What is The Best Dog Harnesses for Small Dogs?

Dog harnesses, although useful for all sizes of dog, really show their usefulness with smaller dogs.

Smaller dogs can often slip through leashes, plus tugging on a leash with a small dog can result in the dog accidentally getting hurt. Because of these concerns, it is better to use dog harnesses for small dogs as opposed to leashes.

In this article, we will review various dog harnesses and give you our opinion on them. We are also going to walk you through the process of buying a dog harness in our buying guide. For those in a rush, we recommend buying the best harness, which is the PetLove Dog Harness.

 

A Spotlight On Some of The Best Dog Harnesses For Small Dogs

 

Dog Harness Reviews:

Best Pet Supplies Voyager Soft Harness for Pets – No Pull Vest

The first dog harness on our list is the Best Pet Supplies Voyager Soft Harness for Pets – No Pull Vest. In this review, we will be looking at the small size, but those of you reading this should know that it comes in a wide variety of sizes.

While the small and extra-small are the most relevant sizes, it also comes in medium, large, and extra-large for those who may want one for their larger dog. It also comes in fourteen different color schemes, ranging from pink to black and everything in-between. So, if you are the type who cares about what your dog is wearing, or if you want to color code for different sized dogs.

This harness does a number of very useful things. First off, it is made using very soft fabric. As you can see from the picture, it looks almost frilly in appearance. The fabric is incredibly comfortable for your dog. It doesn’t chafe or provide any sort of discomfort.

The softness is good for a couple of reasons. First off, it makes your dog more comfortable. Secondly, it enables you to take your dog on longer walks because they can wear the harness for a lot longer.

If you live in a cold area, then this is an especially great choice because of the way that the harness is made. The harness is made to help keep heat in and to keep cold air out (it is one of the reasons it is made using such soft, thick fabric).

For smaller dogs, you have to be careful in cold weather because they don’t have the same amount of fur to keep themselves warm, this harness helps to keep smaller dogs nice and warm, even during the coldest months.

The harness is very easy to use and to maintain. You can easily slip this on your dog and you don’t have to fiddle with annoying straps and Velcro. Likewise, when it comes time to wash the harness, you just have to throw it in the wash with cold water and then let it dry, the whole process is very easy.

This is definitely a great harness and a worthy first entry on our dog harnesses for small dogs article.

Pros:
Very soft and comfortable for your dog.
Keeps your dog warm during the cold months.
Comes in a wide variety of colors.
Very easy to clean.
Easy to put on your dog.

Cons:
Has to be washed on its own or it will stain.
The extra small size is still a bit too big for certain breeds.

PAWABOO Dog Safety Vest Harness

The next of the dog harnesses for small dogs that we want to draw your attention to is the PAWABOO Dog Safety Vest Harness. This is a more traditional looking harness, so right off the bat, it is a good option for those who thought that the previous harness that we reviewed was a bit too much like clothing, which some dogs absolutely hate.

This one also comes in a variety of colors and patterns, so if you have multiple dogs, you can still buy each one a unique color to keep track of which harness is meant for which dog.

All right, now that we have finished with the introduction to this product, we can move onto covering the actual harness itself and explaining what makes it so good. Firstly, and most importantly, it uses great materials. The PAWABOO Dog Safety Vest Harness uses a mixture of two materials.

On the outside, it uses oxford fabric. Oxford fabric is very breathable, durable, and lightweight. It makes the harness capable of taking some punishment and still remaining usable. On the inside (the part that touches your dog’s skin) it uses very soft, comfortable mesh. The mesh is also very breathable, ensuring that your dog doesn’t overheat during the summer.

The same quality shown in the making of the harness is also evident in the hook used to attach a leash to the harness. The hook is made from high-quality stainless-steel and it is designed to not come undone under any circumstances. So, no matter how much your rowdy dog may pull on it, you can rest easy knowing that the harness will remain secure.

A somewhat unique aspect of this harness is the ability to also act as a seatbelt. From time-to-time, you are going to have to transport your dog by car to places like the vet or the park. With the PAWABOO harness, you can hook up the harness to a car seat, and it will keep your dog safe and in place. This is a whole lot easier than struggling with a giant crate.

Pros:
Uses high-quality materials.
Is comfortable and breathable.
Very durable.
Can be hooked up to car seat.
Lots of color options to choose from.

Cons:
Bit stiff at first, needs to be worked in a bit.
Could use more precise size options.

The Original EcoBark Control Dog Harness

Do you care about using products from sustainable ingredients? Do you want a high-quality harness for your small dog?

Do you want a product with a ton of different choices and options? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then you are going to want to seriously consider the next option on our dog harnesses for small dogs list. It has a ton of great aspects to it and we think that most any dog owner will be satisfied with it.

