A dog harness is piece of equipment for dogs, generally similar to harness tack for horses

Horse harness

A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....

. There are various designs depending on the type of use, whether it be for assistance to a disabled

Disability

A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...

 person, hauling a cart

Cart

A cart is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people...

 or sled

Sled

A sled, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle with a smooth underside or possessing a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners that travels by sliding across a surface. Most sleds are used on surfaces with low friction, such as snow or ice. In some cases,...

, or pulling a human being, such as in skijoring

Skijoring

Skijoring is a winter sport where a person on skis is pulled by a horse, a dog or a motor vehicle. It is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring meaning ski driving.- Dog skijoring :...

 or pulka

Pulka

A pulk is a Scandinavian short, low-slung small toboggan used in sport or for transport, pulled by a dog or a skier. The name of the sport is pulka. The sled can be used to carry supplies such as a tent or food, or transport a child or other person...

. Harnesses are also commonly worn by non-working dogs.

Pet harnesses

A harness is commonly worn in conjunction with a collar and used as an alternative for leash attachment. While a collar only encircles the neck, harnesses have a loop that surrounds the torso as well, with connecting straps between them for reinforcement. This design allows for distribution of force which may prevent choking and a lower chance of slipping out than may be possible with only a collar. Harness usage is growing in popularity among many pet owners- especially for those with smaller breed dogs. Recently, pet clothing frequently sports a properly-placed buttonhole for hooking a leash to the harness worn under the garment.
Dog harnesses that are designed to look like clothes are available. These items are designed to reduce the stress placed on a small dogs neck while walking on a lead.

Assistance dog harnesses

Assistance dog

Assistance dog

An assistance dog is a dog trained to aid or assist a person with a disability. Many are trained by a specific organization, while others are trained by their handler .-Classification:...

s will sometimes wear a harness if part of their job includes guiding

Guide dog

Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead blind and visually impaired people around obstacles.Although the dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are partially color blind and are not capable of interpreting street signs...

 or providing physical or mobility assistance

Mobility assistance dog

A mobility assistance dog is a service dog trained to assist a physically disabled person. Among other tasks, they are commonly trained to pick up objects, open and close doors, and operate light switches...

. A handle is generally built in for the person to grip, along with more reinforcement or padding in the breast area of the dog. Overall sturdiness of the design depends on whether the dog is gently leading, acting as a brace, or physically pulling a wheelchair (where the design may be similar to that of a sled dog's).

Sled dog harnesses

Sled dog

Sled dog

Sled dogs, known also as sleigh man dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs, are highly trained types of dogs that are used to pull a dog sled, a wheel-less vehicle on runners also called a sled or sleigh, over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines.Sled dogs have become a popular winter recreation...

 harnesses vary depending on whether the dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

 is hauling freight or racing. Harnesses come in three main types: the freight harness, the H-back harness, and the X-back harness. Dog sports are growing and more types of harnesses are being developed, including the Y-back style and guard or distance harness. This type of harness is quickly becoming a favorite for those who enjoy skijoring

Skijoring

Skijoring is a winter sport where a person on skis is pulled by a horse, a dog or a motor vehicle. It is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring meaning ski driving.- Dog skijoring :...

.

The freight harness, often an H-back harness with a wide chestband and sometimes extra padding, is designed to help the dog pull heavy weights efficiently, and may feature a spreader bar behind the wheel dogs and before the sled or cart. The straps form an 'H' or ladder-like effect across the back of the dog. These harnesses help distribute the weight of the cargo

Cargo

Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...

 over a broader body area.

Racing harnesses are lighter and shorter than freight harnesses. The X-back harness, so called because the straps form an 'X' across the back of the dog, is used more frequently than the H-back, with short versions that ride farther forward on the dog's body recently gaining in popularity.

The Y-back or hybrid harness is similar in appearance to the H-back. The tugline attaches to the harness on top of the dog's back and stretches parallel to the ground or upwards to the skier, bicycle, or other load.

In contrast, dogs that participate in weight pulls (as compared to a regular freight harness) will wear very heavy, padded harnesses, with broad chestbands to help spread the weight and prevent harm to the dog.

Mobility Support Harnesses

Dogs with mobility problems can be helped with support harnesses . These devices allow the dog's owner to provide assistance to the dog by taking some of the weight off the affected limbs. Conditions that can benefit from a support harness include Osteoarthritis, Hip dysplasia, Back injuries, Spinal injuries/intervertebral disk disease, and Degenerative myelopathy (DM). Dog wheelchairs (see Walkin' Wheels) use dog harnesses to support the dog in a frame.

Car Safety Harnesses

Safety Harnesses designed for use in an Automobile

Automobile

An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

 restrain the dog in a car seat using the car's seat belt

Seat belt

A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...

. These harnesses are marketed as reducing the risk of injury to a pet that is riding in a vehicle during a traffic collision. The harnesses are also said to keep the pet from distracting the driver, or escaping from a vehicle.