Product Review: Freedom Design Harness

The Freedom Design Harness I feel is a great harness for a Service Dog in Training. Its perfect for that interim training period just before the dog becomes a fully trained Service Dog.

The Freedom Design Harness is not as Durable as I would like to see it. It works ok for wheelchair pulling, but does not stand up for as much rugged use. I am hard on my gear. I have 2 young children and I am moving quickly. My children will sometimes assist with putting gear on. Comfort is good and lots of adjustability; however your dog must be within average size of around 50-75lbs. The faux sheepskin doesn't seem to last that long and falls off. There is not much surface area to the harness and that can cause some problems for access issues as well as usability.

The patches are small and not real noticeable. There is only room for one. The pouch is a decent size for a puppy, but not for when the dog is working full time. You can fit a small wallet, keys, ID, and a few poopy bags, but that is about it.

I also have the Freedom Leash which is a nice leash and I like many things about it. First, its a very nice length for public access. The velcro was nice at times, but not really durable for much pulling. It did keep some attachment to the wheelchair. However, for me the leash started to fray on the sides and I had to keep trimming it.

Over all, its a good harness, I feel its a little over priced by having to purchase each piece individually (harness, pouch, patch) and with its durability.

Here is my link to close up pictures of the Freedom Design Harness at RC Paws

You can see JJ wearing his Freedom Design Harness at a pool side cafe in Florida. He was still in training in this picture at about 21 months old.

Product Review: Bridgeport Equipment Single Strap Support Assistant Harness

The Bridgeport Equipment Single Strap Support Assistance Harness is a nice well built inexpensive harness. Its made of heavy English leather. Having the heart shaped front plate does provide a little restriction on the shoulders, but you must have the harness adjusted just right. It also allows for pulling.
Some of the downsides to this harness were the placement of the straps which is right at the chest when JJ lays down and its extremely uncomfortable for him. Another is the straps are lose and flop around or rub against me when walking. I had to find ties to attach the straps to the handle. One other downside to the harness is that it is heavy for all day wear. It weighs approx 6-8lbs. Plus you have to had the person weight when they lean on the dog which adds to that is a lot. I do know many people love this harness and I am grateful that there is a harness that is affordable out there, but its also very frustrating. The harness feels like it should be made for a horse. Some more down sizes is the lack of available heights of the handle. I had the 3" and it was just to short, but a 6" would be way to high. Also if I had a 6" , JJ would never fit under a table with his harness.
I also purchased the ID holder and that does NOT stay attached to the harness in any form and was a waste of money.

My overall experience with Bridgeport Equipment is awesome and they are a great company. They have some other wonderful products which I will hopefully review at a later time.