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Stories

A curated collection of stories to inspire you and your dog to get out there.

  • The Second Generation Pack: A Pioneering Design Inspired by Adventure

    Discover how an encounter at a festival in 1996 led founder Patrick Kruse to create Ruffwear’s second generation pack — the Palisades™ Pack.

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    Man with his dog wearing the Palisades™ Pack.

  • The Bowl That Started it All: The History of The Quencher™

    This is the story of the Quencher™ Bowl —  the original collapsible food and water bowl for dogs. Discover what sparked the idea and how it catapulted Ruffwear into the beloved outdoor dog gear brand it is today.

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    Dog posing with previous versions of The Quencher™ Bowl.

  • A Harness for Houdini Dogs: The History of the Web Master™

    The Web Master™ Harness traces its roots back to 1996. Discover how it marked Ruffwear’s foray into the harness category and why it remains a cornerstone of the collection today.

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    Man hiking with his dog wearing the Web Master™ Harness.

  • The History of the First Ruffwear Dog Boots

    As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we're taking a look back at Ruffwear’s history of innovation and performance, starting with the first pair of boots created in 1995.

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    Woman running with her dog.

  • The Fascinating History of the Dog Harness

    The dog harness is one of the most crucial pieces of gear you can have in your dog’s kit. Let’s dive into the fascinating history of the dog harness and explore how it transformed alongside our canine companions.

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    Woman hiking with her dog.

  • The Story Behind the Float Coat™ Life Jacket

    Ruffwear products are born out of the drive to provide a solution to a need or problem. The story of the Float Coat™ Life Jacket is no exception. It began after Ruffwear's Founder had a near miss while running the Kern River with his dog. He saw an opportunity to design a life jacket for dogs that is reliable, comfortable, and safe.

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    Founder Patrick Kruse in kayak with his dog in a float coat sitting in his lap.

  • A Lineage of Performance Jackets for Dogs

    Ruffwear’s Founder and Product Line Manager provide insights and backstory on three iconic winter dog jackets

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    Two dogs wearing the Vert Jacket sit on a rock with their human in winter.

  • Forward Together

    The Guiding Eyes for the Blind Running Guides program graduated its first team, Klinger and Richard, in 2015. These specially trained dogs enable people who are blind and visually impaired to run with only their guide’s support. For the first time, runners with vision loss don’t have to rely on human guides.

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    Blind runner and dog in Unifly run along a paved trail with trees.

  • DIG: Behind the Design of the New Trail Runner™ Collection

    Behind the design of the new Trail Runner™ Belt, Leash, and Running Vest – game-changers for runners, seasoned or new.

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    Dog wearing a hydration vest trail running with human and jumping over a log

  • DIG: All About the BackTrak ™ Dog Evac Kit

    Part of exploring the outdoors responsibly is being prepared and having a plan in place to answer “What would I do if…” This is the spark behind the design of the BackTrak™ Dog Evac Kit.

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    DIG: All About the BackTrak ™ Dog Evac Kit

  • DIG: Behind the Design of the StormSleeves™

    Welcome to our first D.I.G. (Design, Innovation & Gear) story of the year, where we dig into our latest innovation in the world of canine apparel: the StormSleeve™. We design to solve problems, meet needs, and truly enhance your and your dog’s outdoor endeavors. And, we design to do so without distracting dogs from their task at hand: unleashing their inner explorers.

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    DIG: Behind the Design of the StormSleeves™

  • Winter Paw Protection: Polar Trex™ Dog Boots

    Winter conditions can leave paws cracking, scraped, bleeding, or packed with uncomfortable snowballs, cutting the snow day short. What do you do when the bounding stops and the paw licking starts? The Polar Trex™ Boots can give your dog freedom to keep exploring through the winter months.

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    A dog plays with his toy in the snow while wearing Ruffwear Polar Trex™ Dog Boots.

  • New River. New Park. New Inspiration.

    When it comes to product design and color choice, Ruffwear’s Product Design & Development team looks to nature—to the wild places and landscapes that inspire and connect us. The New River provided the inspiration for one of our newest leash and collar patterns.

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    new river gorge aerial view.

  • Behind The Design: The Switchbak™ Leash

    With plenty of double-ended leashes already out there, our designers set out to put a Ruffwear twist into a classic design. Ruffwear's new sliding V-rings and silicone-dipped webbing stand apart from the typical fixed rings and leather. Together, they create a smooth-adjusting leash and a soft, supple hand-feel. 

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    Human has switchbak leash attached to front and back attachment points of front range harness on dog.

  • Behind the Design: Color Stories

    The subtle hues and bursts of color in the landscapes we explore with our dogs inspire and influence the colors of Ruffwear gear. Sure – dogs see the colors of the rainbow a little differently than we do. But what if it's more about their experience of it than it is the looks?

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    Dog in hibiscus pink front range harness in field of pink tulips with woman.

  • Threads of Innovation: How Our Reflective Webbing Is Made

    Curiosity led Ruffwear product designer Monica down a path of discovering a way to weave reflectivity into jacquard webbing. The result: reflective leashes and collars in striking and durable patterns.

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    Seafoam webbing overlayed next to the ocean seafoam it was inspired by.

  • Let's All Doo-Doo Our Part

    We’ve all seen it. Probably stepped in it. Maybe even watched our dogs roll in it. And as unpleasant as those experiences are, they’re the least of our concerns. Dog poop impacts wildlife and their habitats. And when left behind, it can affect the water supply and pollute our rivers, lakes, and waterways.

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    Alli pulls a pick up bag out of the Pack Out Bag while her dog RIggins sits at her side on trail.

  • Diving Into the Deep, bluesign® Sea

    As a company dedicated to making great gear, our definition of success includes embracing our responsibility to both our community and our planet. Today, we’re going to dig deeper into one facet of our sustainability strategy: bluesign® materials.

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    Dog in Fernie jacket sits on tailgate of truck while woman in wetsuite with surfboard returns.

  • The Craftsmanship Behind the Front Range® Harness

    Mindfully designed. Diligently constructed. Trail tested. That’s the craftsmanship behind every piece of gear from Ruffwear – all from the perspective of your canine explorer, and focused on their comfort, freedom, and experience. Here's a look at how that craftsmanship shaped the Front Range® Harness. 

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    Riggins in a front range harness and Alli run through the Painted Hills.

  • Designing from a Dog's Perspective

    Our dogs are our constant companions. With the right gear, they can join us comfortably in our outdoor pursuits, allowing us to go farther and share more experiences together. This belief has been Ruffwear’s path of inspiration, discovery, and innovation from the beginning.

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    Woman and dog in overcoat fuse jacket and harness combo hike up hill on Oregon coast hike.