A dog’s joints can wear down quickly, so it’s important to keep them protected as much as possible. Dog support braces can help keep your dog’s joints protected so that no further injuries can develop.
Whether your dog has arthritis or has suffered an injury that needs to be protected, a dog support brace will help make your dog as comfortable as possible and keep your dog’s joints stabilized.
Below we review the best dog support braces to help you choose the most suitable brace for keeping your pup protected and comfortable.
A Guide to the Best Dog Support Braces
Before we get to the best dog support braces, it’s important to understand the different types of dog support braces. There are six categories of dog support braces, so we will break these down and list the best dog support braces for each category.
When looking for the best dog support braces, make sure the brace provides a snug and comfortable fit, is supportive, and is easy to take off and put on. It should also be made from high-quality materials.
You should also find the most appropriate brace for your dog’s problems or conditions. For example, some dog braces are best for arthritis, while others are better for physical rehabilitation.
Dog Cruciate Knee Brace
A dog cruciate knee brace is used for dogs that have suffered any of the following leg or knee injuries:
- Torn or injured cruciate ligament
- Sprained knee or hock joint
- Arthritis and joint pain
- Post-operative support and rehabilitation therapy
- Instability, shakiness or fatigue
If your dog has suffered a knee injury, it will need a dog knee brace to help stabilize and support its knee joint and hock joints. Dogs can easily further injure their legs if a cruciate ligament has been injured and not properly treated.
1. Poveo Splinted Dog Knee Brace
Best Overall Dog Cruciate Knee Brace
- 150° femoral-tibial angle. It is designed solely to protect, heal, and stabilize the cruciate knee in a dog that has suffered a ligament injury. The splint is lightweight and will not wear out.
- Protects the patella. If your dog has suffered a patella injury or a luxating (out of place) patella, the knee brace will help protect and heal your dog’s patella.
- Can correct posture in developing young dogs. Using the cruciate knee brace on your young dog can help correct bad posture in your growing dog.
The Poveo Splinted Dog Knee Brace is our pick for the best overall cruciate knee brace because of the angled design and variety of sizes it comes in. The knee brace comes in sizes from X-small to XXXX-large.
We like that it comes in both a hinge-only and a splint-only option so that you can get the exact type of brace you need for your dog’s injury or condition. If your dog has a level 3 or higher dislocation or tear, you should choose the splint option. If your dog has a level 1 to 3 dislocation, you should choose the hinge option.
The Walkabout Cruciate Knee Brace is another good option.
2. NeoAlly Rear Leg Dog Brace
Best Dog Brace for Hock Joints
- Extremely supportive and stabilizing. There are two removable metal spring strips in each brace that supports and stabilizes your dog’s legs to keep them protected and comfortable while walking after recovering from an injury or illness. The metal spring strips can be removed as your dog’s mobility improves.
- Adjustable. There are two velcro straps on each brace that you can adjust to ensure it fits your dog’s legs correctly.
- Breathable neoprene. The material of the dog brace is breathable neoprene which is soft, comfortable, and cooling.
The NeoAlly Rear Leg Dog Brace is our choice for the best overall dog support brace you can choose for your dog because we like how supportive, adjustable, and breathable the braces are.
Our favorite feature about these braces is the two metal spring strips that can be removed from the braces to help continue providing support to your dog as he improves his mobility. The Velcro straps are adjustable to perfectly fit your dog’s hock joints, which is important to us.
In addition to the breathable neoprene, we also like that there are reflective strips on the braces so that our pup could easily be seen at night.
3. AGON Rear Hock Joint Support Brace
Best Budget Dog Support Brace
- Provides balance and stability. The single hock joint brace keeps the hock joint from becoming injured or further injured. Once a dog’s knee has been injured, the hock joint is compromised and can easily become injured due to the imbalance caused by the injured knee. The hock joint brace will provide balance and stability to prevent additional injuries.
- Smooth, comfortable mesh. The support brace is made of smooth, comfortable mesh that will be comfortable and breathable on your dog’s skin. It is made of nylon that is flexible, firm, and machine-washable.
- Can be used for cuts or wounds. If your dog has suffered a cut or wound on his hock joint, the brace can cover the wound and keep the area protected from infection or additional injury.
The AGON Rear Hock Joint Support Brace is a great value option that provides the balance and stability that we need for our dog’s hock joints. We like that it is machine washable and made of 5mm-thick neoprene. It has a smooth, comfortable mesh design that is flexible, firm, and breathable.
There are four sizes to choose from so you can get the exact size your pup needs. It uses velcro to keep it secure, and you can tighten or loosen it as needed. It’s one of the best budget dog support braces on the market today.
