Many call it a dog harness, others call it a body leash for dogs, and some call it a canine harness, but in the end, we all want to know which is the best harness for our dog and what can we do with a dog harness? Which brand is the best? or which is the top-rated dog harness, or where can I buy it, and most importantly, at an affordable price? There are many ways to answer this, and much depends on the use or purpose you have with your dog.
Basically, a dog harness is a tool to maintain control over your dog. Many prefer it over a collar since a collar, if used improperly, could cause consequences or even injuries to the dog's trachea. While it is an excellent tool for handling and controlling dogs, it is crucial to know how and when to use it. If you are already using one, we recommend gradually transitioning to a harness as we consider it much more comfortable and safer for your dog.
How to use a Dog Harness?
For example, many people just want to have a quiet and peaceful walk with their dog. These people often go online and search for something like an “Easy Walk Harness,” as its name suggests, allows them to easily and safely walk their dog, keeping control to take them to the park or a simple walk around the neighborhood. We understand this need, as my parents and my wife seek a simple way to relax with some of our low-energy dogs.
On the other hand, some people with higher energy levels seek bigger challenges, such as running or even competing. For this purpose, there are various types of equipment, but in this case, the harness you use must be comfortable, highly resistant, and durable, as no one would want their dog to be at risk due to poor-quality equipment. Just imagine you are on a busy street, and your harness breaks! This could be catastrophic!
Others look for service dog vests. These are mainly for those whose dogs have a specific purpose or job, such as therapy dogs, companion dogs, firefighter dogs, police dogs, or even military dogs, among others. These people usually look for a harness that allows their dogs to carry identification badges that can be visible and help others identify them as special or working dogs.
Personally, I love doing all kinds of activities with my dogs—walking, running, jumping, biking (known as Bikejoring), and even helping my dogs develop good muscle mass.
Most common types of Dog Harnesses:
There are hundreds or thousands of different dog harnesses on the market. Many of us like to see a dog harness on a dog, but not just any harness—one that is multifunctional and helps achieve your goal, whether it's walking, running, or training. Here is a list of the most common harnesses and their typical uses:
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No Pull Dog Harness or Front Clip: As its name suggests, this type of harness is commonly used to help the handler stop the dog from pulling on the leash. They are extremely common and also extremely dangerous for inexperienced handlers, especially with mature or senior dogs. The main feature of these harnesses is a clip or ring at the front, on the dog's chest, allowing the handler to change the dog's direction if it pulls when it shouldn't. However, this can injure the joints of adult dogs or even cause a fear of walking with such tools.
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Back Clip Harness: This is the most common type, simply consisting of a harness with a ring or clip at the back to attach the dog's leash. Many people use them for walking or running with their dogs. If you decide to get this type of harness, ensure that the materials are durable and that the harness is comfortable for your dog, following the manufacturer's recommendations.
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Step-In Dog Harness: This is undoubtedly our favorite for many reasons. The first is how easy and quick they are to put on and take off. You only need to place the dog on the harness, secure it from behind, and you're done in no more than 5 seconds! There are many designs and materials for this type of harness on the market, but we designed a Step-In dog harness with super high-resistance materials to make it very durable without forgetting comfort and ergonomics. If you want to see it, click on this link – KNK Dog Harness.
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Padded Dog Harness: This is a feature in many harnesses on the market. It is a padded section that protects the dog's chest during activities. The downside is that many of them use poor-quality padding, as thin as school backpack straps, which does not protect your dog if it pulls. Even if your dog is trained to walk beside you, who hasn't encountered a cat that makes your dog run at full speed? We recommend a harness with quality padding of at least 1 cm thick to keep your dog protected and comfortable during use. Check out the KNK Dog Harness; you'll be amazed by the padding we include.
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Dog Harness with Handle: This harness is very common and basically consists of a harness with a handle on the back so the handler can grab the harness with their hand instead of a leash. This is more common for service dogs or police dogs. We don't consider this type of harness very practical, as unless you have a Great Dane, it's hard to bend down to reach the handle on your dog's back when walking or running. Additionally, this type of harness usually fastens on the sides, which we consider a weak point that can break with a pull from the dog.
