Orvis Ratings and Reviews

Lift Assist Dog Harness

Older dogs often want to get up and go, but hip problems, surgery, and muscle pain can sometimes make the getting-up part a challenge. Our easy-to-use harness cradles and supports your dog completely and comfortably—lifting from the chest, not the legs—allowing you to easily help him up into a standing position, steady him on the stairs, or ease entry and exit from a vehicle. Features comfortable, adjustable handles; constructed with seat belt-material strapping. In black/red. Nylon/microfiber/PVC. Washable. Imported.
Average Customer Rating:
3.8 out of 5
3.8
 out of 
5
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot (40 reviews)
5 stars
17
4 stars
10
3 stars
6
2 stars
2
1 star
5
31 of 40(78%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Review 1 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Great product for older female dogs,
May 22, 2013
By: AuntieB
from Middletown, DE
"After a stroke my 14yr. old lab is unable to walk without assistance. This product has work very well for us in moving her outside and up and down steps. It was difficult to lift her completely up with the straps that came with the product but for just assisting her, especially with the back legs, the straps work fine. When I need to completely lift her, I grab the actual harness on both ends and it works. I read the reviews complaining of the front straps not having opening/closing clips and yes it is difficult getting the front legs in but if it had clips, I would be worried they might come apart and the dog would fall so the inconvenience is worth it to me.
Also, the comments about it not being appropriate for a male dog are true, they would urinate on it. Which I am disappointed with because I have four male dogs and I would have liked to reuse it for them. Maybe by then Orvis will design one for a male. Overall, the product works well, is very well made. The 4 stars are only because it won't work for a male. For me and my dog it literally meant the ability to prolong her life.
"
Review 2 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Highly Recommend,
May 18, 2013
By: Manydogsmom
from Phoenix, AZ
"We have a big dog (70 lbs) with ACL problems in both back legs. Purchased the harness with the hope it would help us help her after each TPLO surgery to fix her problems. Just had the first surgery and the harness has been a huge help - getting her home after surgery and in and out to take care of business much less stressful for all than previous experiences with same surgery. We took the harness in with her when she had the surgery and her Doctors put in on her while she was still sedated (very helpful). Intend to purchase other sizes just to have on hand."
Review 3 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Very helpful,
May 7, 2013
By: marmitetwigglet
from Stockton-on-tees, England
"I bought the harness to assist my 16yr old golden retriever. Bonnie, my retriever, is a little unsteady on her feet & struggles with the doorstep.
After reading the reviews on the website, I decided the harness was worth the try, even just to help Bonnie get through the door.
The harness is brilliant, the handles just give that little help needed to lift the back legs over the step. Although Bonnie is now on medication for arthritis, she still wears the harness, as it gives her confidence. I recommend this to anyone with a dog that needs a bit of support. Money well spent.
"
Review 4 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Worth the Money,
April 23, 2013
By: chasesmom
"Our 11-year-old golden retriever Chase has arthritis in his front and back legs. The big advantage that this product has over most other mobility devices is that it enables the owner to reduce pressure on the dog's front legs when going down the steps and reduce the pressure on the back legs going up. I also find it much more convenient than a ramp for helping him in and out of the car."
Review 5 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Excellent Quality,
April 22, 2013
By: Barney912
"I purchased this harness to assist our 13 year old Golden Retirever who suffers from arthritis in his hindquarters. While he is fine on surfaces like carpet or grass, he has difficulty in rising when he is on tile or smooth surfaces. Goldens at 90 lbs. are not the easiest to lift and this harness does the job very very. It is also one of the sturdiest and supportive that I have seen. It also provides the ability to adjust to your dog's size without discomfort to the dog It costs more than others on the market but I am very pleased that I got it."
Review 6 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Wonderful product for our senior dog,
February 27, 2013
By: 122313
from New City, NY
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"Our dog is 16 1/2 years old and about 80lbs. When he slips on the ice & snow this is wonderful for us to help him up."
Review 7 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Awesome,
February 24, 2013
By: CocoaPuff
"I purchased the lift assist dog harness for my 85lb 13 1/2 year old retired racing greyhound and cannot believe how well it works.
He is no longer afraid of falling and actually likes it. The material is extremely strong, supportive and easy to clean.
"
Review 8 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
February 6, 2013
By: Toya
"After reading other reviews, I ordered the X-large harness for our 100 lb dog with a torn ACL. The underside of the harness is too long, especially for male dogs. I tried to trim it back but the straps in the back make it impossible to work correctly. It is a great idea but needs to be tweaked for male dogs."
Review 9 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
difficult to get on dog,
February 4, 2013
By: Mantonio
from Eastern Shore of Virginia
"This seems to be a very sturdy product, and easy to use once on the dog. The problem is getting it on. Perhaps if the straps that go under the dog could be hooked and unhooked it would not be so difficult to get my dog's arthritic les through the straps,"
Review 10 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Design could be improved,
January 14, 2013
By: Anonymous
from St. Paul, MN
"As noted by other reviewers, the design is challenging. I bought this for my 13 year old lab (60 lbs). If the straps had quick releases, it would be much easier to put on a dog that is already a bit unsteady on his feet. It's current design requires placing it on the ground and the dog to step into it, or somehow maneuver all four paws through manually. The zipper on the back was a bit awkward also. I'd have preferred velcro. Otherwise the design is great and if these changes were made I wouldn't be returning it. It's sturdy, and the double handles are really nice and comfortable on the hands."
