In this article, we have reviewed the best dog harness for hiking. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top ones.
Table of Contents
Dogs are really loyal companions. Many families in America own a pet dog. As per recent studies, there were about 85 million families in America who owned a pet[1]. Another stat revealed that in the year 2018, there were almost 47.86 million hikers in America[2].
Isn’t this amazing? So if you are both, a dog owner and a regular hiker, all you need is a high-quality and robust dog harness. While wandering on challenging terrains, a dog harness plays a very vital role in controlling your pet’s movement.
It also helps teach and train the dogs on how to behave when going outside for walks and various other activities. Dog Harnesses also offer safety as they are secured in a way that they cover the maximum area of the body.
The harness goes over the shoulders, front limbs, and chest, unlike any ordinary collars. Most importantly, you can prevent Ocular Proptosis in your pet with a harness[3]
We have listed below some of the best dog harnesses for hiking made of high-quality material and protects your dog from neck injuries.
Our Top Choice Rabbitgoo Dog Harness
The rabbitgoo Dog Harness,No-Pull Pet Harness with 2 Leash Clips,Adjustable Soft Padded Dog Vest,Reflective No-Choke Pet Oxford Vest with Easy Control Handle for Large Breeds,Orange (L, Chest 20.5-36") is our top choice for Best Dog Harness For Hiking, because of the following reasons:
- No pull or no choke design with dual ring safety.
- Durable nylon oxford fabric harness.
- Padding and cushioning to protect the skin.
- Suitable for large dogs with adjustable straps.
- Easy to use and maintain.
Best Dog Harness For Hiking
#1 Rabbitgoo Dog Harness
This dog harness is the best dog harness for hiking as it has a no pull or no choke design. It has 2 special harness metal rings for better safety. The users can use the chest harness clip to stop the dogs from pulling on the harness. This harness is also suitable for training dogs and taking them on walks, hiking, jogging, etc.
Features and Benefits
- Safety Features: This dog harness is made from durable nylon oxford fabric. The nylon oxford fabric is used for such products as it has a very tensile strength, which makes the harness cord withstand high wear and tear levels.
- Comfortable: Apart from having safety features, the harness should also be comfortable and gentle on the dog’s skin as they have very sensitive skin. To protect the skin of the dog, the harness has special padding and cushioning. It also has reflective side panels, ensuring that the dog can have a safe walk-in day and knight.
- Large Harness With Adjustability: The neck girth of the harness ranges between 16.q- 23.2 inches, whereas the chest girth has an adjustable size between 20.5- 36 inches. It’s the size, and customizable design makes this harness suitable for dogs of different shapes and sizes. It also has size adjustable straps to provide an ideal fit for the dog.
- Easy To Use: It has two fast-release buckles, which allows the user to put on or take off this harness in seconds. It just slides over the dog’s head as the user has to only buckle the harness after sliding it over.
Why should you buy it?
This harness has high breathability due to which it helps the dog to remain cool and comfortable in the heat. Due to this feature, this harness is suitable for dogs who sweat a lot or dogs which cannot bear too much heat.
You might also be interested to read: Best Harness For Blind Dog
#2 Bolux Dog Harness
This dog harness has special reflective panels. These panels protect the dog at night and in low light conditions by making them more visible in the dark. It also has a D shaped metal ring which protects the dog in crowded areas by keeping the user and the dog together.
Features and Benefits
- Small Dog Harness: This dog harness is specially created for dog breeds, which are smaller in size as the dimensions for this harness are 12.5-14 inches of neck girth, chest girth of 16.5-18, and a lightweight built weighing about 11-20 pounds.
- Super Comfortable: This dog harness is very suitable for hiking, running, jogging, and other intense activities as the ergonomic design of this harness distribute all of the pulling pressure to the body so that there is no pulling or choking.
- Sturdy Handle: It also has a rugged nylon handle. This handle reduces the distance between the user and their dog, due to which the dog always remains in the user’s line of sight while they are hiking or climbing. According to the dog, the harness vest also has adjustable straps, which allows the user to customize the fit of this harness.
Why should you buy it?
This harness is specially designed for smaller dogs. It is ideal for dog breeds such as Yorkie, Chihuahua, Pug, Cockapoo, Chinese crested, Shih Tzu, Russell terriers, Aussie, schnauzer, Jack Russell, and so on.
