Choosing A Harness For Your Dog

When deciding on a harness for your dog, it is very important to ensure that the correct size and style are chosen to suit your dog.

A well-fitted, quality harness is an investment as it will last for years and will aid comfortable and safe walking.

A badly fitted harness can cause a wealth of problems.

If it is too loose;

·       It can rub on your dogs’ fur as they walk and cause chafing resulting in fur loss, irritation and rashes.

·       Your dog may be able to slip the harness.

·       It could cause neck and chest injuries as pressure will be on the incorrect area of the body when walking due to the harness slipping.

If it is too tight;

·       It can cause fur loss and skin irritation and sores.

·       Discomfort and difficulty breathing

·       It can affect walking and make it difficult for the dog to have full mobility.

·       It can cause injury.

Why use a harness instead of a collar?

·       Pulling at a collar can cause pressure on the neck. This can affect a dogs’ breathing and in some cases, cause more serious injury.

·       It is very difficult for a dog to escape from a well fitted harness. They cannot just wriggle their head out, which is often possible with collars.

Common Misconceptions

I have a toy breed dog, so I don’t need a harness as they don’t pull.

Wrong!
Although small breed dogs are not as strong as a large breed dog so lead pulling is not as much of an issue, a harness is still incredibly important for the health, wellbeing, and safety of your dog. Collapsed tracheas are very common in small breeds and collars should be discouraged for affixing leads. A well-fitted harness does not put any pressure on the neck or throat.

All harnesses are created equal.

Wrong!
A well fitted harness is like a good bra (ladies!) It will be supportive, have adjustment room and will not cause discomfort. Some cheaper brands do not provide enough support, have very thin straps and can dig into the dog’s body.

A good harness is a waste of money for a puppy as they are still growing.

Wrong!
It is important that a puppy has a well-fitted harness from as soon as you are taking them on walks. At Dragonfly, we fit pups with a Ruffwear harness that has enough adjustment in it to allow for them to grow. When the harness becomes too small for your pup, if you return it to us, we will give you £10 off your next Ruffwear harness!

I don’t want to buy an expensive harness because if it breaks, I will be out of pocket.

Wrong!
Ruffwear harnesses come with a LIFETIME guarantee. If your harness frays, comes apart or is failing in some way, we will replace it FREE of charge*.

*wear or tear only. Chewed harnesses or harnesses damaged in other ways will not be replaced free of charge.

My dog has three legs so they can’t wear a harness.

Wrong!
We have harnesses in stock that are suitable for tri-paw dogs.

Next Steps

If you are local to us in Huddersfield, book your FREE OF CHARGE harness fitting in store. Our team of experts will assess your dog's needs and choose a harness that suits your dog.  We offer 10% off when purchasing two or more Ruffwear products.

If you are a nationwide customer, you can ring us for advice on which harness you require and can order online. Your harness will arrive with full fitting instructions. If the harness is not suitable, you can return it to us (in new and unworn condition) for a no quibble refund.*

*postage payable