The Top 10 Service Dog Vest & Harnesses (Review)

Persons living with disabilities face several challenges in the course of daily life that may seem trivial to most people. Service dogs provide them with the required assistance and maintain their sense of independence as well. The help provided by the service dogs ranges from road crossing assistance for blind people to mood detecting dogs for persons undergoing mental illnesses. Service dogs are therefore working dogs and should not be subject to the same rules and regulations other dogs are required to comply with.

To make the implementation of such exceptions easier, a service dog vest is used to easily identify a working dog from other canines. Each service vest is distinguished from the next by several characteristics it possesses. To help you make an informed purchase, we have taken the best service dog vest through rigorous evaluation.

Our Recommendation

Comparison Table

	Features:	Product Information	Our Rating:	Buy from:
Industrial Puppy Service Vest	Durable Straps With Metallic Rings Simple Clip-on Buckles Backpack Compatible High Visibility Patches Comfortable Mesh Design	Brand Name - Industrial Puppy Material - Nylon, Metal, Plastic Price - $$$ Sizes - 1 Colors - 7	5	Amazon Try Prime!
Cymiler Dog Harness	Breathable Material Strong Stitching High Visibility Patches And Stitching Metal Leash Rings	Brand Name - Cymiler Material - Nylon, Plastic Price - $ Sizes - 6 Colors - 6	4.8	Amazon Try Prime!
voopet No-Pull Dog Harness	Light And Durable Material Nylon Straps High Visibility Patch On The Front Metal Leash Ring	Brand Name - voopet Material - Nylon, Plastic, Metal Price - $ Sizes - 6 Colors - 7	4.8	Amazon Try Prime!
FAYOGOO Dog Vest Harness	Durable Nylon Simple To Use Highly Visible Reflective Sides Metal ID Rings	Brand Name - FAYOGOO Material - Metal, Plastic, Nylon Price - $ Sizes - 7 Colors - 2	4.7	Amazon Try Prime!
Petdogree Reflective Red Service Vest	Light Vest Design Nylon Material Velcro Straps Plastic Buckles	Brand Name - Petdogree Material - Nylon, Metal, Plastic Price - $ Sizes - 6 Colors - 1	4.6	Amazon Try Prime!

Service Dogs Badges and ID Tags

In the United States of America, the rights of persons with disabilities are the same as the rights of all other citizens. Besides, the Americans with Disabilities Act enshrines their freedoms and more privileges they need to lessen the friction they may encounter. Under the same laws, the Department of Justice allows for service dogs to work without and official service dog vest.

A person with a disability may use a service dog tag or identification badge instead. These allow for lighter traveling and are great for when you go to really hot climates. Such environments may make a dog service vest too hot and this distracts them.

On the back of this identification, badges are a toll-free number to the D.O.J in case anyone requires additional information. The front has a picture of the dog and is brightly marked ‘Service Dog’. Presenting this in place of a dog service vest should be just as effective.

Who are Service Vests and Harnesses Made for?

Service dogs are for people with disabilities or people in the uniformed forces. They allow you access to various spaces where pets and animals are otherwise restricted. The vest also signals that the animal is sufficiently trained and will be controlled with ease throughout the entire time.

What Kinds of Dogs can Wear Service Vests?

A service vest can be used by dogs that have undergone sufficient training on how to adequately serve as a working dog. The service vest also helps the working dog understand and tell apart the two different times, when they are working and when they are not.

Important Considerations Before Purchase

When purchasing a service dog vest, there are several things you should consider. These include the size of your dog especially the chest and neck girth, the material of the vest and the visibility features. Additional features such as backpack compatibility and utility kits are secondary requirements.

The 10 Best-Rated Service Vests

There are plenty of options to choose from when you want to buy service dog vest. The best in class differs from one category to the next. We have the top selection for five such categories listed below.

The Top Pick – Industrial Puppy Service Vest

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Industrial Puppy
• Material – Nylon, Metal, Plastic
• Price – $$$
• Sizes – 1
• Colors – 7

All things considered, the Industrial Puppy’s service vest topping our list is an easy choice. A blend of strong and durable materials creates a stunningly robust design. The vest is enclosed in the best quality stitching and material. No matter how often you use this, wear and tear will probably not appear for a long time.

