dog, you can’t go wrong with a mesh step-in harness like the Voyager.