Dog Hip Braces
Hip dysplasia is a common abnormal development of a dog’s hips that can occur in any breed of dog and at any point in its life, though it is most commonly seen in older, larger dogs.
Hip dysplasia is when the hip joint loosens and stretches the supporting ligaments and muscles, causing the hips to lose strength and mobility. Hip dysplasia is painful for dogs, so treating it is important to keep your dog happy and comfortable while maintaining optimal mobility.
4. Walkin’ Hip-EEZ Dog Hip Brace
Best Overall Dog Hip Brace
- Compression and support. The hip brace is designed to provide support and compression to the back and hips for optimal comfort and stability.
- Leg panels help lift the legs while walking. There are built-in leg panels on both legs of the hip brace that help lift the legs so that your dog can walk with as little pain as possible.
- Can connect to a standard chest harness for walks. When you want to take your dog on a walk, the hip brace can connect to a standard chest harness, making it easy to take your dog for a walk. There are reflective strips on the brace that makes your dog easy to see when wearing the brace at night.
- Four different sizes to choose from. With 4 different sizes to choose from, you can find the exact fit your dog needs to provide the most support and comfort.
Many dog owners chose the Walkin’ Hip EEZ Dog Hip Brace as their choice for best overall hip brace because it provides the exact compression and support that you’ll need for your dog’s hip dysplasia. It helps alleviate the pain that comes from hip dysplasia, which is exactly why so many owners keep coming back to it.
One other feature we like is the built-in leg panels that help your dog to walk. The hip brace provides comfort and stability, but it helps lift your dog’s legs while walking to make it easier and less painful for your dog to walk.
5. Ortocanis Hip and Back Brace
Best Dog Hip Brace for Mild to Moderate Hip Dysplasia
- Helps reduce pain and inflammation. The heat from the hip brace keeps the hips warm to help reduce pain and inflammation by increasing oxygen circulation and elasticity in the joints.
- Boosts muscle activity. With mild to moderate hip dysplasia, the muscles can develop atrophy, a degeneration of the muscles and bones. The brace boosts muscle activity and increases the bond between the femur head and the acetabulum (hipbone socket).
- Adjustable neoprene straps. The brace is made of neoprene and designed with adjustable straps that velcro for the perfect fit on your dog’s hips.
The Ortocanis Hip and Back Brace is perfect for dogs with mild to moderate hip dysplasia. If you don’t need an aggressively supportive brace like the Walkin’ Hip EEZ, this one is a good alternative.
It provides just the right amount of support and stability for a dog with mild hip dysplasia.
It comes in three sizes (small, medium, or large) with adjustable straps to Velcro around your dog’s hips and back.
Dog Back Braces
A dog back brace helps alleviate pain associated with slipped discs, Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), and other spinal injuries. Dog back braces won’t cure the disease, but they will help alleviate the pain and discomfort that comes from spinal injuries and diseases.
If your dog is suffering from back pain or weakness associated with a spinal disease or injury, you can use a back brace on the dog to help relieve your pup’s back pain.
6. Coodeo Dog Back Brace
Best Overall Dog Back Brace
- Professional design for dogs who have severe back issues. If your dog is suffering from IVDD, arthritis, slipped or herniated discs, the back brace can be adjusted according to your dog’s exact needs using the 8 different velcro straps.
- Best for dogs recovering from surgery. Another great feature of the back brace is that it’s perfect for dogs recovering from back surgery.
- Adjustable. There is a 6-point adjustable strap to make sure it fits perfectly on your dog.
- Reflective and breathable. The back brace is made of breathable mesh that won’t be too hot on your dog. It also has reflective strips sewn onto the brace to make it easy to see your pup at night.
The Coodeo Dog Back Brace is an excellent contender for the best overall dog back brace – closely followed by the WiggleLess Back Brace and L’il Back Bracer.
Our favorite part of this back brace is the adjustability of all of the different straps. It makes it easy to tighten to the exact fit that your dog needs to provide the most comfort.
7. The Walkin’ Store verteBrave Dog Back Brace
Best Back Brace for Rehabilitation
- The three-piece design provides exceptional support. The back brace is designed with three pieces that work together to support your dog’s spine and surrounding muscles during rehabilitation and recovery.
- The perfect combination of stability and comfort. The brace stabilizes the spine while also alleviating the pressure that can come from a back injury or post-operative recovery.
- Two-tier support system. The brace is designed with a two-tier support system with three perfectly-placed metal support spines for maximum support. The spines can be removed as your dog continues through the rehabilitation and recovery phase.
- Easy to choose the right size. There are 5 sizes to choose from, and you only need to take one measurement from your dog’s topline (the top of the pelvis to the point of the shoulders) to determine the size you need for a perfect fit.
