Types of Buckle Harnesses for a Dog

Some dogs can't be walked on just collars and leashes alone -- either they're too rowdy and require more support or require a more even weight distribution to prevent injury to their necks. Dogs that tend to pull, jump or lose focus, as well as small dogs or dogs with delicate necks, benefit from wearing harnesses during walks.

  1. Roman Harnesses

    • Roman harnesses are one of the standard buckle-harness designs. A Roman harness slides over the dog's head, resting just below its neck. A strap runs across the dog's chest and through its legs. The center chest strap is threaded onto another strap, which encircles the dog's torso just behind its front legs, creating two secure holes for the dog's legs. A center strap runs parallel to the center chest strap across the dog's back. Roman harnesses are typically made from strong materials such as nylon webbing or leather strapping, although decorative, sturdy fabrics such as printed canvas can be used for smaller dogs or those that tend to avoid pulling. Roman harnesses feature a standard metal-strap buckle or a plastic side-snap buckle.

    Step-In Harnesses

    • Typically made from nylon webbing, sturdy fabric or leather strapping, step-in harnesses are touted as a less fussy alternative to Roman harnesses. Step-in harnesses feature two parallel straps connected by a strap that runs between them. The dividing strap creates space on either side for each of the dog's front legs. As the name suggests, dogs can simply step into the harness without requiring an adjustment to the leg holes before the harness is fastened. The parallel straps are then fastened over the dog's back using a buckle. Step-in harness buckles are typically metal strap buckles or plastic side fastening buckles. The former provides more security than the latter, which may come undone during rough play or intense tugging.

    Figure-Eight Harnesses

    • Figure-eight harnesses are made from one long strap of nylon, leather or sturdy fabric. The strap is curled around itself to create two openings in a figure-eight pattern. The nexus of the figure eight can have a slide plate which provides support to keep the loops from twisting before and during use, though not every harness utilizes this feature. One loop encircles the dog's chest, just below its neck; the other encircles the dog's torso directly behind its front legs. Figure-eight harnesses can use both standard strap buckles or plastic side buckles, though the latter is more common.

    Head Harnesses

    • Head harnesses, also called "halters," are designed for use with dogs that pull or jump. Head harnesses are similar in design to a horse's halter. These buckle harnesses are created from the same materials as other harnesses -- nylon webbing, sturdy fabric or leather strapping -- but must be padded or lined with a softer material to ensure comfort across the sensitive parts of a dog's face. The harness consists of a loop that encircles the dog's muzzle, two straps that encircle the dog's head to buckle in back and another strap that clips to the dog's collar. Head harnesses typically feature plastic side buckles for ease of getting the head harness on and off. Pressure from the leash is re-directed to the head harness, rather than the dog's torso, to throw the dog off balance temporarily, which prevents pulling or tugging.