Lab pulling on lead after Easy Walk caused sores

Armpit sores from the Easy Walk are a known issue — that front-clip strap sits right in the axilla and on a stocky, muscular breed like a Lab it rubs constantly, especially once they start pulling into it. The good news is it's a design flaw, not a harness concept flaw, and there are front-clip harnesses built specifically to avoid that contact point. Before I point you toward the right one, a couple of quick questions: how much does your Lab weigh roughly, and is the pulling constant from the moment you leave the house, or more situational — squirrels, other dogs, that kind of thing?

Got it — a big, forward-charging Lab who's not reactive is actually one of the more straightforward cases to fit for. The problem with the Easy Walk is that single chest strap pulls tight into the armpit under load, and a 35kg dog creates a lot of sustained load. What you need is a Y-shaped or T-shaped chest piece that sits in the centre of the sternum and distributes pressure away from the legs entirely. Can I ask — did the sores appear on both sides, and has he fully healed up, or are you still waiting on that?

Good that he's healed — you want clean skin before putting anything new on. For a 35kg constantly-pulling Lab, my clear recommendation is the Perfect Fit Harness (modular, three-part system). It's the one harness I'd confidently put forward after an Easy Walk failure specifically because the front ring sits on the sternum and the straps go over the shoulder and behind the leg rather than through the axilla — so the rubbing point doesn't exist in the same way. It's also modular, meaning you buy three separate pieces sized to chest, girth, and shoulder independently, which matters on a Lab because their chest and girth measurements rarely map to a single standard size. The front-clip redirects him as he lunges, and because the fit is precise, it stays where you put it rather than rotating. Look for the Perfect Fit Harness on Amazon UK — make sure you measure chest girth, neck girth, and back length before ordering and use their sizing guide for each panel separately.

Genuinely different. The strap that causes Easy Walk sores runs horizontally across the chest and catches the leg on both sides — under load it tightens into the armpit. The Perfect Fit's front piece sits vertically on the sternum and the side straps connect behind the shoulder, not under it. That said, any harness can rub if it's the wrong size or if it shifts during a walk, so the first few times out keep the walks shorter and check the contact points when you get back — look for any pink patches or hair rubbing thin. If you get the sizing right from the start, the likelihood of the same problem recurring is low.

Perfect. Measure him after a meal when he's relaxed rather than when he's excited — muscles sit differently and you'll get a truer reading. If you're between sizes on any panel, size up rather than down — snug is fine, tight causes problems. Good luck with it.