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Service Vests: Typically used by police dogs, service dogs like therapy dogs, and companion dogs. It's common to see these dogs in hospitals, airports, or streets doing police work or rescue operations during natural disasters. The most notable feature of these harnesses is a visible insignia for identification. For police and rescuers, they must use a high-resistance harness due to their demanding activities and a notable insignia, as these working dogs are often not sociable and can attack with minimal provocation. The KNK harness can be used by police dogs due to its technology, resistance, and durability.
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Mushing Harness: This type of harness dates back to when sled dogs were used. Yes, just as you imagined, dogs pulling a sled in the snow. Its design allows the dog to run freely using all four legs. This type of harness should not restrict the dog's natural shoulder movement, allowing it to use all its strength and speed. Today, they are still used by sled dogs but have also become popular in sports like Canicross or Bikejoring. These are high-performance and fun activities. If you are interested in these sports, check out the KNK Mushing Harness, the same high quality and resistance as our other products.
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Weight Pulling Harness: Used to develop muscles in the dog. This type of harness is popular among Pitbull owners but has become popular for almost all breeds. With this harness and proper training, you give your dog gym sessions similar to a person lifting weights. We use this type of harness to drain our dogs' accumulated energy and help them build muscle and bone mass, allowing them to move better in adulthood, like a person who regularly exercises. Look at Sylvester Stallone; he's almost 80 and doesn't use a cane. If you want to develop muscles in your dog, we have the perfect option for you, check out the KNK Dog Weight Pulling Harness—you'll love it!
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Tactical Dog Harness: These are very stylish and look great on German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois, which are often police or military dogs. So unless you have a police or military dog, you might not need this type of harness. However, we agree that the resistance and durability of this equipment are military-grade. If this is what you seek, check out the KNK Dog Harness; you'll be surprised by its quality, resistance, and durability. Due to its technology, it could easily be used by military dogs and also by your dog, and most importantly, at a price that will surprise you.
How to put on a Dog Harness?
Much will depend on the harness you get for your dog and the type of activity you will do with it. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations, pay attention to the size chart to get the ideal size for your dog. Also, pay attention to your dog; if you notice it is uncomfortable or walking unusually, the harness is likely uncomfortable. For us, the best in these cases is to get an adjustable harness and not stick to just one size, as your puppy will grow or might gain weight, and an adjustable harness will be easier to adapt to different stages of your dog's life. Here's an example of how to put on a Step-In dog harness:
Dog harness benefits vs a dog collar
It is well known that collars are an excellent tool for managing a dog, especially for dogs that don't know how to walk alongside their handler. For these cases, we believe the best tool is a collar to train the dog to walk beside you and gradually transition to a harness. It is always recommended to use a well-constructed collar that protects the dog's trachea, as in extreme cases, the dog could pull so hard it might hurt itself. KNK has a perfect collar to protect your dog during use; check it out here. KnK Dog Collar
Now, we have said that the collar is an excellent tool for managing a dog, but what about those dogs that don't need correction, those that already walk beside their handlers? Well, for those cases, using a harness is more comfortable. Just try putting your car's seat belt around your neck, and you'll see why it's better to have your safety system on your chest rather than your trachea. Yes, we refer to the harness as a safety system, as some people like to run or practice sports with their dogs, and a good harness will distribute the dog's weight and size over the harness, keeping it protected while performing dog sport or dog activities. Using a collar would put all the weight on the dog's neck, which can sometimes be dangerous.
Why we prefer and recommend the use of a Dog Harness:
In our experience of over 30 years working with our dogs, we have always preferred using a harness over a collar due to the types of activities we do with them—walking, running, jumping, and even pulling, something that would be impossible with a collar. We usually reserve collar use for new puppies in our pack when it's necessary to teach them how to walk alongside and basic commands. Other than that, the harness is our preference and recommendation, and it's much more fun!
For these reasons and due to the lack of quality equipment on the market, we set out to develop a robust and multifunctional harness that combines the best materials, comfortable, resistant, and that helps us handle various activities with our dogs. Since we started with KnK Dog Supplies, some leashes have broken, even metal ones, but never one of our harnesses with our strongest dogs.
So if you are still looking for the perfect harness for your dog, we hope the information we provide is helpful for you and your dog. We invite you to check out the catalog of harnesses we have and use with our dogs for various activities. KnK Dog Supplies is technology within your dog's reach. Also, don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments. Happy Dog Time!