Product Review: Collar Direct Rolled Leather Harness for Fluffy Dogs

The Collar Direct Rolled Leather Harness is a Norway-style harness. It is intended for long-haired breeds like the Chow Chow, Samoyed, and even Australian shepherds. The thin rolled leather gives it a minimalist look, and on longer coats it blends nicely. The rolled sections are 10mm in diameter, and the harness comes in brown and black. There are three sizes available, small fits dogs 24.5-28" around the chest, medium fits dogs 28-31.5" around the chest, and large fits dogs 32-35" around the chest.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is currently Brisbane's favorite harness. Putting it on does not require touching his feet or ears, and nothing on it jingles. There is no velcro like on the ComfortFlex harness, and the front strap is nice and long, unlike the EzyDog QuickFit.

Like a rolled leather collar, this harness slides through fur smoothly, and is less likely to cause mats when worn for extended periods of time. It is gentle on delicate hair, and does not choke the dog.

I bought this harness on eBay for $15, Brisbane is wearing a small. Collar Direct is a huge factory in Ukraine that primarily produces leather collars and leashes. Their products are available directly from the website as well as on eBay and, inexplicably, Etsy.

Pros: Lightweight leather and metal with no plastic. Gentle on coats and nonthreatening for nervous dogs. Easy to put on without manipulating ears, head, or legs.

Cons: Comes in a limited range of sizes and it the least adjustable Norway harness I've tried. There are three sizes, they either fit or they don't. Mass-produced in eastern Europe, so leather source and quality, as well as labor issues are possible. Featherweight construction may not hold up to large, strong dogs.

Bottom Line: I am slightly grumpy that Collar Direct floods Etsy with mass-produced goods at cheap import prices, undercutting artisans who actually make their own goods. That said, nobody else seems to make a rolled leather harness. It's a unique harness that can solve problems for dog owners dealing with sensitive, fearful, or mobility-limited dogs, plastic allergies, and dogs who just plain don't like harnesses.

Product Review: Casual Canine XTRM Harness

The Casual Canine XTRM Logo Harness is a Norway-style harness available in six colors and three sizes to fit dogs with chests 21"-32" around. It is also known as the XTRM Game Over harness depending on the color, and is currently on clearance at several internet stores so it is possible this product is being discontinued.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love Norway harnesses, and I love comparing different products, which is why I have three very similar harnesses for Briz. This one is a little bit less widely publicized than any of the others, I found it at the Hoots and Hounds booth at an agility match. Casual Canine is a brand owned by parent company Pet Edge, and Petco carries some of their products. I've never seen this harness in person anywhere other than Hoots and Hounds, though. I don't think Norway harnesses have really gone mainstream yet, but I'm really out of touch with the mainstream anyway.

Photo by Erin Koski

The XTRM harness has quite a few limitations, it comes in an unusually narrow range of sizes and each size only adjusts 3-5". Still, it has a lot going for it. The leash ring is very light compared to the rest of the construction, so it doesn't bounce around when the leash isn't attached. There is a plastic ring on the left side for attaching the dog's tags where they will stay out of the way.

The front strap is not adjustable on most Norway harnesses, including this one. However, the strap on the XTRM harness is longer than on the EzyDog Quickfit, so I was actually able to make this one fit. Brisbane's harness is a Large, he could fit into the Medium but it might chafe under his arms. The front strap on his Large harness sits a bit low, but the chest strap gets small enough that the harness fits securely even though Brisbane measures a full 2" smaller around than the Large is supposed to fit. Ulysses also wears the XTRM harness, which fits him nicely.

Pros: Very durable, with lightweight hardware. Separate ring for identification tags. Made from nylon with eye-catching canvas overlay. Front strap is medium length, shorter than the ComfortFlex  Sport but longer than the EzyDog QuickFit.

Cons: Very limited size range, these are not made to fit small or large dogs. Each harness only adjusts a few inches, so getting the right size is important. The plastic clip on the belly strap is placed very close to the dog's armpit where it could potentially cause irritation, though there is padding under the clip.

Bottom Line: For its limitations, this harness works very well for Brisbane. It doesn't have loud velcro or a heavy leash ring like the ComfortFlex harness. It fits him very big, but seems to be comfortable and doesn't make weird noises like his EzyDog harness. I would like to compare it to Hurtta's Norway harness. Right now it's the one I use most often for Brisbane.

Product Review: ComfortFlex Sport Harness

The ComfortFlex Sport Harness is a Norway-style harness that is popular for agility and other dog sports. It is manufactured by PetPDC, the company makes a matching limited slip collar as well as various food puzzles for dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This was the third Norway harness I tried for Brisbane, after failing to find a long enough front chest strap on either the EzyDog or Hurtta harnesses. I specifically ordered this harness because the Amazon reviews contained several complaints about the front chest strap being too long. This strap is fixed on the Comfortflex harness, but there are so many different sizes that it would be difficult not to find a good fit.

