As Harnesses Go, I've Seen Better (But It'll Do in a Pinch)

PetSafe EasySport Harness

OK, I’ll admit it, I’m a space cadet. Here’s what happened: we left the house one morning headed for a vacation spot 1000 miles away, both dogs tucked into the extended cab of the truck. A hundred miles or so into the trip, I realized that I’d spaced out the dogs’ leashes and harnesses. You can find a leash almost anywhere, but harnesses are different. So we pulled into a local “farm store” and browsed the pet section. Since we already had quality harnesses at home (Ruffwear), we looked for something similar in design. We ended up with a pair of PetSafe EasySport Harnesses.

Design-wise, the harnesses served their purpose: they fit over the head with a little elastic “give” and have padded front-back sections that run under the belly and atop the back. The upper section has a sturdy handle that can be used for control or to help a dog scramble up a steep path, much like the Outward Hound packs they carry on long hikes. There’s also a D-ring for clipping on the lead, placed behind that handle.

The pack clips on with a pair of quick-release buckles at the top rear. Typical strap adjustment arrangements can be found on both sides of the rear. The entire pack is lined with a nylon mesh for comfort and quick drying. As far as durability is concerned, we used the harnesses on a daily basis for about three weeks, and they held up just fine – in fact, we’ve stashed them in the truck for future emergencies. Neither dog seemed to dislike the harness, although to be honest both would go for a walk wearing a harness made of barbed wire. As for the humans, we did have a couple of complaints. First, the strap adjustment is very hard to manipulate since the strap is only exposed for about three inches on either side of the harness. This was especially tedious when adjusting the harness for our Lab because she’s pretty skinny. That only needs to be done once, though. What I found more bothersome was the location of the lead attachment. Our rescue is pretty stocky, and the location of the D-ring at the very rear of the harness meant that it was a lot closer to his hips than to his neck.

All in all, it’s a pretty good harness at a reasonable price. Closer inspection suggests that it’s not as well made as their Ruff Wear harnesses, both of which are going strong after several years of daily use. For occasional use, though, this would probably work. I think it’s a better fit for a long, skinny dog than our stocky Chow mix.

Summary

PLUS: padded, adjustable, handle for control
MINUS: hard to adjust more than just a little, D-Ring set too far back for dogs who are short nose-to-tail
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: This harness will do for an emergency or for use once or twice a week, but for dogs who get lots of exercise on a leash there are better choices.

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