Best adjustable harness for a growing Bernese Mountain Dog

A 7-month Bernese is right in the thick of it — they can put on several kilos in a matter of weeks at this age, and buying a harness that fits perfectly today can be too small by Christmas. Harness fit is everything: a poorly fitted one restricts movement, causes chafing, or just stops working as it should. The right type — back-clip, front-clip, or dual-clip — also depends on what you're using it for. Before I point you somewhere specific, tell me: roughly what does your dog weigh now, is this mainly for daily walks or are you dealing with pulling, and have you had any fit or sizing issues with harnesses before?

32kg heading to 45kg is a big jump, so you need something with a genuinely wide adjustment range rather than a harness that's sized in small fixed increments. For a puller, a front-clip or dual-clip harness is far more effective than back-clip — attaching the lead at the chest redirects his momentum rather than letting him lean into it. What's his rough chest girth if you've measured, or is that something you haven't done yet?

Yes, chest girth is the critical number — measure around the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs. For a Berner at 32kg you're likely around 70–80cm right now, which puts you in large territory on most harnesses, but you'll want to confirm before ordering. The reason it matters here is that I'm going to point you toward the Ruffwear Front Range Harness. It has four points of adjustment, a front and back clip, and the large size runs from roughly 69–81cm — so it should fit him now and still have room as he fills out. It's built for daily use, the padding is generous enough for a dog this size, and the aluminium V-ring at the chest holds up to a strong dog pulling without twisting or shifting. It won't last him forever — Berners get big — but it will comfortably see you through the next six months of growth, which is exactly what you need.

Both, honestly — but the front-clip makes an immediate physical difference from day one. When he pulls and the lead is attached at the chest, the pressure turns him sideways toward you rather than letting him drive forward. It doesn't teach him not to pull on its own, but it removes the mechanical advantage he currently has and makes loose-lead training much easier to reinforce. Think of it as levelling the playing field while you work on the behaviour. Most owners see a noticeable reduction in pulling force within the first few walks just from the clip position alone.

Good call. Measure that chest girth before you order just to be sure — if he's already above 81cm, size up to XL. And when you fit it, you should be able to slide two fingers under every strap comfortably; if it's tighter than that anywhere, let it out. Enjoy the walks — Berners are hard work at this age but they're worth it.