If both you and your dog are active and love the outdoors, you’ll most likely need a harness that safe, comfortable and durable. The Ruffwear Web Master promises to be all these things – and more – but can it live up to its claims? We’ve seen a lot of harnesses at Pet News Daily, so we decided to take a closer look.
Is the Ruffwear Web Master Dog Harness Tough Enough?
The Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness is a popular choice for dog owners looking for escape-proof protection, durability, and outdoor-friendly harnesses. With strong yet breathable fabric, this harness is excellent for any environment your dog might experience. For most customers, the Ruffwear harness is supportive, fits nicely, and increases the safety and security of their pet.
Our Score for the Ruffwear Web Master Multi-Use Support Dog Harness
Editorial Rating
What we like:
5-point security for an escape-proof harness
In This Article
About the Ruffwear Web Master Multi-Use Support Dog Harness
Offering 5 adjustment points for a customized fit, the Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness is a must-have for any dog. The harness features 2 leash attachment points, padded construction for your dog’s comfort, reflective trim for visibility in low-light conditions, and a padded handle that allows pet owners to assist in tricky outdoor maneuvering.
Typical harnesses don’t offer a snug fit and may allow your dog to back out of the harness. The Ruffwear harness is made to fit your dog without the possibility of escape. To fit the harness to your dog, you should always loosen the straps before placing the harness on your pet. Once the harness is on, you can adjust the harness at 5 different points for the perfect fit. Make sure to leave enough space between your dog and the harness to fit 2 fingers comfortably.
Because your pet is exposed to various conditions, the Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness is designed to endure a range of environments. The comfortable foam construction cushions your dog while allowing for breathability and a full range of motion. The fabric resists fading, so you can enjoy as many hours in the sun as you and your pet can handle. You can typically find this harness in the $60 USD range, which is on the high-end for a quality harness but not overpriced.
Important Features
The Ruffwear Web Master Multi-Use Support Dog Harness has multiple features that make it an excellent choice for your pet:
- 5-point adjustability for a snug fit
- Padded handle for assisted maneuverability
- Padded construction for comfortable wear on long days
- Reflective trim for low-light conditions
- 2 attachment points for a leash with added attachment points for outdoor accessories
What We Like
There’s a lot to like about the Ruffwear Web Master Multi-Use Support Dog Harness. Here are some of our favorite things about this harness:
- Good for all dogs. This harness is great for amputees, small dogs, and large dogs. The adjustable harness allows you to fit the harness to your dog’s body regardless of shape and size.
- Escape is almost impossible. We recommend the Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness as the best escape-proof harness. This is a secure harness, whether your dog is just anxious or a highly skilled escape artist.
- Protective design. The harness is designed to evenly distribute pressure and avoid pinching your dog. With two underbody straps and a Y-front design, your dog is properly supported when you use the built-in handle to lift them. Fabric also protects your dogs skin from the clips, which helps avoid any pinching when you’re putting the harness on.
- Night-time visibility. The Ruffwear harness is constructed with reflective trim for visibility in low-light conditions. If this isn’t enough reflectivity for your needs, there are loops and attachment points for additional accessories, like battery-powered lights, that can enhance night-time visibility even more.
What We Don’t Like
As with any pet harness, there are some things you should consider when trying to determine if the Ruffwear Web Master Multi-Use Support Dog Harness is the right choice for you.
- Chaffing may occur. As with any harness, your dog may experience chaffing and hair loss when wearing the Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness, especially if your pet wears it for an extended period of time. It’s important to check your pet for any signs of irritation before and after using the harness.
- Hand-washing and air-drying are recommended. We love a clean pet just as much as you do, but hand-washing and air-drying pet accessories can be tedious. Hand-washing can prove to be an added chore if you plan to use this harness everyday in harsh conditions.
- Large hands may not fit. This harness features a handle so pet owners can help their pets maneuver in different situations. For example, loading and unloading from a car or jumping onto tall rocks. We found that large hands may not easily fit into the handle, especially with smaller harness sizes.
