Looking for the best French Bulldog harness? When walking your French Bulldog, you want to find a dog harness which is both secure and comfortable.
If they have a tendency to pull, you also want the best dog harness for a French Bulldog to be one that will help teach them not to pull; without putting pressure on their delicate throat.
Our team tested a number of French Bulldog harnesses and concluded the Ruffwear All Day Adventure Harness worked best for the breed.
Not only did it result in a great fit, but it also worked great for Frenchies who like to pull on their lead.
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | RUFFWEAR Front Range Dog Harness, Adjustable Comfortable Padded Everyday Walking Harness, 2 Lead... | Buy on Amazon |
- Recommended French Bulldog (Adult) Size – Small.
- Puppy (6 Months) Size – X-Small
The Ruffwear front range is always a popular choice and makes a great French Bulldog harness. Both front and back clipped – it’s well-fitting, stylish and helps with pulling behaviour as well as training.
Contents
Often voted one of the top five breeds in the UK and Australia (and in the top 10 USA), the French Bulldog is an adorable and friendly dog.
In different parts of the UK, the Frenchie is continually fighting it out between the Labrador for the top spot, according to Kennel Club numbers.
This post will discuss the best dog harness for a French Bulldog, the types of harnesses available, why your Frenchie would benefit from a harness and some handy hints and tips for happy walkies.
Best French Bulldog Harness – Our Top Six Reviewed
1. 🏆 Ruffwear All Day Adventure Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | RUFFWEAR Front Range Dog Harness, Adjustable Comfortable Padded Everyday Walking Harness, 2 Lead... | Buy on Amazon |
- Recommended French Bulldog (Adult) Size – Small.
- Puppy (6 Months) Size – X-Small
We’ve started this curated review section with a Collar and Harness Magazine favourite. Ruffwear is known for their front range of dog harnesses and this quality harness also features two hoops.
This is designed to reduce pulling in your French Bulldog, to help guide their path when still in the mischievous phase and to aid with training.
The steel back clip is for normal lead attachment and one at the front for use with a training leash.
A note on Training Leads
Leads such as the HALTI are designed as double-ended leashes.
A clip at one end means when used in combination with a front range can be attached as normal to the back.
The second clip can either be used to adjust the hoop length of the lead or can be attached to the front of the harness.
This offers better control of your French Bulldog as well as help with any pulling habits they may have on lead.
Sometimes these front rings are plastic but for this harness, they’ve used a reinforced webbing loop.
The material is a mix of nylon and closed-cell foam.
The harness has a padded chest and belly panels for comfort, High visibility (Hi-Viz) reflective trim for walking at night, and an ID pocket for storing dog tags.
Ruffwear harnesses are super easy to put on and take off as well as adjust.
There are four strap adjusters in total to help create the perfect fit.
It’s one of the more expensive harnesses out there – however, it does have a lot of features and should last you a very long time.
As we use these harnesses time and time again for our own dogs (and foster dogs) we view this as the best Frenchie harness out there.
It has certainly aided us greatly with pulling behaviours when out walking and even our mighty Great Danes have failed to escape from it.
2. Julius-K9 PowerHarness for French Bulldogs
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Julius-K9 IDC-Powerharness, Size Mini, Pink | Buy on Amazon |
The next contender in this dog harness for french bulldog collection is the trusty Julius.
The Julius K9 PowerHarness is a harness often associated with larger breeds of dog.
There is however a complete range catering for the smaller breed sizes.
These harnesses are super popular amongst pet owners, dog walkers, and trainers and often competes with other brands to come out on top.
It also has the added geek value that it very much looks like a police harness.
This water repellant harness looks beautiful. It’s strong and the buckles have been thoroughly tested. The aluminium loop is located at the back for lead attachment.
The strap on the belly has a plastic heavy-duty buckle and the chest strap hook is an easily adjustable hook. The adjustment straps are handy for giving that snugger fit when needed.
The Julius (usually – depending on the exact type) has a reflective trim on the chest strap to provide better visibility of your dog when out at night. The K9 PowerHarness is breathable and can be put on and removed with ease.
The handle at the top is useful for holding and aiding in picking up your dog.
