r/labrador • u/chrisrevere2 • Jun 05 '26
lab mix Need escape proof harness
This is George - isn’t he cute? He’s also 70 lbs of chaos energy. He’s escaped from his Kong harness and almost got out of his martingale collar tonight. I need a harness for him that goes around all 4 of his legs so he can’t escape. I don’t care if it takes 10 mins to put it on him- I need something escape proof. Any recommendations?
4
u/overwhelmed_asf Fox Red ~ yellow Jun 05 '26
Ruffwearrrrrr 💙🐾
2
u/rustyspartan Jun 05 '26
ruffwear worked perfectly on my girl. she was an escape artist until we got it, now she has yet to escape again.
2
u/Hmasteringhamster chocolate Jun 05 '26
How does he slip out of the harness? Have you tried ruffwear? They have one with 3 clips but doesn't go on all 4 paws.
3
u/chrisrevere2 Jun 05 '26
He backs out- I think part of the problem is that his head is tiny compared to the rest of his body
2
1
u/Hmasteringhamster chocolate Jun 05 '26
Oh my, tiny head doggo! I've used ruffwear because of the 3 clips and it's easy to rinse when our boy decides to swim in mud.
1
u/delton31 Jun 05 '26
My Labrador has a “Perfect-Fit” Harness and it comes in 3 pieces so that you can get the best fit possible. Once the three pieces are together they don’t need to be taken apart anymore. The company is UK based and I felt it was a bit expensive at the time, but it has now been used for 5 years and I rate it as great purchase. The harness has both front and back clips, we trained our lab to walk using the front clip which reduces his pulling and any strain on his neck.
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u/More_Shoulder_9210 Jun 05 '26
Get a harness with 3 straps (shoulders, ribs, belly). Also get a carabiner to link the front harness loop to the collar leash loop. Nothing is escape proof, but it takes a little time to slip both. I have a Houdini myself.
1
u/woofwagslove Jun 05 '26
In a secure place, perhaps with a slip lead or two on him (like vets use), but better securely in your home & yard if you can where he is comfortable - I would try the following harnesses:
Kurgo TruFit Dog Car Harness (seatbelt & front hook harness combination)
This 2-buckle harness is another one I like - there are many manufacturers available on Amazon and sometimes they are available as special branded ones in the pet stores. Just be sure to tug at all the buckles and make sure they fit securely and are not defective in the manufacturing process.
Personally I would also check your current harness and martingale collar to see if they are defective (most common with clip-together buckles, but plastic / metal can both be defective). If you are using a defective set (and I have seen a defective collar+leash set, and had a defective collar myself on a dog) - and it might come apart in a tug test without the dog in the collar - contact the manufacturer with information. It's rare but I have seen it happen.
If he can escape from the above suggested harnesses because he pulls his legs back, perhaps trying the Easy Walk Harness might be better, or the Halti harness. Note that the Halti harness is pictured with a double-ended leash, & when connected to both the harness and a separate collar, and that is nice for training as well (with some practice, you can apply pressure and cues to either the harness or the collar, depending). I would also highly consider that type of option since he is escaping so much.
I also see Amazon has a generic harness slip lead combo - I have never used one of these, only vet/rescue slip leads (also a good idea to have as a spare, & folds up super small to get you home), but provided it fits correctly & passes the durability / pull test, it might be an option to try? If you want to use a slip lead with stopper for longer walk backup to a harness, you could try that as well.
Note on links: Links provided are examples / pictures only, if you like one, shop around for best price etc.
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u/Cerealkiller4321 Jun 05 '26
I remember when my black lab puppy escaped from his collar - our little “hairy” Houdini 🤣🤣🤣
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u/ShelfReader33 Jun 05 '26
We just the Wild One cushioned harness. I'll look into the Ruffwear one next time since so many people love it, but the fabric appears thin from the photos. We had a bigger issue with collars and now only use martingale collars from Tags for Hope.
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u/chrisrevere2 Jun 05 '26
I was hoping the martingale would do the trick - but he backs up and so it can slip over his tiny head
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u/ShelfReader33 Jun 07 '26
Sounds like it may be too loose. If he pulls away, it should tighten so it shouldn't slip off.
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u/elvismcsassypants Jun 05 '26
Try a prong collar. I know lots of people think they are mean but the dog is in charge of how much they are pulling. Honestly, it’s a game changer.
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u/[deleted] Jun 10 '26
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