- Could use more padding underneath. The harness offers great support but we found it could benefit from some additional padding underneath. Because the handle on top of the harness is used to lift the dog, additional padding on the bottom would cushion the dog more when its bodyweight is being supported by the harness.
Frequently Asked Questions
In regard to style, this harness features a Y-front design for added comfort and support. Unlike traditional harnesses, the 3 underbody support straps feature support around the front of your pet, the chest, and the stomach.
Customer Reviews
Positive Reviews
“Perfect for my Tripawd. Our lab recently lost a front leg to bone cancer. Paired with the brush guard, this harness, thanks to the handle at the top, is a comfortable way for us to assist her in and out of the car, and is still perfect for walking and playing. It took a little tweaking to get the fit right, but now it’s easy on, easy off. Also, thumbs up for the quick and helpful response from customer service when I reached it with a question.” – Melissa, Ruffwear, 7/19/22
“I have an escape artist doggo, a fat bully breed who can slip out of every harness and collar I’ve gotten for him. This one is great, because he literally CANNOT pull out of it: the belly strap is smaller than his ribcage. At the same time, it’s not so tight that it’s chafing his chest or neck. The handle is great for encouraging him to go forward (he’s fearful), or just picking him up like a suitcase and carrying him where he needs to go. I can attach his dogtag to it as well, so if he manages to get out, he’s still identifiable.” – Olivia, Amazon, 5/29/22
Negative Reviews
The most common complaints about the Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness are from customers who have had sizing issues and early wear and tear. Most customers with concerns regarding the fit of the harness on their dog experience issues with smaller breeds.
“The concept is great, but even getting the smallest harness for my Chihuahua, I had to cross over the straps because the back strap covered his boy parts and he couldn’t pee. Also, he just couldn’t get used to it, months and he was dragging and looked miserable. On the upside, because we used this harness he has stopped trying to pull out of his regular harness. It’s weird but he’s calmer.” – Jerry, Amazon, 6/14/22
“I have used Ruff Wear harnesses for years and love them! I have three very active small dogs and Ruff Wear have held up the best. I was anxious to use this harness for my dog recovering from CCL surgery and thought it would help support him more while walking. The issue is that it is way too long for my dog and actually impedes with him going to the bathroom. I will donate this one to someone who may be able to use it or has a female, but for my males, this is not good for them!” – Bethany, Ruffwear, 2/7/22
Conclusion
The Ruffwear web master multi-use support dog harness is a great choice for any dog in need of a secure and durable harness. As with any harness, rubbing and irritation may occur, but the majority of pet owners have had positive results using the harness. Ruffwear customer service is also exceptionally helpful in the event you should experience early wear and tear. For most owners, this harness has proven to be a more than capable harness both indoors and outdoors and for many different breeds.
We particularly liked:
- Fits dogs of all shapes and sizes
- Virtually escape-proof
- Safe and comfortable for your dog
- Great visibility for night-time use
For more on dog harnesses, including everything from how to measure your dog for a harness and how a dog harness should fit the best escape-proof dog harnesses, check out our series of posts:
- The best dog lift harness
- The best no-pull dog harness
- The best harnesses for huskies
- The best front clip dog harnesses
- The best puppy harnesses
- The best dog car harnesses
- The best step-in dog harness
- The Best Service Dog Harness
And our individual harness reviews:
- The Ruffwear Webmaster Dog Harness review
- The Icefang Tactical Dog Harness review
- The Gooby Dog Harness (escape free sport) review
- The Ruffwear front-range dog harness review
- The Rabbitgoo Escape Proof Dog Harness review
And our breed-specific harness guides:
- The best harness for German Shepherds
- The best Husky Harness
- The best Dachshund harness
- The best Chihuahua harness
Pet News Daily writers are experts in pet care, health and behavior. We are members of Society for Professional Journalists and practice ethical journalism.
