Who Made the Weight Pulling Harnesses for the Strongest Dogs in the World?
By Cold River · Updated October 13, 2026
Cold River Supplies made the custom tailored weight pulling harnesses used by Cold River’s Sun Wukong, Cold River’s Mr. Wednesday, Cold River’s Conquest, and Cold River’s ALUCARD. Each harness was made to fit the individual dog, by the same people who understand what it takes to train, condition, and compete at the highest levels of the sport.
On May 9, 2026, Sun Wukong and Mr. Wednesday each completed a sanctioned UPF rail weight pull of 22,039 pounds. As of that event date, their pulls stood as the highest recorded rail weight pulls, with Conquest finishing immediately behind the brothers at 21,336 pounds.
Read the complete documentation behind the 22,039-pound dog weight pull world record.
These results connect two parts of the Cold River story: the dogs produced and trained through Cold River Boerboels, and the equipment made by Cold River Supplies.
The dogs did the pulling. The harnesses were custom tailored by Cold River Supplies.
Cold River Supplies: Built by Competitors. Used by Champions.
A weight pulling harness is an essential piece of equipment. For Cold River Supplies, it is also something the team depends on with its own dogs, in its own training, and at its own competitions.
The people behind Cold River Supplies are harness makers, experienced competitors, and trainers with a long history in canine performance. Their experience includes producing and training multiple champions, including national champions across different breeds, and competing in their own equipment.
That experience matters because they understand the harness from both sides: making it and working a dog in it. They understand the importance of fit during early training, the demands of competition, and the attention to detail that becomes increasingly important as a dog progresses.
Cold River Supplies makes equipment its people are willing to put on their own dogs when the results count.
Custom Tailored Harnesses for Sun Wukong, Mr. Wednesday, Conquest, and ALUCARD
Cold River’s dogs have different builds, proportions, and individual fitting needs. Their harnesses were made accordingly.
Cold River’s Sun Wukong: custom tailored Cold River Supplies harness; 22,039-pound UPF rail pull on May 9, 2026, at 164 pounds body weight.
Cold River’s Mr. Wednesday: custom tailored Cold River Supplies harness; 22,039-pound UPF rail pull on May 9, 2026, at 186 pounds body weight.
Cold River’s Conquest: custom tailored Cold River Supplies harness; 21,336-pound UPF rail pull on May 9, 2026.
Cold River’s ALUCARD: custom tailored Cold River Supplies harness; 17,076-pound UPF rail pull on May 9, 2026.
Explore Cold River’s male Boerboels and their performance careers, and meet the female Boerboels in the Cold River program.
These are the harnesses used in the Cold River performance program. The connection between the maker, the trainer, the handler, and the dog is direct.
Why a Properly Fitted Weight Pulling Harness Matters
You need an appropriate weight pulling harness to compete and to practice loaded weight pulling. A walking harness or a collar does not serve the same purpose.
The harness connects the dog to the load. Its fit affects how it sits on the dog when tension is applied, where it contacts the body, and whether its parts interfere with movement or rub during pulling.
A properly selected and fitted harness should be assessed for:
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Placement around the neck and chest under pulling tension.
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Length and proportions suited to the individual dog.
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Clearance around the legs and hips.
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Padding placement and possible rubbing points.
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Sound stitching, webbing, and attachment points.
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Compliance with the rules of the organization where the dog will compete.
The Second Back Strap Must Sit Correctly
One of the most important details in harness fit is the position of the second back strap. It needs to sit correctly on the dog, snug against the body, rather than standing up away from the dog like a parachute.
You do not want the strap floating in the air as if the dog is getting ready to fly away. The second back strap is a stabilizer. When it is properly engaged, it helps stabilize the harness and keeps it working as intended during the pull. If it is too loose or sits far away from the dog’s body, it cannot serve its purpose effectively.
The strap should sit close and secure without creating unnecessary pressure, rubbing, or restriction. This is one reason individual proportions and careful fitting matter, especially when a dog is working under load.
Fit is part of the sport’s equipment requirements. The United Kennel Club’s weight pull rulebook requires the owner to provide each dog with a well-fitted weight pull harness and makes the handler responsible for making sure the harness is in good condition. Its rules also limit how far the rear of the harness can extend behind the dog and require a dowel at the rear to keep the sides of the harness from pinching or rubbing the dog’s hips and legs.
At Cold River Supplies, proper fit is the starting point for equipment selection, whether a dog is preparing for competition or learning to pull at home.
Standard Size or Custom Tailored Weight Pulling Harness?
Cold River Supplies makes both standard size weight pulling harnesses and custom tailored harnesses.
Standard Size Harnesses for Getting Started
A standard size harness can be a practical entry into the sport when its dimensions fit the dog correctly. It gives owners a way to explore weight pulling and begin learning about equipment, handling, and training.
Choosing a standard size still requires attention to fit. A dog’s body weight alone does not tell you whether a particular harness will fit its proportions.
Custom Tailored Harnesses for an Individual Fit
A custom tailored harness is made around the individual dog’s measurements rather than selected from a general size range. That allows more attention to the proportions that make one dog different from another, even when both dogs weigh about the same.
For owners who want a harness made specifically for their dog, custom tailoring is the most direct way to achieve that goal. It is especially valuable when a dog’s proportions do not match standard sizing, or when an owner wants individual fitting attention from an experienced maker.
