Instructions
Determine Harness Type
Lay the harness out flat in front of you prior to having your dog present.
Look at the shape of the harness to determine which style Top Paw® harness you have. If the harness is a flat oval shape with one vertical strap in the middle and buckles on each end of the oval, this is a "step-in"-style harness. If the harness has two circles connected by two vertical straps, with one buckle on the larger circle, you have a "traditional"-style harness.
Follow the specific steps below for each type of harness depending on what style you have.
Step-In Style Top Paw® Harness
Stand your dog in front of you, with it facing you. You may need someone to hold the dog if it is wiggly or uncooperative. Place the "step-in"-style harness flat on the floor in front of your dog. The buckles at the end of the ovals should be to the right and left of your dog's front feet, and the vertical strap should be pointing from you to your dog.
Pick up your dog's left front foot and place it inside the oval to your dog's left. Place the foot on the ground, making sure this foot is between the buckle on the dog's left and the vertical strap in the center.
Pick up your dog's right front foot and place it inside the oval to your dog's right. Place the foot on the ground, making sure this foot is between the buckle on the dog's right and the vertical strap in the center.
Grab the buckles on both ends of the oval. With your dog's feet remaining in position on the floor, pull the buckles and the harness up toward the dog's shoulders. The vertical strap in the middle should be between the dog's front legs. Connect the two buckles over the dog's shoulders. If the fit is too tight or too loose, adjust the size using the adjustment points.
Traditional-Style Top Paw® Harness
Hold the harness out in front of you. Locate the metal "D-Ring," which is a ring shaped like the letter D. Hold the harness so that the D-Ring is on top, closest to your body, with the rest of the harness pointing away from you. The straps that form a circle connected under the D-Ring have one buckle. Make sure it is unclipped for now.
Stand next to your dog, facing the same direction that it is facing. You may need someone to hold your dog if it is wiggly or uncooperative.
Place the circle of straps farthest away from you over the dog's head, around its neck. Do not loop the second circle (the one with the buckle and D-Ring) yet.
Find the vertical strap on the underside of the harness (on the opposite side of the D-Ring). This strap goes between your dog's front legs. Pick up the front foot that is opposite of the open buckle and pull it through the space between that vertical strap and the closed part of the large circle of straps.
Clip the open buckle together on the other side of the vertical strap. Your dog should end up with a circle of straps around its neck, the circle of straps with the buckle around his rib cage and with one vertical strap between his front legs and the vertical strap connected to the D-Ring between his shoulders. The D-Ring should be closer to the dog's tail than its head. If the fit is too tight or too loose, adjust the size using the adjustment points.
How to Put on a Top Paw Adjustable Harness
If you go to your local pet supply store, you will notice a large selection of dog accessories, including dog harnesses, which are an alternative to traditional dog collars. The Top Paw® company makes two types of harnesses. The first time you put one of them on your dog can be confusing due to its configuration of straps and buckles.