The best harness for small dogs

The soft, flexible, and easy-to-fit Puppia RiteFit Harness is an ultra-affordable option for small dogs.

For small dogs that don't pull on leash, I like to use a soft vest-style harness. Puppia harnesses have been a comfortable, affordable option for years, and now the company has improved on its original design with the RiteFit, a more adjustable model that makes it easier to get an appropriate fit.

Puppia's RiteFit is made from cushiony polyester covered in tiny pinholes for breathability. It's a handsome harness that comes in nine different colors, and while it's only offered in four sizes, it has three points of adjustment, two around the neck and one around the chest. The leash clips two metal D-rings together at the back for added peace of mind. The whole thing washes easily in the laundry if your dog, like many I know, thinks rolling in stinky stuff is the best thing in the world.

Although I've never seen it happen, students in my dog training classes have occasionally reported their dog slipping out of a Puppia RiteFit Harness. Whether these outliers can be chalked up to human error or design failure is hard to say. Either way, it suggests that the harness isn't 100% secure. If you have a dog that tends to dart on leash or is a known escape artist, you would do better with the more secure Gooby Escape Free Sport Harness, included in the list of other harnesses we considered.

For most small dogs, though, the Puppia RiteFit Harness is a secure, comfortable, budget-friendly solution for walks.

Pros: Soft, breathable, flexible, affordable, easy to adjust for size, easy to clean, comes in nine colors

Cons: Only four sizes, dogs may be able to wiggle out of the harness