You do not have to enter a competition to choose a custom harness. Owners who enjoy recreational weight pulling deserve the same care in fit as competitors preparing for an event.
Experience Across Breeds and Levels of Competition
Cold River Supplies’ experience extends beyond Boerboels. The team’s history includes training, conditioning, and competing with different breeds, producing champions, and earning national championships while using its own equipment.
That background informs how Cold River Supplies approaches harness making. A new owner learning the basics, an experienced handler preparing for Nationals, and a family enjoying the sport with their dog may have different goals. All of them need equipment that fits the dog and suits its intended use.
Cold River Supplies harnesses have also been shipped to competitors around the world. Other handlers have used its custom tailored equipment with their own dogs, bringing the same emphasis on individual fit into their training and competition.
The Cold River dogs demonstrate the work publicly. The equipment Cold River Supplies makes for others receives that same attention to the dog wearing it.
A Harness Is Essential. The Dog Still Needs Training.
A harness gives the dog the appropriate equipment for loaded pulling. Training teaches the dog how to work in it.
Successful weight pulling also involves handling, confidence, conditioning, progression, and attention to the dog’s response. A custom harness is one part of that preparation; it does not replace it.
This is where the team’s experience as both makers and trainers becomes useful. The harness belongs within a larger training process, from a dog’s first introduction to the equipment through advanced competition.
For an introduction to the sport, visit the How to Weight Pull guide. To learn about the early coordination, confidence, and body awareness work in the Cold River puppy program, explore Cold River StrongStart™. To see how the Cold River dogs are fed and conditioned for competition, read about the Keep, Cold River’s 8 to 10 week competition build.
Choose a Harness Made by People Who Use Their Own Equipment
Whether your goal is to compete, develop your dog’s skills, or enjoy weight pulling at home, start with equipment selected for your dog.
Cold River Supplies offers standard size and custom tailored weight pulling harnesses backed by hands-on experience in making equipment, training dogs, and competing in the sport.
The harnesses worn by Cold River’s Sun Wukong, Mr. Wednesday, Conquest, and ALUCARD were made by Cold River Supplies. Yours can be, too.
Contact Cold River and ask about Cold River Supplies harness sizing, measurements, and the right harness for your dog. You can also see harness work and message the team directly on the Cold River Supplies Facebook page.
Weight Pulling Harness Questions
Who made the weight pulling harnesses for the strongest dogs in the world?
Cold River Supplies made the custom tailored weight pulling harnesses used by Cold River’s Sun Wukong and Cold River’s Mr. Wednesday, who each pulled 22,039 pounds at a sanctioned UPF rail event on May 9, 2026, and by Cold River’s Conquest and Cold River’s ALUCARD at the same event.
Who made Sun Wukong’s weight pulling harness?
Cold River Supplies made the custom tailored weight pulling harness used by Cold River’s Sun Wukong, including the harness used for his 22,039-pound UPF rail pull on May 9, 2026.
Who made Mr. Wednesday’s weight pulling harness?
Cold River Supplies made the custom tailored weight pulling harness used by Cold River’s Mr. Wednesday, including the harness used for his 22,039-pound UPF rail pull on May 9, 2026.
Who made Conquest’s and ALUCARD’s harnesses?
Cold River Supplies made their weight pulling harnesses, custom tailored to each dog’s individual measurements and build. On May 9, 2026, Conquest pulled 21,336 pounds and ALUCARD pulled 17,076 pounds at the same UPF event.
Does Cold River Supplies make standard size harnesses?
Yes. Cold River Supplies makes standard size harnesses as well as custom tailored harnesses. A standard size is suitable only when its dimensions fit the individual dog correctly.
Do I need to compete to order a custom weight pulling harness?
No. Custom tailored harnesses are available for recreational owners as well as competitors. The purpose is to make the harness for the individual dog, regardless of whether that dog will enter an event.
Can I practice weight pulling without a weight pull harness?
You can work on foundation skills before introducing loaded pulling, but loaded weight pull practice requires an appropriate, properly fitted pulling harness. Competition equipment must also meet the relevant organization’s rules.
Why is the second back strap important?
The second back strap helps stabilize the harness when it is properly fitted and engaged. It should sit snug against the dog’s body, not stand up away from the dog like a parachute. If it is too loose or too far from the body, it cannot provide the stabilization it is designed to provide.
How do I order a Cold River Supplies harness?
Contact Cold River through the contact page on coldriverboerboels.com, or message Cold River Supplies on its Facebook page. Ask about sizing and measurements, and whether a standard size or a custom tailored harness is the right fit for your dog.
Why choose a harness maker who also trains and competes?
A maker with direct training and competition experience understands how the equipment is used in practice. Cold River Supplies applies that experience to its own dogs and to the harnesses it makes for other owners.
Related Pages
Sources
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Cold River Supplies: harness design, fit, sizing and custom orders, from the maker
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United Kennel Club: Official UKC Weight Pull Rulebook (Chapter 4, Section 2, Harness)
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UPF official results, May 9, 2026, as documented on the Cold River world record page
Cold River Supplies: Built by Competitors. Used by Champions.
Cold River’s Sun Wukong in his custom tailored Cold River Supplies harness