I’ve found this particularly useful when out trekking and having to get over a wayward log or when holding your dog in place upon sighting an approaching squirrel.
There’s no front range loop but this harness is more for strength than to discourage pulling in difficult dogs. We always prefer a front range harness – but this is perhaps personal preference.
Some dog owners love the strength of this harness and use it with a long lead to allow their French Bulldog to run around in the park without worrying about an escape.
The lack of a front attachment ring also means this harness shouldn’t be used as dog seatbelt. Saying that most harnesses tend to not be best suited to this anyway – so it’s worth researching a second harness or seat belt for that purpose.
The Julius-K9 overall is a reliable Frenchie dog harness from a reliable maker.
It’s well made, strong and very difficult to escape from. It should last your dog a long time and is definitely worth considering when out and about.
3. ThinkPet Reflective Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | ThinkPet Reflective Breathable Soft Air Mesh No Pull Puppy Choke Free Over Head Vest Ventilation... | Buy on Amazon |
If you’re looking for an inexpensive harness for your Frenchie – this would be a good start.
But with the low price comes some limitations compared to more premium harnesses.
On the plus side – I’m a big fan of the colour scheme of these harnesses.
But, I can imagine some of the more style-conscious out there may look in horror!
The neon green stands out for a dog harness and there are three other impressive colours.
It’s a basic harness. There are two adjustable straps at the side, one with a standard clip.
The harness has reflective material (hi-vis) which helps see your French Bulldog in the dark. The design is a good fabric but has no padding.
And the lack of padding highlights the downside to this harness. The lead attachment sits above the straps on the back, which loosens the harness should the dog pull. The straps are also a little loose, tending to loosen over time.
Overall, if you’re on a budget – you could do a lot worse than the ThinkPet harness – but if you have a slightly better budget, you could find one with a lot more features.
4. Max Comfort Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Classic Dog Harness Innovative Mesh No Pull No Choke Design Soft Double Padded Breathable Vest for... | Buy on Amazon |
Perhaps not one for our UK readers as we couldn’t find a stockist – but for US readers – this dog harness is hugely popular.
An inexpensive, bright and
lightweight option – it’s easy to see why so many people love this for their French Bulldog.
Initially, the most striking thing about this harness is the range of colours – eleven in total.
It’s highlighted as being no-pull and no choke with robust double-layered mesh fabric.
This padded mesh harness includes recycled straps with emphasis put on the use of environmentally friendly material.
Given the harnesses lightness and cost this may also be a good contender for a French Bulldog puppy.
Harnesses are not always the favourite choice for the dog themselves when put on for the first time – so they may take time to adapt to it. Others however much prefer wearing them over a collar.
Overall, this is a great option for your Frenchie. It’s inexpensive, soft and fairly no-frills.
I’m not convinced this is a long term solution for the breed (or the best for those that pull), but if you have a well-behaved dog or are just trying harnesses for the first time – this may be for you.
5. Rabbitgoo No Pull Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | rabbitgoo Dog Harness Small Dog No Pull Pet Harness with 2 Leash Clips, Adjustable Soft Padded Pet... | Buy on Amazon |
Another classic no pull dog harness among small breed owners.
The Rabbitgoo is well known and an inexpensive Frenchie bulldog harness for both walking and training.
The harness uses two metal attachment points for your leash. The first attachment point is on the back of the harness and one on the chest.
If you’re just taking your French Bulldog out for a walk – simply attach your leash to the back and away you go. If however your Frenchie can be a puller, or you’re in training, you can use a double-ended lead, like the Halti, and attach to the front clip.
The Rabbitgoo has two adjustable side straps. The first strap is located at the neck and the other at the front.
This may be the one big flaw with this harness, these straps can be too rigid.
We’d noticed this before and also found others on review sites like Amazon found the same. It’s not the end of the world – but if you’re looking for a perfect fit – it can become a tad frustrating.
The harness is put on and removed using a quick release buckle. It also has reflective high visibility trims across the outside to aid visibility when out walking at night.
Overall the Rabbitgoo is another example of a hugely popular harness. If you’re interested to find out more about this – check out of full review here.
