Harnesses and the pull
Do harnesses make pulling worse?
Plenty of families switch to a harness because the collar made their dog cough, and then find the dog pulls harder than ever. That is not a coincidence. Here is what each design does, when a harness is the right call, and how the walk gets fixed.
Last reviewed September 29, 2026 · by the Best Dog University Team
Back-clip harnesses
Yes, a back-clip harness usually makes pulling easier, because the dog can lean into it.
A harness that clips between the shoulder blades works like a small version of a sled harness. When the dog pulls, the pressure lands across the broad, strong chest instead of the neck, so pulling becomes comfortable. Many dogs respond to steady pressure by leaning into it rather than yielding, and a back-clip harness gives them a perfect place to push.
The result is a dog that no longer coughs and no longer stops, and happily drags a person down the sidewalk at full strength. For a thirty-pound dog that may be manageable. For a ninety-pound Lab or shepherd, it is how owners end up with sore shoulders or a fall on a wet path.
- Pressure moves from the neck to the chest
- Pulling becomes comfortable
- Dogs lean into steady pressure
- Big dogs pull with their full weight
Front-clip and no-pull designs
A front-clip harness reduces pulling, but it manages the walk rather than teaching it.
A front-clip harness attaches at the chest. When the dog pulls, the leash turns it sideways and back toward you, which takes away much of its leverage. Many owners feel an immediate difference, and for some families that difference is enough to make walks possible while they teach the dog properly.
The limits are worth knowing. A front-clip harness does not show the dog where to walk, so the pulling usually returns the day the harness changes. Some designs rub under the front legs or shift the dog's gait when fitted loosely, and a few no-pull styles tighten around the chest. Fit it snugly, check for rubbing, and treat it as a management tool.
- Clips at the chest and turns the dog back toward you
- Reduces leverage, does not teach a position
- Pulling returns when the harness changes
- Check for rubbing under the legs
When a harness is right
A harness is the right call for small dogs, flat-faced breeds and dogs with neck or back problems.
Some dogs should be walked on a harness whatever it does to pulling. Toy breeds with a windpipe your vet has flagged, dogs recovering from neck or back injuries, and flat-faced breeds such as French bulldogs and pugs, which already struggle to breathe in Houston's summer air, are safer with the pressure off the throat. A harness is also the usual attachment for long-line recall work.
For those dogs, the answer is still to teach the walk. A small dog on a harness that has learned to walk at your side is a pleasure; a small dog that drags on a harness is still a dog that pulls.
- Toy breeds with a vet-flagged windpipe
- Neck or back injuries
- French bulldogs, pugs and other flat-faced breeds
- Long-line recall work
Teaching the walk
Whatever the dog wears, the walk is taught the same way: a position, paid often, and a leash that never pays.
The equipment is the last decision, not the first. These steps work on a flat collar, a slip lead or a harness.
Choose a spot at your side and reward the dog every few steps for being there.
The moment the leash goes tight, stop moving and wait until it slackens.
Reward the step back to your side, then walk on.
Turn away from whatever the dog pulls toward, so pulling takes it further from its goal.
Start on quiet streets and short walks before you try the busy trail.
Choose the equipment for the dog once the position exists, and learn the fit from a trainer.
At Best Dog University
Humid summers chafe harnesses, and every one of our programs teaches the walk first.
From May to September a harness holds heat and damp against the chest, and the strap behind the front legs is where Houston dogs get sore. Walk early and late, test the pavement with the back of your hand, and take the harness off at home so the coat can dry. On the busy paths around Towne Lake or along Buffalo Bayou, a dog that pulls on any equipment is harder to manage near bikes and other dogs.
Loose leash walking is the first thing built in every stay: the one-week Silver program at $1,500 for a dog that just needs the foundation, the two-week Gold program at $2,500 for pulling with jumping and door manners, and the three-week Platinum program at $3,750 for a dog that pulls toward other dogs. Private lessons, $160 in Cypress or $220 at home, suit a family who wants to learn it together.
The programs
The walk is taught first in every program.
Silver builds a loose leash in a week, Gold adds the manners around it, and lessons teach you the handling.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this.
Should I switch my dog from a harness to a collar?
Not until the walk is taught. Moving a pulling dog straight to a collar just moves the pressure to the neck. Teach the position first, then ask a trainer which equipment suits your dog. For toy breeds, flat-faced breeds and dogs with neck problems, a well-fitted harness often stays.
Are no-pull harnesses cruel?
A well-fitted front-clip harness is not cruel. Some designs that tighten around the chest or sit poorly can rub or restrict movement, so check the fit and watch the dog's gait. The bigger concern is expecting the harness to do the teaching, which leaves the dog pulling on something else later.
Should I send my dog's harness to board and train?
Usually not. Bring a flat collar with an ID tag and a standard leash. Our trainers teach the walk and choose the equipment for your dog, and the go-home session shows you how to use whatever your dog goes home wearing, which is often a flat collar or a slip lead.
What about a head halter?
A head halter steers the head, and where the head goes the dog follows, so it can reduce pulling. Many dogs dislike it at first and need a slow introduction with food, and the leash should never be jerked while the dog wears one. Like a harness, it manages rather than teaches.
Is a harness better for a small dog?
Often, yes, because small necks are delicate and some toy breeds have windpipe problems your vet may flag. A small dog on a harness still needs to learn the walk, and the teaching is identical. The harness protects the neck; the training stops the pull.
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