At skijoring a shortcut harness (approx. a quarter shorter than the body) is good, but due to geometry laws, it is possible only for dogs with long bodies.

Strong Leather Dog Harness for Pulling Work

To pull a wheel (a sledge) a weight-pulling harness would be the right choice. It is especially important for tall dogs (over 60 cm in shoulder height). If the dog pulls the wheel wearing a riding harness of a regular length (the length of the harness equals the body length), the load disposes in a zigzag line: first it goes horizontally along the dog's body, then - to the wheel under a little angle, which causes additional load on the dog's croup at the turning point. The load harness allows disposing the load from the dog's chest to the wheel along a direct line.

Weight-Pulling Harness for Any Weather

If you don't aim at making a super-athlete of your dog and are going to use the harness occasionally (country ski riding, week-end rides of children), we recommend choosing a longer riding harness (it ends behind the dog's tail). This harness will take the weight from the dog's croup, it is pretty possible to pull both a skier and a wheel wearing it. For the dogs with a cut tail, the long riding harness is also advantageous, because a regular harness is going to slip down on the tail's stump and annoy the dog. As for small dogs, this is not quite an issue, as they can pull a skier, a sledge and a wheel wearing a riding harness with the load disposed along a direct line.

Nylon Sport Harness to Make Your Dog Visible in the Dark

For show dogs, especially long-haired, a load weight-pulling harness made of narrow straps with no cross-piece is the best, as it is going to minimize the chafes. Unfortunately you cannot avoid the fell loss at all. This is an inevitable pay for a wide chest, powerful bones and ripping muscles.

Check out different kinds of harnesses for sled dogs in our on-line shop.