If you need a back brace to help your dog’s back pain after surgery, the verteBrave Dog Back Brace is exactly what you are looking for. You’ll want to be able to control the brace as your dog recovers, and you’ll be able to do just that through the two-tier support system.
It allows you to remove the metal support tines as your pup recovers and no longer needs the additional support.
There are five sizes to choose from. The brace comes small to extra large, and all you have to do is measure your dog’s topline to determine what size you need. You can also choose between green and pink.
Dog Shoulder and Elbow Braces
It’s common for a dog to injure its shoulder and elbow at the same time, especially in short or smaller dogs. The ligaments are close together, and both can easily become sprained from the same injury.
A shoulder brace is also sometimes called a hobble vest, and it should be used when there is a medial shoulder instability due to an injury like a sprain or tear. Medial shoulder injuries in dogs are comparable to rotator cuff injuries in humans. They are common and easy to treat the pain using the right type of brace.
An elbow brace can be used for elbow injuries and shoulder dislocation injuries. Dogs with elbow dysplasia, elbow arthritis, or hygroma can wear an elbow brace to help alleviate the pain and increase mobility in the front legs.
8. NeoAlly Dog Elbow Brace
Best Overall Dog Elbow Brace
- Can be used to treat various injuries and ailments. The elbow brace isn’t intended for just one type of injury or ailment. It can be used to treat arthritis, hygroma, dysplasia, and shoulder dislocation.
- Ideal for dogs who have elbow callouses or elbow sores. You can put this elbow brace on your dog that has suffered from an external elbow injury or to prevent elbow callouses.
- Can conform to your dog standing, sitting, or walking. Whether your dog is standing, sitting, or walking, the elbow brace will conform to its body while also providing support.
- Soft, breathable fabric with elastic straps. Your dog will be comfortable wearing this elbow brace. It is made from soft, breathable fabric to keep your dog cool while also providing support.
- Available in left-leg, right-leg, or both legs. We like that you can go ahead and purchase the pair of left and right-leg elbow braces together.
Our favorite thing about the NeoAlly Dog Elbow Brace is that you can purchase a pair of left and right-leg elbow braces instead of purchasing them individually.
You may notice that one of your pup’s elbows is hurting more than the other, but you think he would benefit from having a brace on both front legs. It just makes it easier to keep your pup safe and comfortable by having the option to brace both legs using this pair of elbow braces.
We also like that it can be used in conjunction with a shoulder injury. While it’s designed to treat elbow injuries, it can also help with a dislocated shoulder, allowing the brace to serve more than one purpose.
9. SELMAI Reflective Dog Shoulder Brace
Best Overall Dog Shoulder Brace
- Comfortable neoprene material. The comfortable neoprene material provides both compression and breathability while worn. It has velcro straps that are adjustable and reflective, providing the perfect fit.
- Great for prevention and recovery. Whether your pup is trying to prevent an injury or recovering from an injury that has occurred, this shoulder brace is perfect for either one.
- Can be used to treat various injuries. If your pup has suffered a torn ACL, dislocated shoulder, or a medial shoulder injury, this brace is great for providing comfort and stability to the shoulder.
This shoulder brace by SELMAI stands apart from the rest. It is affordable and provides maximum comfort while also keeping your pup’s shoulder protected.
It comes in sizes small, medium, or large, and each size has adjustable straps that velcro in place.
Dog Neck Brace
A dog neck brace is designed to help your dog with problems relating to their cervical vertebrae, crushed vertebrae, neurological issues, and hernias. A dog neck brace offers the right amount of compression and traction for the neck so it remains protected. A dog neck brace can be used in combination with a personal harness when taking daily walks.
10. Balto Neck
Best Overall Dog Neck Brace
- Compression and traction. Helps pets recover from hernias and vertebral injuries and helps pets manage different neurological issues associated with the neck. Can be used before or after surgery.
- Comfortable and convenient to wear. Can be used comfortably with the dog’s personal harness for walks. Made of comfortable and breathable fabric.
- Alternative to the Elizabethan collar. Instead of using an Elizabethan collar or the collar of shame, this Balto neck brace makes a great alternative and prevents the dog from damaging stitches after surgery
- Easy to clean. This dog neck brace is hand washable.
Overall, we feel that the Balto Neck Brace is the best neck support choice due to its rigid and internally reinforced structure. The brace itself is padded and breathable, maintaining comfort while worn. It is also easier to put on and much less restrictive than an Elizabethan collar.
This means your dog can eat and drink while wearing the brace with no problem.
See more: our round-up of the best Balto dog braces.