German Shepherd is one of the strongest and aggressive dog breeds in this world. Sometimes it could be very hard to control German shepherds when they become excited or anxious. German shepherds are also very hard to take on a walk with an ordinary leash as they will pull you anywhere they want to go and you need to be strong to control their direction. Even if you are really strong and you take your GS on a walk without any strong harness, you could be in serious trouble if they saw anything worth investigating.
They can break an ordinary leash when they use all their strength in case they want to follow something or they get anxious.
To keep your German shepherd in your control and not want to be pulled by your canine, you need a strong and good no-pull harness for your german shepherd.
Buying the best no-pull harness for your dog is not an easy task as there are a lot of harnesses in the market, waiting for you, claiming themselves “the best” for your german shepherd. You can buy any no-pull harness you want but there are certain aspects of a harness that have to look for in them. In this way, you will get a harness that will keep your dog in your control and safe and both of you will have a happy walk and good memories.
So choosing a good harness is important and if you want to know what are the key features of a no-pull harness you can read them here.
After reviewing dozens of harnesses, we have found the 5 best no-pull harnesses for German shepherds that will work for your dog. You can choose any one of these harnesses listed below according to your dog and your conditions.
5 Best no-pull Harness for German Shepherds
- All-Round Best – Rabbitgoo Dog Harness
- For Big and Strong Dogs – BABYLTRL Big Dog Harness
- Best for Daily use and Car travels – Kurgo Dog Harness
- Best for Tactical Training and Hiking – ICEFANG Tactical Dog Harness
- Best Budget harness – EXPAWLORER Big Dog Harness
Rabbitgoo Dog Harness – All-Round Best
Rabbitgoo no-pull dog harness is the best harness for your German Shepherd because of its engineering, design, and material. It is built with durable oxford nylon and padded with soft cushions to protect your german shepherd’s skin and blood clotting.
It is designed in a way, whenever the dog pulls all the pressure distributes evenly in his body preventing choke, blood clotting, and keeping his skin safe.
The harness is easy to put on and no hassle is needed for wearing it on and off. For a German Shepherd’s comfortability, it is built in such a way that it is very lightweight and breathable.
The harness can be adjusted according to your dog’s body shape as it comes with 4 different straps: 2 neck straps and 2 chest straps. You can adjust those straps to fit the harness on your dog’s body.
The harness has 2 leash attachments: no-pull Front Ring and Back D-Ring.
If you want to have better control of your dog you can put a leash on the Front Ring. Every Time your dog pulls, instead of moving forward, he/she has turned around. After going through this process a few times, your German shepherd will learn and stop pulling you.
Now, If your dog does not pull you and you can trust him while on walks it’s time to put a leash on Back D-Ring. It is best when you want to take your trained dog on a walk or hiking.
Overall this harness is really good for your dog to lessen his pulling and teach him/her not to pull. The harness is durable, has good material, and is easy to use, hence it is an everyday best harness for your german shepherd.
BABYLTRL Big Dog Harness – Best for Strong and Big Dogs
There are many harnesses in the market for different dog sizes but Babyltrl no-pull Harness is specially made for Big dogs having a deep and wide chest. The harness is designed keeping in mind big dogs having deep chest and strong muscles.
It is completely padded on the chest and back section. Moreover, it is breathable making your German shepherd comfortable with it and he won’t mind wearing it. It is easy to put on and off. The top handle on the harness is really strong and helpful to control your dog without a leash. The harness is durable and it lasts long as it is made with quality material and most dogs don’t like to chew it. Plus it also has reflective material that can keep your dog visible at night.
It has 2 hook attachments for the leash: Front hook and Back Hook. To control pulling you will put the leash on the front hook and when the dog does not pull a lot you can put the leash on the back hook.
Overall this harness is really good and made for big dogs like your big German shepherd. It is durable and will last longer than any of your other dog harnesses.
