Where to Find Plans for Making a Dog Harness

Your dog needs a harness, whether you plan to have him pull you on skis, go sledding or simply go for a walk. If he'll be pulling weight, he will need a harness specially designed for the activity.

Walking Harness

When they think of harnesses, most people think of a walking harness. The walking harness gives you a bit more control than a collar and is for walking those crafty dogs that slip out of their collars.

Below is a site to Make a Dog Harness. Although the harness shown is supposed to be used for pulling, it makes a poor pulling harness because of the lack of padding. It is more appropriate in design for walking a dog, rather than have a dog pull you.

Skijoring/Sledding harness

If you're planning on having your pup pull you either on a sled or while you're on skis, consider the recreation harness on Uberpest's website, patterned after musher's harnesses and a harness that Mel Fishback Riley includes in her book, Your Dog in Harness, which you can purchase the plans directly through Nordkyn in resources.

The important thing about harnesses is that they must fit correctly so they don't cut, providing ample room for the ribcage to expand. They must also be padded with fleece or some other suitable padding.

Weightpulling Harness

The weightpulling harness is patterned after the old Siwash style harnesses that has a dowl or stick separating the backstraps to keep the straps from tangling with the legs. The harness also has a low attachment point to keep the load low and extra padding along the chest to prevent binding.

References and Resources

The Simple Guide to Getting Active with Your Dog, Margaret H. Bonham, 2001.
Make a Dog Harness
Make Your Own Dog's Harness
Nordkyn Outfitters