Straps are joined by rectangular metallic rings. This is not a random choice, rectangular joints ensure the straps are always kept straight, reducing the chances of fraying common with a circular ring. On the top of the vest directly above your dog’s back is a handle made of the toughest nylon sewn in a fold for added comfort. This ensures you steer the dog with ease when necessary.

This is a red service dog vest as a default colour choice for better visibility. There are five more colors to choose from. To aid with night time visibility, Industrial Puppy’s vest has patches of reflective material sewn on to sections of the vest. Additionally, you can purchase a backpack separately which attaches to the back of the vest. This can be used to carry anything from water and food to groceries.

Features

• Durable straps with metallic rings
• Simple clip-on buckles
• Backpack compatible
• High visibility patches
• Comfortable mesh design

Buy on Amazon

Best Value For Money – Cymiler Dog Harness

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Cymiler
• Material – Nylon, Plastic
• Price – $
• Sizes – 6
• Colors – 6

Cymiler’s vest is both affordable and incredibly utilitarian. The mix of easy to use and intuitive learning curve of use make this our best value for money pick. First of all, it used easy clip buckles, getting this on and off is a breeze. Attached to the buckles are adjustable straps that can be pulled in or out for easy size adjustment.

This is very useful for dogs with smaller of larger chests with the same weight range. There is also a young service dog in training that is still growing bigger. Flexible size allows for longer useful life. The vest is padded on the lower side for a firm and gentle grip on your dog’s chest.

This deters any pulling while remaining comfortable. The best feature of this is the mesh on the padding material. Intelligently made to ensure heat flows out of the enclosed area with ease. Air flows freely through for a stress-free application in hot weather.

A custom service dog vest for water or marine environment would benefit from how quickly this dries up after a dip.

Features

• Breathable material
• Strong stitching
• High visibility patches and stitching
• Metal leash rings

Budget Pick – voopet No-Pull Dog Harness

Product Information:

• Brand Name – voopet
• Material – Nylon, Plastic, Metal
• Price – $
• Sizes – 6
• Colors – 7

If you are working with a limited budget, you need a product that is mostly utilitarian to serve the basic needs first. After you check these boxes, you are pretty much okay with any other extra features. The basic purpose of a service dog vest is visibility and to deliver a message. Before the dog starts working, it is first trained.

After a rigorous education, it is put to work. To save you money, Voopet’s best service dog vest allows you to slip in “In Training” labels and later swap them out with “Service Dog” tags. The second reason for getting your dog a vest is visibility. The voopet service dog vest has a large high reflectivity patch on the entire front of the harness.

This ensures safety in the night for both you and your dog. It is also useful for low visibility situations such as walking around when there is a fog. As a way of saving money, you want a service dog vest that lasts you a long time. Strong stitches and metallic leash rings are specially designed to resist wear and tear for years. This harness will be also useful when You travel with your dog in a dog travel crate airline approved.

This is the best service dog vest for the money as it also features good handles and the right buckles that will not loosen quickly. There plenty of colors and sizes to suit your needs and preferences.

Features

• Light and durable material
• Nylon straps
• High visibility patch on the front
• Metal leash ring
• Rear handle

FAYOGOO Dog Vest Harness

Product Information:

• Brand Name – FAYOGOO
• Material – Metal, Plastic, Nylon
• Price – $
• Sizes – 7
• Colors – 2

FAYOGOO’s service dog vest is the runner up for the best budget spot. It comes in multiple colors to suit your preference in addition to the wide range of sizes you can choose from. To take the guessing out of your shopping experience, a detailed size chart is provided. The chart includes the dog’s sizes taken against weight and the neck and chest girth.

The combination of these dimensions is comprehensive enough for a guaranteed snug fit. The vest comes with an easy to put on the buckle on either side. There is practically no learning curve with this.  A D ring is provided for attachment of an identification tag or a leash as needed.

Additionally, there is a plastic-encased nylon strap on the back for grip. This feels great to the touch and provides enhanced steering ability for you when you are in crowded spaces such as the subway.

