Explored

From Noodle’s first set of wheels to her first hike, swim, and catch of a flying disc, her story shows how grit and a little extra support from those around you go a long way when it comes to #UnleashingPossibility.

A member of four search and rescue organizations, Kate Fernhoff works alongside her canine sidekick, Ronan, a wilderness live find dog and human remains detection dog. This is the tale of their search for two lost hikers.

Ruffwear Ambassadors Becca & Tala are #UnleashingPossibility in just about everything they do together – on the water, over land, and yes, even in the air.

Every dog has an inner explorer just waiting to get out there with their human. Preparing to embark on that journey together? We’re here to help.

Mallory Paige spent 14 months camping across North America on a motorcycle-sidecar with Baylor the Dog – proving you don’t need to be fearless or perfect to live your dreams. Mallory shared this story with us shortly after Baylor passed away.

"With Rose, I feel like Unleashing Possibility is just being able to have that mutual trust together. It's that deep bond with Rose where we're totally in sync, and we can do just about anything together."

With the right gear and a bit of that eagerness to explore that comes so naturally to our dogs, there’s no telling what adventure you and your dog can unleash next. And as Cara and Kiva show, sometimes, it's our dogs that actually Unleash Possibility within us.

We're sharing stories of dogs and humans finding ways to Unleash Possibility together. Here, Theresa and her canine sidekick, Cassie, explain how tackling their first big outdoor adventure together – a 3-day backpacking trip in Goat Rocks Wilderness – started a new chapter of their lives exploring the outdoors. 

As part of our series on dogs and humans finding ways to Unleash Possibility together in both the epic and the everyday, Ally & Rhea show how a bit of confidence and curiosity goes a long way to discover your inner explorer and lead to new endeavors.

This blended family of the human and canine variety went from tiny apartment to tiny apartment on wheels (aka, RV) in search of adventure this winter on their California road trip.

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.

Ruffwear Ambassador, Laura Patton, shares how passing down dog gear from one dog to another brings bittersweet joy – preserving one dog's memory and creating space for more memories to be made. 

A little bit of motivation (and a few aha! gear recommendations) from the Ruffwear Pack to break free of the winter doldrums.

Mark and his trained therapy dog, Bento, volunteer at OHSU Hospital to deliver joy to patients and staff. In this story, Mark gives a glimpse into a day in the life of a therapy dog.

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.

One of our favorite things to do at Ruffwear is connect canine explorers with human explorers. And our RAD Adoption Program helps us do just that. While the pandemic caused us to hit pause on these events, we are stoked to bring them back again. In this article, we've got the scoop on our latest event.

What in the world are PFAS? And, what does it have to do with sustainability and your dog’s gear? Let’s dig in.

Finding a dog-friendly trail is equal parts art and science, navigating features like water access and steep terrain with leash regulations and dog rules. We’ve got your quick-start guide to finding dog-friendly trails in your neck of the woods (or wherever you’re headed next). So grab your leash, round up your pup, and let’s hit the trail. 

We dig into the basic (yet awesome) anatomy of a dog's paw and how boots can be a helpful part of your dog's kit.

Can pups really help save the Mediterranean Tortoise from the brink of extinction? Ruffwear Ambassador Alfonso Pera Contreras introduces us to his detection dogs, Jara and Olivia, who are carrying out vital detective work to help this endangered species thrive again in Spain. 

When not busy with their day jobs as Ruffwear’s Retail Brand Experience Designer (and the unofficial Director of Dogs & Culture for Marv), Mary and Marv are a therapy dog team for the Reading Partners Program at Elk Meadow Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. This is their story. 

The crisp morning air jolted me awake after a fitful night of sleeping in the snow. I took a deep breath, exhaling a misty cloud before pulling my sleeping bag even more tightly over my face. Cassie lay beside me, snug and warm in her Powder Hound™ Jacket, cozily pressed up against my sleeping bag for extra insulation. 

This holiday season, we barked the halls and had a ball at our first Ruffwear howliday party for dogs. That’s right, there was a belly rub station, barkuterie board feast, and dog caroling (erm, howling) event. Interested in throwing your own? Here’s what goes on behind the scenes to plan a holiday party for dogs.

At Ruffwear, we believe in using our business for good. Our Paw It Forward program helps us cultivate a world where all dogs and their humans thrive in the outdoors. Seeking some giving inspiration this holiday season? Here’s a recap of our Paw It Forward winners for 2022. 

Ruffwear Ambassadors, Katie and Spaghetti (the one with the paws), share how they press play during the fall season – including their favorite indoor games to exercise Spaghetti's mind. 

In early 2020, Elizabeth suffered a serious injury while helping a friend with a sick horse. Here, she shares how adopting two rescue dogs actually rescued her and helped them all heal together.

This time of year, we’ve got tricks and treats on the mind. And who better than our tail-wagging friends to show off the tricks they do for their favorite treats? When the Ruffwear Pack busts out the Treat Trader™, here’s what our dogs do. 

Hemp in the outdoor apparel marketplace these days has a compelling sustainability narrative around it. Well-known brands are ramping up the use of this undeniably cool fiber. I’m often asked if the new Hemp Hound™ Sweater was a “sustainability” move. And, to answer, I’ll defer to the longtime favorite Facebook relationship status – “it’s complicated.”

