Max the Miracle Dog
His name is Max, and he’s called the Miracle Dog. Hearing just some of his amazing story, it’s not hard to see why. If you're looking for a story about the special bond that exists between man and dog, read on.
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Our Trail Tested Promise
All our products are rigorously field-tested – by real dogs really getting after it. Before any Ruffwear gear ends up on the trail with you and your dog, every component – from buckles and stitching to fabrics and webbing – has been put to the test and held to strict standards.
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Finding Purpose on the Road with a Three-Legged Dog
Living through the highs and lows of life on the road while witnessing the joys and heartbreak of helping others through amputation recovery and cancer care isn’t easy. Along the way, Jim and Rene do their best to stay resilient by doing what comes naturally to any dog: focusing on the here and now.
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The Moments In Between
Grounded. It is a physical act of touching the earth and feeling its energy flowing through us, providing support and foundation to our beings. It is finding balance between the present moment and thoughts about the past or future. To be grounded is to draw strength and courage from the knowledge of our deeper purpose.
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How a Pandemic Can Help You Socialize Your Adventure Puppy
Simply being around other people, dogs, bikers, and wildlife, and learning to not engage, is an awesome skill to encourage at a young age. And the absolute beauty of this time of COVID-19 we’re living in, with its six-foot social distancing requirement, is that it’s perfect for socializing a puppy.
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Six Tips for Crag Dogs (And Their Humans)
Over the past couple of years, Pebble has turned into a great crag dog, happy to be outside, happy to say hi to other climbers and dogs, and happy to lounge in the sun. Over this time, I have learned some things about being a good owner of a crag dog. Here are six of them.
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Pura Vida: Ruffwear in Costa Rica
Meet Sebastian and Esteban. They're brothers that live in Costa Rica with their dogs Gala, Ras, Chaco, Duna, and Tony, and they've partnered with Ruffwear as our distributors in the region since 2016. We turned to Sebastian and Esteban to learn more about life, dogs, and adventure in Costa Rica.
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Let's Go Find It: On the Job with Rogue Detection Dogs
Rogue Detection Teams bring the conservation detection dog method to the forefront of scientific research. They provide knowledgeable field teams and hands-on instruction for researchers, aspiring dog handlers, and citizen scientists, fostering collaboration and community involvement in the world of conservation.
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The Year of Chimmy
While 2020 is not at all how I scripted it, I know down the road I will look back at this summer and be filled with fond memories of sleeping under the stars, splashing in the river, and spending more time than ever with my furry companion. And for that, I am grateful.
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Pack Up & Get Out: What Our Office Dogs Pack on the Trails
As the air grows warmer and the sun lingers longer, we can’t help but get excited for backpacking, camping, and long days on the trail. Our employees and office dogs sure know how to pack in the fun, so here's a look at their go-to gear when their furry sidekick is shouldering some of the load.
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Celebrating the Summer Solstice
The endless daylight is a blank canvas for you to get creative – pack it to the brim, slow down and soak it all in, or take the time try something new. However you choose to celebrate the Summer Solstice this weekend, we hope it includes sharing some time outside with your furry best friend.
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Sustainability Update: Joining the Climate Action Corps
Ruffwear is continuing our commitment to do business better by joining the Outdoor Industry Association’s Climate Action Corps as a Founding Member.
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Ambassador Field Notes: A Two Week Road Trip With Dogs
It brings me so much joy to see how our dogs, Tanner and Ranger, respond when one of us asks, “Who wants to go for a car ride?” Last fall, as we do every fall, we headed out for a two-week road trip to some places we’d never been but always wanted to go.
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Rogue Detection Dog Field Notes: Suzie & Skye in Yosemite
In the summer of 2019, Yosemite National Park’s Terrestrial Wildlife unit secured special permits for three conservation detection dog-handler teams from Rogue Detection Teams. The goal: systematically survey the Park to detect and collect scat from the Sierra Nevada red fox, the cougar, and the fisher. As a research scientist and detection dog handler, I was ecstatic to be a part of this project.
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Learning to Adapt
Adapting has to occur because change is inevitable. Only now, this change isn’t felt in a small community or a family unit or a single person, but through our entire world. If there's anything constant with our world right now, it's the companionship we have with dogs – and that dogs will continue to teach us how to be better humans.