First off, it has a ton of options to choose from, which we mentioned in the introduction. There are six different sizes to choose from, and while this list is geared towards smaller dogs, we should mention that you can get this harness is a medium, large, extra-large, and extra-extra-large in addition to small and extra-small.

It also has a wide variety of color options and patterns to choose from. There are a grand total of 10 different patterns and colors to pick from, so you get quite a bit of choice in that respect.

We also mentioned in the introduction that this harness is eco-friendly, the name of the product also indicates this, but what does it mean? Well, The Original EcoBark Control Dog Harness is made using 100% recycled ingredients.

So, if you care about making small, environmentally friendly choices in your life, then you can buy this knowing it wasn’t made using wasteful ingredients. We should also mention that it doesn’t impact the quality of the harness at all, it is definitely on par with other entries on our dog harnesses for small dogs article.

The actual construction and performance of this harness are what you would want in a high-quality dog harness. It is made using double-mesh. This provides breathability and durability. The mesh allows air to flow freely. While the double layer provides the durability. It is also designed to ensure that there is never any choking if your dog starts pulling.

Pros:
Made using eco-friendly ingredients.
Ten different color and pattern options.
Comes in plenty of different sizes, including small and extra-small.
Sturdy double mesh construction.

Con:
Buckle could afford to be a bit sturdier.

PetLove Dog Harness

You will want to pay special attention to this next entry because it is, at least in our opinion, the overall best entry on our dog harnesses for small dogs article. The PetLove Dog Harness is an absolutely amazing product that all dog owners will love, but those who own really small dogs will especially love this product.

The first great thing about the PetLove Dog Harness that we have to mention is the great variety of sizes that this harness comes with. Typically, you expect harnesses to cover all the normal sizes, including small, medium, large, etc.

The PetLove Dog Harness goes above and beyond that. It not only includes extra-small (which a surprising amount of dog harnesses overlook), but it also includes XXSmall and XXXSmall.

So, no matter what breed or size your dog is, you can find a harness that fits them. The great variety of sizes is just one reason why this is such an amazing dog harness and our pick for the overall best harness.

The design of the harness is equally great. It is really soft in the chest and neck area due to the presence of really soft sponge padding.

This ensures that your dog is always comfortable and that if you need to pull on the harness, that it won’t constrict their chest or neck area. The interior is made of breathable mesh. The whole harness is also very durable.

One thing that really sets this harness apart from so many others is the very important safety features that they have included, namely, reflective material. This material makes your dog more visible at night time.

While the chances of your dog slipping away from you are minimal, it never hurts to have an added layer of safety at night. It also makes you much safer on night walks.
Finally, we should mention that the harness is very easy to put on your dog and very easy to adjust once its on. You don’t have to struggle to make this snug fitting on your dog.

Pros:
Reflective material makes night walks safer.
Padding in chest and neck area makes your dog more comfortable.
Interior is made with breathable mesh.
Lots of different size options.
Very easy to put on your dog.
Highly adjustable.

Con:
A bit pricier than many other harnesses.

Comfort Fit Metric USA Small Dog Harness Vest

If you are looking for a very compact, hassle-free dog harness that still keeps your dog safe and secure then you are going to like the Comfort Fit Metric USA Small Dog Harness Vest. It does all that we just described and much more.

First off, you get six different colors to choose from. Secondly, in terms of sizes, the harness is clearly geared towards smaller dogs, which is a part of the reason why we are including it on this article. There are four size options that you can pick from.

The biggest is medium, and it gets smaller until you reach the smallest option, XXSmall.

For this review, we are focusing primarily on the small option, but we also wanted to let those of you with smaller dogs know that there are some other options available.

Because this is meant for smaller dogs the harness aims to address an issue that primarily plagues small dog owners, which is escape artist dogs. You know those dogs that just always seem to slip away from their leash or get away from you somehow? Well, this harness is designed specifically to stop that sort of thing from happening and it does a really good job of it.

The primary method it uses is two very strong rings that attach to your leash. The extra security it provides will keep your dog safe and give you peace of mind. Outside of that, it just fits snugly and securely.

The only downsides to this harness are that it doesn’t really offer any sort of breathability from what we can see. It doesn’t use mesh or another breathable material, so it might get a bit hot during the summer.

Secondly, the harness doesn’t really let you adjust it once it is actually on the dog, which is a bit disappointing. Still, given the peace of mind it offers and the various sizing options, this is still a very good dog harness.

Pros:
Fits snugly on your dog.
Various sizing options for smaller dogs.
Different color options.
Features that will prevent your dog from slipping out.