 FAYOGOO understands that a service dog harness vest can be used for different applications. As a demonstration of this knowledge, they provide a total of six label patches. Two are for emotional support dogs, a pair for service dogs in training and a final pair for service dogs. The service vest also features an easy drying material on the exterior which is breathable to reduce water and heat retention.

Features

• Durable nylon
• Simple to use
• Highly visible reflective sides
• Metal ID rings
• Reflective stitching

Petdogree Reflective Red Service Vest

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Petdogree
• Material – Nylon, Metal, Plastic
• Price – $
• Sizes – 6
• Colors – 1

Petdogree’s entrant to this list is a uniquely designed and simple vest. It has a singular strap that goes around the chest of the dog, which is popularly termed as the girth by most manufacturers. The other strap wraps around the neck of the dog. There is no padded front that applies pressure on the chest.

Right off the bat, we know this is not for dogs that pull. This is exclusively for trained and certified service dogs. You cannot change the label on the sides to suit any other needs. Despite this, it is the best service dog vest for all sizes of dogs.

It is especially suitable for toy breeds of dogs. The straps can extend and retract for a range of up to 19 inches. Velcro on the straps provide added security for the pet and ensure the straps do not loosen over an extended period of use. This is part of the design to ensure both ease of use and long useful life.

The light nylon material makes for a cover like a jacket that goes over the back of the dog with a sole leash ring at the top. This is purely functional and is not designed to offer any other service. The vest also has a line of reflective material on the sides to enable safety at night or other low visibility scenarios.

Features

• Light vest design
• Nylon material
• Velcro straps
• Plastic buckles

Hanshengday Tactical Service Vest

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Hanshengday
• Material – Nylon, Plastic, Metal
• Price – $$
• Sizes – 2
• Colors – 2

The boys in blue have some of the most well-trained service dogs you can find anywhere in the world.  They can crawl in covert missions to avoid detection as well as get in to significantly toucher and more hostile environments. They do this based on their training and with a heavy reliance on the great equipment on them. Such equipment is often largely the vest they have put on.

The vest is also what protects them in these harsh conditions. Hanshengday’s tactical service vest is one such vest. It includes Molle attachments on either side giving you greater control over the fit. Using the highest grade of nylon 100D, the vest is ultra-durable and provides significant protection should you be in a harsh environment.

The back of the vest has two handles, one at the back and another wrapped in plastic for better grip. The Molle attachments make it very easy for people with disabilities in their hands to easily put the vest on and to take it off. The vest is large enough to adequately carry a backpack if the need arises as well as litter bags.

Colour choice is limited because a tactical vest has to be camouflaged in combat scenarios. This, however, does not limit its usage in normal daily life. It is the best service dog vest cheap to acquire for a long lifespan.

Features

• Durable nylon 100D
• Strong straps and Velcro
• Molle attachments

Fairwin Service Vest Dog Harness

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Fairwin
• Material – Nylon, Plastic, Metal
• Price – $
• Sizes – 6
• Colors – 2

Fairwin has yet another amazing entrant to our list. The vest features two Velcro strapping pieces at the front for adjustable neck size and two buckle straps on the sides.

The flexible sizes make this a unique offering and deserving of a spot on this list. The vest does not have a reflective patch on the front and instead has reflective stitching all around. Made out of tough oxford material, the exterior is bound to last for a while. Another feature for enhanced durability is the padding on the neck and back.

The padding is so hard it might be uncomfortable for your dog for the first few days before softening. The material is tougher to maintain the airways through it stays open for as long as possible.

Features

• Tough interior padding
• Nylon and oxford material
• Plastic encased handle
• Metallic d ring

Chai’s Choice Service Vest

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Chai’s Choice
• Material – Nylon, Plastic, Metal
• Price – $$
• Sizes – 6
• Colors – 8

Chai’s Choice curates and makes some of the best collection of dog-related products and services. These range from dog leashes to harnesses and service vests such as this one. The vests unique design is meant to stay out of the dog’s way as much as possible. The front has a padded vest that goes right under the neck and the rest of the padding goes all around the back of the vest.

