Harnesses have become a staple in most doggy wardrobes these days. It is so fun seeing stylish accessories for dogs, but often I struggle to spend my money on them. I’m generally a value hunter, who likes to find the best quality at the lowest price I can. Living in the countryside, walks are often very muddy, and I wouldn’t want to waste money on something that might get ruined. I was very excited about seeing a Pawsome Paws Boutique sale online in January, and was able to get a great harness at an amazing price.
Pawsome Paws Boutique was started in 2016 by founder Sophie. From hand making products in her bedroom, to now being stocked in major UK retailers like John Lewis and Pets at Home – In a short space of time this business has become a huge player in the dog accessories market. They sell stylish and fun products for you and your dog. Dog walking bags, collars, harnesses, and so much more. They have a 5 star rating on Trustpilot from over 500 reviews, which is a testament to their quality and popularity. I’m going to discuss my buying journey with them, and our experience with their Tough Trails harness.
Why are harnesses so popular these days?
Well, my first instinct is that they seem more comfortable for our dogs to walk in. My dog is a strong puller, so a harness puts less pressure on her neck when we go on walks. I am working on her heel training, but a harness does help me feel I have her more under control. There is a lot of differing advice saying if you have a strong puller you will have more control over them with just a collar on. I’m not a dog trainer, just a dog owner, so I won’t tell you which is best for training – but a harness is what we are most comfortable with.
Another reason to get a harness is how practical they are. They are great for car travel, as you can attach a dog seatbelt to them (like this one). They are perfect for using with an extendable lead or long line – it is advisable to use a harness with these instead of a collar.
I’m sure one of the main reasons people love harnesses, is how stylish they are. There are so many fun colours and patterns on the market, it is a way of expressing your personality through fashion, just on your dog!
Pawsome Paws Boutique Tough Trails Harness
Although I’ve always admired Pawsome Paws Boutique products from afar, I was scared to take the plunge in getting ‘pretty’ dog accessories for fear of them getting muddy and being ruined. That isn’t to say I think they are too expensive – on the contrary, they are very well priced products. I just wasn’t convinced that a fun and stylish harness would last with the adventurous walks I take my dog on.
The Tough Trails harness stood out to me as being geared more towards adventurous country dogs. These come in so many different patterns and colours, including their more recent Disney collaborations as well. They seem similar in style and features to the more traditional adventure dog harnesses, like a Ruffwear harness. I have wanted a Ruffwear harness for a while, but as they retail for about £45 I was put off by the price.
I was excited to see a range of Tough Trails harnesses on sale in January 2024. I ordered a lilac one for just £22.40 & £4.25 delivery. Although lilac seemed a risky colour choice for muddy walks, it was my favourite colour option available, and I thought I would just go for it.
I made sure to measure my dog first – I have made the mistake in the past of buying a harness without measuring her, and wasted my money. Honey is a Springador – a springer spaniel crossed with a Labrador. She weighs about 20KG, and her measurements indicated she would be a size medium. Check out this previous blog post if you are interested to learn more about Springadors!
Fit and Quality
The Tough Trails harness arrived within 3 days, faster than promised. Thankfully the fit was perfect, I made adjustments to the straps to get the perfect fit for Honey, and overall the harness was true to size.
Here are the features I love about it:
- The fabric feels nice and padded – extra comfort for your dog.
- It has a metal loop on the front & on the back, for use with a double ended, which is very helpful when walking a strong puller.
- There are three buckles for putting on the harness, which means it doesn’t have to go over your dog’s head. My dog hates having things put over her head, so this made getting it on much easier for us.
- Reflective strips for safety.
- A handle on the back. This has come into its own when Honey fell into a canal recently – there was a handy handle for me to rescue her easily without getting in the canal myself!
How did it wash?
As expected, the harness did get muddy on our first outing. This gave me the chance to see how it would wash. Now the instructions do advise hand washing, which I had little success with. I tried soaking it for 30 minutes in some detergent and hot water, then scrubbing at the harness and rinsing it off, and it made 0 impact. I decided just to put it in the washing machine and see what would happen – this would be much more convenient for me.
I’m pleased to say, it washes FANTASTIC. I have put it in the washing machine about 6 times over the last couple of months, and it comes out brand new every time. There has been no shrinkage or discolouration and no damage to the hardwear whatsoever. I am just putting it on a quick 45 minute wash with a bit of my everyday detergent.
Here are some before and after images, after a very muddy walk.
The Final Verdict
Overall, I would give this harness a 10/10. The price (especially the sale price) couldn’t be better for the quality of the product. I would happily buy a full price harness now I have had a good experience with this one. The quality is fantastic, with all the features you need from a harness for plenty of adventures with your dog. For me, the fact it washes so well is a major selling point!
The website is so easy to use, and delivery was fast. Just look how cute the packaging is. I will continue to support Pawsome Paws Boutique, and I’m excited to place my next order. Which by the way, is going to be the waterproof collar and lead – so watch this space for a follow up review!
