HOW TO FIT A DOG HARNESS CORRECTLY

Every dog needs a harness because it is safe. While a collar is useful just as a tag carrier, you'll need the extra support that a harness provides. Coming to that decision is the easy part; the difficulty comes in the balance that you'll need to find when fitting a harness around your dog.
After all, you wouldn't want the harness to be so tight that it causes your dog pain or discomfort, yet if it's too loose, then there's the risk that the animal can slip out of the harness and runoff. It's a pickle, all right. And that's why learning how to fit a dog harness correctly is such an important skill to have for dog owners.
Nowadays, harnesses come with a size already built-in them, and there are multitudes of different sizes and types for different breeds of dogs. However, while a specific type of harness may be more suited to your dog, learning how to properly fit a dog harness opens up the full range of benefits that the product provides.
And you don't need to worry; learning the intricacies of how to fit a dog harness isn't such a difficult skill to learn. The benefits will ensure that you will never have to fear your dog slipping out of their harness ever again—or your favorite animal having an uncomfortable moment while taking a walk.
Excited! Let's dive right in then.

How to fit a dog harness correctly

Every dog owner needs to know how to fit a dog harness correctly because this singular skill may be the defining feature in how safe your dog is — i.e., whether or not the animal feels any pain while the harness is on or if there is a risk of the dog slipping out of the harness and running off.
There's a balance to be found when answering how tight the harness should fit or how loose. And this balance changes with the different types of harnesses out there. Of course, there are some harnesses better suited to specific breeds or sizes of dogs, but it's vital to note that each type of harness may require particular approaches to how to fit them on a dog properly.
Here are some examples of different types of harnesses and their methods of fixing them.
1. The Back-clip Harness: The name refers to the clip around the back where the dog leash fits. This type of leash is best suited for a dog that doesn't pull on the leash, and the steps involved in fitting it over the dog are pretty simple.
  • First, you'll want to gently pull the dog's head through the hole in the harness, ensuring that the harness' clip is right in the center of the dog's back.
  • The next and final step is to fit the clips together attach the leash to the clip at the back of the harness.
2. Step-in Harness: This is a pretty straightforward harness and follows the same principle to which it got its name
  • The first step is to unclip the harness and lay it open on the floor, letting your dog stand directly on top of it
  • Next is to fit your dog's paws through the holes in the harness as if you're wearing its clothes.
  • Finally, you'll want to pull the straps of the harness to the back of the dog and clip them together.

How should a dog harness fit?


When answering the question of "how should a dog harness fit?" it's essential to remember that a dog harness is supposed to be snug around a dog but never tight, or else you run the risk of causing the dog some short-term or long-term health problems.
And that's why, when adjusting your dog's harness, it's essential to keep in mind the question: how tight should a dog harness be?

How tight should a dog harness be?


Deciding on how tight a harness should be can be the determining factor in whether or not your dog is a very uncomfortable walk in the park or if it slips out of the leash and runs off into the sunset.
So, if the question on your mind is, "how should a harness fit a dog?" then not to worry; there's a general rule of thumb to determine if your harness is properly fit or tight without the risk of causing harm to the dog.
First of all, a well-placed harness should fit snugly around the dog's chest area; after ensuring that then you'll want to place two fingers in each section of the space between the harness and the animal. If the fingers fit comfortably, you can rest assured that the harness sizing won't cause any harm to your dog.
If, however, the two fingers don't fit comfortably, then you'll need to adjust the harness and fit it accordingly.

How to properly fit a dog harness


Though most harnesses can be adjusted easily by tightening or loosening the straps, there are three checks that you can use to ensure that your harness is appropriately fit around your dog.
1. Tightness: it cannot be understated that a dog harness should never be too tight around either the chest area or the neck. A well-fitted harness should sit snugly around the dog's chest area, and you should easily be able to fit two fingers within the space between the harness and the dog.
2. Bottom Strap Location: For a harness size ranging from 0-4, the bottom belly strap should be placed four fingers away from the dog's front legs; however, a width of two fingers is enough for harnesses sized Baby 1 and Baby 2.
3. Top Strap Location: The top strap of the harness should always fit comfortably in the chest area. So, if the harness is too small, then the front strap would tend to ride high and put pressure on the dog's neck. If the strap is too big, then it tends to droop towards the legs.

There are many more to be learned about fitting a dog harness correctly, so if you're still somewhat confused, then Waudog has your back. We offer all the services and products you can ever need to keep your furry little friend as perky as possible.
Visit us online now to see your options.
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