The best escape-proof harnesses for dogs who back out

Nothing on the Web Master has to go over your dog's head. The neck strap opens with a buckle, so you wrap it around their neck instead of pulling a loop past their ears. If your dog ducks away the moment a harness nears their face, that buckle takes the struggle out of every start. Behind the chest strap, a third strap closes around the belly, so your dog is held by three straps, not two.

For a dog who pulls, the leash clips to a webbing loop on the chest, which gives you more control. On calm walks, use the metal ring or the second loop on the back. A padded handle runs along the top, ready for a boost over a fallen tree, and the foam back panel has small holes to let heat out. You can adjust it in four places. Washing is the chore: by hand in mild soap, and then it has to air dry.

Its chart uses one measurement, taken where the ribcage is broadest. The five sizes run end to end, from a 13 inch chest up to 42 inches, with no gaps and no overlap. If your dog's chest measures exactly where one size ends and the next begins, choose the smaller one. If hand-washing puts you off, the Huntboo can go in the washer.

The Huntboo's XS fits a chest of 9 to 14 inches. The smallest Web Master starts at 13 inches, so only the Huntboo fits a dog under 13 inches. Even at that size, a tiny dog gets the third strap that closes behind the ribcage.

You get two metal rings for the leash. If your dog pulls, use the chest ring, which helps you steer them back to you. On calm days, move the leash to the back ring. There's a padded handle on top, and reflective webbing makes your dog easier to spot after dark. To clean it, use a laundry bag and a cold, gentle cycle, then let it air dry.

The size chart takes some care, because it gives neck, chest and belly ranges, and the chest ranges overlap a lot between sizes. Measure all three, then choose the size that fits every number, with room for two fingers under each strap. The XL fits a chest up to 35 inches, so a bigger dog needs the Web Master.

For the least money of the three, the Mihachi still holds your dog with three straps. One closes at the neck and one around the chest, and the third goes around the waist, just behind the ribcage. Five adjusters, two at the neck, two at the chest and one at the waist, let you tighten each strap until it sits snug.

There are only two sizes, Medium and Large, and between them they fit chests from 21.2 to 31.1 inches. Each size lists neck and waist ranges too. The two chest ranges overlap a lot, so plenty of dogs fit both. If your dog's chest fits both sizes, measure the neck and waist too, and choose the size where all three numbers fit.

Its listing also promises a lift handle and reflective material. For a chest under 21.2 inches, the Web Master fits chests from 13 inches and the Huntboo fits chests from 9 inches. For a chest past 31.1 inches, the Web Master fits chests up to 42 inches.