The 6 Best Dachshund Harnesses Australia: Tested & Evaluated 2024

Adorable and faithful companions, Dachshunds (and various mixes included in the Doxie line) are among the favourite dog breeds to keep as pets. However, the main challenge when choosing pet equipment for Dachshunds is, of course, their body shape.

Our Dachshund Harness Australia guide is here to help you find a harness that will fit the body of your wiener dog. To provide you with the best information possible, we teamed up with veterinarians, Dachshund parents, and canine behaviour experts to form a team of independent experts. Together, we researched and tested several dozen options, and after many weeks and lots of discussion, we finally agreed on the list below. So let’s buckle up and start!

Related: The Best Dog Harnesses Australia

 Australia's Best Harnesses for Dachshunds Reviewed

Ready to browse some cute harnesses for your sausage dog? Here is a list of the best, comfiest, and cutest harnesses for Dachshunds available in Australia, as hand-selected by our team of independent experts after much trial and error. Count on these to protect and support your precious Doxie.

Dachshunds have a unique body shape and finding a harness that fits their bodies properly can be difficult. Sometimes, even if you measure your dog correctly, the harness can end up hanging down at the chest, fitting awkwardly at the neck, or altogether not fitting right. Well, that won’t happen with this cute harness from Dog Nation.

Dachshunds benefit from harnesses that have a wider chest panel, like this one from Dog Nation. This helps the harness stay safely on and makes it generally fit better around the neck and the legs. The harness is made with nylon fabric which is soft, breathable, and suitable for all kinds of weather conditions.

I love how the girth strap on this harness is adjustable, which is great as it will help you find the right fit more easily for your Dachshund. Unfortunately, that’s the only adjustable part. The part that goes around the neck is not adjustable, unlike with our second, runner-up option. It is, however, fairly wide and soft so it will sit comfortably on a Dachshund (although it might not fit perfectly).

It will be easy to tell whether this harness will fit your dog or not - just take your canine companion’s measurements and check the Dog Nation sizing chart. The sizing for this harness runs quite small, so a standard size Dachshund might need an M or even an L. The S and XS sizes will probably make a great harness for Mini Dachshund.

This harness from Puppia is another safe option both for miniature and standard-size Doxies. The size range of this harness pretty much coincides with the size range of Dachshunds, so you’ll easily find the right size.

This harness is very similar to the popular Puppia Soft Dog Harness. The harness is made with the same polyester fabric with soft padding on the inside and mesh on the outside. According to Puppia, this makes the polyester more breathable. Coincidentally, it also makes it dry very quickly. Our team of independent experts also loved how the edges of the harness are rounded and covered with soft polyester fabric, ensuring there are no rough edges that could cause discomfort to your dog.

The feature that makes the Puppia Ritefit harness different from the Puppia Soft harness is the adjustable neck strap. The adjustment is made using additional webbing straps on the outside of the harness. This allows the main neck strap to be both adjustable and super comfortable. The chest girth strap is also adjustable, thus creating the possibility of a completely custom fit.

This harness from Muttitude is the perfect choice for mini sausage dogs (and also Dachshund puppies). There are four sizes available, but keep in mind that S is really small. If you are struggling to find a harness that’s small enough for your mini canine, then this might be the right option. The XL might fit smaller Dachshunds that fit into the “standard size” category.

As some members of our panel of experts noted, the smaller sizes are also great for Dachshund puppies. Considering that this harness is fairly adjustable too, it will be able to grow with your pup - at least for a while.

The reason we love this harness is its shape. It is a bit different from most standard harnesses, but this is why the harness fits so well on Dachshunds. Namely, this Muttitude harness has a wide panel on the back, unlike the front panel, which is how our first two choices are designed. We could consider it the ‘main part’ of the harness. From this panel, we can see two (or rather four) wide straps expanding. The straps fit over the dog’s neck and chest.

Both straps can be adjusted slightly to find the perfect fit. They also have a double safety mechanism. First, I was able to adjust the straps using a Velcro patch. I’ve found that’s quite easy to do - simply place the harness on the dog’s back, and gently wrap the straps around their body. Once the straps are set up in the perfect position, I was able to go ahead and buckle up the snap-in buckles on the outside. These are connected to additional webbing straps which are adjustable too.

If you find that putting on your dog’s harness is a process that’s too time-consuming, you might want to try this option from Rogz. The Rogz Utility Step-In Dog Harness is a harness that comes on in mere seconds.

Step 1: Lay the harness open on the floor. Step 2: Let the dog step into it. Step 3: Lift and buckle at the back. That’s it, no need to worry about tangled straps and whatnot. You will have to adjust all of the straps at first, but our team of independent experts share that this is something you typically only need to do once.

Moreover, all of the straps are adjustable, which sets it apart from our first choice. That’s great because it makes it easy to achieve the right fit (which is not something that you can always do when shopping online).

The harness itself is made entirely from nylon webbing. The material is lightweight but durable. The harness is designed to keep the pressure away from the dog’s neck in case they pull. However, how comfortable the harness is will depend on achieving the right fit.

Truth be told, this is probably not the most comfortable sausage dog harness in existence, unlike our number three and number five options. While well-made, the nylon webbing straps have no padding and might cause some discomfort. However, this harness can still be a good solution for quick daily walkies, when you just don’t have the time to deal with a complicated harness. For extended time outdoors, you might want to choose a more comfy option.

The Voyager Step-In Harness is one of the most popular items when it comes to small dogs. The reason we love it is that it combines the ease of use of step-in harnesses, with a high-level design that is often reserved for the classic H-shaped alternatives.

