How To Tighten A Dog Harness

Introduction

If you’re using a harness, you might be wondering how tight it should be. It should be snug enough to prevent your dog from slipping out of the harness without being so tight that it causes discomfort or restricts your dog’s breathing or movement. You can use some simple tools to get the right fit and make sure your dog has a comfortable walk every time.

Determine the right size harness.

If your dog is a puppy and will grow, you should buy a harness that allows for plenty of adjustment. This way, when your pup grows into his adult size coat, he can still wear the same type of harness without feeling too tight or constricting.

If you have an older dog that has not had much weight loss in recent years, then you may want to purchase one that will fit him all year round. You’ll also want to find one with adjustable straps so if he puts on some weight over the winter months and needs it adjusted again later on down the road, no problem!

To determine which size is right for your pooch:

Measure around your dog’s girth where it would normally rest snugly against his body (right behind his front legs).
Hold onto this measurement and head out to find a harness that fits within those parameters

Measure your dog’s girth to find the right size.

Step 1

Measure the girth of your dog. Use a measuring tape to measure the widest part of their chest and back, then look for an appropriate size harness based on their weight.

Use a measuring tape to measure your dog’s girth and determine the correct harness size.

Measure your dog’s girth (the widest part of their chest) using a tape measure, then use our size chart below to determine which size you need.

If your pup falls between two sizes, we recommend going with the larger one.

Find a harness that allows for plenty of adjustment.

The best way to ensure a harness fits properly is to choose one that allows for plenty of adjustment. Too big and it won’t fit, too small and your dog will be uncomfortable. If you get lucky, the sizing will be perfect, but if not, there’s no need to worry—you can always find a new harness that fits your dog better!

Fit the harness around your dog’s torso and adjust the straps as necessary.

The first step to tightening a dog harness is to fasten the strap with a sliding buckle and make sure that the buckle sits just behind your dog’s front legs. This will ensure even weight distribution on each side of your dog.

Next, slide any other straps into place and snap them closed, without over-tightening them, as this can cause soreness or discomfort for your pet.

Fasten the strap with a sliding buckle and make sure the buckle sits just behind your dog’s front legs.

Fasten the strap with a sliding buckle and make sure the buckle sits just behind your dog’s front legs.
If you have a fixed buckle, slide it to the middle of your dog’s back before fastening it over his chest.
Make sure that when you tighten the straps, they sit evenly on each side of his body without sagging towards any particular spot on his body.

Slide any other straps into place and snap them closed, without over-tightening them, to ensure even weight distribution on each side of your dog.

Slide any other straps into place and snap them closed, without over-tightening them, to ensure even weight distribution on each side of your dog.
Place the harness around your dog’s chest and fasten it in place at his neck.
Slide one strap under each hind leg and tighten it around each thigh or hip area by pulling on the strap until there is no slack in it. The straps should be snug against your dog’s body but not tight enough to cause discomfort or pain.

Place your fingers under all harness straps to ensure they aren’t too tight, then remove the harness to tighten any more straps if you think they need it.

You should always check to make sure the harness isn’t too tight and uncomfortable for your dog. To do this, place your fingers under all of the straps on a flat surface. If you can’t fit more than two fingers underneath, then it’s probably not too loose yet, and you can skip to step 3. If you can fit three or more fingers under the strap(s), then it’s probably time to tighten up those straps!

How much do I need to tighten? That depends on how big your dog is (smaller dogs will require less tightening), but generally speaking you’ll want enough material left over so that there’s still some flexibility in case they grow or gain weight (but not so much that they’re falling out).

Check that there is only two fingers’ worth of space between the harness and your dog’s skin at each point on his body before taking him for a walk or putting him in his car seat.

The harness should fit snugly, but not so tight that it causes discomfort or chafing. You should be able to easily slide two fingers between the harness and your dog’s skin at each point on his body before taking him for a walk or putting him in his car seat.

If you have any doubts about the proper fit of a harness, measure where it touches your dog’s body with a cloth measuring tape or ruler and compare that measurement against the measurements provided by your manufacturer. If you’re using a homemade or store-bought harness, contact them directly to ask about sizing information.

A properly fitted harness will be most comfortable for your dog, so take some time to be sure you’ve got it on correctly.

Make sure the harness is comfortable for your dog: A harness that’s too tight will be uncomfortable and may cause chafing or other skin irritations. If it is too loose, it won’t stay secure and could get caught on something—like a branch or cable—and cause injury.

Conclusion

A harness that does not fit correctly can be very uncomfortable for your dog and may cause injury, so it’s important to take the time to make sure you’ve fitted it correctly. If you don’t feel confident in your abilities to measure and fit a harness properly, enlist the help of someone else or consult a trained professional.