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Fast, tall, slender and graceful – the Greyhound is a sighthound so spectacular, it won Best in Show at the first-ever Crufts in 1928. Before we consider what makes the best harness for Greyhounds, we should consider the breed and why selecting a dog harness may not be as simple as taking one straight off the shelf.
Greyhound Dog Harnesses: Summary Table
| Position | Harness | Online Rating | Available Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ruffwear Web Master Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 2 | Hunter Racing Norwegian-Style Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 3 | CosyDogs Fleece Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 4 | Haqihana Multicolor Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon | |
| 5 | Ruffwear All-Day Adventure Dog Harness | Buy on Amazon |
What to Look For in a Greyhound Harness
Greyhounds, like their cousins the Whippet and Lurcher, have a distinct body shape. They are recognised by their long legs, deep chest, flexible spine, and overall slim build.
Males have a greater height and weight than females, the breed has short hair and can vary from 30 different recognised colours.
The greyhound’s neck is usually long, with a head and ears that are relatively small. All of these factors make walking a Greyhound on a collar or harness, particularly if they are a puller.
If your dog pulls on the leash, the collar can slip off. If they’re wearing a harness, they may be able to escape – particularly when pulling backwards.
This can be not only worrying for the Greyhound owner but also frustrating. The first thing many owners look for is a harness that the Greyhound cannot easily escape from.
Escape-proof, or Houdini, harnesses are designed to stop your dog from wiggling or pulling out.
The dog harness should also work with the frame of the breed, particularly the chest area. A poorly designed harness may be tight or pinch the skin under the front limbs.
Greyhounds also have a prey drive, which means they may dart away without notice when they spot a passing squirrel. If you are walking them on a dog lead and collar, this can also cause injury to yourself as well as your dog – particularly their throats.
Measuring your Greyhound for a Harness
As Greyhounds can craftily slip out of collars and harnesses, it’s important to make sure that your harness fits. The girth of a Greyhound’s chest is the deepest part of the breed, and the waist can be small – so follow our and the manufacturer’s instructions well to avoid a harness too small or large (or unsuitable altogether).
Italian Greyhound harnesses can also be considered from our list, however, because of their physical differences – be careful to measure them correctly and choose a size that suits.
Our complete guide to measuring and fitting your dog for the correct size harness is here, however as a quick summary:
- Measure your Greyhound’s chest. You’ll need to measure the deepest part of the hound, a few inches behind the front legs. Take a tape measure and wrap it around the chest. Take note of the measurement.
- Add a few inches. You don’t want a harness which is too tight, so add a few inches for some growth and freedom. If the end result is a size between two harnesses, most go for the larger and use the adjustable straps for a better fit.
- Measure the circumference of the neck. This may not be needed, but some harnesses require neck sizes.
Best Dog Harness for Greyhounds – Our Top 5
1. 🏆 Ruffwear Web Master Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ruffwear Web Master Harness, Medium, Red Currant | Buy on Amazon |
There are somewhat less expensive Ruffwear harnesses available, such as the hugely popular All-Day Adventure Harness, however, we have followed the advice of fellow Greyhound owners and opted for the Web Master.
Often marketed as a support or hiking harness – it’s actually perfect for the Greyhounds unique shape as it’s virtually escape-proof.
Despite its enhanced design, the harness is fully adjustable with five points for adjusting to a better fit. The straps around the belly, as well as the chest area, is foam padded to stop the adjusting straps wearing into your dog.
This harness has two leash attachment points to allow better control of your Greyhound. The first, located at the top, single-piece, anodized aluminum V-ring. Alternatively at the rear is a webbing loop at the rear. This is also located by the padded handle which can be used for holding your dog in place, or helping them over objects should they suffer from mobility issues (e.g. Osteo-arthritis, also called Degenerative Joint Disease, or the more serious Osteosarcoma of the hip).
Overall, this is a fantastic “Houdini dog” harness, designed to keep your dog both safe and comfortable.
2. Hunter Racing Norwegian-Style Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Hunter Racing Norwegian harness for dogs, nylon, reflective, coat-friendly, Red, M | Buy on Amazon |
If you’re looking for something more minimal and in line with a greyhound’s shape, this Norwegian Style harness is worth checking out.
These well-priced harnesses are sleek and discrete. They fit well and will hold securely on your dog. The leash attaches at the top and it has reflective trims around the outer layer.
The material is made with an inner soft fleece lining for comfort. The harness is available in several colours.
These come recommended by several Greyhound owners we spoke to – especially for dogs who are reasonably well behaved.
If you’re looking for something secure, minimal and comfortable for walking – this is great. If, however, your Greyhound will do anything to escape their harness or has a tendency to pull or dart – you probably want to look for an alternative.
3. CosyDogs Fleece Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | CosyDogs Fleece Dog Harness in Black: Size 4 | Buy on Amazon |
Another Greyhound owners favourite is this soft fleece harness. This is a simple harness to put on your Greyhound without needing to lift the legs – simply put over the head and clip-on.
The CosyDogs harness has two non-slip adjusters for a better fit.
4. Haqihana Multicolor Dog Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Haqihana Multicolor Dog Harness M | Buy on Amazon |
Beautiful and stylish, the Haqihana is a multicoloured harness handmade in Italy.
The harness is designed so that pressure is properly distributed on the Greyhound’s sternum and the thorax.
Made from high tenacity spun-dried nylon, this harness not only looks good – it should be a great fit and very comfortable for your dog.
The lead attaches to a stainless steel D-ring at the top (back) of the dog harness.
Buckles and adjusters are made of acetal resin and allow for five points of adjustment for that perfect Greyhound fit.
It’s also recommended by world author and dog trainer Turid Rugaas (see video).
These are not the cheapest of harnesses, and they can be a little difficult to find, but if you want something stylish and practical – this is one to check out.
5. Ruffwear All-Day Adventure Harness
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ruffwear All-Day Dog Front Range Harness, Grey (Twilight Grey), M | Buy on Amazon |
The Ruffwear Front Range harness is the most popular in the range. Unlike the Web Master – this is more designed for better-behaved dogs or dogs who do pull but aren’t prone to wriggling out of harnesses. It’s also less expensive than its more escape-proof cousin.
This practical walking harness is a front clip harness, this means two leash connection points – one at the top (back), the other at the front (chest).
The strong aluminium V-ring at the top can be used on a standard leash – simply attach and walk. The second is the reinforced webbing loop on the front. This attaches to a double-ended training lead, such as a HALTI, which can serve as a normal leash or no-pull lead attached to both ends for increased control.
The all-day adventure harness has adjustable shoulder, chest and belly straps for a comfortable and secure fit.
Ruffwear design their harnesses to last and not put undue pressure on your dog’s throat and body, particularly when they pull. The chest and belly areas have padded panels for comfort.
The outer layer has a high visibility reflective trim. There are also ID pocket for keeping your dog tags.
Overall, this is a fantastic harness. We often recommend it, and for most breeds, it would be higher – but make sure your Greyhounds shape and temperament don’t make this a harness they could pull their way out of.
Summary
With their deep chests, slim waists and long necks – not every harness are ideal for a Greyhound.
Consider not only the shape and temperament of your Greyhound when out walking but whether they have a tendency to try and escape.
Find a harness that is not going to allow escape, is agreeable to them and is comfortable. Also, consider the ability to train your dog’s behavior with the harness.
If you have any suggestions, hints, and tips – don’t forget to comment below or reach out to our Facebook page.
