Product Review: Boots and Barkley Adjustable Mesh Harness

The Boots & Barkley Adjustable Mesh Harness is available exclusively at Target stores. It has quick-release buckles at both the neck and chest. Various iterations of this harness have been available in at least three colors, and it tends to come in four sizes to fit dogs with chests 13.5-36" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

This harness is yet another thrift store find. It fits Xena perfectly, and I'm willing to part with it, so it's hers now. It fits her pretty well, and it's bright and eye-catching. Dark-colored dogs tend to be adopted less often, and flashy gear can help make them more visible to the public.

This is an interesting harness because it does not require me to slip it over her head, but I do have to lift her foot over a strap to put it on. This makes it excellent for head-shy dogs, Brisbane hates having harnesses slid over his head and vastly prefers the ones that have a buckle there. The Boots and Barkley mesh harness isn't quite as good for foot-shy dogs though. It has the mesh chest panel, and then a back strap. It buckles around one leg, but I have to lift the other over the mesh panel and into the space between it and the back strap. A second buckle on this strap would fix this issue, but would also add bulk and make that strap less adjustable, That's a non-issue for most dogs, though.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Bright and flashy. Comfortable and breathable. Easy to put on. Non-threatening for headshy dogs.

Cons: Very active dogs may have issue with the mesh panel rubbing their armpits. The leash ring is not as sturdy as the ones I'm used to seeing on gear for dogs this side.

Bottom Line: Actually that light hardware thing could be a plus for some people.