A dog harness has many health benefits over the collar for walking your dog.
Ruffwear's diverse range of harnesses offer solutions for a variety of purposes - from everyday use for a domestic pet, to lift-and-assist for rescue dogs.
With such a wide range of colours, designs and uses, it's no wonder Ruffwear is one of our best selling brands! However, what makes these harnesses truly stand out is their adjustability, meaning the vast majority of dog breeds will get a great fit.
This guide will help you measure and fit the Flagline Harness.
Getting Accurate Measurements Of Your Dog
Ruffwear's sizing charts are 100% accurate and factual. They have high adjustability, so the size ranges are based on the harness size at the loosest and tightest settings.
The most important step to getting the best size for your dog is establishing the girth measurement. You can do this by looping a tape measure just behind the dog's front legs. Ensure that this is is measured at the widest point of your dog's chest.
Once you have this measurement, compare this to the size chart on the next page to establish the likely size. All Ruffwear harnesses have the same size banding. For example, if you measure the girth at 75cm, you can expect a Medium to be the size you should try first.
If your dog is on a sizing border, general advice is to choose the larger of the two sizes, or buying both and returning the harness that doesn't fit for a refund.
For puppies, we advise waiting until the pup is near fully grown before investing in a harness. The best time to buy is when your pup is near the bottom of the sizing bracket. If you purchase when the pup is small, you will likely have to replace the harness.
Sizing Chart
Familiarising Yourself With The Harness
The harness will come adjusted so that it fits on the backing card. This will usually mean that the neck is set quite wide and the girth straps are on a small setting and fully doubled over.
Adjusting the Neck Straps
When the slider is near the body of the harness (the piece with the Ruffwear logo on), it is at its smallest setting. When the slider is near the chest plate (the piece with the fabric loop on it), it is at its largest aperture.
^ neck at loosest setting
^ neck at tightest setting
Adjusting the Girth Straps
These can be a little intimidating at first - especially if this is your first harness - so it's important to familiarise yourself with the webbing straps and how they adjust. Just like a rucksack, there is a rectangle shape plastic slider that, when moved towards the male buckle, loosens the strapping to allow it to be fed further through the buckle.
^ girth strap at loosest
^ girth strap at tighest
Fitting Your Flagline Harness
Step One: Loosen all the straps
As with all Ruffwear harnesses, we would recommend loosening all of the straps. You can begin opening up the neck by sliding the adjusters towards the chest piece/reinforced webbing loop. For the girth and belly straps, simply unbuckle and loosen by sliding the adjuster towards the male buckle.
Step Two: Place the harness over the dog's head
After fully loosening off the harness, place this over the dog's head. This should be positioned onto the dog with the restraint handle on the dog's back, and the reinforced webbing loop at the chest. You can then buckle your dog up.
Step Three: Tightening the straps
You can begin tightening the girth and belly straps by sliding the adjusters towards the belly panel. You should tighten until the straps are snug, but you can still comfortably fit one or two fingers between the dog and the strap. Try and keep this as equal as possible, so that the harness remains centred on your dog's back.
Ideally, the belly strap will be positioned just behind the ribcage.
Step Four: Final neck adjustments
At this stage, the neck area will likely be too loose on your pup; this can be remedied by making adjustments to the neck straps. You can tighten these by moving the adjusters towards the top piece of the harness.
Step Five: Ensure your dog is comfortable
The harness should be a snug fit, but with enough room to fit one to two fingers between the dog and the straps. Both loose straps or tight straps can cause discomfort to your pooch, so ensuring a good fit is key.