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Bone Appétit: DIY Dog Treat Recipes To Make At Home
It seems the kitchen is as good a place as any to have some fun with our canine companions right now. So while our bikes and backpacks are waiting at the ready for the green light to get back at it, we're picking up our whisks and getting creative with our favorite sous chefs. Give these two homemade dog treat recipes a try.
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How to Train an Adventure Puppy
Training a dog is an adventure all on its own. The journey is long but the view at the end is a smiling dog with a spark in his eye.
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Why the Arctic?
The Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a place few will visit, but a place we should all work to protect. Protecting the Refuge is about social justice, climate resiliency, and about protecting one of the last truly wild ecosystems in the world.
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Go Small or Stay Home: Shifting our Focus in the Time of COVID-19
At a time of year when we would often be loading up for our first adventure of the spring, we are being asked to scrap plans, stay home, and limit all non-essential travel. As adventurers, being told to stay put can feel stifling, but there are still so many ways we can get out with our dogs!
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New Gear for Summer 2020
Summer 2020 has us gearing up to dig into what it means to find purpose and healing in the outdoors with our dogs. We're using the downtime to strengthen our connections and ignite our imagination for the road ahead – dreaming up new ways to explore with our ever-faithful canine companions.
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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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How to Up the Fun While You and Your Dog Hunker Down
Right now, the human and canine employees of the Ruffwear Pack have shifted to working from home in an effort to help protect the health of our community. As we hunker down with our dogs, we're getting creative about keeping their stoke high while indoors. And, we're being mindful about ways to get outside. Here's what the pack is up to these days.
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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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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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Finding Soul River
Veteran Chad Brown struggled with severe PTSD. Then, after a life-changing fishing trip, he decided that he would dedicate his life to giving back to others who might find healing, connection, and purpose in nature – specifically, inner city youth and veterans. He founded the nonprofit organization Soul River, Inc., through which he brings at-risk youth and veterans into the outdoors.
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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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New Gear for Spring 2020
This season's new gear is an invitation to you and your number-one trail buddy to be curious, take the first step, and start down your own road less traveled.
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Discovering the Front Range
In the mountains of Colorado’s Front Range, Nathan first discovered a new pace of life. With his dog, Turkey, he learned how to live in the now as he watched her happily trotting along through mud, meadows, and moose poop for the first time in her life. Every scent is always new and exciting, every marmot call worthy of absolute attention. Together, they found a new home in the mountains.
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Ambassador Field Notes: Winter Yurt Camping with Tala
Becca, Cade, and their dog Tala decided to explore their snowy backyard in style by renting a yurt in the Idaho backcountry for a weekend. They loaded up their bikes and pedaled and pushed a few miles to a cozy yurt in the woods.
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My Dog is My Co-Pilot: Tips for Van Life with Furry Friends
Whether road-tripping or van-living, Ruffwear Ambassador Laura Patton shares her best tips for life on the road with dogs.
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Bonding with a Broken Heart
This is the story of how three lives came together at just the right and wrong time – a girl who’d wound herself so tight around my heart I could not have believed it, a baby boy who’d fill the space she left behind, and me, heartbroken me.
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Exploring Politely On-Leash Using the Front Range Harness
Collars don’t teach dogs polite manners, pet owners do. Plus, collars can cause injury when dogs pull against them. Instead, reach for a comfortable dog harness, six-foot leash, and lots of super yummy treats. Now, it’s time to get busy teaching your dog polite leash manners.
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Ambassador Field Notes: Bodie's First Road Trip
Ruffwear Ambassador Maria Christina Schultz headed north to experience autumn foliage and to treat pup Bodie to his first road trip adventure.
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5 Tips for Powder Hounds
Hi! I'm Riggins, an office dog at Ruffwear. I'm also a trail runner, crag dog, pine cone connoisseur, and powder hound. One of my favorite wintertime activities is backcountry skiing with my humans. Here are five of my best tips for powder hounds (or aspiring powder hounds).
