Choosing a Harness for Teacup, Small or Medium Breed Dog

More and more small dog owners are opting to hook their leash to a vest-style harness vs. a collar to keep their dog safe and secure. There are several advantages for small breeds to wear a vest-style harness.

The Advantages of a Harness
A harness takes the strain off a dog's neck and trachea that a collar causes when combined with a leash. While a collar used to hold proper identification tags is always recommended even with a harness, for small breed dogs, a vest-style harness (worn similar to a coat) attached to a leash, evenly distributes the pressure on the chest and belly. Most importantly it puts pressure at the chest, helping to stop a dog's forward movement, something a collar can not do.

Small dogs, particularly teacup breeds weighing under 10 pounds, can easily slip out of a collar. With a harness there are two points, chest and belly, where the harness attaches, enveloping the front paws, making it more difficult for the dog to escape.

And while collars are becoming more stylish these days, nothing beats the new fashion statements harnesses are making! Coming in many different colors and prints, they definitely let your dog stand out while staying safe and secure.

What to Look for In Purchasing a Harness
One of the reasons we started offering harnesses is because we found a need for well-manufactured, stylish harnesses in today's marketplace, and there simply wasn't many.

Don't be Fooled, Many are Not Well-Made
Many of the harnesses today are bulky, have hard-edged corners at the neck, arm, and strap areas, wide straps encompassing too much of the dog's chest and belly, causing them not to fit or work very well. In addition, we have found many harnesses are made with a simple sew and turn method, where two pieces of fabric are sewn with the right sides together and turned outside in, and simply a small top stitch is done around or only at the opening causing a bulky seam, and a balloon effect (two pieces of fabric separate where topstitch doesn't occur). Also we have found the strap holding the D ring on the back to be only secured in the middle, not overlapping under the neck or back (top and bottom) stitch for more security.

Here is a photo of an example of not well-made harnesses (we purchased this at a arts and craft show):

1. Notice the top stitch (stitch is done in white) stops abruptly at the bottom and is not found anywhere else around the harness. This is a harness made with the sew-and-turn method where all that is stitched after the turn is the opening used to turn the fabric. The fabric in the middle can separate causing a balloon effect.
2. The area around the dog's front leg is more of a straight edge than a rounded corner. The harness won't mold to the dog's body well, most likely covering the dog's arm joint rather than molding around it for more freedom of movement. Also notice the bunching above the corner, the sew-and-turn method doesn't work well with hard edges. In the second photo you can make out the pull around that corner, how it sits way back of the arm joint and fabric doesn't lay flat.
3. The chest strap is rather long, hard edged, and the Velcro strip used (which can be seen with the white stitch used to attach it to the underside) is extended almost all the way to the neck area. Same with the lower belly strap, quite thick and a very wide Velcro strip for the size. While this might fit a wide range of sizes, probably best to purchase one that fits a smaller number of dogs correctly, rather than many sizes incorrectly. On the second photo, the belly straps are large, fit well beyond the arm joint, and too much around the rib area.
4. Both the top and bottom part of the d-ring strap is secured, however it is not part of any overall top stitching and doesn't run the length of the harness, concentrating the pull on upper section, which will cause the bottom to gather and bunch.

Top 5 Things to Look for in a Well-Made Harness:

1. Fabrics that have been fused together and top-stitched for more security. If not stated in the description, the easiest way is to look at the photo. If a harness is fused and top-stitched, you will find a strip (known as a bias strip) all around the edge of the harness. It encases the raw edge of the fused fabric. Or, in other cases harnesses may be sewn and turn and top stitched all around based on the material used (this method is used effectively in smaller harnesses of heavier material as shown below). Don't be fooled, some are only top stitched at the opening, make sure you see a line of stitching around the whole harness. Here is a photo of fused fabric harness with a top-stitched bias tape:

Here is a photo of a harness with heavy material that is sewn and turn and top-stitched around (you can see the slight indentation at the top and bottom of the straps caused by the top stitch):

