Every expert we spoke with agreed that walking your dog with a harness is safer than leading them by the collar. A harness gives you better control on walks and takes pressure off the neck if, say, your dog lunges after a squirrel. (In extreme cases, a dog pulling against a collar can cause tracheal collapse.) After three years of testing, we still believe the Pawyu Dog Walking Harness is the best harness for most dogs (and their owners). Its buckles and straps are long-lasting, and it has both front and back attachment points, for greater versatility. It’s also easy to put on and available in a variety of sizes, and it comes with a great warranty.
The Pawyu Dog Walking Harness stands out in part because it has a vest shape that won’t constrict a dog’s neck like a traditional harness would when, for example, someone tugs on the leash to get their dog’s attention away from a dashing rabbit or an enticing scent. And this harness is made of tough, durable materials that will not easily pill or tear against sharp dog nails or fray from normal pulling and play. Its dual attachment points on the back and lower chest allow owners greater control over their dogs while on walks.
The harness fits dogs with chests measuring 12 to 44 inches or weighing from 5 to 110 pounds. That is a wide range of sizes, but it does not account for all pets.
Both our tiniest and our largest testers could not comfortably wear this harness, so we recommend our other picks if your pup is a size outlier. And the Pawyu has a lifetime warranty, but it is against material defects only, and there is a small fee to replace it if your dog chews through a strap.