Kurgo Dog Harness – Best for Daily use and Car travels
If you are a dog owner who drives a lot then Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Harness is a must for you to have for your dog. This will give you a distraction-free drive and safety for your german shepherd while you are driving. The harness is specially designed to keep your dog safe while riding in the car as it is a car crash certified harness. This means if you have an unfortunate car accident your dog’s safety would not be compromised and he/she would be safe in the crash (harness is tested for dogs up to 75lbs). This harness comes with a crash-proof seat belt tether loop.
The harness is not only crash proof but its all-steel nesting Buckle System is based on the engineering of harness used by rock climbers guaranteeing its strength and durability. To adjust the harness as a custom fit harness, it has 5 adjustment points you can adjust and fit in your dog according to his/her body shape. It has padded chest plates making it safer and comfortable for your german shepherd to wear. To control pulling it has a front D-ring and for everyday walks it has a back D-Ring.
ICEFANG Tactical Dog Harness – Best for Tactical training and Hiking
ICEFANG Tactical dog harness is one of the most durable harnesses out there as it is made with military 1050D nylon, one of the strongest nylons. The harness can be used for tactical training or taking your dog on hikes or any extreme sports. The harness is escape-proof, making it impossible for your German Shepherd to get out of it on their own. Unlike an ordinary dog harness, it has metal buckles on the shoulders position, which is the maximum pressure point when your German Shepherd pulls, making it unbreakable. The stitching by brackets and the “X in Box“ pattern on every joint and load-bearing point makes it very durable.
If you want a harness that can completely fit your dog then this harness would be an option for you as it comes in 6 different sizes moreover it has 4 adjustment positions that help in a proper custom fit. To keep the skin of your German shepherd safe, it causes no rubbing or riding and it’s breathable underside webbing keeps your dog cool in summer.
The snap proof metal D-Ring on the chest of the harness is designed to control the pulling of your dog making it a no-pull harness. Back D-ring is designed for everyday walks and jogging when your dog learned no to pull.
This harness has two 1’’ stripes of Mollen, one on each side, allowing your dog to carry gears while on a walk or hike. You can fill Molles with ice blocks to keep your German Shepherd cool in summer or just attach a water bottle and food.
The harness is very strong and professional looking when put on your German Shepherd and it gets a lot of looks when you attach some gears with it. It fits well and your dog won’t feel it much after wearing it sometimes. Overall a sturdy harness and worth getting one if you want to train your dog or want a professional-looking harness.
EXPAWLORER Big Dog Harness – Best Budget Harness
EXPAWLORER dog harness is not a “No-Pull harness” as it does not have a Front D-Ring that redirects your dog’s pulling but it is designed in such a way to minimize the pulling of your dog. When a dog pulls or you pull the dog while the harness is on him/her, the pressure is evenly distributed to the body of the dog, stopping your dog as a result.
The harness does have a back D-Ring that you can use to put a leash on for walks and jogging. For more safety, a Rubber Handle is provided on top of the harness for controlling your dog before he becomes wild or gets into any trouble.
The harness is soft, made with nylon making it durable and breathable making it comfortable to wear for your German Shepherd. It is very easy to put on and off, after putting it on you can adjust the Adjustment Buckle to completely fit the harness.
The harness comes with a nighttime reflective tape, making your dog visible at night, ensuring his/her safety and position. The harness has 6 different varieties in color and 3 different sizes for your choice.
The harness is made well, it is padded and breathable making the dog comfortable. The top Rubber Handle and D-Ring are great for controlling your dog but it lacks the front D-Ring, keeping it slightly out of the “no-pull dog harness” category. Even though it lacks a front D-Ring but its design minimizes the pull of your German Shepherd. Overall, a great harness worth the price.
Everything You need to know about a Dog Harness
There are several aspects of a Dog Harness that you may need to know to get a complete understanding of why your dog needs a harness? And, how does a harness work?
Here is everything that you need to know about a harness:
What is a Dog Harness?
A dog Harness is equipment made of straps put around the trunk of a dog’s body. The harness is used to attach leashes replacing traditional neck collars.
