2 Hounds Design Freedom Harness review

Can the Freedom hold a big dog who lunges?

Picture the dog who treats every walk like a sled race. The Freedom gives you a ring up front on the breastbone strap and a fabric loop on the back, between the shoulder blades. When your dog surges, the front ring swings their shoulders around to face you, so they can’t throw their whole weight forward.

My pug, Pickle, pulls hard toward any smell on a walk, so I know that lurch well. When a big dog does the same thing, it can pull you off your feet. Our guide to harnesses for large and giant breeds has three more harnesses for a dog that size.

The webbing has a 3,800 pound test rating, and it’s the same type used for towing. The metal parts are stainless steel, so they hold up to wet walks without rusting. On a heavy dog who lunges at every squirrel, that strength is what you’re paying for.

Why use both clips at once?

That back loop is a martingale, which means it draws in a little each time your dog pulls. It hugs the ribcage as it does, so the pressure lands on the body and stays off the throat.

To use both points at once, you need a leash with a clip at each end, one on the chest ring and one on the back loop. The pull is then split between two points instead of running in one straight line, which makes it harder for a strong dog to haul you along. This version is the harness on its own, so that leash is a separate buy. With a plain single leash, clip it to the chest ring.

The strap around the ribs is lined with soft velvet behind the front legs, so it’s less likely to rub there on a long outing.

Is a tightening loop kind to your dog?

It’s fair to wonder, before you order, whether that tightening loop is kind to a dog. A 2025 review of studies on dog walking gear found that harnesses which tighten may be less comfortable than ones that don’t. For a dog who pulls, the review recommends training first, then a front-clip harness that doesn’t tighten.

The review keeps tightening harnesses as a last resort, for when your dog’s pulling still stops you walking them safely. That’s where the Freedom fits, so if you haven’t tried a front-clip harness that doesn’t tighten, start there.

The Freedom makes a pull easier to hold, but it won’t teach your dog anything by itself. Rewarding a loose leash is still how they learn that pulling doesn’t get them to the park any faster.

Do you size the Freedom by chest or by weight?

Run a soft tape measure around your dog’s ribcage where the chest is broadest, close behind the front legs. That number is what picks the size, and the weight ranges on the chart are only a guide.

When your dog’s number sits on the line between two sizes, choose the smaller one. A dog who measures exactly 28 inches, for example, takes a Medium rather than the 1″ Large, because the front straps sit better.

The two Mediums fit the same chest, so here weight does decide it. Under about 40 pounds, choose the 5/8″ Medium. From 40 to about 60 pounds, choose the 1″ Medium. Type your numbers into the Fit Finder and it uses the chest for the size, then the weight to pick between the Mediums.

Once it arrives, check that two fingers fit flat under each strap. Our guide to fitting a harness walks through every strap and the signs of rubbing to watch for. If you haven’t measured yet, start with how to measure your dog for a harness.

What catches Freedom owners out?

Think first about the back loop that tightens, because the research above saves it for dogs who still pull hard after training.

There are two Mediums with the same chest range, so check which one you’ve picked. The 5/8″ Medium suits dogs under about 40 pounds, and the 1″ Medium suits heavier dogs. And the two-ended leash that gets the most out of this harness comes at an extra cost.

Washing, at least, is easy. Tuck it into a pillowcase and wash it on a gentle cycle, or soak it in cold water with detergent and rinse it well. Whichever you choose, hang it up to dry and keep it out of the dryer.

What if your dog’s chest tops 44 inches, or they slip harnesses?

If your tape reads more than 44 inches, the Freedom runs out of sizes, so look at the PetSafe Easy Walk instead. Its sizes go bigger, and it’s the pick for giant breeds in our large-breed guide.

If your dog has slipped free of a harness before, our escape-proof harness guide is the better place to shop. Every pick there is meant for the Houdini who reverses out.