Dog harness recommendation needed

[sprite]

What do you all like? Dog is a deep chested but kind of narrow 60lb German Shorthair. She is 10, but will pull a bit. Will go after critters etc. and is somewhat thin skinned so plain nylon straps eventually rub . Would like something with a grab strap on the back.

So, padded, adjustable, and tough. Suggestions?

[OverandOnward]

Take a look at your dog, imagine scenarios when you want to use a grab strap, and think about how you’d prefer a grab strap to be positioned.

I’ve seen them set on in different ways. That makes for different dynamics for pulling/lifting different parts of the dog. Horizontal across, or vertical/length-wise following the spine. Set at the shoulders, or set further back behind the shoulders.

In addition, the way the harness is designed beneath the chest affects what happens when you pull or lift. Some tighten around the rib cage, which does get the dog’s attention. Some are designed for lifting the dog’s front end better than others.

Also, I’d suggest that talking with a professional trainer who uses such harnesses for dogs similar to yours would likely be invaluable.

I had a reasonably well-behaved, but sometimes-implusive, 75 lb labrador. He had leash training so that he wasn’t a puller. That work was all done before I discovered harnesses with a grab strap.

What was hard to control were certain stimuli that had him bolting forward before a training thought had time to enter his brain. His inner super-adrenaline pump was set way too high. That’s when I wanted to grab the strap and lift his front feet off the ground while we re-established a thinking dog brain.

I preferred a length-wise strap positioned to first lift the shoulders. The length-wise was easier for me to grab. A horizontal position would have been instantly beyond a quick grab.

Also we sometimes played in the surf for a few days every year, and I wanted to be able to easily snag the strap and get him up to the surface of the water, if he lost his common sense while trying to get something off the bottom of the sea. He was that kind of dog for total determination.

[trubandloki]

I have had good luck with this brand/model

https://www.chewy.com/hurtta-venture-no-pull-dog-harness/dp/838582.

I found it ran a little smaller than the dimensions on the sizing chart.
My dog was kind of between two sizes, so I ordered the larger size since that would allow him some room to grow, but the larger size fit perfectly, with out much expansion room.

[Bicoastal]

I like the ActiveDog harness. I don’t know why this ad calls it no pull. It does NOT impede foreleg swing (which is why I like it).

Adjustable on both sides. Fleece lined. The harness components over the “withers” are beefy enough to serve as a grab strap. Or attach a tab to the leash clip.

ActiveDogs Fleece No Pull Dog Harness

[MunchingonHay]

I can’t help with picking out a harness, but I can help with a suggestion.

I like to use halter fuzzies. (the wool ones with velcro that opens up the fuzzy) for the backpack my deep chested yet narrow pittie/boxer used. The straps where the girth goes and sometimes the front chest straps can rub.

[AllSport]

I have a very simple adjustable nylon harness for my larger boxer. I keep it very loose, some stranger know it all said it wasn’t fit right, but I didn’t want chaffing. And, it works well how I have it, as long as I clip it to the front ring on her chest. I’ve had a very thin skinned GSP and Boxer before so for them I never even left a collar on when they were at home because of chaffing. For our current GSP and Boxer, they have a bit tougher skin and a bit more coat so we do leave their collars at home but the harness is only for walks / hikes. If you get some of the fuzzy wool or fake wool to sew on or whatever, just don’t keep the harness on all the time like some people do. *My boxer does have very little hair where the strap comes under her ribs behind her arms, but even after some chunky hikes, because of how loose I have it, it doesn’t rub.

[clipclop12]

Nonstop Dogwear makes harnesses that fit your description. They are pricey but high quality.

[Dr_Doolittle]

This.

I know I’m a broken record, but (most) back attachment harnesses facilitate pulling; they encourage the dog to lean down and forward against the pressure from behind, thus triggering the opposition reflex (the more you pull the more the dog pulls) - so a harness with a front attachment is best for dogs who pull.

Having the leash attached in front of the chest allows you to control the front of the dog, and helps turn the dog towards you rather than making it possible for them pull ahead of you and lean into the harness with chest, neck and shoulders.

I prefer the Freedom Harness (which has a back attachment as well and often comes with a leash to attach to both front and back - not sure why that’s helpful unless you want to just “hold onto the dog”), I use the back attachment only when I’m running my dog on the long line.

There are other strap harnesses (like the Easy Walk) that also work - though I am less of a fan of the design of the front strap on the EW because A) young dogs who like to bite harnesses can too easily get their lower jaw under it, and B) the front strap tends to be too long, so it slides back and forth.

The “vest” type harnesses (when using the front attachment) are looser fitting by design, and tend to slip and shift on the dog when backward/sideways pressure is applied by the leash - the harness slides back and catches the dog’s shoulder and elbow, and the front leg is pulled off the ground which interferes with their gait. Also, the front ring is often set too low, resulting in the dog getting their foot over the leash unless it’s pretty short.

I have used fleece coverings for the belly and chest straps on my VERY thin coated and thin skinned Whippets