The harness looks somewhat like a vest. It’s made with three layers of material, each designed for a specific purpose. The inner layer is made of soft and plushy polyester, thus ensuring your Doxie stays comfy no matter what. The middle layer is there to ensure the integrity and durability of the harness, while the outer layer is, well, for fashion. We’ve chosen the Red Corduroy version of the Voyager because it’s adorable and perfect for a Christmas present, but feel free to look through the other awesome versions of the Voyager harness available (there's so many!).

As mentioned, this is a step-in harness. It opens completely on the back so your dog can simply step into it. What makes this harness awesome is the fact that the part on the back is not just a buckle. Rather, the back part is closed by two overlapping very wide straps. There is a velcro patch to hold the two parts together. Above this soft and comfortable closing, there are quick-release buckles to keep the harness secure.

Let’s face it, Dachshunds look adorable in cute outfits. However, we are not the ones to advocate putting dogs in uncomfortable outfits just for our own amusement. But this harness from FuzzYard is a different story. It’s functional, it’s comfortable and it’s extra cute.

This harness features a simple and reliable design. The main piece of the harness is made of soft polyester fabric. It goes over a dog’s head, with a wide strap in the collar area. The fabric extends across the chest and wraps the dog’s body nicely. The piece is held together at the back by an adjustable strap and an additional webbing loop, similar to our number two choice. Overall, it’s a system that works great and ensures comfort.

For this review, we’ve chosen the Go Nuts harness, which features doughnuts print all over. However, FuzzYard offers lots of other colourful designs that can bring out your canine companion’s personality.

Overall, our panel of pros thinks it's a great option with sizes available both for miniature and standard-sized Dachshunds. Keep in mind that the neck strap is not adjustable so getting the right fit is important.

How I Choose a Dachshund Harness

Can Doxies wear the same harnesses ‘regular’ dogs do? Does their elongated body require a special harness? Well, yes and no. Harnesses for Dachshunds are not all that different - the harness will simply sit more on the front of their body. The bottom line is, Dachshunds can wear normal harnesses - providing that they fit right.

The Right Fit

So, we know that Doxies have unique bodies, but how can we know whether a harness will fit? Well, our experts always suggest that a good place to start is measuring your dog.

You’ll need the chest girth (measured by wrapping a measuring tape around the widest part of the chest) and the neck circumference (measured at the widest part of the neck). From there, you can start looking for harnesses that fit right.

Dachshunds can vary a lot in size among each other, so this step is crucial [2]. A harness that does not fit right will be an uncomfortable harness.

Moreover, even with these measurements, the harness could still end up fitting awkwardly. That’s because some harnesses simply weren’t designed for a Dachshund-type body. One should make sure that the harness doesn’t constrain the dog's movement and isn’t tight in any weird places.

On the other hand, as our team of experts can tell you firsthand, Dachshunds can often escape a harness more easily than other dogs. The solution for that is sometimes hard to find but look for harnesses with wide straps and lots of coverage, those that look more like a vest.

Material, Durability and Comfort

The material the harness is made of will make a world of difference in the way the harness feels and behaves when in use. Light polyester or nylon blends are popular because they are lightweight but allow for decent durability.

When looking for a Doxie harness, our panelists remind you to look for fabrics that are soft and breathable. Pay attention to the edges and any areas where the harness might cut into the dog’s body. It’s best to avoid any rough and sharp edges - they will not necessarily cause a problem, but if they are not there, they definitely won’t.

Ease of Use

Another important factor when choosing a harness is how easy it is to put on. Again, the right choice here will depend on individual differences a lot. Some dogs are very calm and don’t mind you fiddling with the straps for a couple of minutes (like mine, thankfully!), while others aren’t. It also depends on your affinities.

Related: Small Dog Harnesses Australia

When thinking about putting on a harness, we should first discern between the ‘classic’ H-shaped harnesses and step-in harnesses. Step-in harnesses are the easiest option. As the name suggests, you can lay it on the ground and place your dog’s front paws inside the designated spaces. Then, all you need to do is lift the harness and buckle it at the back. The problem with this sort of harness is that they are often made with rigid webbing, something that might not work for the gentle Dachshunds. There are some comfy options designed specifically for smaller breeds, though.

The standard harnesses usually need to go over the dog's head. Then, you can connect the front and back parts with some kind of strap. These harnesses often fit more naturally onto a dog's body. With Dachshunds and their tiny legs, getting the harness in place could be a bit fiddly, but it’s possible.

My Final Verdict

If you are looking for a quick recommendation, our team of independent experts all agree that the Dog Nation Breathable Mesh Dog Harness is a great option for all Dachshunds. If you are unsure what to get, go ahead and give it a try. It’s a great option as a first harness too as there is a good chance it will be comfortable.

We also agree that the Puppia Ritefit Dog Harness is a great alternative. Unlike the Dog Nation harness, this one has an adjustable neck too, although the adjustment mechanism feels a bit cumbersome.

References

1. Schade, Victoria. September 26, 2018. “Get the Best Dog Harness for Your Dog’s Body Type”. PetMD. Retrieved October 18, 2023. https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/get-best-dog-harness-your-dogs-body-type
2. Williams, J. March 13, 2020. “How Big Do Dachshunds Get? [For Miniature, Standard & Mixed Breeds]”. Pet Educate. Retrieved October 18, 2023. https://peteducate.com/how-big-do-dachshunds-get/
3. Leslie, R. February 27, 2020. “Don't Jerk or Pull, Use a Harness - Part 4/4”. Welfare For Animals. Retrieved October 18, 2023. https://www.welfare4animals.org/blog/dont-jerk-or-pull-use-a-harness-part-44