The best Dog harnesses & leashes: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Emphasis on the dog comment. My dog sits in the front passenger seat. About a year ago, I was almost in a collision thanks to an incident where someone ran a red light and I had to swerve and stop suddenly to avoid them. My seatbelt kept me secure but my poor dog smacked his face on the glove compartment pretty hard. Now I secure him with a seatbelt at all times. Here is the link to the one I purchased — it’s also quite useful w/ regard to preventing the dog from jumping out the window.

I use a puppy seatbelt. It’s a super short leash (dog seatbelt) that clips to the dog harness (NOT collar). And then the car’s seatbelt loops through the short leash. It keeps the pup safe and off your lap.

Vastar 2 Packs Adjustable Pet Dog Cat Car Seat Belt Safety Leads Vehicle Seatbelt Harness, Made from Nylon Fabric https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014W40TSW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.NhACbA0HZJV2

https://www.amazon.com/Vastar-Adjustable-Vehicle-Seatbelt-Harness/dp/B014W40TSW

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Cheap and easy to use, can clip into dogs harness (or collar, but harness for car rides is safer). No more puppers out the window, and can save your dog's life in a crash.

My dog is secured in the car using a seatbelt tether that hooks to her harness. It’s kept her from flying off the seat on a couple of occasions when I’ve had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting idiot drivers. seatbelt tether

Here is an example.

As the dog pulls away, it turns them to the side. Only way my stubborn old lab has ever walked on a leash without trying to tear my arm off.

are you using a normal collar/leash? my labradoodle pulled like he wanted to choke himself until I got a harness that attaches from the front. when he pulls it tightens on his front shoulders and pulls his legs together, preventing him from pulling. I also give him lots of small treats, keeping my arm tucked to my side so he has to be right beside me to get them and is rewarded for being close to and listening to me.

as far as comments goes, it sounds like a majority of the comments you are getting are somewhat sexist since your S/O isn't receiving those same remarks. I would just remind them he's still a puppy in training and focus on training your pup. that's definitely frustrating, having to listen to people make the same comments over and over again though.

Strongly recommend getting these off amazon. I have 2 for my dogs. I attach them to their harnesses that they wear whenever we go for car rides. People think it will never happen to them but all it takes is one time. My wife was skeptical but I told her, with how much we love our dogs, how devastated we would be if something were to happen to them that we could prevent

Like others have said, safety is key. If you can’t crate him, they make harnesses that clip right into the seatbelt, like this.

Also, since you’re crossing states and the border, make sure you have his most recent shot records and a health certificate from your vet.

oh, he is so cute!!! I let mine sit up front in my lap when he was tiny and now he always tries to sit up front, even though he is way too big.

There is a great little seat belt for dogs that clips onto their harness and into the seat belt itself. Great for car rides and gives them enough room to stick their head out the window.

Body harness. You usually see them for small dogs, but they have them for all sizes - think what you see for sled dogs. You can thread a normal seatbelt through the center portion and if an accident occurs they are supported by the chest straps instead of just their necks.

This is the cheap one the shelter told us to get. They recommend cheap ones so ppl buy them as opposed to having nothing. I strongly recommend you search for a crash tested seatbelt as we are now going to do.

COOYOO Dog Seat Belt,2 Packs Retractable Dog Car Seatbelts Adjustable Pet Seat Belt for Vehicle Nylon Pet Safety Seat Belts Heavy Duty & Elastic & Durable Car Harness for Dogs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X836SW9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_AA6ZKAHCKVR8E3RKC9W8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Based on the Amazon photos, the harness is on upside down. the long part should be on his chest.

https://www.amazon.com/Rabbitgoo-Harness-Adjustable-Reflective-Material/dp/B01M8JT6FT?th=1

ICEFANG Large Dog Tactical... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078N3JYW1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

OneTigris Military Adjustable Dog... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XYRY9QP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078N3JYW1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_g6QTFb0B2FWD1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Cheapo vest for the pupper, no worries though she is not much of an operator. She is only good at causing trouble and getting belly rubs.

I’m sorry to hear about your accident, it must have been scary! Glad you’re okay though!

My family invested in a seat belt for our boxer puppy. We put him in his harness and then clip the belt hook to it on the metal ring on his back and snap in the belt holder in my mom’s truck. He doesn’t go anywhere on the seat and it’s very durable. I recommend it to any of you guys.

Here is the seat belt my family uses for him, it can be ordered on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014W40TSW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Three things:

1. I'd recommend, once she gets settled in in a few weeks, to take her to a basic manners class. This is a great way for her to socialize with other dogs, learn how to remain calm in a distracting environment, and have a trainer see things you may not see that would help you when you're in public with your dog. Plus, it's just fun AND it's great relationship building between you and your new dog.
2. Maybe consider a harness. For a dog of that size, a harness gives you more control over your dog, and it's more difficult for them to try to 'twist' out of. I use an easy walk harness, which has a martingale loop on it. The front clip also makes it easier for you to direct your dog, and 'steer' them. My trainer recommended it when my puppy was starting to get too excited on walks with other dogs and doing the 'twisting' act -- it's helped a lot, and it's also less stress on their neck (I was constantly pulling on him in situations like this).
3. Keep treats in your pocket! I treat my dog for being good in public (when we enter a store, 'sit' so he gets attention on me) -- and then also treat him when he's starting to get distracted and redirects attention back to me (via a sit). Of course, there are times where the excitement is heightened and this doesn't work, but it's a work in progress and good practice to start this. Your trainer can help you with other methods, but in the meanwhile this may be a good place to start. Teaching my dog 'leave it' also really helped with this.

