Harnesses for Two Maltese Dogs Different Sizes

Buying for two dogs at once is a great idea — but it does mean getting the sizing right twice over, which can be tricky. Small dog harnesses have specific fitting challenges: most are too loose around the chest or too rigid for small, delicate builds. And even within the same breed, a 1-year-old Maltese and a 3-year-old can have noticeably different chest measurements. What are their rough weights and chest measurements if you have them? And are you using these mainly for walks, or is there any travel or car use involved?

Those measurements are helpful enough to work with — and the gap between them is actually quite significant for Maltese, so they'll almost certainly need different sizes rather than just different adjustments of the same size. Have either of them had issues with harnesses riding up, slipping forward over the shoulders, or rubbing under the armpits? That's the most common problem with small dogs in standard harnesses.

That slipping is classic with vest harnesses on Maltese — they don't have much of a chest shelf to anchor against, so anything with a wide back panel tends to rotate. You want an H-harness or Y-front design instead, which distributes pressure more evenly and stays put. For both dogs, I'd recommend the Rabbitgoo No-Pull Dog Harness. It's an adjustable Y-front design with four adjustment points, a soft mesh lining, and it comes in small sizes that genuinely fit toy breeds well. For your younger dog at 27cm chest, the XS should work. For your older one at 33cm, the S is the right call. Same harness, two sizes — so you're not managing two completely different clip and leash systems, which makes daily walks much easier.

Really easy, actually — that's one of the reasons it works well for wriggly dogs. It has a step-in option so you don't need to pull it over their head at all. You just lay it flat, let her step her front legs in, and clip it across the back. Once she's used to the routine it takes about ten seconds. The older dog will likely settle into it quickly too, and the side-release buckles are easy to do up with one hand while you're holding a dog in place.

You're in good shape. Just measure their chests once more when the harnesses arrive before you take the tags off — you want to fit two fingers under the straps comfortably, no more. If the XS feels snug on your younger one as she grows, she'll likely move into a S within the year anyway. Good luck with both of them.