Guide to Fitting Dog Harnesses
our Step-In Harness Right for Your Dog?
Before you purchase your dogs harness, make sure that the style and type of harness will meet you and your dogs walking and travel needs. We've written a guide that explains the different types of dog harnesses available on the market today, along with examples of each and their pros of cons. For more information, read Choosing the Best Harness for Your Dog on our Blog.
About Our Step-In Harnesses
An Artful Canine Step-in Dog Harness is designed to fit your pup perfectly, regardless of his/her body type. Our step-in harnesses have 4-way adjustability, allowing you to adjust the shoulder straps independent of the girth straps for a perfect fit. Once you've determined his/her girth size, be sure to pick a harness with an adjustability of at least 2" larger and 2" smaller than your dog's girth to allow for weight fluctuations and hair growth in between grooms.
The video below illustrates how to measure, size and fit your dog in one of our harnesses. All you need to measure your dog for a step-in harness is a tape measure (and a fairly calm dog). CLICK HERE for a downloadable/printable yardstick if you don't have a tape rule.
How to Determine the Size You Need for our Step-In Harness
- Measure your dogs girth, which is under the forelegs, and to the top middle of of your dogs back (where their shoulder blades are).
- Add at least 2" to your measurement to accommodate for weight gain or coat growth
- Your measurement (without the 2") is the smallest size range you should get. Anything smaller will not fit. For example, if your dogs girth measures 18", you cannot purchase our medium (19" - 27"), as it will never size down to 18"). You will need our Small (16" - 23") which will go smaller than your dogs girth, but will also go larger than your 18" + 2" (20") to accommodate growth, weight gain or coat length.
How to Fit Your Dog in Your Harness once it Arrives
- Open the harness and lay the harness on the floor with the inside facing up. With the product tag positioned at the top (see below image), "step" each of your dogs front legs in the the two openings and lift the back straps up and around the top of your dogs back to close.
- Once you snap the harness in place, adjust each of the 4 harness straps for the perfect fit. Attach a coordinating Artful Canine Leash to the harness d-rings, and your and your walking buddy are ready to go!
Like all of our products, our step-in dog harness is designed to last and is covered under our Limited 1-Year Guarantee.* All Artful Canine Step-in Harnesses are washable and handcrafted exclusively by us here in Sunny Florida. Our Step-in Dog Harnesses are available in nearly all of our collar designs, ranging from XX-Small to X-Large.