#3 Ruffwear Dog Harness
This dog harness has dimensions of 15.95 x 15.75 x 0.19 inches with a lightweight design weighing just 0.7 pounds. This harness has a special lift and assist feature. This feature allows the users to lift and help the dogs to move over obstacles simply.
Features and Benefits
- Secure Design: It is anatomically designed for dogs who like to go out on adventures with their owners. This harness has an ergonomic design that supports the users to use it for walking their dogs on all types of terrain.
- Super Comfort: The dog harness has foam padded straps. These padded straps provide lasting comfort to the dog without causing any hindrance to their movement. The straps’ fabric is also really soft and gentle on the dog’s skin as dogs have very sensitive skin.
- Build To Last: This special harness also has durable construction for high performance and a lightweight feel. It also has reflective strips so that the dog is visible in darkness and low light, which is perfect for activities like hiking, trekking, and climbing.
- Customizable Fit: This harness has 5 points of adjustment so that the dog gets a full range of motion with 2 study leash connection points. These leash connection points provide a secure connection, which prevents the dogs from unlocking the leash and wandering off.
Why should you buy it?
This dog harness has a unique lift and assist feature. This feature is ideal for small and petite dogs who face difficulty in climbing over obstacles. With this harness’s help, their users can lift them comfortably or help them move over the obstacles.
You might also be interested to read: Best Leash For Blind Dogs
#4 Tactical Dog Harness
This tactical dog harness is one of the best dog harnesses for hiking as it provides full-body protection to the dog. It has special reinforced stitch work with ultra-durable buckles for a snug and comfortable fit.
Features and Benefits
- Military Style: This dog harness has an exceptionally ergonomic design as it consists of two side straps which easily attach to the pouches, pockets, and ID panels. This harness is not designed to lift and bear heavy loads, although the user can lift the dog using the special handle in the vest.
- Hook And Loop Design: The harness vest’s adjustable straps have a hook and loop closure style. This hook and loop ensures that the harness does not come off the dogs easily, and the dogs can easily climb, trek, go hiking, and so on with their owners.
- Metal D Rings: These metal rings ensure that the harness is perfectly hooked onto the dog. Sometimes the dogs feel a pulling or choking sensation mainly due to the wrong size of the harness, or the harness cords get tangled due to which the harness tightens, exerting more pressure on the dog.
- Adjustable Size: The fabric used in making this dog harness is a special 1000D nylon fabric with added padding and comfort. It has a neck girth of 16 to 23 inches, chest girth of 24-32 inches, and back length of 10 inches.
Why should you buy it?
This harness is developed for dogs who have a medium or large size, so the dog owners who have a breed of dog which is not too small can benefit from the adjustable size of this product.
#5 Embark Dog Harness
This harness is the perfect companion for people with dogs who love intense outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, trekking, hiking, camping, and so on. This harness is very durable and reliable.
Features and Benefits
- Heavy Duty: It also has a D shaped metal ring and buckles for the dog’s enhanced safety. The buckle and the metal ring ensure that the harness would not lose it’s grip or break even under a lot of strain and stress.
- Super Comfortable: The lightweight and reflective material on the harness allows the dogs to move freely without any rubbing or discomfort. The trimmed look of this harness makes it look stylish and is pretty appealing for others.
- Highly Adjustable: This harness has extra-long harness straps for better height adjustability, due to which this harness fits perfectly on the dogs. It can be easily put on by sliding the harness over the dog’s head and then clipping the buckles.
- Allows Safe Training: The soft padded neck collar and the padded harness cords enable users to train their dogs safely. The position of the back leash attachment around the neck protects the dog’s trachea from strong pulling. While the front leash attachment helps the users to train the dog to stop tugging and pulling.
Why should you buy it?
This harness has a unique combination of attached front and back leashes. The back leash protects the dog’s neck from sustaining damage due to a strong pull. The front leash allows the user to train the dog on when to stop pulling.
You might also be interested to read: Best Dog Harness For Running
#6 Auroth Dog Harness
This tactical dog best or harness ensures that the dog is safe besides the owner during activities such as training, hunting, hiking, camping, etc. It keeps the dogs comfortable during these activities as it is well padded on every pressure load point, due to which the dog’s skin remains safe.
