10 Best Dog Harnesses, According to Months of Walking Reviews

Style: Over the head | Special features: Top handle | Adjustment points: 5 | Leash attachment points: 2

The RC Pets Momentum harness was designed to help control dogs who pull, but it has just about everything any dog owner could need in a basic harness. There are both front and back metal D-rings that allow owners to adjust their leash attachment based on current needs, and the panels of the harness are well padded to provide a comfortable fit.

There are also five points of adjustment, one more than most of the harnesses on this list, to be sure owners can get a tight fit on their dog. This was especially handy when we tested this harness on Lottie, as many harnesses that are designed to fit her neck and chest girth are usually not long enough and end up riding into her front legs. Home testing also revealed that adjustments are super easy to make — the plastic adjustor slides easily over the nylon strap without much tugging.

The over-the-head style is definitely easier to get on a larger dog than a step-in style, but my dog didn't love having the harness put on. This is definitely a personal issue, but if your dog also hates putting clothes/collars/accessories on, then you might want to opt for a harness that's step-in style or straps only.

I also appreciate that the Momentum harness is machine washable. Our dogs frequently get in water and roll in dirt (and goodness knows what else), so being able to quickly toss this harness in the wash is a huge plus.

While the Momentum harness is technically targeted toward pullers, the improvement isn't anywhere near what you would see from a harness that includes a Martingale loop. Lottie definitely responded faster when we attached the leash to the front of the harness, but it wasn't as effective as a Martingale loop has been in the past. The top handle is useful when it comes to really restraining against heavy pulling.

I also wish the Momentum harness was a bit less expensive. It doesn't include many super special features, so the price feels a little high. However, this harness will probably last your pup's life, which is worth the price to pay to never have to search for another harness again.

Style: Over the head | Special features: Martingale loop | Adjustment points: 5 | Leash attachment points: 2

If you're looking for a basic strap harness that's well-made and works well for dogs that pull, it's pretty hard to beat the 2 Hounds Freedom harness — especially for the under $30 price point. It includes all the basics you'd expect in a harness and even includes a Martingale loop on the back that's designed to help your dog stop pulling on leash.

Strap-only style harnesses tend to be less comfortable over time in comparison to those that have panels. For that reason, I don't use this harness if I'm going to have my dog out all day or if we're doing an activity like running or hiking. The Freedom harness does have Swiss Velvet padding on the bottom chest strap, which helps with comfort. The flip side of this, however, is that the straps can be less intimidating to a fearful dog. My dog doesn't like having harnesses put over her head, but since this one was straps-only she didn't seem to mind it as much as ones with panels.

The Freedom harness is fairly easy to adjust. I appreciate the metal adjustors for lasting durability, but they are slightly more difficult to move than cheaper plastic ones. However, the nylon straps slide easily, which eases the tension a bit. I found in home testing that this harness was easier to adjust while off my dog, but can still be done while she's wearing it.

In testing this harness on my own dog, I also noticed that the side straps rode into her front legs quite a bit, which can be seen in the picture. This could be a factor of a bad fit and needing to size up or my poor adjusting. For this reason, I'd recommend sizing a bit up in this harness.

Style: Over the head | Special features: Martingale loop, top handle | Adjustment points: 5 | Leash attachment points: 2

If your dog is a puller, look no further than this PetSafe harness to help. It has a Martingale loop on the front leash attachment point to ensure that your dog can't get too far ahead of you. "This was my first experience with a Martingale attachment of any kind," our testing editor said. "I admit I was skeptical because Rory can pull hard and jump suddenly when she sees animals on our walks, but I noticed a difference right away."

The Easy Walk harness also has padded panels to provide extra comfort to your pup, including portions that cover the straps at pressure points so they won't dig in if your dog does try to pull. In addition to the Martingale loop, the PetSafe harness also has a sturdy top handle owners can use if they ever really need to get ahold of their pup, however our tester never needed to use the handle as her dog responded so well to the Martingale loop.

The over-the-head style of the harness is great for medium- to larger-sized dogs, but it did spook out our testing pup a bit more than the step-in style. "The harness was simple to put on and similar to other harnesses I've used before with a space for their head to fit through and two clips behind their shoulders," our editor said. "Admittedly, I had a slightly harder time because my 1 year old pup still doesn't like things slipping over her head like that, but I wouldn't want it any other way because I know it'll stay secure!"

As far as adjustments go, our home testing revealed that the Easy Walk harness was slightly more difficult to adjust than others on this list, especially on a wiggly pup. However, this also meant that the fit stayed tight and the straps didn't loosen. "It was a little difficult to adjust the straps, but that's good because then they stayed in place when my dog would pull," our editor said. "I found it easiest to tighten everything up first and then loosen it to fit once it was on Rory."

