Tug Grab Harness with Magnetic Leash Review

TUG Pet Products, an American company, is dedicated to delivering top-notch solutions for pet owners, focusing on enhancing the lives of dogs and cats with a blend of comfort, safety, and convenience. With an emphasis on innovation and quality, Tug Pet Products aims to provide an optimal experience for both pets and their owners, backed by a dedicated team of experts and a steadfast commitment to exceptional customer service.

Tug Grab Harness

Harness with a magnetic handle

When you quickly need to switch between on and off leash

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About the Tug Magnetic Harness

Tugleash provided us with an exclusive opportunity to test their upcoming harness, set to hit the market on January 20th!

Let’s start with highlighting the unique feature of the Grab Harness: it is equipped with a built-in bungee handle that is held in place with strong magnets when not in use. This allows for an easy grab while hiking or being in an off-leash park and needing to leash up while passing other people or crossing a street, so you don’t need to clip and clip the leash.

The bungee leash is easily accessible when needed

Has two sets of magnets to secure when not in use

Crafted with an outer shell of durable ripstop nylon and an inner layer of thin neoprene for moisture control, this harness aims to keep dogs comfortable and dry.

Tug Grab Harness with Magnetic Leash Review | Dog Gear Review

During testing, the integrated leash was able to withstand approximately 264 kg (582 lbs) of force, though it’s important to note that this is a benchmark rather than a recommended weight limit. Real-life scenarios when a dog is suddenly lunging is a different type of strain on the material than the slowly building pressure of the pull test but it gives you an idea of its durability.

Featuring two leash attachment points, one on the back and one on the front, along with secure plastic buckles on the chest straps, the harness offers versatility and stability for many different scenarios.

It launched in three sizes but there were plans to release a small size as well in the future. For reference, Zulu wearing the medium size, so the current sizing best fits medium-large dogs.

Tug Magnetic Harness Review

I truly enjoy that after 5 years of reviewing products, a company can still come out with something truly innovative that we have not seen before - solving an everyday problem for many. I go for many long hikes with Zulu where she is allowed to be off-leash and it can indeed be annoying to either carry the leash in my hand for hours in case it is needed or to always stash it away when after using it while carrying a backpack.

Having the Grab handle is the perfect solution for these situations when you just want to leash up to respect others while passing or be able to quickly switch between off-leash and on-leash for any other reason.

You can find a video on our Instagram showing the Grab harness’ features.

I also want to talk about what this magnetic handle feature is NOT good for:

to use it instead of a long line / for recall training: while many think this would help with recall training, it actually wouldn’t make it easier to grab a dog who doesn’t want to come back as you need to get close enough for that. Long lines allow you to practice recall and increase the freedom that you provide to the dog.
for aggressive/reactive dogs who lunge: bungee leashes in general are not great for that as you will not have precise control over the dog.
as an everyday leash walking solution without adding a separate leash as it is a bit short for that.
if you have a very fluffy, long-haired dog, their hair can get stuck between the magnets behind the neck and it is strong enough to pull out a few hairs at a time as the dog moves after.
playdates: other dogs can get tangled in the leash if they roll around playing with each other which can lead to injuries. For playdates in general, the less the dog is wearing, the safer!

Besides the leash, I really like the light, thin but durable material of this harness. I really like that it doesn’t have the thick mesh padding that many other harness has as this keeps the dog hair and most of the dirt off the material and doesn’t soak in (as much) water on rainy days. It is padded just enough to be comfortable for the dog but it is not a thick, soft harness for pullers.

It stayed in place and did not rotate for us. The magnets kept the handle in place even when Zu did a shake-off. I am unsure what the final color options will be but I believe the final product will actually not come in this white/eggshell color. A light color wouldn’t be my first choice for a harness but spot cleaning it wasn’t as hard as I expected so far.

The fit of this harness is a bit awkward for narrow, skinny dogs as the part between the front legs is a bit wide and the padding of the neck section can cover the shoulders a bit even when tightened. The chest strap also sits a bit closer to the armpits than I would like to see on Zulu but she is also a weirdly shaped dog with a proportionally deep chest which can mess up the fitting of many harnesses. It doesn’t cut into the armpit and has an okay armpit clearance however the leg brushing against the chest strap can cause skin irritation for dogs with sensitive skin.

If you want to read more on how a Y-harness should fit a dog - check out our detailed article on the topic.

Functionality Review of the Tug Magnetic Harness

No-pull correction: The no-pull front ring sits a bit low to effectively turn the dog rather than rotating the harness or pulling the front leg out to the side. It would be more effective in no-pull training if placed over the chest bone, not between the legs. It can be used to try out no-pull training but it is not ideal for that.
Running/Biking: This harness is not designed for pulling. A harness needs to allow free shoulder movement even if the dog runs next to you, and the neck section isn’t padded enough for pulling.
Hiking: The handle makes it very easy to quickly switch between on and off-leash adventures which is great. The harness is also thin and light so it doesn’t soak in (much) water, dries fast, and doesn’t overheat the dog.
City walks: It works well as you can just use a handle for short leash walks or attach your regular long leash to the metal ring on the back of the dog. It is a versatile harness that can be used in many scenarios.
Easy to put on/adjust: all four straps have plenty of room for adjustment. The two chest straps have buckles, so it need to go over their head.
Visibility: It doesn’t have reflective trims but Tugleash sells the LED light attachment separately that you can add to the harness.

Tug Magnetic Harness Review Summary

Altogether I love the innovation behind this harness as it offers a convenient solution for an everyday problem that many dog owners face. It is also a great option for service dog handlers to replace a grab tab that would dangle when not needed.

The weakest point of this harness is its fit which probably works best for wider, more robust dogs but then again, it is impossible to cover a wide variety of dogs with only 3-4 sizes. The fit on Zulu wasn’t terrible either, just not ideal.

I love the option to add the LED light to the harness and the entire design shows that this was designed by people who actually have dogs and experienced the everyday challenges one can face while out on a walk.

Currently, the Grab harness comes in 3 sizes and 2 colors. Zulu is wearing the medium size. As always, be sure the harness is a good fit for YOUR dog. If you need help deciding, read our article on harness fitting.