3 Best Harnesses For Golden Retrievers

Hey there and welcome back to another video. I am Alex and this is Nala here with Golden Hearts. And today we are talking all about harnesses. And make sure that you stay till the end because we're gonna talk about how to know what size of a harness your golden should be wearing and also how to get them to love wearing the harness. So whether your dog is pretty chill and just wants to go on like a leisurely walk or if you have a puppy or an adult dog that's like go, go, go and has a lot of energy, you're gonna be able to find the right harness based off this video. This video is gonna help you determine what harness is gonna be best for your dog and their personality. So first let's talk about some ways that a harness may be more beneficial compared to just using a collar. So a harness is a really great way to take that pressure off of their neck compared to a collar if they're pulling. And this can be a problem for a lot of different reasons. And one of those being it can actually damage the internal structure of your dog's neck. So a harness can be really great in that way because it takes the pressure off their neck, just making everything much more safe. We're gonna get into different styles of some harnesses that I have here that I'm gonna show you. But another great reason why a harness can be beneficial is that it really does discourage pulling. And there is a style that actually clips on the front compared to the back. That's a really effective way to get your dog not to pull. And having a harness can really help aid in the whole training process to get that nice, loose leash is what we want. And then another reason why a harness can be a great thing is that it makes outdoor adventures much easier. Harnesses usually have some kind of handle or place for you to grab a lot easier than just grabbing a collar. So if you're hiking, for instance, and you wanna help your dog along, some rocks or whatever it may be, you can easily grab your dog and help to assist them. Or if you're swimming and you need to grab your dog and bring them back to shore, a harness is a really, really great thing to have. Let's walk through a few harnesses and then you can decide which one is gonna be best for your Golden. As you may know, Golden Retrievers are prone to joint issues and a lot of harnesses are designed to cut across the shoulder. So while this might discourage pulling, it might not actually be good for your Golden because this tends to restrict their movement and put pressure on their joints. So each of the harnesses that we're talking about today are designed so that their shoulders and elbows will not be restricted. First up is the Urban Trail Adjustable Harness by Alpine Outfitters. So this is a really nice, high-quality, durable harness made for active dogs, but it also can be really nice for a neighborhood walk as well. The design allows the neck and the girth straps to be adjusted for a really nice fit. Another nice quality about this one is that it's padded with some fleece, so it's really comfortable and doesn't rub or chafe. This one isn't restrictive, so it allows for some freedom and movement so the joints are not gonna be bothered. It's really lightweight, not bulky, and it also is really easy to clean. So if your dog does pull while wearing this harness, the pressure is gonna be on their chest and not on their neck. This one has four points of connection, which is really unique. It has the traditional back clip and the front clip, but it also has the left and the right, so that can be really good if you're jogging with your dog or biking with your dog. So this design has a buckle on the neck strap so you don't have to pull it over their head, but you will have to help them lift up one front leg to help secure the harness. This one comes in a lot of different colors and it has a nice reflective strip along the neck, which is a really great feature for at nighttime. Next up is the Front Range Harness by Ruffwear. So this is a really versatile harness. It's really great for walks, but it also could be durable for more active outings as well. It's a non-restrictive harness, so it's gonna ensure great range of motion for the shoulders and for the elbows, eliminating any pressure on the neck. This harness has soft padding on the straps, but it's still light and comfortable for your dog. This one has four points of adjustment, which is really nice to get the proper fit for your Golden. This one has two connection points for the leash. So there's one on the back of the shoulders and one on the front for the chest for the dogs that tend to pull. To put the harness on, you just slip it right over their head and then buckle on each side. So this means that your dog does not have to step into this harness. This harness has a couple of cool safety features as well. So it has reflective trim, which helps your dog be visible at night. And this one comes in a ton of colors. Next is the Balance Harness by Blue9 Pet Products. And this one has six points of adjustment. So this one, you're really gonna get that nice customized fit for your Golden. Again, this one is non-restrictive. So it's gonna make sure that there's no pressure on your dog's neck and on their joints. This one has the buckle on the neck strap. So you don't have to pull this harness over your dog's head. So if your Golden Retriever is sensitive to things being slipped over their head, this is gonna be a really great harness for you. The strap that goes around the dog's ribs has a buckle on both sides. So there's no struggle getting them to step into the harness. So easy on, easy off. And then this Balance Harness does offer two points of connection, a front clip at the chest and the back clip at the shoulders. It's nice and lightweight. It's not bulky. And this can be a really great harness for training your dog not to pull on the leash. It's soft, easy to clean, made from nylon. And it's really minimalistic. So it's not gonna weigh them down or feel heavy. And like the others, this comes in a lot of different colors so you can choose this one you like the best. Okay, now you might be wondering, how do I choose what size of the harness? As you saw, each of those harnesses have multiple points of adjustment. But you still have to get the right size. So let me help you. Usually when you're looking at a harness online, they'll have some kind of size chart. So this is gonna be based on their weight, their neck size, and their chest size, also known as girth. To measure your dog, you can use a tailor's tape or even a string will work. When you're measuring your dog's neck, make sure that you're starting from the base of the neck where it's the widest. And when measuring their chest, make sure that it's the widest part of the ribcage, which is just behind their elbows. Now you have all your measurements, so then you can look at the size chart and determine which one is gonna be best for you. If your dog is in between sizes, size up. Okay, so you picked out what harness you want. You know what size. Now you have to get your dog to love the harness. It's really important to introduce the harness in a really positive way. Rather than just slipping your dog into the harness and going out for a walk, do some positive reinforcement and take your time. Just give your dog some patience and some good treats, and they'll be happy to put their harness on in no time. Ultimately, the harness is for you and your dog to actually enjoy life more together, right? So whether your golden retriever likes casual, leisurely walks in the neighborhood or likes to go on adventures with you, a non-restrictive harness is gonna be a really great thing for your golden retriever. If you felt like this video was helpful, make sure that you give it a like, and if you wanna keep up with the best golden retriever videos on YouTube, then go ahead and subscribe and hit the notification bell so that you know every single time that we post a video. Let me know in the comments below if your dog already is using a harness, and if not, maybe now you're convinced that they do need one. And if you're wondering if a golden retriever is gonna be right for you and for your family, then go ahead and click the quiz above. Now don't go anywhere. Go ahead and click on the next video for the best shampoos for your golden retriever. And remember, never take your golden retriever for granted, and always check for holes in your poop bags. All right, guys, we'll see you in the next one.