Stories

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

  • How to Be a Crag Dog: Climbing with Dogs

    I'm Riggins, a Ruffwear office dog, trail runner, skier, and crag dog based in Bend, Oregon. When I'm not hanging out at the Ruffwear office, playing in the snow, or chasing pine cones down the trail, you're likely to find me at Smith Rock State Park. Both of my humans love to climb at Smith, and I love to join. 

    Two woman and three dogs geared up for climbing walk into the canyon at Smith Rocks State Park.
  • Be In The Mile

    It's not about the pace, time, or average heart rate. It's not about miles covered or vertical gain... Allow your mind to wander. Allow it to dwell, spin, rinse, and release. Be with the moment. It’s adventure. Breathe deeply. It’s love. Follow your nose.

    Nico and sol trail run through green grass field at sunset.
  • Love Dogs

    One day a small and very strange looking puppy ended up in my driveway—she had been picked up off the Navajo res starving, miles from anywhere, by a guy working on electrical poles. She was a bedraggled black, grey and brown. Her ears flopped. She looked like a tiny hyena having a bad hair day.

    Selfie of Steph Davis and her dog Cajun.
  • Connections Built to Last

    Climbing is part of Ruffwear’s heritage. For more than 23 years, many Ruffwear employees have spent their evenings and weekends shedding layers of skin on boulders, rock walls, big walls, and alpine granite. Our office dogs are also our crag dogs.

    Two women with dogs and climbing gear walk down the approach to Smith Rock climbing area.
  • From Shelter To Science

    Imagine being a dog. Not just any dog, mind. A dog with boundless energy and so much drive, you struggle to fit into normal family life. Unfortunately, this means you might spend your whole life in a shelter. Wait, there’s good news! Your intense focus and insatiable urge to play make you a great fit for the Conservation Canines, an organization that rescues dogs from shelters and pairs them with human handlers.

    Dog works a training course at a house in the woods.
  • Reeling In A Water Hound: Fishing With Midge

    Some might say I am a fishing addict. I am lucky to live in a town that has endless recreation possibilities and lots of water. My husband and I are pretty predictable, so when April rolls around we are feet-first in the river and don’t come out until the snow falls and ice hangs off of our fishing guides.

    Dove and dog midge in float coat sit on the bow of a boat on the river.
  • Worked Like a Dog: In the Field with Conservation Canines

     We sent Alli, our resident ultra runner and ski mountaineer, to California to spend a few days in the field with the Conservation Canines. Her mission was to get to know our CK9 partners a little better and gain first-hand experience with the work they do. She was also collecting feedback on our products and their performance in the field.

    Working dog in custom harness and handler sit on rock during break in the woods.
  • My 115-Mile Tidal Potomac Expedition

    This past spring, I set an ambitious goal: my Australian Shepherd Kona and I were going to stand-up paddle the entire length of the tidal Potomac River. Starting in Washington, D.C., the tidal Potomac winds between the Maryland and Virginia borders for 115 miles before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay.

    Maria and dog in Float Coats on stand up paddleboard.
  • A Golden Boy With A Magical Nose

    Hello, my name is Chester. It has been 8 years since I have chased a chicken. That's because I am fully employed as a Conservation Canine, and I have been part of this program for 8 beautiful years. In my long career, I have studied bears in the Pyrenees, cougars in Washington, wolves in Alberta and bobcats in Wisconsin. I'd like to tell you my story. 

    Chester runs along grass in front of a house.
  • Top 10 Tips for Standup Paddleboarding With Your Dog

    Ruffwear Ambassador and author of How To SUP With Your PUP, Maria Christina Schultz, offers up her top ten tips for standup paddling with your dog.

    Person paddleboarding with dog at sunset
  • Skiing with Your Best Friend

    If you’ve had the opportunity to go skiing with your dog, you know that there are few activities that are more fun! Our friends Laura, Star, and Titan (of Silas the Sprinter) have been getting out quite a bit and are here to help.

    Two humans and three dogs in vert winter dog jackets ski near Mt Baker.
  • An Interview With Conservation Canines' Lead Dog Trainer

    Ruffwear has been working with the Conservation Canines since 2008. The more we get to know both the people and dogs who make up the organization, the more we are proud to call them a partner and ambassador. We recently got a chance to catch up with Heath in between trips to the field to ask him a few questions about the program, the dogs involved, and the work they are doing.

    Dog in web master harness and ruffwear jacket sniffs ground working while human looks on.
  • Preventing Snowballs – The Ruffwear Way

    As snow lovers, we often find ourselves running joyfully through endless hills of white powder without a worry in the world…until…it happens. The inevitable cosmic reaction to fluffy snow when it makes contact with fluffy fur – “Snowballs.”

    Humans and dogs trek across a snowy scene.