In this buyer’s guide, we will explore the best Great Dane harness on the market, why you may consider using one and discuss how to select the right one for this giant breed.
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Before we delve into the world of this enormous dog ā let us stop for a moment and reflect on this gentle giant. We have one Great Dane (update: two), and weāve fostered a few. Theyāre a big dog breed, theyāre friendly, theyāre a bit lazy, and theyāre strong. Very strong.
If youāve had any experience of this giant lovable beast, youāll know that if out walking and they pull, they really pull! It may not entirely be the image of an owner dragged down the street, but it feels like a possibility some days. A lot of pulling will reduce with proper dog training and practice.
With their broad chest, extra large size and strength – finding a harness that is fitted well (check out our dog harness measurement guide) and is strong is crucial. So, before you buy your next (or first) dog harness – read out reviews of our top six Great Dane dog harnesses.
Best Great Dane Harnesses – Our 6 Picks
From owning two Great Danes, being part of the community, independent research and online reviews, we have collated the six best Great Dane harnesses below.
1. š Ruffwear All Day Adventure Great Dane Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ruffwear All-Day Dog Front Range Harness, Grey (Twilight Grey), L/XL | Buy on Amazon |
We wrote a much longer review of the Ruffwear Front Range Harness. Ruffwear have created a reliable large dog harness for Great Danes and one we use personally (well our Danes do) every day.
When fostering one of our Danes, he arrived with a relatively basic back-clip harness which was next to useless with a dog his size.
All the control came from a flimsy lead clip at the back, and the harness would loosen and (annoyingly) sag to one side.
We instantly noticed the difference when moving him to the Ruffwear Front Range harness.
Front View of Ruffwear Front Range Harness on our Adult Great Dane
Ruffwear Front Range Harness has back and front clips. Like many dog harnesses, it has an aluminium V-ring hoop above the harness (on the back) to clip your lead on. This is used for general walkingĀ – pop a leash on the leash attachment and away you go.
It’s also okay if your dog is generally well behaved when out in public and is not a puller. However, it’s the additional reinforced webbing loop on the dog harnesses front that makes the difference.
Why the additional hoop? This allows specific double-ended leads to attach at the base for more control and training. These work with a variety of training leads, such as theĀ Halti training lead.
You attach both sides to the two clips when needed. You then clip the front part of the leash back to the lead hoop. It’s simple but very effective.
Our Great Danes wear these harnesses a lot during the day and also wear a collar. This is mainly for ID tags – especially when the harness is off. It’s simple to put on and take off the dog. Over the head, leg through, round and clip.
The padding is comfortable, and it is well proportioned for the Great Danes frame. The reflective stripes at the sides is also a nice touch for seeing our dogs when out walking at night. The harness is easy to clean (handwash), and it’s relatively waterproof (which is helpful).
Overall, a well-designed harness, comfortable and most importantly, ideal for training your dog not to pull when on the lead. There are so many reasons we love this harness – but primarily, it has never let us down. It doesn’t sag, break and has served us well over the years.
2. Best Great Dane Back-Clip Harness: Julius-K9 PowerHarness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | K9 Powerharness, Size: 2XL/3, Black | Buy on Amazon |
Another giant breed dog harness we have previously featured – the Julius-K9 is a great all-around dog harness, particularly for medium to larger dogs.
The Julius-K9 is a very sturdy, attractive harness.
There’s a metal ring on top for lead attachments and a large, adjustable handle for increased control of your dog.
The Julius features a handle on the back which is used for a comfortable grip. It’s possible to lift your pet using this while a puppy – but we suspect you’d struggle once they’re fully grown.
The belly strap has a heavy-duty plastic buckle. The chest strap has an adjustable hook and loop fastening.
The Chest strap also has a reflective strip to give some high visibility to your Great Dane when out walking at night or in dark conditions.
The harness material is breathable and can be fitted and removed easily.
Yes, we know it’s not a Great Dane in the picture. A friend of ours kindly modelled this on her Newfoundland as ours wasn’t feeling particularly photogenic that day.
Some dog owners prefer training and to walk their dog using a front range, however, if you’re looking for a Great Dane harness with a handle – this would be your best choice.
Because of the control needed, especially while training, the lack of a front loop makes it that little bit more difficult.
It’s more of the type of harness walkers may use when out in the park and want their canines on a long lead. This allows them to run around without running off.