6. Kaka Mall Padded Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | No-pull dog harness, Outdoor Adventure pet vest, 3M reflective, with cushion grip | Buy on Amazon |
UPDATE: Although a good harness, we’ve had feedback recently that finding the right sizing for this harness has now become difficult as they no longer stock smaller sizes. We’ve left this review up should the situation change however the current sizings available (large) will not be suited to a Frenchie.
We like this harness because it’s well designed with both front and back rings. For those new to this concept – it’s designed to be a no- 
pull harness. The D-Ring on the back can be attached to a clip lead for normal walking.
The front O-Ring is an additional alloy ring located on the chest. You can find non-pull training leads like the HALTI lead which can be used with either one or two clips.
Chest Size for medium measures: 22-27 Inch(56-69 CM) – but it’s worth checking measurements on your French Bulldog before you buy.
The only real issue we have with this harness are the straps.
They’re a little rigid which can make fitting and keeping the fit to be a bit of a challenge.
Why Choose a Harness?
Because of the uniqueness of the French Bulldog, as well as being a breed with potential breathing problems, it is important to consider a way to walk your Frenchie without putting pressure on the neck.
The breathing issues are often caused by Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) – where the short nose on the skull leads to respiratory issues.
They also suffer from narrow nostrils and windpipe as well as a lengthier soft palate than many other breeds.
Harnesses are often preferred over collars for offering the best fit. This reduces the tug on the dog’s neck if it suddenly darts or pulls.
Mobility issues are also a consideration with the breed. Hip Dysplasia, Hemivertebrae, Patellar Luxation (Kneecap Dislocation) and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) can all affect a French Bulldogs movement.
Harnesses can not only aid dogs with these conditions but may help reduce the factors that cause them more than a collar would.
Consult with your vet if your dog shows any symptoms relating to these disorders and get advice on how best to walk them.
It’s worth noting that there are also specialist support harnesses that can aid mobility in your dog.
Though outside the scope of this article – it may be worth doing additional research on giving your furry friend a greater quality of life.
Collar vs. Harness for a Frenchie?
The age-old question many dog owners ask is whether a leash and collar will suffice for walking your dog, both as a puppy and an adult.
When considering what is the best harness for your French Bulldog you should consider the needs of the particular dog.
If your French Bulldog is a puller you have to consider the impact that pulling will have on their throat.
Throat injury can be somewhat common when you walk a real puller on a dog collar as all the pressure of pulling and lunging is put solely on the neck.
Generally, a collar should be used more for identification purposes (attaching ID tags, trackers etc) and less for walking.
Some people do, especially if their dog is well behaved with minimum interaction from the walker required – but a lot of the time the benefits and reduced risk from a harness are apparent.
No-pull harnesses, in particular, are not only ideal for your French Bulldog’s physical needs and pulling habits but can also be used for training and controlling your dog when out and about.
Types of French Bulldog Harnesses
That’s not to suggest all harnesses will fix the problem – so it’s best to choose wisely.
We often highlight the benefits of front range harnesses such as the Ruffwear because of the option to use it in the standard way or as a training harness.
By being able to attach the leash to both the front and back – you can not only navigate your French Bulldog better – you can train them one tug at a time.
Other harnesses work in a slightly different way – but be careful of some cheaper harnesses which put all the pressure on a single point.
This can have the undesired effect of pinching the dog’s skin or causing discomfort which can actually increase the pulling behaviour.
The second thing to consider with small breeds is their ability to escape from both collars and harnesses and the French Bulldog is no exception.
This is especially true if they’re a puller. You can look into no-escape Houdini style of harnesses but generally, harnesses which are well designed and fit well will make all the difference.
French Bulldog harness vest.
These are usually the simplest and most cost-effective harness options for your dog. Easy to put on, take off and comfortable – they’re good for well-behaved dog’s – but tend to offer few features.
They can also be reversible harnesses for summer and winter wear. These tend to be made of various materials including mesh, nylon, leather and other fabrics. They can also be useful for dog’s who are new to harnesses.
Front and Back Clip Harnesses.
Primarily designed for reducing pulling, training and distributing pressure when walking your dog – these are the more common types of harnesses.
