Whippets captivate the hearts of their owners, so it’s only natural that you want to do right by them. That’s probably the reason why you’re considering a harness for your whippet in the first place, but there’s certain considerations we must take into account when shopping for a whippet harness. But don’t worry, by the end of this article you’ll know everything there is to know about whippet harnesses.
Why should you use a harness with your whippet:
As a responsible dog owner, we all know that our first priority with our dogs is their safety, and that’s why we recommend using a whippet harness.
Whippets are famously fast and can reach speeds of up to 37 miles per hour in just a few seconds. Impressive! However, we can’t always let our whippets run free so if you bring them to a halt using a collar, that is a lot of pressure on the neck. I don’t know about you, but it makes me wince just thinking about it. Whippets have slim and fragile necks so this kind of repetitive strain can cause lasting damage to the neck and trachea.
The solution of course is using a whippet harness that moves this pressure from the fragile neck down to the much sturdier chest and body. Using a harness greatly reduces the risk of injury when your whippet tries to chase or lunge at something.
Whippets can also be prone to slipping out of traditional collars, so if your whippet has a hint of mischief in them, which let’s not kid ourselves, I’m sure every whippet does, then they may also be prone to trying their luck. Of course you can use a whippet martingale collar to try and solve this problem, but then you still face the injury risks stated above. Our preferred solution is to use an escape proof whippet harness like ours to keep them safe and by your side.
Choosing the right whippet harness:
So now we know why a whippet harness is a good choice, but let’s explore how to pick the right one. At the end of the day, we want a harness that’s as special and as unique as your whippet.
Escape Proof
First and foremost, we always recommend an escape proof whippet harness. As mentioned before, whippets are prone to escaping from traditional collars, but they’re also prone to slipping out of traditional harnesses. The last thing we want is for our dogs to get loose somewhere they shouldn’t and put themselves in danger.
Inspired by my own sighthound’s escape act, we have created a 3 strap harness just for whippets and other sighthound breeds to solve this problem. As you can see in the image below, the third strap tucks behind the chest which prevents the harness from slipping forwards.
Comfort
We all know how sensitive whippets can be, so you need a harness that is comfortable so that they will love wearing it. Remember that they don’t have much cushioning the way other dogs do either in terms of body fat or fur, so it’s our job to make sure we get them a harness that they will be happy in.
Firstly, you want the harness to be padded where it counts. The important areas are the front chest piece, chest strap, and the belly strap if you're choosing a 3 strap escape proof harness like ours. This makes the harness feel like a big hug for your whippet and they will love it.
Secondly, you want a good fit. The only thing worse than a loose harness that moves around with every step is a tight harness that digs into the skin and restricts movement. Pick an adjustable harness suited to your whippet’s size.
Thirdly, whippets and sighthounds are prone to rubbing and chafing from poorly designed harnesses. As mentioned, they don’t have the natural protection that other dogs have that carry extra body fat and fur. To avoid these problems, you need a harness with a Y-shaped chest piece like the one shown below – this allows plenty of room around the pits, a common area for chafing, so that there’s no rubbing or restriction of movement. At Snootiful Hound, we went one step further and also covered the buckles so that these won’t rub either.
What is the best harness for whippets?
Introducing the Snootiful Hound Whippet Harness
We are a sighthound only brand that was inspired by my own sighthound, Blondie, a rescue Saluki mix. It all started when I was looking for an escape proof harness for her but couldn’t find one that I thought was right, so I created my own. The perfect harness for the perfect dogs.
Now that you know all about whippet harnesses, I’m pleased to say that we’ve done the hard work for you and designed the perfect harness for your whippet, with every feature being designed with sighthounds in mind.
It is escape proof, padded in all the right areas, designed for your whippet’s unique body shape so it will be super comfortable, won’t rub, and will not restrict movement. It even has 5 points of adjustment so you can get a custom fit that will almost mold around the shape of your whippet.
For those of you with a youngster on your hands, it also makes for a great whippet puppy harness too!
Click here to find out more, and be sure to check out all of our 5 star reviews to see what other whippet owners are saying!
For further reading, you may like these breeds specific guides on a greyhound harness, lurcher harness, sighthound harness or italian greyhound harness.