Dog harnesses can cause irritation, pain, and even hair loss for dogs with sensitive skin or longer fur. This is why it’s important for dog owners to know about the best dog harnesses for pups with sensitive skin.
To avoid chafing, skin allergies, irritation, and other negative effects of dog harnesses, owners should use harnesses featuring silky and soft materials. I also recommended using harnesses that don’t have straps that wrap under dogs’ arms.
Keep reading as I share my insights into why a comfortable harness is essential for all dogs, especially those with sensitive skin. I’ll be talking about the different issues that can arise with a bad harness. Then, I’ll highlight some harness products that are ideal for sensitive skin dogs.
Can a dog harness cause irritation?
Dog harnesses can cause mild to severe skin irritation, depending on the dog’s fur and skin type. Because dog harnesses have friction points – areas where the materials rub against fur and skin – they can chafe. Harnesses also trap bacteria and dirt on dog fur and skin without regular cleaning, which can lead to irritation.
Chafing, in particular, leads to itching, burning, dryness, and a host of other skin issues. As a result, your pooch may become vulnerable to infection as they scratch and lick at their skin.
Further, contact irritation – like that caused by harness chafing – is one of the most common causes of rashes in dogs. If a rash gets bad enough, dogs may need veterinary attention to soothe the irritating symptoms like flakiness and hair loss.
Can dogs worsen their irritation from harnesses?
Unfortunately, if a dog’s harness is chafing them and causing irritation, the dog can inadvertently make these symptoms worse. My dogs tend to scratch, chew, and lick at irritated patches of skin if their harnesses are uncomfortable. Sometimes, they even lick so much that they cause bald spots on their own.
As a result, they end up making the affected skin more red and tender. And as they keep licking and messing with the irritated spots, the cycle just continues.
Can a dog harness hurt a dog?
I mentioned already that certain harnesses can cause irritation for dogs. But I also want to note that this irritation can lead to pain. This happens both actively while wearing the harness and as a result of skin irritation.
While wearing the harness, tethered to a leash, dogs can experience pain from pulling motions. When I walk my dogs, I am careful not to tug too harshly. The material of their harnesses can pull at their fur and cause pain.
I also keep in mind the fact that chafing and irritation from harnesses can hurt my pooches. Even the friction from a harness rubbing against fur can lead to matting, which is very painful for dogs.
If your dogs are like mine and have sensitive skin, then irritation is much more painful, with symptoms like:
- Soreness
- Tenderness
- Burning
Aside from these factors, though, dog harnesses can also be painful beneath the skin’s surface. Although they’re more comfortable and better than collars, they can still press into a dog’s chest and armpits. If your dogs like to pull hard on walks, then they may experience some pain.
Therefore, I recommend making sure that you size your dogs’ harnesses correctly before putting them on. If you adjust a harness too tightly, it will intensify the pain and irritation that these devices can cause.
Do dog harnesses rub hair off?
As I mentioned before, dog harnesses can rub the hair off of dogs and leave behind bald patches. If you don’t fit them properly, or they get caught and twisted, they can tear the fur. The worst scenario would be for your dog’s fur to get caught in the buckle of a harness and torn right out.
I tend to only put the harness on my dogs when it’s time to put them on a leash. This way, they aren’t as likely to lose hair. But if I leave the harness on them all day, problems tend to arise.
Particularly if they are laying in the same position for a long time, where the harness keeps rubbing. Eventually, if a dog’s skin chafes enough, it becomes injured and results in fur falling out.
Another common reason that harnesses rub the hair off is somewhat indirect. For example, if a dog’s harness leads to fur matting long-term, that fur is more likely to rub off.
This is why I strongly recommend only putting harnesses on your dog(s) during training activities like walks or bathroom breaks.
(Best) Dog harness for sensitive armpits
With the above information in mind, I think dog owners should know which harnesses are the safest and most comfortable. Doggy armpits are one of the most common areas that harnesses chafe and irritate where the straps dig in. So, I’m recommending a few harnesses I like that are best for sensitive armpit areas.
1. ComfortFlex Sport Harness for Dogs
I like this harness because it prevents underarm chafing, and customer reviews also vouch for this quality. It has padded comfort in its design, and it supports a full range of motion. This means that your pooch can pull and turn without so much irritation in the sensitive arm and armpit areas.
Further, ComfortFlex offers more than 10 different sizes. I like this feature, as I can get the best possible fit for my dogs that won’t cut into their underarm areas. It has garnered an average of 4.7/5.0 stars on Amazon in the comfort category, as well.
2. Voyager Step-In Plush Dog Harness
The Voyager plush harness is another decent option for dogs with sensitive underarms – especially those with long or curly fur. It prevents underarm chafing and uses a plush vest material, which is a non-irritating fabric. Additionally, the “step-in” style of this harness means dogs can walk right into it.
This way, they avoid the discomfort and irritation on their arms of getting twisted up in the harness. It has garnered an average of 4.9/5.0 stars on Amazon in the comfort category, as well.
3. PoyPet No-Pull Dog Harness
There are nearly 19,000 reviews of this harness on Amazon, where it has an average rating of 4.6/5.0 stars. And I agree with these positive reviews, as the harness is perfect for minimizing underarm discomfort.
The straps are adjustable for a perfect fit, and they’re designed to avoid the armpit area altogether. PoyPet’s harness uses padded mesh, too, which only increases the comfort level for dogs.
Dog harness that doesn’t go under arms
You can probably tell by now that a comfortable dog harness is one that won’t rest in a dog’s underarms. Because this area is so sensitive, the ideal harness would be one with straps that extend below the underarm area.
That’s why I recommend finding ones with a similar design to the PoyPet No-Pull Dog Harness (mentioned above). Harnesses like this have a relaxed design so that buckles and the rough fabric won’t naturally rest against soft armpit skin.
Best dog harness for chafing
I’m also going to recommend some of the best dogs harnesses to minimize chafing – not just in the underarms.
- Didog Soft Flannel Padded Dog Harness – I like this harness because of its fleece lining that won’t cause friction against skin and fur
JUXZH Truelove Soft Front Dog Harness – I like this harness because it has a sponge-padded chest and lightweight mesh that won’t dig into dog skin
Gooby Escape Free Easy Fit Harness – I like this Gooby harness because it is easy for dogs to step into and is highly rated for comfort.
Final Thoughts
While learning about the topic “dog harness sensitive skin”, hopefully my advice has helped. If you leave a harness on a dog too tight or too long, it can cause irritation and hair loss.
To avoid these uncomfortable symptoms, make sure to get the right harness for your sensitive skin dog. My recommendations are hard to beat.