2. Rounded corners at the neck, arm and straps. Again, refer to the listing description or photos. Rounded corners, particularly at the neck and arms are the most critical. Dogs are not made with sharp 90 degree right angles, neither should their harness. Rounded corners allow an easier fit, more molded to the dog's body than hard edges. This is especially true around the front arm. A rounded corner molds around the dog's arm joint, rather than a hard-edge that would lie over the dog's joint, restricting movement in the front arms. Rounded edges on the straps are just a nice added look to the overall harness, and allow for less bulkiness at the chest and belly area. Below are photos highlighting how nicely that curves around the dog's front leg and allows for free movement:

3. D-ring strap that overlaps the neck and tail (top and bottom) top-stitch and reinforced stitching along the strap to center the D-ring. The strap holding the D-ring in place is critical. Look for a strap that runs the length of the back, and is stitched under the neck line and bottom stitching as well as reinforced stitching, holding the D-ring center. This keeps the pull by the leash centered in the harness and not pulling the top at the neck. Photos will give you the best idea. D-rings can also be successfully placed at the bottom, extending past harness bottom.

4. Length and straps sized appropriately for the size dog and harness. Wider straps and a longer length do not mean more security. In fact, they can mean the opposite. A proper harness should fit more like a vest (hitting no further than the dog's "waist" line—right past their ribs), than a full length coat. Coats are meant to cover most of the dog's back, a harness only about ½ of their back. Chest and belly straps should be appropriate for the size of the dog. Having large bulky straps puts more pressure on the chest and belly for no reason. It is really the Velcro that holds the harness, having inches of fabric around the strip of Velcro makes is simply bulkier for the dog. Below is a photo of one of our chest straps from a size Extra Small:

5. Look for photos of harness other than those lying flat on a surface. If the only photo is of the harness lying flat on a surface, chances are it is flimsy, and lacking durability and security your dog needs. The exception would be net/mesh harnesses which are meant to be lightweight and allow air flow for the dog particularly during hot summer months. The best harnesses will be shown "standing up" like this below. Generally this means the fabrics used are a heavier material, or if 100% cotton fabrics have been used, they have been interfaced with a stabilizer giving it more durability and security. Below are photos of our harness on a flat surface, and the same harness "standing up":

How to Measure Your Pet

Don't Rely on "Word" Sizes
Number one rule of sizing a dog for any apparel, collar, harness, etc. is do not rely on the "word" size alone (i.e. extra small, small, medium, etc.). There is NO standard in the pet industry for sizing. So, what a medium is to one manufacturer is an extra small to another.

Measurements: What to Look For
If the listing gives no information regarding neck/chest size, mid-section/belly/girth, neck to back length or weight, do not waste your time. Look for listings that provide at least two kinds of measurements for the item. And most importantly MEASURE YOUR DOG. We can't stress this enough. Most errors in purchasing dog apparel items are caused by owners guessing at measurements. Measuring is easy, and will save you time and money in the long run.

Taking and Reading Measurements
If you have a flexible ruler to take measurements, all the better. But if you don't, take a piece of string or yarn, use it to wrap around the area you are measuring, mark it and hold next to a ruler to get the measurement. For chest measurements, you are measuring around the back of the neck and drop down a little in the front under the chin to encompass the chest and not just the neck. The neck to tail length you are measuring the base of the neck to the base of the tail (not the tip of the tail). For the mid-section/belly/girth, you are measuring the widest part of their mid-section. Weight is simply the full body weight of the dog.

Now you have the measurements, what to do next? Compare them to the listing. Most items are secured through Velcro straps, so they have some adjustments, so a range is generally given, or the maximum allowable measurement. If your measurement is EXACTLY the maximum measurement, you might want to go up one size, to allow for comfort and weight fluctuation. The ideal is to come in under the maximum or fall within the range. Of all the measurements, the weight is the least important. If you dog falls out of the weight range, but all other measurements match up, it is probably likely to fit just fine.

Remember, when all is said and done, your dog's safety and security is at risk. Take a moment to research your purchases to make it a happy one for your and your dog.