Features and Benefits
- Durable Material: This heavy-duty vest is made from 900 D nylon fabric. This fabric has high abrasion resistance, due to which it can withstand a lot of wear and tear. It also has two metal rings, which can bear a great pulling force without hurting the dogs.
- Molle System: It has unique 1 inch Molle side panels sewn on both sides of the harness. They allow the dog to carry special gear into training. They can also be used for a wide range of personal use or professional use.
- Maximum Security: This dog harness is designed to keep the dog’s security as the utmost priority. To accomplish this, it has two metal leash attachments where one is at the front and is used as a no-pull leash clip and one at the back, which is used for casual walking or jogging.
- Easy Adjustment: It has two quick-release buckles. These buckles allow the users to quickly put on or take off this harness in a matter of seconds. This harness also has adjustable straps, which are used to provide an ideal fit for the dog.
Why should you buy it?
This harness has a unique Molle System. This system enhances the rigidity of the harness and provides the user with extra space that can be used to store essential personnel or professional items.
Buyer’s Guide: Best Dog Harness For Hiking
Durable And Tough
The best dog harness needs to be durable and tough as hiking is a very intense and action-heavy outdoor activity. This activity can often be challenging for a dog to complete, mainly if they belong to a breed of dogs with a smaller size. A durable and tough harness ensures the safety of the dog while performing these intense activities.
Comfortable And Soft
The harness should have proper cushioning and padding as many dogs tend to pull and tug when they are put on a leash initially. With time these dogs do get training, which improves their behavior. The initial tugging and pulling are not good for the dogs as, in many cases, the dogs end up hurting their trachea or the neck. In many instances, the cord attached to the harness is very rugged, which also causes damage to the dog’s skin.
Adjustable
Dogs tend to grow fast. Thus, they outgrow a particular size very quickly, which makes it essential for the dog harness to have an adjustable size so that the dogs do not outgrow them quickly. Adjustable straps allow the users to fit the harness perfectly to the dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Dog Harness For Hiking
Q: Are dog harnesses good?
Yes, If someone has a very strong or a giant dog, a harness gives them much better control and is also easier on their arms and back. Tiny dogs can be prone to injury from pulling or tugging on the leash. A harness disperses pressure over a larger area of his body, reducing strain on their neck and back.
Q: Can we leave a dog’s harness on all day?
Sure, but the user should remove it periodically to let their skin get some air, and if the dog has long hair, to prevent matting. The harness can be used for training and reinforcement, and generally, a dog will behave better when wearing it, even if there’s no lead attached.
Q: What are the benefits of a harness?
They are a useful training tool for puppies that haven’t yet learned to walk on a lead. A harness prevents the dogs from getting tangled up in the leash and possibly get hurt in the process. Harnesses offer better control, which is especially important on busy streets or in crowds.
Q. Is it better to walk a dog with a harness or collar?
If you are still training your pet or your dog is a bit “wild”, it is always easier to control them with a harness rather than a leash or a collar. If your dog is small, a harness protects it from getting tangled up (like in a leash). If it is big, then harnesses offer much better control. All in all a harness is a good option to consider if you can put in a few extra bucks.
Conclusion
So, next time when you plan a hiking trip with your dog don’t forget to take a dog harness for better safety and security of your dog.
In our opinion, the rabbitgoo Dog Harness,No-Pull Pet Harness with 2 Leash Clips,Adjustable Soft Padded Dog Vest,Reflective No-Choke Pet Oxford Vest with Easy Control Handle for Large Breeds,Orange (L, Chest 20.5-36") is the best choice among the various options that we have considered, because it has 2 special harness metal rings for better safety. The users can use the chest harness clip to stop the dogs from pulling on the harness.
The Bolux Dog Harness, No-Pull Reflective Dog Vest, Breathable Adjustable Pet Harness with Handle for Outdoor Walking - No More Pulling, Tugging or Choking ( Purple, S ) is our next best choice because this dog harness has special reflective panels. These panels protect the dog at night and in low light conditions by making them more visible in the dark. It also has a D shaped metal ring which protects the dog in crowded areas by keeping the user and the dog together.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the AUROTH Tactical Dog Harness for Large Dogs No Pull Adjustable Pet Harness Reflective K9 Working Training Easy Control Pet Vest Military Service Dog Harnesses Black XL, which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
References:
[3] https://www.petsworld.in/blog/why-using-a-harness-is-better-for-your-dog.html