As described above, these will either have a leash attachment point at the back or two at both the back (top) and chest (front). They’re also excellent for training your dog or puppy.
Tightening or Control Harness.
These harnesses tighten when your dog pulls on the lead.
These can be difficult to use if you’re unfamiliar with them and can result in discomfort, pain and worsening behaviour if used incorrectly.
These are best left to experienced trainers and handlers.
Measuring for a Harness
It is important to measure your French Bulldog correctly for a harness. Too large could slip off, particularly when they pull. Too tight and it may be uncomfortable or pinch the skin (particularly under the front legs).
If you find that your measurements are between two sizes, go with the larger of the two and adjust using the adjustment straps.
Measure your dog’s chest.
Take a tape measure and measure the widest part of the chest. This is a few inches (or a couple of fingers distance) behind the dogs front legs.
Add a few inches to the chest measurement.
This will allow for growth and some movement in the harness. Remember also that most good dog harnesses have adjustment points.
Measure the circumference of the neck.
If the harness goes over your French Bulldog’s neck then you need to make sure the harness will go over your dogs head (and you can take it off easily).
Given the throat and breathing concerns with the breed – it’s crucial your French Bulldog harness isn’t tight around the neck.
Consider what the best fit is and if in doubt check out our handy guide on fitting a harness for your dog.
French Bulldog Harness Specs and Sizes
We’ve already mentioned fitting and measuring a harness for a French Bulldog but you need to remember that the shape of this breed is somewhat different from the majority of breeds.
This is particularly true with the pups head which is slightly disproportionately larger to the rest of their body.
Make sure that you consider this head measurement when selecting a harness.
You don’t want to worry about harming or causing discomfort when putting the harness on. Some harnesses are specifically designed for slip on / slip off.
French Bulldog harness sizes tend to be at the medium to the small end of the range. You can generally tell a Frenchies rough size by their weight.
Smaller dogs tend to measure around 25-45cm around the chest, and around 50-80 cm for some of the largest French bulldogs. Always check the manufacturer’s guidelines before ordering.
Do I still need a collar?
Although several harnesses out there include a pouch or attachment for a dog ID – it’s often best to wear one in collaboration with a collar. It’s also recommended not to leave a harness on when you’re not out walking.
Though rare, dogs can attempt to chew on them and in some horrific cases have damaged their jaws when getting stuck between the harness. It’s also recommended not to leave a collar on permanently as similar issues could arise.
French Bulldog Harness: Summary Table
| Position | Harness | Online Rating | Available Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🏆 Ruffwear All Day Adventure Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 2 | Julius-K9 PowerHarness for French Bulldogs | Buy on Amazon | |
| 3 | ThinkPet Reflective Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 4 | Max Comfort Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 5 | Rabbitgoo No Pull Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 6 | Kaka Mall Padded Dog Harness (Medium) | Buy on Amazon |
Summary
That’s it from our curated collection covering the best French Bulldog harness. As you can see, the shape and control of a French Bulldog are all important.
This breed is generally well behaved, but if they tend to pull a lot when out walking you should consider a no-pull harness.
Take special care that this is a well-made harness, as poorly designed harnesses can pinch the skin, slip off, harm your dog or actually increase pulling behaviour.
Of course, many of the fashion-conscious out there will want a harness that looks the part – and there are plenty of harnesses out there that not only look good but are practical, useful and safe.
You can also consider a harness as an excellent way of training your French Bulldog. Guide them when out in the streets to walk in a straight line, to move them away from hazards or to extinguish pulling behaviour.
Unless your dog is very well behaved both on and off the lead, a collar probably won’t be sufficient. Remember the key factors when making your decision; training requirements, pulling behaviours and fit.
That’s it from our curated collection of the best French Bulldog harness. We hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed playing with the breed.
As always if you’ve had other harnesses or have comments on the ones covered (good or bad) don’t forget to comment below or on our Facebook page.
Also check out the rest of our site for information on not only dog harnesses but collars, leads, accessories, hints, tips and reviews.
We’d also like to thank our fellow Frenchie owners for indulging us with writing this article. Many of them have their own Instagram accounts so we really should look at highlighting those at a future date! See you soon!