In traditional neck collars when a dog pulls the leash, all that pressure goes on the neck of the dog resulting in choking and neck injuries. To fix that problem these days we use a dog harness, a harness distributes the pulling pressure of a dog evenly on the back and upper body whenever he/she pulls the leash, securing the neck of your dog. Moreover, a harness can be used for many different purposes such as teaching your dog not to pull the leash, controlling your dog more safely, and attaching gears to a dog harness.
Types of Dog Harnesses:
- Back Clip Harness
- Front Clip Harness
- no-pull Harness
- Assistance Harness
- Car Safety Harness
- Tactical Harness
- Step-in Harness
What is no-Pull Dog Harness?
A no-pull dog harness is a special type of harness designed in such a way to minimize your dog’s pulling and train him not to pull the leash. This harness is similar to Front Clip Harness as it has a Clip or Ring in front of it to which you can attach the leash. By attaching a leash to the Front ring, whenever your dog tries to pull the leash he gets turned around instead of going forward, discouraging his bad pulling behavior. Moreover, a handle is also provided on top of these Harness to quickly take control of your dog if something gets wrong.
So, if your German Shepherd pulls you when you are on a walk or hike, it is a better idea to get one no-pull harness for your German Shepherd to keep your walk a pleasure for both of you.
How to Pick the best no-Pull Dog Harness
As you can see, there are a lot of harnesses out in the market but how can you find the best harness for your dog?
Here are a few points that you can follow to find a perfect harness for your dog according to your requirements and your dog’s size:
Durability
A rule of thumb for buying anything is whether it is durable or not. If anything you are buying is durable then it is worth checking other features and buying it.
If the harness is built with quality material and has strong Leash attachment Rings and buckles with great stitching then there is a great chance that the harness would be durable and will last long.
One thing to increase the lifespan of the harness is to look for a harness that after putting it on your dog, he/ she won’t be able to chew it. If your dog can chew the harness, chances are it would be destroyed within weeks, even days.
Front and Back D-Ring
The most important feature of a no-pull harness is Front D-Ring where you can attach a leash. A front D-Ring changes the direction of your dog if he tries to pull the harness letting him know that pulling is not good. In this way, he will soon learn not to pull the leash.
The back D-Ring is handy when your dog learned not to pull much then you can attach a leash on the back ring. Your walks would be more enjoyable when you have a leash on the back ring and your dog does not pull a lot.
Comfort and breathable
If you bought a harness for your dog that is not comfortable for him/her or is not made with breathable material then your dog won’t love wearing the harness. He might get upset after wearing it and try to hide from you whenever he sees you with the harness.
It is better for both of you and your dog to have a comfortable harness. It should be:
- Lightweight
- Remain Cool on hot days
- Water-Resistant
- Easy to get on and off.
Adjustable straps
Not all dogs have the same body shape and size hence we need some kind of mechanism so that we can adjust the harness to dogs with different body shapes and sizes.
To handle the issue of completely fitting the harness to different dogs with different body shapes, harness manufacturers used adjustable straps. You can adjust those adjustable straps to fit it as custom fit on your dog’s body according to his body shape.
There are commonly 4 or more adjustable straps in good quality Harness giving you full control of fitting the harness in whatever way you want.
Top Handle
Generally, there are two leash attachment clips on the harness giving you good control over your dog but there are some situations when you want to grab your dog quickly to avoid bad incidents like dog fights or your dog running after a cat.
In those situations, a top handle on a harness comes in very useful and keeps your dog safe. You should look for a harness that has a Top Handle as it is one of the important features of a quality harness.
Conclusion
After reading the whole article you know why you need to keep your German Shepherd in a harness whenever you’re out with your dog. As German Shepherds are really strong dogs, you need to keep them in a strong harness to keep them under your control. The no-pull dog harness comes very usefully when your dog pulls you a lot during walks or may get out of your control in certain situations.
After going through all the harnesses and their strengths and weaknesses, you can now select the best harness for your German Shepherd according to your needs.
All harnesses have their pros and cons but the best harness that stands out of them is Rabbitgoo Dog Harness. It is a good harness overall but you can choose any of the above harnesses according to your needs and situation.