Types of Dog Harnesses: Which One to Choose

Of all the types of dog harnesses on the market, only a few are worth a decision, and the decision is simpler than the shelf suggests. Choose a step-in harness if you want the quickest way on and off. Choose an H-harness if you want a precise fit with fewer pressure points. Keep a collar for the tag. Perro Collection makes both harnesses in Italian leather, handcrafted in our atelier in Tuscany. Neither of them goes over your dog's head. This guide covers the choice, the leather and the size.

Most harnesses are bought the way umbrellas are bought: in a hurry, by weight class, from whatever is hanging nearest the till. It is an odd way to choose an object your dog will wear twice a day for the better part of a decade. The good news is that the real choice comes down to three questions. Which job does it need to do? Which construction suits your dog? And which number on the tape measure decides the size?

Broadly four: the conventional harness that goes over the head, the step-in harness your dog steps into, the H-harness (also called a Y-harness or chest harness) and the so-called anti-pull harness that tightens when the dog pulls. Perro Collection makes two of them, the step-in and the H-harness. Neither goes over the head.

The over-the-head harness is the default almost everywhere, and for many dogs the single motion of putting it on is the whole problem: a hand approaching the face, a strap across the eyes and a small negotiation every morning. The anti-pull harness is the one we deliberately do not make. It works by tightening somewhere sensitive at the moment your dog moves forward, which changes how pulling feels without teaching anything. We have set out that argument in full in our guide on how a dog harness should fit.

That leaves the two constructions we do make. Both are our own design, protected by design rights. Both take two and a half to four hours of handwork in our atelier in Tuscany, and both carry the lead on the ring on the back. The small ring at the front holds the hangtag and nothing else.

Usually both, because they do different jobs. A collar is the identity object: it carries the tag and stays on the dog. A harness carries the load: with the lead clipped to it, the force of a pull lands on the chest rather than the throat. For walking, particularly during the training months, clip the lead to the harness.

The windpipe runs down the front of the neck with very little protection, which is the entire argument for the harness as an object. It matters most for an enthusiastic dog that still pulls, for the flat-faced breeds and for the fine-necked sighthounds. A collar remains the right place for the tag with your dog's name, and a leather dog collar in the same colour as the harness keeps the set together. If you are choosing for a puppy, our guide to collar or harness for a puppy takes you through the first year month by month.

Choose the step-in harness if you want the simplest object: one measurement, one motion and a few seconds, with the pressure spread evenly across the chest. Choose the H-harness if you want a more precise fit: it is measured on neck and chest, adjusts with more straps and spreads the pressure across the chest with fewer pressure points.

Choose by touch and by colour, because all three are Italian cow leather. Full grain nappa is smooth and glove-like. Bovine grained leather is soft, with a subtle pebble structure. Natural grain leather is soft and silky, with a natural grain. The Sage harness is made from chrome-free Italian leather.

Every leather dog harness we make starts with the same rules: leather only from Italy, from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group with a Gold Rating, edges rounded for comfort and hardware in a multi-layer gold-coloured finish that protects against discolouration. What changes between the three qualities is the surface and the way it ages.

If you would like something quieter still, the Sage Harness is the one piece in the collection made from chrome-free leather, in a calm natural green. Leather asks for a little care in return: keep it dry, keep it away from direct heat and treat it with the leather care set when it needs it. A dog that swims on every walk is better served by something synthetic, and we would rather say so.

Measure the chest at its widest point, right behind the front legs, with your dog standing. For the H-harness, measure the neck as well. Compare both numbers with our size guide and never size by weight. If your dog falls between two sizes, choose the larger one: a harness can be adjusted inward, not outward.

Weight is the most common way to buy a harness and the least reliable one. Two dogs of the same weight can differ by several centimetres around the chest: one is a barrel, the other a blade. The figures below are taken unchanged from our size guide, which remains the reference for every measurement.

The straps are 1.5 cm wide in the smallest sizes, 2 cm from size M and either width in size S. Choose a leather leash in the same width, so harness and lead line up. Once the harness is on, the fit itself is a matter of two fingers under every strap, which is covered strap by strap in how a dog harness should fit.

Three things. Every Perro Collection harness can carry your dog's initial on the hangtag, free of charge. A personalised harness can be exchanged for another size of the same harness in the same colour, but not refunded, so measure first. And choose the leash in the same width, so the set matches.

What types of dog harness does Perro Collection make?

Two: the Step-In Harness and the H-Harness. Both are Perro Collection's own design, handcrafted in its atelier in Tuscany, Italy, in 2.5 to 4 hours of handwork, from Italian leather with multi-layer gold-coloured hardware. Neither goes over the dog's head, and both carry the leash on the ring on the back.

What is the difference between a step-in harness and an H-harness?

The step-in harness is measured on the chest only: the dog steps in and the harness closes over the back. It spreads the pressure evenly across the chest. The H-harness is measured on neck and chest, is placed around the body and spreads the pressure across the chest with fewer pressure points.

Is a harness better than a collar for walking?

For walking, the lead belongs on a harness, especially during the training months, so the force of a pull lands on the chest rather than on the throat. Keep a collar for the tag. Most dogs wear both, and a Perro Collection collar and harness can match in leather and colour.

Is an H-harness the same as a Y-harness?

They are close relatives. The Perro Collection H-Harness is comparable to what is often called a Y-harness or chest harness. Unlike most of them, it is placed around the body rather than over the head, with adjustable straps for a precise fit.

How do I choose the right harness size?

Measure the chest at its widest point, right behind the front legs, with your dog standing. For the H-Harness, measure the neck as well. Compare with the size guide at perrocollection.com/pages/sizeguide. Never size by weight, and between two sizes choose the larger.

Can I personalise a Perro Collection harness?

Yes. Every Step-In Harness and H-Harness can carry one initial on the hangtag, hand-engraved in gold foil, free of charge. A personalised harness can be exchanged for another size of the same harness in the same colour, but it is not refunded.

The market sells dozens of harnesses because it sells to every possible doubt. You need one. Decide what the object has to do, choose the construction that does it with the least fuss for your particular dog, pick the leather you will still want to touch in year eight and let the tape measure make the last decision.

Then put the collar back on for the tag, clip the lead to the ring on the back and stop thinking about it. That is what a well-made harness is for.

Choose the job, then the construction, then the leather. Let the tape decide the size.