Cons:
Not very breathable.
Not much in the way of adjustability.

RABBITGOO Dog Harness No-Pull Pet Harness

Our second last dog harness that we want to highlight is the absolutely great RABBITGOO Dog Harness No-Pull Pet Harness. How great is this harness exactly? Well, had we not picked the PetLove Dog Harness as our choice for best overall dog harness, then we probably would have picked this one as it has a ton of great features.

The first feature that we want to highlight is the two different leash attachment points. Not only can you attach a leash at the back, for normal walks, but you can also attach a leash on the front, which makes training easier.

The design of the harness is also top-notch. It features plenty of adequate padding in the chest area, which helps to keep your dog comfortable and prevent any discomfort or choking, which can happen if they start pulling (something which puppies are especially liable to do).

Much like the PetLove Dog Harness, the RABBITGOO Dog Harness No-Pull Pet Harness also has several safety mechanisms designed to prevent your dog from slipping out, it also has reflective strips to make night walks safer.

The harness is very easy to slip on and off the dog thanks to the presence of buckles on the sides. It is also very easy to adjust when it is on your dog.

Pros:
Soft mesh interior.
Padded chest area.
Safety mechanisms prevent dog from slipping out of harness.
Reflective strips make night walking safer.
Easy to put on and adjust.
Two different leash attachment points.

Con:
Doesn’t completely prevent pulling.

RUFFWEAR – Web Master Secure, Reflective, Multi-Use Harness for Dogs

This is the last harness that we are looking at on our dog harnesses for small dogs list and trust us, it is definitely deserving of a spot on this list.

If you truly want peace of mind when walking your dog, then this is the harness for you. It has multiple under-belly straps that are designed specifically to keep your dog safe and secure in the harness.

If you are buying a harness for a puppy or a very small dog, then you will be glad to know that the harness actually comes with a handle on the top, which makes carrying your dog around for short periods easy.

It also comes with very important safety features, including reflective lights to increase visibility at night and in the early morning.

Finally, we should mention how well-padded this harness is. The padding along the chest keeps your dog comfortable and safe during long walking sessions.

Pros:
Has more straps to keep your dog secure in the harness.
Reflective strips make walking during low-light conditions safer.
Lots of padding.
Has a handle on top for moving small dogs and puppies.

Con:
Very pricey.

Buying Guide

We hope that you enjoyed our dog harnesses for small dogs list, now we plan to move onto the second part of this article, which is our buying guide. In this buying guide, we are going to do two things.

Firstly, we are going to explain why to go for a harness over a traditional leash, specifically with small dogs. Secondly, we are going to explain some of the things to keep an eye out for when shopping for a harness.

Why A Harness Is Better Than A Leash

There are a couple of reasons why dog owners, especially those who own small dogs, should go for a harness over a regular leash. Firstly, a harness is far more secure than a leash.

The thing with leashes is that they only have one thing keeping your dog from running, which is the collar around the neck. This collar is liable to snap at any moment, plus you also run the risk of it not being tight enough and slipping over your dog’s head.

If you have a small dog, then you know that this is a real threat that you have to be aware of, as smaller dogs are far more liable to slipping out of their leash. A harness has multiple ways of keeping a dog in place, so you can worry less.

Secondly, leashes can choke your dog if they start pulling because the only area that pressure is applied with a leash is right around the neck.

Harnesses more evenly distribute the pressure, enabling you to keep a hold of your dog without choking them. Also, if your dog starts pulling, they won’t choke themselves.

What To Look For In A Harness

Comfort

Obviously, you want your dog to be comfortable while walking in the harness. There are a couple of things to keep an eye out for that indicate the comfort level of a harness.

First off, look for harnesses that have a lot of padding in the chest area. Harnesses that have more padding in the chest area are more comfortable for the dog.

Likewise, look for harnesses that use mesh on the interior of the harness. Mesh is a soft and breathable material that will prevent the dog from overheating in the warmer months.

Easy To Put On

You also want a harness that is very easy to put on and to adjust. There are a few reasons for this.

First off, when your dog sees the harness, they will likely go crazy because they know its time for a walk, trying to struggle with a bunch of buckles and straps while your dog is excited is not fun.

So, having a harness that can just slip on and off is very useful. Secondly, being able to easily adjust a harness is just very useful.

Safety

Finally, we recommend getting a harness with safety features like extra-strong straps and reflective strips to increase visibility at night.

You may never need them, but as the old saying goes, better to be safe than sorry.

Conclusion

This is all we have to say on the topic of dog harnesses for small dogs. However, we want to encourage you to contribute your own thoughts on the matter.

You can do that by leaving a comment, we look forward to reading what you have to contribute.