What Padding to Use in a Dog Harness

Padding prevents chaffing and skin abrasions from web and leather dog harness materials. Excited dogs pull against the harness and regular contact creates damage to the skin. Consider adding pads to your harness if the dog shows signs of sensitive skin and bruising during walks. The padding will provide a barrier against future injuries to your dog.

  1. Fleece is Warm for Winter Walking

    • Fleece is soft, inexpensive, durable and it works well as padding for a dog harness. The material is available through craft stores, fabric stores and numerous Internet avenues. Prefabricated pads with Velcro connections are available as well. Ordering rough material means you must cut the fleece to length and create a means of attachment for the harness. Sewing the fleece around the harness in a permanent fashion is an excellent approach. The major downside to fleece is the insulation value. The material holds heat and may cause discomfort in warm weather.

    Wool is Easy to Obtain

    • Wool is soft against the skin and it does not grab fur. Wool is a common material found in fabric stores, carpet stores and Internet stores. Wool batting is commonly used as a padded layer between hardwood and carpet flooring. Wool is easy to cut with scissors or a box cutter and the semi-rigid nature of the material makes it easy to manipulate and shape.

    Sheepskin is Ultra Soft

    • Sheepskin is extra soft, warm and it slides against the fur and skin of your dog. The material is ideal for padding but the costs are higher than wool and fleece. Real sheepskin is difficult to find in rough cut but you can scrap old rugs and car seat covers. Shoulder straps designed for seat belts work well because they slide over the harness straps without modifications. Sheepskin is flexible and provides exceptional padding for your dog.

    Synthetic Materials are Affordable

    • Synthetic sheepskin and carpeting materials are common and easily acquired by cutting cheap bathroom rugs from big-box stores. The synthetic materials are not as soft as sheepskin and the backing is designed to stick. It grabs against fur and skin creating a mild level of discomfort. The material is difficult to cut without shredding the padding. Use a sharp box-cutter to prevent damage while shaping the padding.