Last week I received a question while measuring a dog about how she could adjust the harness perfectly to her dog if I had made it. In this blog I will tell you all about this
What do I look for in a perfectly fitting harness for my dog?
Before you can ensure that your dog's harness fits perfectly, you should first ensure that the harness you have purchased is literally not too big or too small. From my experience it is usually the latter, so a dog usually wears a harness that is too small. Please pay particular attention to the points below.
- Make sure you place one hand behind the front legs and then start the belly band
- Make sure that the back is long enough for this, so that the harness does not slide forward and there is not enough space behind the front legs
- Make sure that the harness fits comfortably for the dog, such as soft material and a non-cutting fabric. If your dog has a coat that tangles easily, such as a Doodle, dust is actually out of the question, as this quickly causes felt to form.
- Make sure the harness is not dirty, grains of sand can also irritate if your dog has a smooth and short coat
A perfectly fitting harness all sounds very complicated, because you have to pay attention to so many things. We have incorporated all of the above points the leather harnesses we make . We make these in our studio in Dordrecht, which means that we can make everything to measure. I have a whole one clear video recorded in which I explain to you from A to Z how to measure a harness from Meola Leather Dogs using my own dog Moos. Don't you trust it? Then film your dog when you measure him and send the video to me whatsapp then I can take a look with you. Do you live near Dordrecht? Please come to our studio (by appointment, please) so that I can measure your dog.
Adjust harness to size
First, it is easiest if you place your dog at eye level, for example on a grooming table or otherwise on the dining table. This way you can see everything more easily and you can also access it better. By the way, your back will also be a lot more comfortable.
You put the harness on your dog's head and place the strap with his name on it (the only part that is not adjustable) on his back. Then you put the strap between his front legs and click the clickers into place.
Now let's first look at the part near the neck. This strap is not intended to replace a collar. This is actually a lot lower. You should feel a lump on the front of your dog's chest (I have indicated it with a yellow circle in the photo below). You want the neck to sit above this lump. So the ring at the front should be above the breast lump.
Then we go to the front legs. Place one hand behind the front legs and make sure there is enough play on this part. If necessary, make it longer or shorter. I have indicated this with the pink circle that there must be sufficient space after the armpits. The band between the front legs should be tight when the dog has its head up, just like the dachshund in the photo. If the dog's head is down, it is true that this tire gets a little more space, that is not a problem at all. If you tighten it too much, the entire harness will come forward and there will be no more room in the armpits and the entire usefulness of the harness will be lost.
Then we go to the abdomen, the last part. Pull the harness well back so that the back is smooth and you have enough space in the armpits. Then you can now tighten the belly band. There should still be room for a finger. I always say make sure your dog can still breathe, but definitely don't loosen it too much. If the cummerbund is too loose, the harness will slide from left to right when you click the line onto the harness. This is not the intention. A little bit of back and forth is not a problem, but it shouldn't be too bad.
Photo taken by; @plintstagram
If you need help with measuring or customizing your leather harness, let me know by sending me a WhatsApp . We are currently working on the very first limited edition collection. We have developed 4 standard sizes that fit almost most dogs, but if a custom harness is still required, this is of course always possible. But I didn't want to say that, so we are working on the limited collection and the basic collection is therefore always available. In other words, take a look at the webshop to see what is currently online.
Love Amy