The importance of a good harness fit
Following up on our post about harnesses, we want to expand on what a good harness fit looks like and offer a few guidelines to help you achieve it.
H and Y
The harness part on top on the dog's body looks like an H, and the front of the harness should look like the letter Y.
Harnesses can be fitted on dogs of any size and shape
Neck. The Y should be on the sternum. That is the bone you can feel in the front of the dog's chest. In case the dog pulls or lunges, the harness should press on the sternum bone. That way, there is no discomfort or injury to softer parts. If the harness is fit too high, it might look - and damage the neck - like a collar. Too low, and it will interfere with the dog's natural gait.
Thorax. The H should be sitting on the ribs. Not so low that the strap would cross the soft belly or so high that it would constrict the neck.
You should be able to fit two fingers between the harness and the dog's body. This allows for some room when the dog moves. It is also more comfortable. On the other hand, an overly loose harness may also interfere with the dog's movement.
Safety harnesses. These are the harnesses with an additional strap for deep-chested dogs. Look for one that doesn't have straps over the soft belly part. If you can't find one like that, ensure the lead attaches to the part of the harness that crosses the ribs so that there is no pressure on the belly.
A safety harness needs to be comfortable and avoid pressure on soft tissues
These guidelines apply to all dogs, no matter the size or shape. As they are all different, just like us, try to find an H harness brand that will tick all the boxes.
Thank you to anny•x for allowing us to use their fitting visuals, which we think are spot on.
*The fitting guide is by anny•x, harnesses on photos are by various manufacturers.
Fit guide by annyx
