Does your dog pull strongly on the leash? Maybe he hasn’t learned not to yet or maybe he just can’t resist exciting smells? In any case an anti-pulling harness is a good option for you. We have reviewed and compared different harnesses for dogs that have a tendency to pull, here are our results and a guide of what you should look for when buying.
The most important thing in advance
- Anti-pull harnesses are suitable for dogs that pull very hard on the leash. However, they must not cause pain to the dog under any circumstance!
- When buying, you should look for high-quality, tear-resistant materials. In addition, the harness should definitely be adjustable in size and, if possible, padded.
Anti-pull harnesses for dogs – comparison
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2023-06-04 / Bei den Verlinkungen handelt es sich um Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
What harness for pulling dogs?
If your dog pulls hard on the leash, an anti-pull harness, which is a dog harness for pulling dogs, can help you practice walking on a loose leash.
Training for leash leadership
You would like your dog to walk well and relaxed on a loose leash? Here you can find great online courses:
What is an anti-pulling harness?
An anti-pull harness, also called a no-pull, walk-at-your-feet harness or training harness, prevents your dog from pulling on the leash. It is suitable for both small dogs and large dogs and especially for strong pulling dogs.
This type of harness differs from a normal dog harness in that it has an additional chest ring at the front, to which the leash is attached. This creates a physical effect: When your dog tries to pull, the hooked leash at the front of the chest ring turns his body slightly to the side. In addition, your dog does not feel the pull of the leash at the back of the harness or collar as usual, which he has resisted until now in order to move faster. By briefly turning to the side, your dog will be interrupted while pulling and so, with a little training, will learn to walk on a loose leash fairly quickly.
With such a training harness, it is also possible to have a 3-point lead for the dog: to do this, one end of the lead is latched into the front ring to stop the dog pulling, and the other end of the lead is attached to the back ring of the harness. That way, you’ll have your dog a little more under control.
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2023-06-04 / Bei den Verlinkungen handelt es sich um Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
Attention: What to look for!
A good anti-pull harness fits like a normal chest harness and does not cause pain. Unfortunately, there are also many nasty variants of these harnesses. These are designed to cut into the skin when pulled, thus discouraging the dog from pulling by causing pain.
An anti-pulling harness must not cause pain!
Make sure that the harness looks like a normal guide harness, fits well and does not cut into the skin anywhere! Because pain during training is a no-go!
What you should look for when buying an anti-pull harness
There is a large choice of harnesses designed to prevent pulling, to find the right harness you should pay special attention to the following features.
Material / Load capacity
A dog harness it should be very well made to withstand everyday stresses. Therefore, make sure that it is made from a flexible, sturdy material, such as nylon. It should also be tear-resistant. Check that all the seams are strong, ideally sewn several times.
Upholstery
Many no-pull harnesses are unpadded. However, to prevent the harness from cutting into your dogs skin when he pulls or jumps, good padding makes absolute sense. Soft underpadding acts as an additional buffer, cushioning any forces or tension acting on it. In addition, padded straps protect the coat, whilst underpadded buckles and rings protect the ribs, bones and skin of the dog.
Closures
The fasteners, hooks and carabiners should be robust and not come undone, even under tension.
Reflectors
If you like to go out early in the morning, in the evening or even in winter, it is convenient for the dog harness to have reflectors or reflective seams.
Size adjustable
Chest harnesses should fit snuggly against the dog’s body for a comfortable fit. Therefore, it makes sense that the harness is adjustable, so you can adjust it to fit your dog perfectly.
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What size should the anti-pulling harness be?
The appropriate harness size is an important criterion for the optimal fit of the chest harness. If it’s too small, it’s uncomfortable for your four-legged friend and can lead to bruising or other health consequences. Too large harnesses, on the other hand, can slip and thus interfere with the dog’s movement.
To find the right size, you should measure your dog’s neck and chest circumference.
How to measure your dog
- Neck circumference: Place the tape measure around the neck where the collar sits, leaving enough room to slide a finger between the neck and the tape measure.
- Chest measurement: Measure at the widest point, just behind the shoulder blades. Determine the circumference and also leave enough space here to be able to slide a finger between the chest and the measuring tape.
For the harness to fit optimally it should be adjustable in size.
The fit
Make sure that the back strap is sewn tightly, otherwise it will slip easily while running. The straps of the harness must not cut or chafe anywhere. The dog should be able to move freely and naturally and breathe freely at all times. The straps should never be placed directly on the neck or on the shoulder blade or over the soft tissues in the lumbar region ! The rear side strap should also sit a few inches behind the dog’s front leg and armpit and not directly in the crease, as this can be very painful.
Observe your four-legged friend while wearing the new harness, this way you can find out if he is uncomfortable putting it on or wearing it.
Putting the harness on your dog, so he learns to do it with ease
Buy dog harness for pulling dogs
You can buy an anti-pull harness online, for example, at Amazon, where you will find a wide selection. Of course, no-pull harnesses are also available in various styles at specialty stores such as Fressnapf, Hunter and other pet supply stores.
Dog leash for strong pulling dogs
In addition to suitable harnesses, there are also special leashes or leash systems for dogs that pull strongly. These lines usually work through a so-called dual system. This means that they have two ends with 2 carabiners each, which are hooked on the front and back of the anti-pulling harness.
This redirects pulling on the leash, as the dog automatically turns to the side when pulled or when he wants to rush forward, the effect of the anti-pull harness is thus reinforced once again. This gentle restriction will interrupt your dog’s pulling and teach him to follow you.
Letzte Aktualisierung am 2023-06-04 / Bei den Verlinkungen handelt es sich um Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
Frequently asked questions
How expensive are anti-pull dog harnesses?
You can get an anti-pulling harness from about 17 euros. But since your four-legged friend wears the harness every day, it makes perfect sense that you rather invest a little more and pay attention to high-quality materials and good workmanship.
Which anti-traction harness performs best in comparison?
A dog harness for pulling dogs should fit well, be padded and not cut or pinch anywhere.
You can find our comparison winners in our comparison table.
You can read more about the right fit in the section about the right size.
Which harness for strong pulling dogs?
If your dog pulls hard on the leash, an anti-pull harness, which is a dog harness for pulling dogs, can help you practice walking on a loose leash.
Which is the best anti-traction harness?
Of course, it always depends entirely on the individual dog, which harness fits well. However, this harness here combines all the advantages that an anti-pull harness should have: DOG Copenhagen Chest Harness Anti Pull*.