How Long Will My Harness Last?

There are an almost infinite array of circumstances and situations that will influence how long a harness will last.

Generally, with ‘normal’ walking and proper care, you should get a good two to three years out of a harness you purchase for your adult dog. Sometimes, 10 years; sometimes, 6 months. For puppies of course lifespan of a harness will vary greatly and they are likely grow out of their first harness.

When a harness from Harbour City Dog Gear is received in new and perfect condition the chances of a fault are very slim. Any faults will most likely appear in the first hours/days of use.

If you have used your harness for a while (say around 1-2 months or more) and something on the harness breaks, it is most likely due to intense use (wear and tear), misuse, or outside influences on the fabric/buckles (environmental damage, pulling/lunging, chewing). Sometimes it comes from accidental damage you may not even have noticed happen.

What is “wear and tear”?

Wear and tear is the natural deterioration of an item from use over time. It could occur from normal everyday use and/or exposure to the elements. Even with normal regular use, wear and tear is expected and unavoidable.

Key aspects of wear and tear:

• Normal Use: Wear and tear is a result of when and/or how people use an item as part of their daily lives, as per the intended use of the item.
• Natural Forces: The effects of natural elements like sunlight, rain/moisture, and temperature changes over time, and the environment it is used in.
• Gradual Deterioration: Wear and tear usually happens gradually but can depend on how intense the usage, but an equipment failure can happen suddenly if you ignore wear and tear.

Wear and tear examples:

Your dog rolling on sand at the beach may compromise the webbing or fabric panels of a harness. Sand is granular and made up of varying components – silica, quartz, minerals, rocks. If your dog rolls on sand at the beach not only will they have a grand old time, but unfortunately it may affect the harness materials, either extracting filaments making it look fuzzy, or the fabric could pill or be scratched. Same applies to concrete, pavers, timber sleepers etc. Sometimes simply rolling around on grass can compromise textile materials.

Pulling can put pressure on both the main and secondary d-ring/s and will also exert pressure on the plastic hardware and stitching. Most harnesses are designed for this, but the more a dog pulls, the more it will affect the stitching and the fabric around the ring. If your dog pulls hard, consistently, the stitching and the d-ring/s will not last as long. The more something is used, the shorter lifespan it will have. Similar to tyres on a car … they last longer if they are used less, or less intensely; if used more often or more often at higher speeds or on rough surfaces, they won’t last as long. This is not so much a reflection on the tyre quality or materials, it's just levels of wear and tear due to different usages. There is nothing wrong with using a harness well/hard, but if you do you will need to replace it more often. However, we strongly recommend finding a good force-free trainer to help you if your dog is a constant or intense puller or is lunging regularly at various triggers.

Branches, twigs and burrs/thorns may rub or catch on the webbing or fabric panels of the harness. Depending on the fabric, once a fray or rip starts it may continue, especially if there is pressure on the harness elements due to pulling. Some textiles are embedded with materials that may help stop the continuation of fraying, but more often than not once a rip or fray starts it will continue over time.

Chewing – teeth that are designed for ripping meat and gnawing bones are no match for harness materials. Even a super quick nibble on a strap can compromise its integrity. If your dog can too easily reach the harness straps to chew them, try adjusting the straps so there is less slack or they sit a little firmer on the skin. If you see your dog starting to chew their harness, redirect with a chew toy or treat and then keep your eye on them to make sure they don’t try again. Don’t leave your dog unsupervised when wearing a harness or leave a harness in easy reach of your dog.

If your harness is damaged in any way, discontinue use immediately and replace it.

Harness Care

Inspect your new harness/lead when you receive it. If you find a fault please tell us immediately.

Once you start using your new gear, inspect it before and after every use for wear and tear ... check around the d-rings to make sure there are no frays or that the stitching hasn’t loosened. Check for any cracks in the buckles. This is especially important if your dog pulls or lunges. Stitching won’t last as long if dogs pull or lunge – we recommend engaging a trainer to help you with this issue … please remember a dog isn’t doing anything wrong if they pull, they are just performing a natural behaviour; we can’t expect them to know what we want them to do unless we teach them.

Harnesses should only need washing occasionally unless your dog rolls in mud or something dirty/sticky/smelly! Our suggestion is once every 1-2 months, perhaps more often if your dog has an oily coat or tends to smell a bit. Hand washing is usually best for longevity or you can machine wash if permitted for your specific product. After swimming it’s important to shake off all sand/dirt and rinse thoroughly in fresh water as soon as possible to remove any sand/salt/chemical residue. Use a small amount of gentle detergent; most brands advise to not use fabric softener. Use a mesh laundry bag. Follow the instructions for your specific product.

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Dry in the shade (UV can damage some materials). Do not use a dryer.

Remove dog hair from the underside/padding as much as possible; remove grass seeds, burrs etc.

Consider your dog's shape and watch for any changes as they grow and mature. A dog can change shape/weight/size over time and sometimes a harness that might have been great before may not be great now. If your harness no longer fits well or seems uncomfortable for your dog, it may be time for a new one or to reassess if that gear is right for them any more.

Repairs

Sometimes a broken harness can be repaired. If this is possible and reasonable, we encourage you to repair it rather than throw it away and get a new one. Please contact us if you would like the name of a repairer that you can contact to investigate if a repair is possible on your gear.

What is "reasonable"

There is also the consideration of what is a “reasonable” lifespan for a particular item. For dog gear like harnesses and leads we think it is reasonable to expect them to last at least 12 months if not longer. But because these items are used so differently depending on the dog and the situation, it will vary for each individual case.

Fault Claims

At HCDG we will handle any claim fairly and respectfully, and both HCDG and the brands we partner with will do everything we can do make sure legitimate faults are solved quickly and at no cost to you. If your claim is deemed unreasonable, unjustified or unwarranted, we will provide as much information as possible as to why, along with helpful information so hopefully you can avoid that situation in the future.

OK, so after all that how long will my new harness last then?

To answer this question, I can only tell you how long our harnesses lasted for Pepper - she had two simultaneously; a Perfect Fit 20mm and a Dog Copenhagen CWAir. We got the Perfect Fit first and had it for about 8 years and the DC we had about 6 years. Both of them outlived her.