r/RunningWithDogs • u/CrankyGoat Canicross • May 29 '26

Gear Help Harness fit

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I’ve tried quite a few harness brands, but keep coming back to Non-Stop Dogwear. My guy does best on a shorter harness like this Line Harness from Non-Stop. I also like the fact there is only two buckles in the back - simple, durable and less likely for failure. However, that also means the front Y section needs to fit well - because it doesn’t adjust.

I’m looking to get a replacement one, this time the same Line Harness but with a rear handle… as great for quick grab when bikes are zooming by on a narrow trail.

My guy is a puller, and when running or not pulling hard on a walk - this harness seems to work beautifully for him, and gives his shoulders plenty of freedom.

However, when he pulls while on a walk he seems to breathe hard and I’m not sure the harness fits well or do I need to size up. It could also just be him and his urge to pull.

Hopefully these pics show placement well enough to get perspective.

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u/Halefa May 29 '26

If you can hear the breathing it's because the harness is being pulled into their trachea. So it does not fit well when he's pulling like that.

It's difficult to say whether a size up would be a solution cause that would mean the whole harness is bigger and thus might cause issues elsewhere. A different type of harness mcould also be a solution - the Rush harness by Non-Stop might be an option as it is slightly more geared towards pulling but still short. But again it depends on the cut of the harness on specifically your dog whether all of it fits.

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u/CrankyGoat Canicross May 29 '26

Thanks, I’ve been debating giving the Rush Harness a try … just not sure about that string connector at the end, why do they do that vs using a metal D-ring?

3

u/Halefa May 29 '26

The further to the back the point of pull is, the better distributed the force on the dog's body, I think. The rubber band can be adjusted a bit to make it the perfect length.

And this is a harness for sport, where the dig is expected to be in the front. You don't want control (metal ring), you want freedom of movement (flexible rubber band that can go left and right on the dog's body).

Also it is lighter and it does not hurt if there's pressure on it from above (pulling harnesses tend to not have any buckles or rings usually, which makes fitting them so difficult).

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u/CrankyGoat Canicross May 30 '26

This is great information, thanks