Dog harnesses have come a long way over the years with to-day there being many choices for a pet parent to choose from. Collars can be a pain in the neck for a dog. 
The following questions keep coming up and this guide will help to navigate through the many choices to-day in dog harnes
Are they good for all breeds of dogs?
What about traveling in the car with my dog?
I love outdoor sports with my dog what then?
What about training my puppy?
When should I not choose a harness?
The right way to size?
Let’s dive into
What is a harness and how it works?
A dog harness fastens around your dog’s body, rather than around its neck like a traditional collar does. It has a leash loop near the shoulders thereby taking pressure off the neck of the dog. A good design can incorporate pressure points that help to redistribute the force of a pulling dog all over the body rather than concentrated on a single point like a collar does on the neck. 
Collars can choke a dog causing discomfort, or injury. A harness eliminates the possibility of choking and throat shearing for the dog.
Collars can choke a dog causing discomfort, or injury. A harness eliminates the possibility of choking and throat shearing for the dog.
There are lots and lots of harness styles — the best choice will depend on your dog’s size and the attributes of your dog.
Standard Harness:
Is the most common type of harness and it distributes the force of the leash against a dog’s chest and back, which works well for small and medium sized dogs. However, it’s not the best option for a large dogs that are strong and like to “walk you”, because it allows them to pull hard against the leash, which can cause chaffing on their skin.
No-Pull Harness:
This harness will tighten slightly when a dog pulls — but the force is felt under the dog’s front “armpits” instead of their neck. This puts a little pressure on the dog, so pay attention to the fact that if they are hard pullers, then the leash may ”bite in” and cause some discomfort to the dog.
The right size and fit?
Use the “two finger rule” when sizing your dog for the correct fitting harness. Different styles have different fits. Place two fingers stacked one on top of the other on the dogs back close to their necks, your index and middle finger work best. Measure around your dog’s ribcage including the height of your two fingers, check the sizing chart of the harness you intend to purchase. Compare your dog’s chest measurement (chest plus two fingers) against the sizing choices. It’s important to get size right. Harnesses that are too tight can be painful, but dogs can wiggle out of a too-loose harness.
What dogs would benefit the most from a harness?
Vets will always recommend a harness over a collar for any breed of dog with pushed in faces like Pugs 
or English Bulldogs or French Bulldogs as the design of their nasal passages lead to labored breathing in these animals and a collar can put too much pressure on these dog’s throats thereby exasperating the problem. Also dogs with elongated overly slender delicate necks like Greyhounds, and Whippets slip out of a collar too easily, so a harness is always a better choice. Also, if you have a puppy, or a small breed like Toy breeds a collar can pull too forcibly on their walks, and with their tiny neck size, a dog harness may be the better option. A harness is also a great option for puppies in training, as it can communicate better signaling from you to the dog in a surer and deliberate action. Also any breed of dog like Pomeranian's that commonly can have throat problems, then a dog harness is a better choice.
or English Bulldogs or French Bulldogs as the design of their nasal passages lead to labored breathing in these animals and a collar can put too much pressure on these dog’s throats thereby exasperating the problem. Also dogs with elongated overly slender delicate necks like Greyhounds, and Whippets slip out of a collar too easily, so a harness is always a better choice. Also, if you have a puppy, or a small breed like Toy breeds a collar can pull too forcibly on their walks, and with their tiny neck size, a dog harness may be the better option. A harness is also a great option for puppies in training, as it can communicate better signaling from you to the dog in a surer and deliberate action. Also any breed of dog like Pomeranian's that commonly can have throat problems, then a dog harness is a better choice.
Why choose a harness over the traditional collar and leash set-up?
If your dog breed is a bug eyed breed of dog or has a pushed-in-face then choose a harness. If you have a young puppy, a harness may be a better choice for controlling the puppy on walks or while training, giving you more control. All small breeds will benefit from a dog harness over a traditional collar. Any dog that suffers from throat problems or breathing issues and a collar might choke and exasperate the condition, would greatly benefit from a dog harness.
Are they good for all breeds of dogs?
No. Because harnesses are less restrictive and more comfortable than collars, dogs in harnesses are more likely to pull at their leashes. A dog that is rambunctious and typically pulls your arms out of your sockets while walking would not benefit greatly from the control a dog harness offers and so in this situation you might want to stick with a collar-and- leash.
What about traveling in the car with my dog?
A dog harness is recommended for travelling with your dog in the car. 
You need a seat belt extension to attach a leash to the seat belt of a car. A collar and leash will give too much travel to the dog, so in the case of a braking emergency stop, then the dog can go flying and can choke. A seat belt extension can connect directly to the dog harness, thereby giving the dog less travel and is a safer option in an
emergency stop delivering the force of the stop over the body of the dog, rather than on the throat and neck as would be the case with a collar and leash. Also with a harness it is safer for a dog to hang out the window of a moving car as they “love to do”
You need a seat belt extension to attach a leash to the seat belt of a car. A collar and leash will give too much travel to the dog, so in the case of a braking emergency stop, then the dog can go flying and can choke. A seat belt extension can connect directly to the dog harness, thereby giving the dog less travel and is a safer option in anemergency stop delivering the force of the stop over the body of the dog, rather than on the throat and neck as would be the case with a collar and leash. Also with a harness it is safer for a dog to hang out the window of a moving car as they “love to do”
I love outdoor sports with my dog what then?
Dog Harnesses are designed with the sport enthusiast in mind. With a dog harness you can safely enjoy cycling with your best buddy trotting alongside you safely and securely. 
If you want to roller-blade and or skate, then a dog harness is made for both you and your dog. Running with your dog opens up a whole new fun, healthy and exhilarating experience for the both of you. All outdoor physical sport activity or pursuit where you want the ability to be able to secure your dog and attach it safely so you both can enjoy the activity, then a harness is the right choice.
If you want to roller-blade and or skate, then a dog harness is made for both you and your dog. Running with your dog opens up a whole new fun, healthy and exhilarating experience for the both of you. All outdoor physical sport activity or pursuit where you want the ability to be able to secure your dog and attach it safely so you both can enjoy the activity, then a harness is the right choice.
What about training my puppy?
Puppies love to wiggle out of a collar don’t they? They are more amazing than Houdini, magically seeming to just slip out of that tight fitting collar……or so you thought, and you end up chasing them rather than enjoying teaching them. Collars are an uncomfortable feeling for the puppy around their necks, so it is a natural instinct for them to try to wiggle out of it. 
Because a dog harness goes around their bodies, then they cannot easily wiggle out of it. Training a puppy to walk on a leash can be much more deliberate and controlled with a harness.
Because a dog harness goes around their bodies, then they cannot easily wiggle out of it. Training a puppy to walk on a leash can be much more deliberate and controlled with a harness.
When should I not choose a harness?
You still may need a collar to hang dog tags from if your local jurisdiction calls for it.
Harnesses may reduce issues of pulling in some dogs. But for other dogs, the opposite may be true, and certain harnesses also have the potential to increase a dog's desire to pull, as it will no longer find it uncomfortable to do so. If this is the case for your dog, consider using a front-clip harness or a no-pull harness, rather than one with a buckle on the back.
Conclusion:
You should have a harness for your dog. They are more comfortable for the dog. They are designed with many more features than a simple collar and leash. They offer you the ability to include your dog in outdoor sport pursuits. They allow for safer travel in the car, and are the only choice for some dog breeds.
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