What we love about harnesses over collars (we still like collars as beautiful accessories) is that harnesses provide more points of supportive contact which reduce the risk of neck injury when you pull the leash, and allow you to control a “difficult” furry walker easier. We tried and tested what’re available in Hong Kong against 3 criteria – comfort, security (how easy a dog can slip out of a harness) and style. Here we reveal our top 4 in our humble and impartial opinions.
Hellodog tips: you shall pay attention to see if your dog coughs when you pull the leash on her. If yes, it could be caused by the sudden pressure on the trachea.
1. Buddy Belt
The first thing you would notice is the two “O” rings design of this harness. It looks nothing like any harness you’ve seen before. To put on a buddy belt, you simply put your dog’s paws through the two holes and fasten the belt at her back, just like you’re putting on a supportive bra.
We love how the belt provides many supportive contacts on the upper body and the shoulders so it doesn’t exert any pressure on the neck and trachea at all. It’s great for pups, e.g. yorkies and other toy-breed dogs, prone to tracheal disorders. Since the rings of the belt secure itself in place, there seems to be no way a dog can wiggle out of this harness. This is indeed a relief for pet parents who want to keep their pups safe on the street.
Made and designed in Canada, buddy belts come with 100% leather and synthetic leather options, and in countless colours and 12 sizes more than just large, medium and small that leave no room to compromise style and custom fit. These belts are freshly imported by Three Dog Bakery, made available for you at various locations.
Where to buy: Three Dog Bakery | Happy Valley: 3 Min Fat Street | Ho Man Tin: 4 Liberty Avenue, Shop A2, Kowloon
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2. Linden Harness
Made in California, the US, a Linden harness looks like a typical harness in nylon material with a familiar look. But when you look closer, you would see all straps are adjustable – the top and the bottom to fit snugly right behind the front legs, and the front strap to fit around the front of the chest. While fully adjustable, it comes with 5 different sizes and 6 colours for you to choose from.
Among all selections we pick, this one is machine-washable and lightweight. Good news for those who don’t bother doing hand-washing. Its lightweight feature makes it welcome to use all year round.
Where to buy: Bark Department, 29 Sing Woo Road, Happy Valley
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3. Ruffwear
If you and your dog are very much into action and hiking, then you will want to look closer at this Ruffwear front range harness. With a sporty look and feel, it has padded chest and belly panel for good load dispersion (meaning the pressure points are dispersed to provide maximum comfort).
What stands out to us is that it has two leash attachment points, the usual primary point centred on a dog’s back and the secondary one on the chest (the front of the harness) if more control needed to stop the dog from pulling. A thoughtful ID tag pocket design of keeping it from dangling around adds extra points too. It is available for purchase at Vetopia online store, with 5 different sizes provided.
Where to buy (online): vetopia.com.hk
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4. Puppia Ritefit Harness
This harness looks light-weight and indeed it is. Also, what we like about this one is that it has air-mesh around the chest that should be quite breathable, and with it, you won’t have hesitation in putting this on for summer. A feature that pet owners with a easy-to-overheat dog, for example pugs, would care about.
This “Ritefit” harness version is even better that the other version called “soft harness” as it offers extra clips with both adjustable neck and chest belt. In terms of price competitiveness, this is the winner.
Where to buy (online): wisepet.com
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Related reading: what’s the big deal about on or off leash?
Related reading: how to incorporate a dog bed into your stylish home?