Best Service Dog Vests and Harnesses for Working Dogs

Dogs are not just our best friends and beloved family members, but they are sometimes our invaluable helpers and assistants. Decades back, service dogs have been helping their human owners (or handlers) have a better quality of life. For people with disabilities, having a service dog can be a truly life-transforming experience, as their four-legged sidekicks help them with all kinds of tasks that would otherwise be too difficult or impossible to do. Unlike regular pets, service dogs have been trained since their puppyhood to do work for their owner, such as guiding blind people or alerting people who have seizures. The role service dogs have in the lives of their handlers is indispensable in more ways than one, which is why these hard-working canines get to enjoy some perks, like full access to places that are open to the public.

As a result, helping the public identify your service dog as such is an important task for you- you want people to know that your dog has to be by your side at all times. Similarly, the interaction strangers should or shouldn’t have with service dogs is quite different than that of your regular pooch, so making it clear to people that your dog is at work and not here to get belly rubs from random strangers. Usually, a clear sign that a dog is at service is enough for people to realize what is the proper way to act around them and to make sure their own pets behave, too. That’s why most owners of working dogs don’t leave the house without a service dog vest or a harness that show the world their four-legged companion’s qualifications. Service dog vests and harnesses are a must for any working dog, from seeing-eye dogs to diabetes alert dogs and every service dog type in between.

Of course, in addition to displaying their title, service dog vests and harnesses should tick all of the quality, safety, and comfort checkboxes that regular vests and harnesses do. And there are plenty of factors that should be considered, in addition to the service dog tag. To ensure you’ll find the best option for your own dog, we’ve selected the best that the market has to offer- and put together a comprehensive guide to help you determine what you should look for in service dog vests and harnesses in the first place.

Service Dogs Vs Therapy Dogs: Types of Service Dogs

You’ve probably already heard the different terms–service dogs, emotional support dogs, therapy dogs, etc–and more often than not, people use these terms interchangeably even though they don’t signify the same thing. There are important differences between officially trained service dogs and therapy dogs, and the need for clear identification is even greater now when there are so many categories to confuse people.

Service dogs are those dogs that are professionally trained to assist people with disabilities. This could mean that a service dog is taught how to recognize a seizure and warn and protect his handler when it occurs, to guide a deaf or blind person, to pull a wheelchair, or even help a person with PTSD calm during an anxiety attack. In a nutshell, service dogs provide service and/or assistance that makes the quality of their handler’s life much better. They are categorized as assistance dogs. As a result, there are different types of service dogs, including:

Seizure response dogs

For people with epilepsy, seizure response dogs are both protectors and assistants. These service dogs are trained to do a variety of tasks connected to the seizures itself – some will alert other family members that a person is having a seizure, others learn how to protect a person having a seizure or help break the fall. Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are the most common choices, but there are various breeds that do work as seizure response dogs.

Psychiatric service dogs

This is a slightly wider category: psychiatric dogs can help their handlers if they are suffering from post traumatic disorder, OCD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, or anxiety. These dogs are not to be confused with emotional support or therapy dogs that are usually not trained to perform their duties. Psychiatric service dogs can sense when their owner is anxious, they are trained to be a calming presence, and to help with environmental assessment, to name a few tasks. Best psychiatric service dog breeds are most often those with the right temperament and intelligence for the task, such as Poodles, or Labs, but many others can be trained, as well. After all, loving comfort is sometimes the most important thing and a massive helping hand, and there’s no limit to breeds when it comes to love and support a pooch can offer.

What to Look for In Service Dog Vests and Harnesses

The main role of a service dog vest or harness is to identify your four legged companion as a working dog at his job. Regardless of the type of service your dog is performing, they will have to have clear identification on them to make sure people in public places are informed not to interact (or to interact, in cases where a dog is alerting to something), that you are free to access certain areas in their company, and so on. However, the identification factor is not the only thing that’s important about service dog vests and harnesses. There are a few other important features to look for if you want to make sure you are making the right decision:

Fit

You have to make sure that the size of the vest or harness is right for your dog – nothing too tight or too loose will work. Luckily, there are service dog accessories for canines of all shapes and sizes so finding the perfect fit shouldn’t be an issue. Also, always look out for adjustable straps and other parts that help you adapt the vest for your pupper. This is crucial in many ways – it allows for your pet to be comfortable while still secured. And it is instrumental for limiting the possibility of chafing and irritation.

Comfort

The fact that a service dog should have his identification vest on at all times only makes the comfort factor that more important. Make sure that the vest or harness is weather appropriate, made with padding if needed, from breathable or insulating materials, and have any other feature that would keep your dog comfy and cozy while he’s at work. Guide dogs are often the “pulling” at their harness or vest, and without sufficient comfort and padding, chafing is quick to occur. Also, breathable mesh materials can help the skin to breathe and moisture to evaporate. Otherwise, rashes are quick to appear.

Ease of putting on and off

You’ll be putting your dog’s vest on and taking it off fairly frequently throughout the day, so it’s important that the task is not too complicated to do. Opt for service dog vests and harnesses that are safe and secure but snap on easily, without any complicated hoops and loops you’ll have to adjust before you are ready to head out with your service dog. Of course, if you are in any way impaired, this task can be much harder than usual. That is why it is crucial to find a solution that makes putting on and off simple, quick, and secure. Look for quick release straps, safety buckles and fasteners, and carabiner clips. They can reduce the task to just a few simple moves and connections.

All in all, these accessories can be vital in the lives of many imparied persons around the world. These people can depend on the help of their furry friends – their companionship goes beyond the usual routines and develops into something much greater. And that is why it needs to be done properly. With a proper vest you can ensure your guide dog’s absolute comfort and security, but also display key information that passersby and other people you come in contact with need to see. And that makes them a must have.

How to register a service dog?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) doesn’t require animals to be professionally trained to get the status of a service animal nor does it require any form of registration or certification for service dogs. Your dog should be fully trained for his duty as a service dog, whether by you or a professional trainer, but no documentation is needed to officialize it. There are various companies that offer and sell certificates for service dogs, but under ADA, you are not required to register a service dog in the USA.

How to make my dog a service dog?

The first step from making your pet into a service dog is making sure that they have the character and temperament that suits that role. Service dogs should be smart, adaptable, calm around strangers and in new environments, reliable, and alert- with the ability to maintain their focus on you. The next step is going through special training that will teach your pet to perform the task you require of them, as well as house training and socialization. You can either train them yourself or enroll them into a program run by professional trainers.