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Digging Into Our Environmental Pawprint: Supply Chain
We checked in with Kelly, Ruffwear's Sustainability Coordinator, to see what she’s learned in her first year. As Kelly explains, it’s an ever-evolving, always-room-to-improve process with numerous factors involved. In this article, we’ll look at Ruffwear’s efforts in establishing an environmentally-conscious supply chain.
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6 Tips for Breaking in Ruffwear Dog Boots
Dog boots and shoes can help dogs with grip and traction on loose, rocky terrain, on ice and snow, and on other wet surfaces. They protect paws from hot pavement, coarse, rocky trails, clumpy snow, salt, and more. Yet, just like human boots, dog boots need a break-in period. We’ve got 6 tips for breaking in Ruffwear dog boots.
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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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The Road Less Traveled
Before Trevor DeHaas met his dog, Kahlúa, he was working a corporate job, living in the city, and ignoring his kidney disease. When Kahlúa came into his life, he quit his job, began exploring the outdoors, and started to take better care of his health. He is now an adventure photographer, living his best life.
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How To Trail Run With Your Dog
Hey guys, Emmett here. I'm a good friend of a human that works at Ruffwear, and I'm kinda new to town. Between all the new smells, funny looking animals on the farm I live on, and my really cool new family, I’m stoked on life. My friend thought it might be fun to try channeling some of that energy into trail running together.
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Teaching Tala To Love The Water
Our dog wasn’t exposed to a lot of moving water in her first year and a half of life. As with all new activities, we started slow – throwing her favorite toys for her in calm, shallow water. She loves playing ‘ball,’ so it was good motivation to work her way up to short easy swims.
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Riding with Emma
In the gray light of early morning, Kristen pushes her bike out of the garage, steps on, and begins pedaling. Emma (her tail-wagging sidekick) runs alongside as they exit the alleyway onto the road. Then, Kristen says, “Trailer!” and Emma hops in for the ride to work. Read on to learn about Kristen's off-road cargo trailer with suspension that allows her to bring Emma along on her bike rides.
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Nancy & Abbie
Blind from birth, Nancy started using a cane at the age of 6 and taking buses at the age of 10. Now, Nancy has had a total of 4 guide dogs. They’ve guided her on some grand excursions: summiting 14-ers in Colorado, hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, exploring countless miles of trails, and paddling alpine lakes.
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Richard & Klinger
Richard Hunter is a blind endurance athlete who has made it his life’s work to encourage blind athletes to participate in sports and other activities that push the limits of their comfort zone. His guide dog, Klinger, was the first graduate of Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Running Guides Program.
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Pam & Maida
If anyone is born a runner, it’s Pam McGonigle. She was also born with visual impairment, but that never slowed her down. She was hooked on the sport after winning her first race in 6th grade and went on to compete at the Paralympics, winning gold. In 2008, Pam got her first dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
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Exploring Public Lands
At Ruffwear, public lands are part of who we are. We are fortunate to have national forest right out our office door. We believe that the first step to protecting public lands is to get out there and enjoy them. We hope that our video will inspire you to do just that – with your best furry pal, of course.
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A Serendipitous Meeting
I was driving near the Warm Springs Reservation on Highway 26 and I noticed a skinny black dog standing on the shoulder in the opposite lane. I drove for a couple hundred feet and thought to myself, “That’s the saddest looking dog I’ve ever seen." I turned around my 26-foot delivery truck and went back.
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More Valuable Than Gold
With gold mining proposals poised to change the Paradise Valley, Darcie is part of the effort that is seeking solutions — ones that recognize that the area’s natural values are a tremendous asset. Darcie wants to ensure that future generations and their canine companions can also experience the magic she feels there with her dogs, Ruby and Balto.
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In This Together
Krissy has spent the better part of her adult life running ultra trail races and filling her passport with world explorations. She is a running coach, author, race director, and public speaker. Sharing the trails and life with her dog adds a whole new spin on her passion for this life of adventure.
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Camping with Dogs on Public Lands
Bring your dogs on your next adventure—many areas of our public lands welcome canine companions. All it takes is a little planning.
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How To SUP With Your PUP: Getting Your PUP Back On The SUP
One of the most important topics covered in this edition is a step-by-step guide for safely getting your dog back on the board from the water. This is the single most important skill every dog-loving paddler should know. Riley, Kona, and I want everyone to be safe out there!
