Best Harness for Dogs That Pull (UK): A Trainer’s Honest Picks and What to Avoid

• Ruffwear Front Range: the popular all-rounder, with chest and back clips (read the caveat below). Check today’s price.
• Truelove at That Dog: a front-clip option. Check the model before you buy, and check today’s price.

Pair any harness with a double-ended lead, plus a treat pouch and clicker and a 10m long line for training.

Two clips, front and back

A chest clip turns your dog towards you when they pull, and a back clip is for calm walking. Ruffwear describes its Front Range this way: a back V-ring for everyday walks and a reinforced chest clip “to redirect dogs that pull on leash”. Dogs Trust recommends a Y-shaped, fixed harness with front and back attachment points.

Clear of the shoulders, padded and visible

Dogs Trust says to avoid harnesses that cross directly in front of the shoulders, as they prevent natural movement. In my view, also look for chest padding, several adjustment points and reflective trim, because in winter many evening walks are in the dark.

What the research says

• Front-connection harnesses reduced pulling. A 2024 PeerJ study by Johnson and Wynne walked 23 dogs on four types of equipment. Dogs pulled significantly less on a front-connection harness than on a martingale collar. They licked their lips more on the harness, but the authors found no clear evidence of poorer welfare and said the findings may not generalise. It was one harness model and 5-minute walks.
• Collars put pressure on the neck. A 2022 Veterinary Record review says every collar tested on a simulated neck created pressure above the level that damages human tissue. A plastic model isn’t a real dog, so it’s a warning, not proof.
• Harness design matters. A small study of 30 dogs in a UK undergraduate journal (Dowdeswell and Churchill, 2024) compared six harness types with a collar. Every harness reduced shoulder extension. The front-clip harness, the Ruffwear Front Range, reduced all four shoulder and elbow measures. The authors said it had the largest impact overall, and called it unsuitable. They named the Julius K9 straight-front and the Halti Y-front as their preferred options, with the straight-front having the least impact, and said owners should pick for their own dog. Dogs Trust, though, says to avoid harnesses that cross the front of the shoulders. The experts don’t agree, and this is early research.

Ruffwear Front Range: the popular all-rounder, with a caveat

Ruffwear lists foam padding, four adjustment points, a back V-ring, a reinforced chest clip, reflective trim and a light loop. The caveat is the study above: its authors found this harness limited shoulder and elbow movement more than the other five. It was a small study, but if you buy one, check your dog’s stride, and talk to your vet if your dog is stiff or sore. Ruffwear Front Range on Amazon (check today’s price).

Truelove: a front-clip option

The link opens That Dog’s shop, the official UK distributor for Truelove, not one product page. Its site mentions a front clip, four adjustment points and reflective material, without saying which model has what, so check before you buy. I’ve not seen it in a gait study, so check the fit. Browse Truelove at That Dog (check today’s price).

Worth a look if those don’t fit (no links)

• Perfect Fit. A UK-made modular harness in three pieces with a Y-shaped front and up to five adjustment points.
• Blue-9 Balance. Six points of adjustment, front and back rings.

The lead matters as much as the harness

Dogs Trust recommends a flat, fixed-length clip lead, because flexi and bungee leads give extra length when your dog pulls. A double-ended lead lets you use both clips. For recall practice in open space, a 10m long line is what you want, and my guide to dog recall training with a long line shows how to use it.

• Harnesses that tighten as your dog pulls. Dogs Trust warns that ‘no pull’ products often cause pain or discomfort. The study authors describe the no-pull harness they tested, a Halti (not the Y-front), as tightening under the armpit and causing slight discomfort. I’d skip it.
• Choke chains, prong and pinch collars. PDSA says not to use anything painful or restrictive, such as a choke collar. The 2022 review says aversive equipment can cause pain, distress and injury.
• Shock collars. They’ve been banned in Wales since 2010. A ban in England was planned for 2024 but never came in, so they’re still legal here. The BVA recommends against them for dog training, and I don’t use them.
• Extending leads. Dogs Trust says they confuse lead training.
• Headcollars as a quick fix. Blue Cross says they can help very strong or reactive dogs if introduced slowly and clipped alongside a collar or harness, but should never be a long-term fix.

Measure the chest

With your dog standing square, measure around the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs, twice. Check it against that brand’s size chart, because sizes differ. If a fully grown dog is between two Ruffwear sizes, Ruffwear recommends the larger one (via FitMyPet).

The 2-minute fit check

Dogs Trust says you should be able to fit a finger between the strapping and your dog’s body, the harness shouldn’t shift while they walk, and your dog shouldn’t be able to slip out. Blue-9’s fitting guide says the girth strap should sit round the ribcage, because one too far forward can chafe the armpits. Then watch your dog walk, sit and lie down. If they look restricted, try another design.

Introduce it with treats

Dogs Trust suggests leaving the harness on the floor with treats, feeding treats through the head-hole, and going slowly. If your dog retreats, go back a stage.

Keep the collar and tag on

To comply with the law, Dogs Trust says your dog must wear a collar with an ID tag in public, even in a harness.

No. A harness makes pulling less risky, but training teaches your dog to walk nicely. Dogs Trust says equipment should support your training and isn’t a solution to unwanted behaviour. My step-by-step guide to stopping pulling on the lead is the plan to follow. A study cited in the 2022 review found 79% of owners of 9-month-old dogs reported pulling, so you’re not alone.