Explored

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. 

Ruffwear Ambassador Maria Christina Schultz is an outdoor enthusiast, certified stand up paddleboard instructor, and author. Her dogs are her constant companions. Maria's pack recently grew with the addition of her son. Here, she shares her tips for 4 dog and kid-friendly summer outings, plus dog training and gear advice to get you started. 

Ruffwear Ambassador Krissy Moehl is a running coach, author, race director, and public speaker. Her favorite running sidekick is her pup, PD. Seeing the trails through PD's eyes adds a whole new spin on her passion. Here, we checked in with Krissy and PD to learn their tips for running in the summer heat.

Ruffwear's very own Moira Hundley shares the significant experiences she's had with her canine sidekick, Jada, at their favorite waypoint – Good Dog Park in Bend, Oregon. 

We're not supposed to pick favorites, but when a harness is as lightweight, comfortable, and versatile as this one is, it's hard not to.

Paralympic Gold Medalist, Allysa Seely, attributes much of her success to her service dogs, Bentley and Mowgli. Here, we learn just how much support they've provided along her inspiring journey.

When it comes to the connection that matters most, Ruffwear goes all-out. Learn about choosing the dog leash that's built for you and your dog's next journey.

I often wonder what would it be like to see ourselves through our dogs’ eyes? Would they remember the person we were 7 years ago? Would they notice both the small and large ways in which we’ve changed over the years?

Kerry Irving is a Ruffwear Ambassador, and so was his life-saving therapy dog, Max. Max passed away in April of 2022, remembered by his loved ones and thousands of loyal fans. We caught up with Kerry to hear the incredible story behind this miracle dog’s legacy. 

Summer is full of long days, happy tails, and dusty tired legs. Before you and your canine companion embark on your first warm weather mission, veterinary surgeon Dr. Bronwyn Fullagar shares her key safety tips to keep your dog cool in the summer heat. 

Ruffwear's own Caroline Eyman and her lovable Husky-Shihtzu, Atka, moved across the country together from Vermont to Bend, Oregon. Atka had never been one to enjoy water – unless it came in snow form – but everything changed when she saw the river. This sparked an idea in Caroline: could she get Atka on a paddleboard? Read on to see how this duo took a chance on a new hobby and discovered a lasting way to connect on the water. 

Over the past two years, we've been building on our sustainability work by developing and launching a Climate Action Plan. We’ve made some bold goals, and we’re working hard to reach them. Here’s what we’ve done so far, what we’re doing now, and where we’re headed in the pursuit of sustainability with our carbon footprint.  

Something I’ve been curious about for a while is to what extent having a dog in my life impacts the planet. Finn is now 12 years old, and our lives revolve around him. He eats every day, has toys, travels, and has clothes and adventure gear the same as me. Let's look at Finn's carbon pawprint by focusing on the impacts of his food and apparel. 

Our epic camping and hiking excursions have an impact on the environment and wildlife. We’ve got you covered – there are ways to keep the stoke high while minimizing our impact. To scale those peaks responsibly, let’s take a look at Leave No Trace’s 7 Principles. Plus, read to the end to see our bonus tip to leave the trail better than you found it. 

Looking to share your love of backpacking with your dog, or maybe even establish a new love for it together? Welcome to Barkpacking 101.

With a presence in over 45 countries, Ruffwear's gear enables outdoor adventures across the globe. Today, we want to introduce you to Bernardo – the owner of Outdog who lives in Mexico – and his four shop dogs, Frida, Chelsee, Cesarin, and Leika.

This season, we’re highlighting waypoints – the places along life’s journey that hold significance. With our tail-wagging pals by our sides, we return to these spots time and again. Leaving new foot and paw prints. Collecting memories. Ready to kick off spring by retracing or discovering your waypoints? We’ve got you covered with our new spring gear from two of our top collections: Camp & Hike and Backpacking. 

Part of the Waypoints Series. Why Max Tepfer and his sidekick Billy keep returning to a special climbing area in Oregon.

Part of the Waypoints Series. Hear from Abby Chan about her dogs Kona and Mochi – and why they have a connection to this spot in Sedona.

Part of the Waypoints Series. Meet Hailey Hagerty and her dogs Sky and Ripley. Here's what she had to say about their connection to the location we joined them at for their photoshoot.

Waypoints celebrate the places our dogs take us and the joy of returning to them together, time and time again. Read on to follow Noël Russell's journey of creating, re-visiting, and learning from the Waypoints she's discovered with her dogs over the years.

Nathan and his canine sidekick, Turkey, share their stories from backpacking the alpine peaks of California, Montana, and Washington. They carry their packs and camp along the way as they summit beautiful mountain ranges, such as the North Cascades. Read on to see what they discovered on their journey.

In 2015, Ruffwear's Service Dog Channel Manager, Greg, visited the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus for the first time. This is the story of his immersive experience on their campus and how it jump-started his passion for supporting the guide dog community with Ruffwear products.

Now that many of us at Ruffwear have been working remotely for over two years, we are celebrating how working from home with our dogs has brought us closer to them. Read on to hear a few of our team members' takeaways from this wild two-year journey. 

No one understands the city dog life better than Ruffwear Ambassadors Cory, Rafa, and their pup Bondi. Here, we’ve got the scoop on their top tips to kickstart city adventures with your dog.