Brisbane's purple harness is size M/L, the size M would fit him around his girth, but the front strap would probably be too short. This same ComfortFlex harness also fit Josie very well.

I like that the ComfortFlex harness is lined all the way around the girth strap as well as the chest. Literally the entire harness is lined. The girth strap is adjustable, and the smaller it is adjusted, the more the lining overlaps on itself. There is a section of velcro to keep this overlap secure. The buckle for the harness sits close to the top, well out of Brisbane's armpit. The long chest strap keeps it well clear of his elbow.

Pros: The ComfortFlex Sport Harness comes in ten sizes, from 12.5" around to 42" around. It also comes in a dozen different colors. It is machine washable and made in the USA. This harness is easy to put on, and very well padded. The buckle is placed near the top where it won't chafe. The long front strap makes for a very large head opening, which is nice for dogs that don't like having things pulled over his head.

Cons: The velcro makes a loud sound, which worries Brisbane. I'm working on desensitizing him to it, but it's a project. The leash attachment ring on this harness is very heavy, much heavier than any of the other Norway harnesses we've tried. The ring bangs against the buckle when the leash isn't attached.

Bottom Line: The ComfortFlex Sport Harness is my favorite Norway harness, I use it for sporting events and long hikes because it is comfortable for Brisbane and easy to put on. It is definitely the most comfortable, and least likely to chafe or rub Brisbane's delicate coat.

Product Review: EzyDog QuickFit Harness

The EzyDog QuickFit harness is a Norway-style harness designed to eliminate pressure on the dog's neck and throat. It is not intended to prevent dogs from pulling, and would actually make it more comfortable to pull on the leash if the dog has not been trained to walk nicely.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the first Norway harness I got for Brisbane. I found it at Pet House, where I was able to try it on him. I decided I wasn't pleased with the fit and was able to exchange it without a fuss.

The QuickFit harness comes in six sizes from Extra-Extra-Small through Extra Large. Brisbane's chest measures 26" around, so he should fit into a size Medium, but the front strap on that one was too short so I exchanged it for a large. I still think the front strap is too short, but the Extra Large does not adjust small enough to fit around Brisbane's chest. I had the same fitting issue with Ru, at 12" around he should barely fit into an Extra-Extra-Small, but he's wearing a small with the front strap set to maximum length.

Photo by Erin Koski

That adjustable front strap is what makes the ExyDog Quickfit different from any other Norway harness I have seen. On every other harness, this strap is a fixed length and can be too short or too long for certain dogs. The QuickFit has a neoprene tube with the EzyDog logo that hides an adjustable velcro section. The harness comes with the front strap adjusted to its smallest setting, and it can be extended several inches. The neoprene tube should hide the velcro nicely, and many people do not realize that the harness has this feature, so the Amazon reviews are filled with complains about the strap being too short.

For my dogs, even with the front strap adjusted past its maximum length on a harness a size too big, the front strap is still pretty short. The buckle for the belly strap sits in their armpits and could get uncomfortable on a long hike. I see these harnesses on dogs at work occasionally, and they always have the front strap adjusted to its maximum length. This leads me to believe that the range of the strap is from "way too short for any dog" to "long enough for normal dogs".

Photo by Erin Koski

A properly-fitted Norway harness should fit with the belly strap vertical, with plenty of clearance for the dog's elbows. The black velcro sticking out on the front strap of Ru's QuickFit is the result of the strap being adjusted too long. I have considered modifying these harnesses by making a velcro strap extension and a custom neoprene sleeve to fit over it.

Brisbane love Norway harnesses because I can put them on him without having to pick up his sensitive feet. He doesn't really like having the harness put over his head, but it's much better than the alternatives.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: The EzyDog QuickFit is more adjustable than any other Norway harness. It is extremely easy to put on, and the floating ring strap makes a nice handle. There is a side ring for attaching identification tags. It's a very sturdy harness, with reflective trim and durable plastic hardware.

Cons: The front strap only adjusts from unreasonably-short to not-quite-long-enough, leaving wide-chested dogs with a bad fit. The smallest sizes are very stiff and feel overbuilt for tiny dogs. The buckle for the belly strap sits in the dog's armpit and the short front strap can cause the buckle to rub sensitive skin. The velcro adjustment for the Large harness makes a continuous crinkling sound that is annoying on quiet walks in the woods. The leash ring on the Large size is rather heavy, and can bounce around on the dog's back.

Bottom Line: This is a great harness for dogs with sensitive feet, dogs that lack flexibility, and people who want something fast and easy that doesn't bother their dog's neck. The front strap adjusts from medium length to incredibly short, much shorter than the ComfortFlex Sport harness, and comparable to the Hurtta and Casual Canine with the option to go much shorter. In my area the QuickFit is the only Norway harness available locally.