ProView – Thule Cappy Dog Harness Review

If there’s one thing an Australian Shepherd doesn’t like, it’s being left alone. Thus, mine learned the term “car ride” at an early age. Having not been crate-trained and living in a mountain town where dogs are as omnipresent as bad IPAs, my truck has become his defacto kennel. 

Around town, he’s typically free to roam about the car cabin, but any trip that starts with an onramp requires advanced safety measures, and I’ve tested several canine restraints over the decade Ranger has been by my side. 

The Thule Cappy is a step-in design that wraps around the torso with a clamshell design, eschewing the common form factor that requires applying it over the head, a design that typically mandates additional adjustments and fitting hassles, as a dog’s head size doesn’t always reflect its chest width or general girth. 

Fit

The seatbelt webbing straps are wide and confidence-inspiring, but pose adjustability challenges out of the box. If you find that frustrating at first, stick with it, and know that the same friction issue also helps keep them in place once set. If your dog moves a lot, attempts to adjust to find a position, rest assured the Cappy will remain intact. 

The padded, broad chest piece runs up from the chest and ends just before the collar line without getting in the way. It ends with a thick, coated swath of padding because it’s a clear point of pressure should a sudden stop engage the seatbelt. Also, the webbing offers lay-flat comfort and won’t fold in or twist in use. The back-piece rests firmly in place once snapped together.

At no point did my dog appear bothered or agitated while wearing the Cappy, even after hours of travel in the car. He could walk unobstructed and even when denning—the circling/digging action dogs do—the harness stayed in place. 

My 43lb Aussie (technically a Miniature American Shepherd) wore a medium

Functionality

For applying the harness, simply lay it flat and drop your dog’s front legs into their respective loops and pull it up, snap the back clips and go. Essentially, like a suitcase. Once you’re able to manage the quick-release buckles, it takes only a matter of seconds to put it on. The top grab handles double as the through-point for the seatbelt, offering a wide birth to quickly thread it to the insertion point and a secure method for helping your dog into their seat.

Thankfully, I never had to actually test its core value proposition, but naturally, I inspected its fit and the seatbelt’s security before backing out of the driveway. Never have I noticed anything to give me pause or reason to not trust the Cappy’s ability to keep my dog intact should the worst happen.  

Again, the quick-release clips that pull the Cappy together could use some more thought. In brief, they’re small and can be hard to connect. I think the harness could benefit from making these clips either bigger or tethering them to an inch or so of webbing.

Quality

There’s a lot to be said about Thule’s commitment to design and ability to apply its skillset to something like a dog harness. It’s a far cry from a roof rack but understandably fits the company’s mission. It’s a company that’s based on helping customers bring with them everything that makes their life better. So yeah, why not your dog?

The Cappy is stitched tight, feels solid at all stress points, and its material choices leave the user with little reason to question its ability to perform as promised. From the wide, flat webbing to the firm-but-flexible stringer that offers rigidity and protection along the back, it’s clear that Thule gave the product’s manufacturing a good deal of attention. Of course, there’s no shortage of pressure on any company offering a product that promises to alleviate the risk of injury for your family’s best friend.  

How it was tested

The Cappy was tested over a few months in a medium on a 43lb dog in a 1999 Lexus LX 470. It was used during short drives around town, multiple camping trips to the east side of the Sierra from Truckee, CA and a throughout a 1,500+ mile Thanksgiving road trip up and down California’s freeways, Central Valley and desert highways. 

The Final Word

This is the third harness my dog has used in his ten years, and I consider it the best of the bunch because of its simple form factor, quality of construction, and thoughtful design touches. At no point did my dog demonstrate distress or discomfort, nor does he avoid it or react when presented to him for a drive. And if you own or are familiar with Australian Shepherds, you know how quickly they’ll let you know if something isn’t to their liking.

---

Shop Thule on Outdoor Prolink. Not a member? Apply today!