Like so many of you, my wife and I are meticulous shoppers. Whether it be online or in-person, we tend to put a lot of research into the things we purchase so that we know we're putting our hard-earned money on the proper products. There are so many options for even basic items like leashes and collars that it's easy to get lost in what we're buying.

We will be writing reviews as we purchase and use these items ourselves. As you do your research for products you're planning to buy, our goal is to add another layer to that research.

One of the first things we trained Markus on when we first adopted him was how to effectively walk on a leash. Markus hadn't had many opportunities walking on a leash since he spent most of his life on the streets or in a cage at the rescue shelter. Because of the amount of time we spend walking together on a daily basis, we focused on leashed training really early on.

One of the major breakthroughs that we had with Markus' leash training was when we switched to a harness with a front clip. We were previously using a Martingale collar which goes around the neck of the dog and it tightens as the dog begins to pull. Either we didn't have it tight enough or Markus there was too much fur or padding around his neck, but it wasn't very effective. Markus would pull so hard that he could hang from the collar with his front two feet off the ground, so we needed another option.

In speaking with our trainer, they recommended we use a harness with a front clip. The harness that was immediately available to us at that moment was the Easy Walk Harness by PetSafe, which we'll be reviewing today. Harnesses with front clips are so effective because of how uncomfortable it is for the dog (and the owners for that matter). I've heard many owners say that they don't like using the front clip because it's so awkward and well, that's really the point.

Because the leash is attached to the front of the harness, dogs who tend to pull forward away from their owners end up getting pulled sideways. If they do it enough, it slowly instills into the dog that pulling forward causes discomfort and in a Pavlovian way, the dog learns to stop pulling.

When we picked up the Easy Walk Harness, we were in a puppy training class when we were practicing the leash training, the instructor recommended that we used a harness with a front clip. We picked this harness since it was available at the moment. It's been a few months since we've been using this harness with Markus, so we have a pretty good feel for its pros and cons at this point.

From the get-go, I will say that the Easy Walk Harness was very effective for training. Markus is a dog with a high prey drive and if there are birds or, heaven forbid squirrels, going by, he'll start pulling in an attempt to chase them. Whenever he tried with this harness, he'd be pulled to the side, which was uncomfortable, but much safer. This was night and day compared to the Martingale collar where he would just hang from his own neck.

It took a couple of weeks, but the improvement was steady. Bit by bit, Markus started walking more consistently on our side and wasn't as aggressive with his pulling. When the dreaded squirrel darted in front of us, you can see him hesitating and our walks became more of a walk and less of a struggle. For training purposes, I highly recommend using a harness with a front clip for that reason.

The Easy Walk Harness is also easy to put on and take off. It does takes a bit of getting used to at first, but the straps are colour coded so you know which clips go together. With the harness, the dog's head goes through the one hole and the other strap naturally goes around the dog's body. Taking the harness off is as easy as unclipping the back clip and the harness falls to the dog's feet. Then you just reset the clips and you're ready for next time. 

Side note: When you're putting the clips on, just be careful to not accidentally pinch the dog or yourself. Have done both. Not fun.

As effective as it is for training, I do have some reservations about the Easy Walk Harness. First, it is possible, and in fact quite easy, for Markus to slip out of the harness. The harness is very effective if the dog is pulling forward, but if the dog puts the brakes on and you're the one trying to pull them forward, they can slip both of the legs out the front. If they manage to finagle their way out, you really only have the one looser loop around the dog's waist left at that point, so you'll need to contain them quickly.

Markus has been able to get one leg free quite a few times and both legs free once or twice. He usually does this when he knows he's about to go someplace he doesn't want to go such as the vet or the groomers. In fairness to the harness, he is actively trying to get away in those moments.

Another reason why we're not particularly fond of this harness is the way it bounds Markus' front legs. After sharing some photos with our friends, some of them mentioned that his legs looked really constricts and he doesn't look all that comfortable and it was true. Going through some of the older pictures, some almost looked as though he was in a straitjacket.

To see how well he walked with both, we did some tests switching back and forth between the Martingale collar and the harness. He was definitely more constricted with the harness. While the harness is great for training on the pulling, it does lack the extra bit of comfort for the walking portion.

While I understand that the discomfort is part of the training, I think it could be more comfortable when the dog is appropriately walking. The issue is that the front strap sits too low on Markus and it ends up bounding him from around the armpit area.

We tried to adjust the straps so that the front strap is sitting above his shoulders, but whether it is the design of the harness or the way that Markus is shaped, we weren't able to do this without compromising the safety. To make the harness less constrictive, we'd have to loosen the strap that goes in front of his chest, but as I mentioned, Markus has been able to slip out and get a paw or two free and loosening the strap would not help with that.

What we like about the Easy Walk Harness by PetSafe is that it's effective for training and that needs to be said. Markus made noticeable improvements in his leash training when we used this harness. For everyday purposes, I don't think this is the best solution. I understand that for many of you, as was the case for us, the training and the "everyday" harness is one and the same and it's not practical to have separate ones.

I will suggest that the fit could depend on the size and shape of your dog. If you're considering purchasing this harness, I would recommend bringing your dog into the store and putting it on them. Walk around a little bit and pay attention to if they're walking freely or constricted especially around the armpit area with the front strap.

We’re so grateful for your support of The Markus Project. We mostly choose our locations through searching and word of mouth. If you know of a park, trail or location you think we should check out, please share it with us. We’d love to know!