Are you tired of looking for a dog harness that will fit your dog? Is every dog harness you buy the wrong size? If so, then you should make a dog harness on your own.
All you need is a long enough rope. With it, you will be able to make a dog harness that will fit your pet just right. A no-pulling harness that you can make any time. Here is, how to make a dog harness out of a rope?
Making A DIY Dog Harness
There are many ways to make a dog harness out of a rope. You can even get creative and figure this out on your own. I will explain the simplest way just so you get the idea.
- Get a piece of rope.
The size of the rope depends on the size of your dog. Ideally, the rope should be 3-4 times bigger than your dog. Go for a thick and soft rope. These ropes will be light on your dog and minimize pulling. - Fold the rope in half.
- Tie a knot.
At the folded, closed-end, tie a knot and half a knot. This type of knot is commonly known as an overhand knot. Here’s how to tie the knot if you have never done this before. How To Tie An Overhand Knot. - Loop the rope around your dog.
Start by placing the rope at the top of the left shoulder. Then, take the open end and loop one side around your dog’s neck, one around your dog’s belly. It should look just like a harness. You should be left with the knot in one hand and the open end in the other. Both hands are on top of the shoulders. - Pull the 2 sides through the overhand knot.
While you are holding both ends of the rope, take the open end, and pull the 2 sides through the knot. You are almost done here, you can finish the knot however you want. You can either make more loops or braid the rope. - Adjust for no-pulling.
Once you are done, just adjust how tight you want the harness to be.
How To Make A Dog Harness With A Dog Leash
You don’t have to go for the rope. You can just use the dog leash you have at home. If your dog is pulling too much with the dog leash on, just convert it into a no-pull harness. Here’s how to do that.
- Hook the leash on the dog’s collar.
Remember, the dog leash you own should still be long enough. So when you do the loops, there is still some of the leash left so you can hold it. - Loop the leash around the belly.
Just take the leash and loop it around the dog’s belly. - Put the leash through the hook clip.
Once you’ve done the loop, take the leash and put it through the hooking clip. - Adjust for grip.
With that last step, you already have a dog harness. Just adjust how tight you want the harness to be.
There you go. You can watch the video if you are having trouble with some of the steps. This solution is not ideal but it works when you need a no-pull harness quickly.
I don’t like it because the dog harness is kind of hanging from the hooking clip. There is another way you can try though, keep reading.
Using The Harness Lead
Now, there is a dog harness rope called the Harness Lead. This is a rope harness designed specifically for the pet owner that can’t find the right-sized harness. It’s basically a DIY dog harness.
The rope has a loop that acts as a collar, and 2 stoppers for adjusting the size. Here is how to use it.
- Put the collar on the dog’s neck.
- Align the stoppers so they are in line with the right shoulder.
- Loop the rope around the dog’s belly.
- Put the handle loop through the collar’s opening.
As you can see, there is an opening right at the middle of the collar. Put the rope through that and pull the holding disc upwards. - Pull down the holding disc.
The holding disc is how you adjust the tightness. Pull it down as much as you want. - Use the dog harness.
I think this is the better solution out of the two. With the Harness Lead, there are stoppers and a disc that helps you adjust for size. More so, the rope is not hanging from the clip. This is a no-pull, escape-resistant dog harness.
Why Use A DIY Dog Harness
All of this begs the question, why go with this type of harness instead of buying a manufactured dog harness? Well, if you are here I think you already have the answer. Store-bought dog harnesses are not exactly ideal. It’s really hard to find one of the right size and with the right weight limit.
We use dog harnesses for dogs that pull too much or for dogs that easily escape the collar. How are DIY harnesses any different though? The answer is the same again.
With a store-bought dog harness, the size is already predetermined. These harnesses are made to be universal, not made specifically for your dog. So, if your dog is that tricky, it will escape even these harnesses. More so, a loose dog harness will just make pulling even worse.
With custom-made dog harnesses, you can choose your own materials. You decide on the size of the rope. Because you are not using an already done design, you can get creative. You can get just the right tightness so the dog won’t be able to pull at all.
Another reason why you may be using a DIY dog harness is actually situational. For instance, your dog may be pulling only when there are other dogs around. So, you don’t have to bring your dog harness with the leash as well. Just turn the leash into a harness when there are other dogs present.
Related Questions And Other FAQs
Can You Use Rope As A Dog Leash
Yes, there’s nothing wrong with using a rope like a dog leash. Just make sure the rope is attached to the clipper tight enough. And go with a light weight rope. Make sure that the rope is soft and thick so it doesn’t weigh too much on the dog.
What Kind Of Rope You Use For A Dog Leash
The two most common materials used for a rope dog leash are cotton and nylon, preferably soft material. I recommend using a cotton rope if your dog likes to chew the dog leash. You can use a nylon rope as well.
You can also use nylon webbing to make a dog harness.