The only real complaint we have after testing this harness is that it doesn't appear to be machine washable. However, despite tons of use, we never found the need to even spot clean. But, it's something to consider if your pup has been known to get a little down and dirty at the dog park.

Style: Step-in | Special features: Car-seatbelt compatible | Adjustment points: 4| Leash attachment points: 1

I've done an extensive review on the Sleepypod Clickit Sport Plus harness because I am truly that big of a fan. While it is the most expensive harness on this list by far, no other brand can compete with the quality of product testing Sleepypod does when it comes to car safety.

Instead of just relying on top-of-the-line product engineering, Sleepypod has a whole pack of crash test dog dummies to actually evaluate the performance of the harness in the event of an actual car accident. Additionally, the harness has been tested to U.S., Canadian, and U.K. child safety seat standards as well as the Center for Pet Safety Certification with a 5 Star safety rating.

The Sleepypod Clickit harness series utilizes your car's seatbelt to safely restrain your pup. The seatbelt slips through two loops along the back of the harness and then buckles in like usual.

The fit of the Sleepypod Clickit Sport Plus harness is slightly looser than others, and it does run on the large side. I'd advise sizing down even if you want a looser fit. The body of the harness is padded, not only to add comfort but also protection in a crash.

The harness comes with an S-clip that locks the seatbelt into place as well as a buckle protector, but I didn't use either. I never found the seatbelt not locking to be an issue, and I wasn't concerned about covering the buckle. To my knowledge, neither of those have any affect on the safety of the harness.

I wouldn't advise using the Clickit Sport Plus as a regular harness. If you're looking for one that can provide all the car safety and function as a normal walking harness, then upgrade to Sleepypod's Clickit Terrain Plus model instead. The loose fit would make me nervous if taking my dog on a walk in a busy area.

Style: Step-in | Special features: None | Adjustment points: 0 | Leash attachment points: 1

Any pet owner with an extra-small dog (we're talking under 10 pounds here) knows the struggle of finding a good harness. That's why we pulled in our most petite pup to test out small dog harnesses, and our 4.5 pound tiny Teddy officially picked the RC Pets Cirque as the best.

This harness features a step-in style, which is usually preferred by small dog owners. Over-the-head harnesses can be tough to get over the typically larger head (in comparison to body) size of toy breeds and adjustments can be difficult to make. "Step-through harnesses such as this are a great option for small dogs thanks to their adjustability," Teddy's owner says. "Teddy's size fluctuates based on his haircut so a slip-over-the-head option never fits quite right on him. Because he's only 4.5 lbs, he only fits into XS or smaller so I was pleased that this harness went down to XXS, which is hard to find!"

The Step-in Cirque is also a great option for pet owners with limited dexterity as it has an easy-to-use velcro attachment instead of a traditional buckle. "This harness is pretty straight-forward to put on and would be great for those who have trouble buckling up small dog harnesses," Teddy's owner said.

However, that velcro attachment can be an issue for wiggly pups or dogs that pull with force. "This harness is pretty basic — in fact, it lacks the typical plastic buckle that small harnesses normally have and relies only on velcro and a pair of D Rings to secure the dog. As the owner of a wriggly little dog, I don't love that," Teddy's owner said. "I feel as though he is much safer when physically buckled into his harness instead of just velcro-ed."

Style: Over the head | Special features: Light attachment point, ID tag pocket | Adjustment points: 4 | Leash attachment points: 2

My medium-sized dog has a bit of an odd shape, almost like an extra-large Corgi, so I was pleasantly surprised by how well this harness fit him. The proportions of the panels felt perfectly suited to his body, not being too bulky but still providing a comfortable and secure fit.

In home testing I also found that this harness is incredibly easy to adjust. The straps easily slip through the plastic adjustors and buckles. I was quickly able to readjust this harness while it was on Bailey with no problem.

Bailey isn't bothered by me slipping things over his head, so I can't say for sure whether dogs that are usually hesitant to this would still be fearful of this over-the-head harness. But, there are two adjustment points that allow owners to loosen the harness to fit over their dog's head and then easily adjust the harness while it's on their pup.

Additionally, the Front Range harness has a ton of cool features that make it great for adventurous dogs. There's a light attachment point, if you and your pup like nighttime walks, as well as an ID tag pocket to securely store away your pup's collar accoutrements. The back leash attachment point is also a super-secure metal ring, which I appreciate for durability purposes.

While this harness does have a front attachment point, I didn't use it often as it's just a nylon strap covered in plastic. This didn't feel anywhere near as secure as the metal ring on the back and seemed more geared toward being a spot to attach a dog's ID tags, instead.