3. Company of Animals Non-Pull Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Sporn Non-Pull Harness, Black Large | Buy on Amazon |
Two things to note about this Company of Animals harness. They’re very popular, and they are inexpensive. And as a harness, they’re not the worst out there by a long shot.
However, for a GD – it’s probably not for you unless you’re on a limited budget or are trying out harnesses for the first time.
It’s a no-pull harness, which is – as the name suggests – a harness that reduces pulling.
The design uses elastic webbing and mesh, which covers your dogās chest. It’s designed for comfort, and on the first view, it appears to be so.
Now, Company of Animals make some fantastic harnesses – but allow me to highlight some reservations on this specific product.
Great Danes can pull. And when they pull, they pull hard. That’s why dog collars and leashes alone can put pressure on their neck and throat as well as damage their thorax if they suddenly lunge. The Company of Animals Non-Pull Harness uses the āsqueeze and liftā theory. That is, when your dog pulls, the straps tighten.
As these straps are not padded, it tends to pinch – which can hurt the dog. Because it is hurting the dog, the dog tends to pull even harder to get away from the pain. This can increase the pull problem.
I’m not a fan of this harness and have struggled to understand why it’s as popular as it is.
Given the energy Great Danes can suddenly deliver (zoomies anyone?) – I’d instead use something I had complete confidence in. Saying that perhaps some owners have calm dogs, so the pulling isn’t an issue.
It also looks a little on the cheap side. Lack of padding, no finesse. Dogs are not fashion accessories – but at least give them a chance to make a fashion statement.
4. Mekuti Balance Dog Harness
Donāt expect anyone is falling head over heels over this harness, in more ways than one.
The Mekuti Balance Dog Harness is a highly recommended big dog harness by many reputable trainers – albeit not an overly attractive one.
The consensus among professionals is that it works wonders in helping you with loose lead training.
5. Best Budget Harness: TrueLove Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | TrueLove Dog Harness TLH5651 No-pull Reflective Stitching Ensure Night Visibility, Outdoor Adventure... | Buy on Amazon |
One of the cutest large breed harnesses we’ve seen. We’ve featured this harness a few times, and it’s great for smaller breeds (it’s top of our list for Jack Russell).
But what’s it like for a large breed?
Another example of a no-pull harness with rings both front and back. The harness has a D-ring is located on the dog’s back and webbing with O-ring on the dog’s chest.
This means leads such as the Halti can be attached for better control and training.
The design includes Nylon webbing with 3M Reflective material for nighttime visibility.
There’s also a handle for holding, guiding or looping a seat belt.
The padding and design are excellent for pullers as it reduces any friction or pinching that could occur from a sudden lunge.
This is a great harness and something a little different for a Great Dane.
Because Danes have quite long chests, we’ve heard some people find these not to be the best of fits, but as long as you get your measurements right – it’ll suit just fine.
6. Perfect Fit Harness
This UK based company designs hand-made harnesses to fit your dog.
They have distributors globally, so you’ve probably seen them in stores.
Another great example of no-pull dog harnesses with rings on both the front and back.
It’s a sleek harness and well designed for a Great Dane.
The harness is possibly not as feature-rich as some on the list but still worth checking out.
We hope you have enjoyed our little voyage through our tried and tested reviews. Hopefully this has helped you select the best harness for a great dane. Given the size of the breed, it is so important to invest in a good harness you can rely on. They sometimes don’t realise their strength. On occasion, they can be bounding with energy. As we mentioned, we prefer the Ruffwear walking harnesses on our dogs.
It gives us the most significant level of control and confidence. We also used this harness when taking them to agility classes and obedience training. We found it helped us. A few points to consider when buying a harness for your Great Dane.
Firstly, if your dog pulls, invest in a no-pull harness. A robust one at that – Great Danes are usually very strong. Consider a front range clasp for extra control.
Also double-checkĀ the sizing, remembering that if you currently have a puppy – they grow up. Fast.
It’s an excellent idea to invest time in proper training. This may be some form of obedience classes, agility or something that creates a bond between you and your Great Dane.
You should also work with your Dane when out walking – perhaps stopping for a few seconds every time they pull. You can read more about this topic in our helpful Great Dane harness guide.
If we’ve missed any harnesses or you have had experiences of the ones we’ve written about – please let us know in the comment section below. You can also comment using our Facebook page.
Great site.
My Great Dane loves his Lime Green āTrueLoveā Harness.