To put on a harness properly, you should make sure it starts fairly loose so it’s easy to slip on your dog. You can tighten it once it’s on. You should also note that a proper snug fit means you can fit two (and only two) fingers between your dog and the harness at any point.
- Slide the harness over the head of your dog. Do not tighten anything at this point.
- Swing the chest piece up so that it’s touching your dog’s chest and belly.
- On the chest piece, you’ll find two buckles, swing these up (one on either side of your dog, behind the front legs) and fasten them to the back of the harness.
- Adjust the sides of your harness to fit snugly.
- Adjust the belly (if applicable) of your harness to fit snugly.
- Adjust the neck of your harness to fit snugly.
Signs of a Poor Fit
Your harness may be the improper size or improperly fitted if you see any of the following:
- Losing fur around harness area
- Chafing around harness area
- Dog wiggling free
- The back piece of the harness rotating to the sides
- Dog strongly resisting walking