It can be flustering to have your dog act like that in public/have everyone watching, but sounds like you're seeking the right type of help and are committed to your new gal. Have fun and best of luck, she's a cutie!

I use these.

But you need to use a harness. If you have it on your dogs neck collar and there is a collision or a sudden stop you’ll break your dogs neck.

It’s from Amazon, not sure if we can post links but here it is! 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 Dogs, Black, L https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8JT6FT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_49P4B6JSZQX58633ACX3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is it. Have had it for a year. It's been good. Have to adjust every so often.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8JT6FT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_HH2AC9K9R4MFC7G4K2DC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Consider a seatbelt that clips to the harness. In the event of an accident, the sweet little chi becomes a projectile. My chi has something like this. Buckles in to the seatbelt then clips like a leash.

I have this one. We used a small one when she was a puppy, now she is 9 months and 35 lbs so we have a medium one as well.

Here is a picture of her wearing the medium one.

A choke collar is just about the worst thing you could do to this dog. They are cruel and only cause more issues. Get a harness that allows you to clip the leash at his chest so that, when he does pull, it will naturally turn his body toward you, which stops the pulling. Here's one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8JT6FT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_97L7Fb2GRW5YX

I grabbed a harness off of amazon, gets the job done!

https://www.amazon.com/ICEFANG-Tactical-Harness-Military-CB-Molle/dp/B078N3JYW1/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=dog+tactical+harness&qid=1606687329&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzT1VPOTZIS0xPRTVUJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDMwNTg1M1AxR1I2MElEWUZDVSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODMzOTUzMTZXNFBERktWTlNXNCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

We use the Puppia mesh harness. The pups seem to like it. It slips over the head. Puppia Soft Dog Harness, Red, Small https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013N183G/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_88Slub0RSSG8C They have a size chart on the puppia website but I ordered from Amazon.

My 8 month old lab mix does the same thing!!!! It’s absolutely terrifying. Like, heart dropping, life ending terrifying.

We got him the easy walk harness and it is a game changer! Not only can he not escape but he doesn’t pull anymore on walks! Here it is on Amazon!

I have this one off of Amazon and really like it. It has both front and back clips for the leash.

The term that’s usually used for this behavior is “reactivity” and can stem from frustration (I really want to go see that dog and you won’t let me!) or fear/anxiety (Keep that dog away from me!)

Regardless of the reason, you should start counter-condition training. I’d recommend googling “Karen Pryor method for reactive dogs” and/or buying and reading this pamphlet on reactivity.

You’re on the right track with the high value treats, but if you’re so close to the trigger that your dog can’t focus on you, that’s too close. Sometimes you can’t avoid it (like when someone is going to unavoidably pass you on a walk) but to do this training you might have to create controlled scenarios.

For example, you might go sit outside a dog park where your dog can see the other dogs from a distance, but can still focus on you. Then you start building up positive associations with the trigger. Look at the dogs, look at me, treat. Over and over and over. Get a little closer. Do it again. It will likely take months.

Our older dog (now 5, adopted at 3) had fairly severe leash reactivity to everything that moved—people, bicyclists, cars—it’s an exhausting problem, but using this training she’s probably 80-90% improved. Now she ignores cars and as long as we have 8-10 feet of distance between us and other people, we can pass by peacefully (we do not allow people to approach or pet her).

There is a sub for reactive dogs that is also a great resource! Good luck, let me know if you have any questions and I’ll try to answer.

Try a front leading no-pull harness to discourage him from pulling on walks. It's humane and painless, not like a choke chain or some other horrible thing. It just make it difficult for him to pull and redirects him around to face you instead. We've had quite a lot of success with this one Also, you can try stopping every time he pulls and only continuing to walk once he stops, thus showing him that pulling and lunging will not get him what he wants. Be warned, this can be quite slow and frustrating (for both you and the dog!) at first, you may spend 5 minutes moving a few steps down the street, but if he's smart he should catch on quickly.

I took my dog to a class specifically for dog reactive dogs, which helped. So first I would see if this is offered near you. The premise of the class came from a book entitled Feisty Fidos - here is a link http://www.amazon.com/Feisty-Fido-Help-Leash-Reactive-Dog/dp/1891767070/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444853965&sr=8-1&keywords=fiesty+fidos The book is helpful, but if you can find a class you get to actually practive with trainers there and other dogs around so that is the very best option. However, research the training techniques and avoid a reactive class that relies on pinch collars or other aversive techniques.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Harness-Large-BLACK-SILVER/dp/B0009ZBKG4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=front+hook+dog+harness&qid=1669436602&sr=8-3 was a total game changer! Definitely recommend trying one out!