If I Get a Harness for My Dog, Will That Make Him Pull More?

Myself and other dog trainers I know get asked this question quite often when the topic of harnesses comes up during our training sessions.

And to cut to the chase, the short answer is no, harnesses do not make dogs pull.

But the longer answer is that any tool or product (excluding items designed to inflict pain) you use will require time, practice, patience, and the right training methods to help you and your dog reach your goals together.

Should you decide to get a harness and walk your dog with it instead of a collar, an irrefutable argument for harnesses is that they are a far safer option as they relieve your dog's cervical vertebrae of any pressure (especially with growing puppies) as well provide a more secure option to a collar that could potentially slip off or break with enough pulling or pressure. The harnesses I use with all dogs I work with, particularly Freedom (No Pull) Harnesses will come with a clip at the back, as well as the front.

Both clips can be used together in unison with a double-clip leash to better guide heavy pullers (though generally not needed as our focus is training as the solution, not the gear), and the front clip on its own can also be relied on to guide an eager, happy-go-lucky dog by redirecting their chest and body towards you so that you can guide them without pressure. The back clip can also be used as you work your way to more and better communication with your dog on walks (a must!), but this is where a lot of pet parents will think that harnesses encourage pulling, seeing how sled dogs wear them to do their job and for good reason.

Sled dogs don’t wear harnesses because it makes them pull. They wear them BECAUSE they are going to be pulling. No different than how wearing running shoes won’t make you a runner. But if you’re going to be running, they’re your safest option.

And when it comes to our dogs, safety is #1. Even the best trained dogs can have moments where they make mistakes, get overly distracted by a sudden, very tempting-looking skunk or possum.

Or a situation where someone is approaching close and fast on their bike towards your dog without seeing them, moving your dog out of the way using a harness (especially the front clip) will be much more safely done than with a flat collar.

Even if you do not at all consider the suggestion that harnesses make for a better training and walking tool, ultimately if you have a dog that is already pulling on their collar, switching to a harness will at the very least add a layer of safety to your outings.