This provides additional comfort and ensures the force on the dog is well distributed. This is especially useful when a dog has to pull the owner up an inclined ramp. Made out of oxford material and nylon, the durability is guaranteed. Securing this on your dog is easy, simply clip on the plastic buckles and you are all set.

The padding meshes with airways to allows unobstructed airflow for efficient temperature regulation in warm weather. The same technology ensures warm air is pocketed around the vest to keep the dog warm in cold conditions. There is a handle at the top which is a sewn folder strap with a plastic handle around it. In case you want to leash the dog, a metallic leash ring is provided.

Features

• Durable nylon and oxford material
• Breathable padded vest
• Reflective side stitching and labels

Dihapet Dog Harness

Product Information:

• Brand Name – Dihapet
• Material – Nylon, Plastic, Metal
• Price – $
• Sizes – 8
• Colors – 6

Dihapet’s harness dares to go against the norm. No rule specifies a service dog should be a single bold solid colour. Despite this, many manufacturers have steered clear of any decorative styling on their service vests. Dihapet, on the other hand, has very stylish prints on the exterior of the service vest.

There are 8 designs to choose from and even more sizes.  There is a D ring at the top to leash the dog is you need it. The vest is made of nylon the has reflective stitching all around for increased visibility.

Features

• High visibility stitching
• Lightweight material
• Nylon material
• Stylish print designs

VIVOI Tactical Military Molle Dog Vest

Product Information:

• Brand Name – VIVOI
• Material – Nylon, Plastic, Metal
• Price – $$
• Sizes – 2
• Colors – 2

VIVOI is yet another utilitarian and military-like service vest. Designed to blend in with the dark background, it offers no high visibility assistance. It works well for individuals with disabilities that do not necessarily include vision impairment. The vest does more than make up for this shortcoming with the Molle attachments, the military-grade nylon and the utility bags on either side of the vest.

There is also an added carrier for any litter bag. 

Features

• High-grade nylon
• Utility bags
• Molle attachments

Frequently Asked Questions

To provide clarity, here are some answers to some of the most popular questions people have about service vests.

What is a dog service vest and how does it work?

A service dog life vest is a dog harness with a significantly larger side for increased visibility and a label. The point of a service vest is to signal that a dog is not just a pet and should be allowed in animal restricted areas. It is enshrined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If your dog isn’t service, You can buy dog life jacket.

What are the unique categories of service dogs?

There are two kinds of service dogs. Service dogs used by persons with disabilities and the elderly, these are used for mobility assistance and assistance getting in and out of different places. The other places service dogs are used is by the police and other specialized uniformed services.

Do I need to buy a vest for my service dog?

Yes. To have a smoother transition from one place to another with your pet, a service vest provides a hassle-free way to let management staff at various establishments know it is necessary. If you have a dog you need for assistance with everyday tasks then you need one. So, where can i buy a service dog vest? There are various methods of how to get a service dog vest and all start with having a legally recognized disability.

Is it possible to use service vests on emotional support dogs?

Despite their immense usefulness, emotional support dogs are not protected by the same rights as a service dog. The emotional support dogs are only allowed in various means of travel to ensure the owners are okay. They, however, do not accord you any privilege to have an animal in places where establishment management restricts them.

Emotional Support Dogs and Service Vests

There is plenty of other dog equipment you can buy to help with dog visibility and handling in different scenarios. Harnesses, service vests and emotional support vests are all of the similar designs except the high visibility marking on the latter two. These serve a legal purpose and are aimed at easing the lives of persons living with disabilities. It is therefore advised to only use the when within one’s complete legal rights to do so.

Final Take

There are numerous options to choose from as you select the best harness for you. The unlimited number of options, however, does not guarantee the unlimited availability of good choices. Using the considerations listed above and drawing guidance from the lists of features, you can make an informed acquisition. The most important consideration, however, is how well the purpose for which you buy the vest is served without lowering the quality of work done. Interested in other dog stuff? Read about dog crates wooden, which will be looks better in your house then another models.

Images credits: Amazon.com & photo stocks