Safety Harness to use with an Autism Dog
If you are getting an autism dog for your child with special needs, you will need a proper harness for them to wear during their training session.
If you already have an autism dog for your child, perhaps they have learned to unclip their waist belt and it's time they wore something more secure.
My Safety Harness to use with an Autism Dog offers the same features of security, strength and durability as my Child-to-Adult Harness.
In addition, this design has an O-ring at the front of the harness with a 6 foot lead that attaches to the dog.
Your child can "independently" walk their new companion by holding the dog's lead provided by the training academy. My 6 foot lead on the front of my harness gives the dog room to walk on either side of your child, or out in front.
I have made a number of these harnesses for families who were receiving their autism dog from;
- 4 Paws for Ability, in Ohio, USA (www.4pawsforability.org)
- Righteous Pups, in Golden State, Australia (www.righteouspups.org.au)
- Support Dogs, United Kingdom (www.support-dogs.org.uk)
The Mom pictured here is out shopping with her husband (who took the picture) and their twin 6 year old boys. She had ordered 2 Child-to-Adult Harnesses to use with their boys while they waited to receive their autism service dog. She thought the Safety Harnesses might work with the service dog but if they didn't, she would order my other design.
Many months later the boys received their autism dog. And their Mom was right. My Child-to-Adult Harness, worn backward so the O-ring is in the front, allows the boys to be safely attached to their new companion and the entire family can be out together.
How much does the Safety Harness to use with an Autism Dog cost?
I charge a base price of $90 (Cdn or US) for the harness and $5 (Cdn or US) (at cost) for each snap hook used with the harness, regardless of the person's chest measurement.
As always, I make the harness with plenty of extra webbing to allow for the person's growth and expansion of the harness over heavier clothing.
If the harness is for a younger child, it should last the family approximately 3 to 4 years before the child outgrows it completely.
If the harness is for a teen or adult, it should be the last harness the family has to buy.
Official receipts provided with your payment
Most families have funding in place to cover the cost of acquiring an autism dog and items related to the dog's ongoing care.
This funding usually covers additional items or equipment the child requires to benefit from their new service dog. My Safety Harness is considered one of those items.
In most cases, the family pays me directly and submits an official receipt to their funding agency for reimbursement.
Some funding agency pay me directly once the harness has been mailed to the family.
Whatever arrangement is easiest for you, we can make sure your child has their harness prior to their training session.
Description and Features of the Safety Harness to use with an Autism Dog
This harness is a 2 chest strap design with an O-ring at the back and an O-ring at the front. The lead for the parent is sewn to the back O-ring, the lead out to the dog is sewn to the front O-ring.
The lead for the parent can be detachable.
The harness can be worn "backward" and used as a regular walking harness for the child if the family is going out without the dog.
- the harness has 2 chest straps that circle the torso. The top chest strap sits under the armpits, the bottom chest strap sits approximately 3 inches lower down.
- the 2 chest strap design makes the harness very secure around the person's body and very comfortable to wear
- the chest straps close at the back of the harness with buckles. The buckles can be replaced with locking carabiners for increased security.
- the harness is put on and removed in the usual manner; over their head, chest straps under their arms, buckle up at the back
- the shoulder straps are stitched to the chest straps at the front of the harness
- the shoulder straps pass through metal rectangle rings at the back of the harness. This allows the shoulder straps to be adjusted.
- at the back of the harness, the top and bottom support loops and the lead for the parent are attached to a metal O-ring. The O-ring has a smooth, welded seal. The quality of the weld determines the strength of the ring and these rings are rated at 500lb weight capacity.
- a long, non-detachable 5'8" lead at the back of the harness for the parent to hold allows the person a sense of freedom
- you can request a detachable lead if you know your child will be attached to their dog most of the time. A detachable parent lead is an additional $5 (Cdn or US) to cover the cost of the snap hook.
- an O-ring at the front of the harness is attached by 4 straps. The 4 straps are anchored at each of the 4 corners where the shoulder straps meet the chest straps.
- a 6 foot lead is sewn to the front O-ring. This lead extends to the dog. A snap hook at the end secures the child to the dog's harness.
- re-inforced zig-zag stitching on all seams to ensure strength and durability
- each harness comes with a mesh storage/laundry/stuff sack for easy storage and to keep the harness contained while in the washing machine
- available in black, denim blue, red, army green and pink
How to adjust the Safety Harness
Pictures on my Child-to-Adult Harness page show the chest straps being lengthened on a pink harness with locking carabiners.
Adjusting the fit of your new harness is a simple matter of moving the sliders back and forth to shorten or length the straps.
The same method is used to change the length of the shoulder straps and the chest straps.
You will receive your harness adjusted to the chest measurement that you gave on your order form. And since you measured your child when wearing a light t-shirt, their new harness will be ready to be worn over similar clothing.
This works great in the summer time!
But it's not always summer - at least in Canada...
The extra webbing on the harness that you use to make the harness bigger (e.g. to fit over a sweater or a jacket) is between the two sliders on that strap.
By moving the second slider toward the back of the harness, you "free up" a length of webbing that you then feed through both sliders to make that strap longer.
If you put the harness on your child and there is a 2 inch gap between the buckles at their back, lengthen each chest strap by 1 inch.
You must lengthen the chest straps evenly so the front panel with the O-ring stays centred on their chest.
Lengthen (or shorten) the shoulder straps so the back O-ring sits just below their shoulder blades.
The back O-ring is in the correct position if you can buckle the top chest strap through its support loops and the chest strap passes just under their armpits.
The Safety Harness should be fitted snuggly on your child - snug, not tight!
When fitted properly, the harness will be extremely comfortable to wear and should not be restricting to your child.
Ordering a Safety Harness to use with an Autism Dog
If you would like to order a Safety Harness to use with an Autism Dog, please use my order form which will ask you for the following information:
If the Safety Harness is for a Child:
- their chest measurement under their arms when dressed in a light t-shirt
- their age (to estimate growth spurts)
- the information requested below (see and for all orders)
If the Safety Harness is for a Woman:
- her ribcage measurement under her breasts when dressed in a light t-shirt
- her chest measurement under her arms and crossing her front above her breasts
- her bra size
- her age i.e. has she reached maturity
- the information requested below (see and for all orders)
If the Safety Harness is for a Man:
- his chest measurement (under the arms) when dressed in a light t-shirt
- his age i.e. has he reached maturity
- the information requested below (see and for all orders)
and for all orders:
- their shoulder-to-waist measurement
- the maximum number of clothing layers to be worn under the harness
- the colour they would like (black, denim blue, red, army green, yellow, pink)
- the address to which the harness will be mailed
- any additional items to be included e.g. removable crotch strap (specify colour), non-removable crotch strap (specify colour), extra buckle to use the lead as a tie-down and/or lock(s) instead of buckle(s)