For that reason, also, I can't say that this harness helped much with pulling — but it's important to mention that it's not intended to. Bailey's form of pulling is more so not coming when we pull him away from something, and I don't feel like this harness helped much with that.

Style: Over the head | Special features: Light attachment point | Adjustment points: 4 | Leash attachment points: 2

While the padded portion of the X-Link harness might be too bulky for smaller dogs, it's an ideal fit for medium-large sized dogs. I really appreciate the distribution of force the padding allows on my dog's chest, so if she does pull while wearing this harness, the straps won't dig into her body and risk injuring her.

There are both front and back metal D-ring attachments with reinforced stitching, so even extra-large dogs shouldn't have a problem with pulling the rings off. I do wish the front D-ring was as large as the back ring, but this isn't a deal breaker.

The nylon straps slip decently well through the plastic adjustors, but I found this harness easier to adjust while off my dog. Partially because these straps were a bit more difficult to move than others but also because Lottie is typically hesitant around over-the-head harnesses and I prefer to get them on and buckled as quickly as possible with her.

The material on the padding of this harness is one of the most durable we tested. It would probably feel a little too bulky on a small dog, but it's not too much for a medium to large dog. There are two different materials, but stain resistant and extremely durable. I noticed no wear and tear on this harness after testing — not even the need for a spot clean. It also has reflective pipes accenting the padding and a light attachment loop on the back.

Style: Front and back buckle | Special features: None | Adjustment points: 6 | Leash attachment points: 2

Typical over-the-head and step-in harnesses might not provide a tight enough fit for oddly-shaped dogs or those with bulky necks, which is why Blue-9 made their Balance harness. The attachment style is unique — there are buckles on both the neck and girth straps. This way, the harness doesn't have to slip over your dog's head (also great for pups that are fearful of this) and can easily be adjusted to fit.

Saying that this harness is easy to adjustment is probably an understatement. It has a whopping six adjustment points, so getting a totally precise fit is possible no matter the shape of your pup. In our testing of a very bulky-necked pup, this harness was super easy to adjust and gave a near perfect fit, something that's been a struggle with other harnesses.

Of course, with the unique fit of this harness come the challenges. The Balance harness is a strap-only style, so it doesn't provide any extra comfort padding. Additionally, the unique style has a pretty big learning curve. "The design of this harness was very challenging for me," our editor said. "I spent some time reviewing the instructions and still had a great deal of difficulty figuring out how to put it on my dog."

The Balance harness's back strap is a different color than the other straps, which makes it easier to identify the alignment, but distinguishing between the neck and girth straps was still pretty difficult.

Style: Over the head | Special features: Reflective buckle lights | Adjustment points: 4 | Leash attachment points: 2

The K9 Explorer line was built for durability, and this one has the added comfort of front padding, making it ideal for a day of hiking or other outdoor adventures with your pup.

In our home testing, the nylon straps and chest pad held up extremely well, with little to no sign of wear and tear after many uses. In fact, the straps seem to have a superior weave and/or thread that allows them to feel much more expensive and sturdier than other brands but allowing for more flexibility. The nylon straps are interwoven with reflective thread that covers the harness, and the two buckles have light-reflectors for extra safety during night walks.

The K9 Explorer harness was super easy to adjust on my oddly-shaped dog. There are four adjustment points, and sliding the straps was done easily while the harness was on Bailey. I also appreciate that there's a tag in the chest padding that shows exactly how to put the harness on your dog. It's the only harness we tested that had this feature.

This harness has both front and back metal D-ring attachments, making it great for most dogs, but probably not enough to handle those that pull. It's also an over-the-head style harness, so while it didn't both Bailey, it might freak out more fearful pups.

Style: Front and back buckle | Special features: None | Adjustment points: 4 | Leash attachment points: 3

The Fable Pets Signature Harness has a whopping three D-ring leash attachment points, making it the perfect option for just about any dog. It has four adjustment points, making each strap length controllable, and comes in sizes XS-L.

This isn't a step-in or over-the-head harness, but instead has four separate buckles that allow owners to put it on just about any way they please. You can attach the two front buckles and slip it over the head, or put it on from below your dog. This versatility is great for dogs who are fearful of over-the-head harnesses but might be too wiggly for a step-in style. Even though there are four buckles, we didn't find this harness any more difficult to put on than any others on this list in our home testing.

We also noticed in home testing that this harness is fairly helpful for pups who pull. It doesn't have a Martingale loop, but the three leash attachment points allow owners to customize their lead style to respond to their pet's obedience. "Oscar tends to pull when he gets excited and we are able to better control him using this harness," our tester said.

We should note, though, that this harness is a bit higher in price than most of the other harnesses on this list. But, we found the price to be worth the versatility the harness provides. "It's more than I would typically think to spend on a harness but it's worth the price given how well it works," our tester said.