Review 11 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
1 / 5
1 / 5
Disappointed,
January 7, 2013
By: Parson
from Sylvania, Ohio
"I need something to put around the dog so he could walk. The dog was 120 lb Golden who blew his knee and it was going to be a week before surgery. You no longer carry one that was good for 130 lb. The only one you carry was too small and had to be returned. I had it shipped next day and it did not arrive, which sales person said would. When I called I was told too bad. I'm very disappointed with whole experience."
Review 12 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Added Mobility for Older Dog,
December 28, 2012
By: DaveofMountVernon
from Mount Vernon, OH
"My 13 yr old Golden Retriever would trip or be afraid of the stairs in his old age. The Hip Assist Harness fit him perfectly (he's 75 pounds) and offered the extra mobility that he needed. It also seems to work like a "Thunder Shirt" and gives him reassurance and comfort. A great buy!"
Review 13 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
nice, but hard to put on my dog,
December 15, 2012
By: NYpilot
from New York State
"This product is well made and works well once on my dog, but it has a design flaw that makes it hard to put on my dog or any unstable dog that would need it. The two front straps that go in front of my dog's front legs should have snap-in clips so that they can be fastened after the harness is zipped in the back. My dog is unstable, so I would like to be able to pull the harness up around him while he is standing and zip it, but since the front straps are permanently attached, I have to try and get my dog to step with his front paws between the front and middle strap or lift each front paw and put them separately between the front and middle straps before pulling the harness up around him. That usually makes him fall down. Furthermore, when I get one front paw through, it often comes out while trying to get the second paw through on the other side. Thus, putting it on is stressful for my dog. If the two front straps had the common snap-in buckles I could simply pull the harness around my dog, zip the back closed, pull the front straps between his front legs and clip them in with out having to move his already unstable legs. This simple design improvement would increase my rating from 3 to 5 stars."
Review 14 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Very useful aid,
November 7, 2012
By: fortheloveofpatsy
from Derbyshire
"Bought the dog harness to help us get our aging German Shepard into the back of the car so she can continue to travel with us and her two buddies. Its prooved very useful, it fits well, we were worried that she wouldnt like the feel of it but she is fine with it and keeps it on while she has her walk and it saves us getting muddy sleeves on our coats lifting her into the car, its a sturdy proffessional well designed item, we feel shorter straps would be better they are too long even at their shorter length but no problem we bought a shorter pair of straps which work fine, it has a good zip easy to fasten and the hooks for the straps are very sturdy and its easy to adjust to the size of the dog. The underside of the harness is slightly padded and fits under the dogs chest and abdominal area comfortably, without rubbing or digging in anywhere and it doesnt slide around the body when its in place. Its given us and our old girl a welcome chance to carry on with trips in the car."
Review 15 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Too small,
November 5, 2012
By: GoldenPal
from Sharon CT
"My dog is 85 pounds. That's the upper limit for this harness, but it's very tight."
Review 16 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Magic harness,
September 26, 2012
By: SMO70
from Connecticut
"We ordered the largest size available for our old dog, but it still should be a whole lot bigger to fit her properly. With that said, this harness has worked miracles for her! She depends on us to help her stand up, then she can walk on her own. It is strongly made and finished well. No complaints from us or our old dog---- it is a huge help for her."
Review 17 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
BrilliIant Aid for my Amputee,
September 19, 2012
By: barkingmad
"My ten year old collie recently had a hind leg amputated due to inoperable growths in his paw. After a graduated recovery period, he now walks well on an ordinary collar and lead. However, I still have to monitor the distance he walks as he can easily over-tire the one remaining hind leg and it would be impossible for me to carry him home.
He now wears this harness on each walk and I feel confident that it will give all the support he may need to get him home should we 'overdo' it
I am extremely pleased with the product and my dog seems to be very comfortable with the fit. (large)."
Review 18 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
Hip Assist Harness,
August 31, 2012
By: LynnieMS
from Bristol UK
"Brilliant for the older dog. However I bought the medium for my 45 pound dog and it is quite small."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 19 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Cheap insurance,
August 28, 2012
By: LDRP
from Ventura, CA
"I bought this harness after reading other reviews and anticipating that the harness would fit our long lean 12 1/2 yr old Lab, and it does. Her hind end goes out from under her periodically Now I'm ready for the day that she'll need assistance."
Review 20 for Lift Assist Dog Harness
Overall Rating: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Perfect Physical Therapy Purchase,
August 22, 2012
By: Kerry59
from Metairie, Louisiana
"My thirteen year old lab recently had to spend a week in the hospital for a stomach bleed from some anti inflammatory drugs. He lost the use of his legs (mostly rear) from inactivity. We purchased the harness to assist him with physcial therapy and transportation to his water therapy at the vet. He is recovering very well with the use of this harness as part of his physical therapy regimen."