Ruffwear Ambassadors Katie & Quinci are desert-dwelling, trash collecting, and community-loving outdoor enthusiasts. They live in Arizona and spend as much time as they can hiking, paddleboarding, climbing, and backpacking. Here, Katie shares how Ruffwear's Furness Jacket has kept Quinci warm on cold & windy excursions. 

This winter season, we’re taking a cue from our dogs and pressing the play button. Whether you and your pup are hitting the slopes or fetching sticks in a crisp city park, our Innovative Insulation Collection will provide the warmth to extend your winter play. 

Ruffwear Ambassadors Noodle and Shamus (and their humans, Bree and Kyle) just wrapped up a road trip to the Canadian Rockies. Read on for Bree’s tips for crossing the Canadian border with dogs and discovering national parks with dog-friendly trails – including how she found trails that were a fit for Noodle, her pup with a spinal cord injury.

Quincy and her 8-month-old Blue Heeler, Chorizo (trail name, “the Sausage”), recently headed out for their first backpacking trip together. Not everything went as planned, but they learned together and had fun along the way. Read on for Quincy's tips for backpacking with a puppy. 

Kellie Peaslee is an avid outdoor enthusiast – from hiking hundreds of miles throughout the U.S. to backpacking all four seasons. Her blog, The Dirt Bag Hiker, provides hiking and fishing resources to inspire others to explore the outdoors – as well as a section called "Dirty Dog" for those bringing their fur-covered friends. Kellie recently adopted a Brittany puppy named Hatch. Here, she shares what she's learned while navigating life – and the outdoors – with a puppy.

Dogs know how to play, and that means splashing and crawling through nature’s biggest mess-makers. We’ve got you covered with our dog gear cleaning instructions and solutions to your toughest cleaning puzzles. 

We checked in with our Ruffwear Ambassadors to hear how they splashed, hiked, canoed, and climbed the summer days away. Read on for their top highlights. 

Abby Smith had dreamed of working as a conservation dog handler since childhood. But her German Shepherd, Hugo, started out on a different path. As a puppy, he trained to be a guide dog – with Abby as his puppy raiser. When a health test led to Hugo’s release from the program, Abby adopted him and started working as a handler for Rogue Detection Teams. Hugo joined her for the ultimate experiment: can a former guide dog-trained pup swing it in the detection dog world?

Ruffwear Ambassador Becca Bredehoft is a professional paraglider pilot, tandem instructor, and photographer. She adopted her canine sidekick, Tala, from the Navajo Nation. One of the duo's favorite ways to explore together is on multi-day river rafting trips. Here, Becca shares the tips & tricks she's learned along the way.

Ruffwear's very own Rachel Jurgensen shares the journey of how she and her dog, Nova, celebrated the 4-year-anniversary of Nova's adoption by backpacking to and from the place where they first met – Odell Lake along the Pacific Crest Trail.

We checked in with Ruffwear Founder, Patrick Kruse, and design team members, Timothy Gorbold and Liz Zarro, to get the scoop on the inspiration behind the Pacific Gnaw-west Toy Collection. 

With our new fall gear, we’re elevating your play experience by bringing you new colors, designs, and styles from our Trailhead Collection.

Time to take a cue from our dogs and press the play button. How? We turned to Noami, Dustin, and their sidekick, Amara, to find out. They're some of the most fun and playful Ruffwear Ambassadors we know – and Amara inspires them daily to infuse play into a hectic life.

Nathan Nee is an ER Veterinarian. He and his canine sidekick, Turkey, live for exploring the trails together. They've run, hiked, and camped through the mountains and switchbacks of Colorado, Utah, Canada, and Washington. Here, Nathan shares how traversing these paths with Turkey has not only strengthened their bond, but helped him find his own path forward in life.  

Seven years into living the tiny house life, Laura and her pups, Star and Colt, are masters at maximizing their space, exploring outside, and enjoying the togetherness that living tiny brings. We checked in with Laura to hear her top tips for living in a tiny house with big dogs. 

We checked in with Kelly Hughes, Ruffwear's Sustainability Program Manager, to learn about the chemicals management process at Ruffwear. And, most importantly, how it's our responsibility to use chemistry wisely to protect our consumers, supply chain partners, and the ecological systems in which our manufacturing facilities are located.

Vernan Kee, Ruffwear’s Artist Series pick, is a graphic designer, endurance athlete, and rez dog rescuer living on the Navajo Nation. We checked in with him to hear his inspiring story. 

Ruffwear Ambassadors Katie and her canine-sidekick Quinci recently said goodbye to a member of their pack, beloved dog Chipper. To honor his life, Katie and Quinci embarked on a 67-mile, 6 day hike of the Arizona Trail where they spread Chipper's ashes in a bed of wildflowers. 

There's no speedier duo than Tom & Hungarian Vizsla Ruby on the trails – Tom on his mountain bike and Ruby on her four paws. Here, Tom shares their favorite waypoint for biking and running, Wakerley Woods.    

Hitting the open road means something different to everyone – maybe it’s about exploring uncharted territory or seeing new places through your dog’s eyes. Whatever your reason, we’ve got you covered with our top 8 tips for an epic road trip with your dog. 

When you’re as attached to your dogs as we are, your entire world revolves around them. We love to hit the road, and we’ve become fluent in the art of road tripping with your doggos. We’re here to share a few tips on how to make it more enjoyable for all when you've got a new puppy.